LONDON, December 1, 2014 — Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP is pleased to announce that Robert Stirling, one of the UK’s most highly regarded insurance practitioners, has joined its London office as a partner, further enhancing the firm’s market-leading, cross-border insurance transactions capabilities.
Robert Stirling was most recently a partner in the Financial Institutions Group at a Magic Circle firm, where he was head of its non-contentious insurance practice. He focuses on insurance and asset management transactions, and more broadly, the regulatory issues involved in transactional work and the insurance sector. He advises on takeovers, private equity investments, share offerings, asset disposals and regulatory matters. In addition to joining Skadden’s London Corporate practice, Mr. Stirling will be part of the Global Financial Institutions practice’s Insurance Group.
Chambers UK 2015 ranks Mr. Stirling as a leading lawyer, citing sources who state that “he knows the insurance industry incredibly well and has great depth and breadth of experience. He is also utterly superb in a crisis – very measured and calm.” He is also recognised by The Legal 500 UK. He attended the University of Cambridge and The College of Law, Guildford.
Pranav Trivedi, head of Skadden’s London office, said: “Clients are increasingly interested in sophisticated insurance-related expertise in Europe. Robert’s outstanding reputation and breadth of experience will complement our existing capabilities. His hire reflects the firm’s strategy to build out and leverage off of our key practice areas in offices around the globe. We are delighted he is joining us.”
Todd Freed, co-head of Skadden’s Global Financial Institutions Group, said: “Robert’s deep insurance industry knowledge and cross-border experience will be of great assistance to our clients, particularly those seeking inbound and outbound insurance opportunities in Europe and those preparing for the implementation of Solvency II.”
Mr. Stirling added: “Skadden’s platform is a perfect match for my practice. I look forward to working with its renowned European corporate group and its leading insurance practice in advising insurance companies and other firms around the world.”
Skadden is a global leader in cross-border transactions in the insurance sector. The firm recently advised Assicurazioni Generali S.p.A. on the English and Russian law aspects in its US$3.3 billion acquisition of a 49 percent stake in Generali PPF Holding B.V.; Wilton Re Holdings Limited, in its US$1.8 billion acquisition by Canada Pension Plan Investment Board; SCOR Global Life U.S. Holdings Inc. in its US$750 million acquisition of Generali U.S. Holdings, Inc.; and XL Group plc in its US$570 million sale of XL Insurance Ltd.’s wholly owned subsidiary, XL Life Reinsurance Ltd., to GreyCastle Holdings Ltd. Skadden ranked first by deal value among legal advisers when representing the insurance broker on M&A transactions, and second by deal value in the insurance sector in SNL Financial’s 2013 year-end rankings.