Seddons further strengthens its Corporate Department with new Partner appointment

West End law firm, Seddons, is pleased to announce the appointment of Ben Gillespie as a Partner in the Corporate team. Ben joins Seddons from DLA Piper, where he was a Partner in the London office and before that Head of Corporate for the Middle East based out of Dubai. His appointment is with immediate effect. Ben is ranked for Corporate/M&A advice in Chambers and Partners legal Global Guide 2021 and his appointment reflects Seddons’ commitment to continued investment and growth in its corporate offering, following the appointment of Head of Corporate Ilan Kotkis in 2020, and strengthening of its links with the Middle East.

Ben acts for a broad range of clients on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, share/equity investments, group reorganisations and general company and corporate governance advice. With over twenty years’ experience, Ben has completed deals in multiple sectors including hospitality, real estate development, healthcare, education, retail, industrial/manufacturing, defence and service providers to the oil and gas industry, working on deals ranging in value from US$5 million to several billion US$.

In addition to domestic UK transactions, Ben has very good expertise in multi-jurisdictional matters through his time in the Middle East, where he managed corporate teams in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait. Working across jurisdictions, Ben has guided numerous clients through complex transactions involving international expansion, overseas exits, strategic equity investments, legal due diligence and restructuring and is well-versed in working alongside and project managing overseas lawyers. Ben is often viewed by clients as an extension of their in-house legal or deal team due to his hands-on, commercially focused approach providing senior support when trusted external legal counsel is required to get a deal over the line in an efficient and timely manner.

Ben Gillespie said: “I am delighted to join Seddons as part of the firm’s growing and talented corporate division. I look forward to helping to continue to drive the firm’s corporate transaction offering forwards, supporting clients on their business acquisitions, joint ventures and exit strategies in the UK and overseas, especially when experienced corporate advice is needed at reasonable rates, offering value for money, direct partner involvement, and with a focus on building a deeper, more meaningful long term, trusted lawyer / client relationship.”

Seddons Head of Corporate, Partner Ilan Kotkis commented, “We are very pleased to welcome Ben into the corporate team. His arrival marks a strong step forward in line with our ambitious growth strategy and his international experience and expertise will be invaluable. Ben brings significant experience in all types of corporate transactions, and his hands on approach makes him a great fit for our team as we continue to grow and work closely with clients and colleagues alike.”