Our people

Peter’s practice focuses on the communications, technology, defence and nuclear sectors. His expertise includes mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, financings and private equity investments. He is also experienced in the structuring and negotiation of a variety of commercial transactions including large scale supply and distribution agreements, technology contracts and licences, development and collaboration agreements, and outsourcing contracts. Peter is an expert in export control regulation and has significant experience in licensing, compliance, audits, investigations and voluntary disclosure matters.

In each of 2007, 2008 and 2009 Peter was selected for the "BTI Client Services All-Star Team for Law Firms".  This award is based upon unprompted nominations for outstanding client service compiled from interviews among corporate counsel at Fortune 1000 companies by BTI Consulting Group.  Peter is one of only seven lawyers to have received this distinction for three consecutive years.

His experience of the communications and technology sectors includes representation of satellite operators, carriers, equipment manufacturers, software suppliers, service providers and private equity investors. He currently serves as a non-executive director of a wireless broadband infrastructure operator in Scandinavia.

In the nuclear sector, Peter has been involved in a variety of transactions arising from the restructuring of the UK’s nuclear industry.  His experience includes both the civil and defence sectors.

Peter is admitted both as a solicitor in England & Wales and an attorney in the United States. He practised for five years in the Washington DC office of a leading US law firm before returning to England in 1991 to establish that firm’s European practice. He served as Managing Partner of its London office until 2005.
 
He has many years of experience advising US companies doing business within the integrated European marketplace. Peter regularly assists clients to understand and manage the differences in business law practice between the United States and Europe, and to avoid the misunderstandings and traps commonly encountered in cross-border transactions. He has extensive experience in developing and implementing global compliance programs, particularly for businesses working in the defence sector.
 
As a result of his experience with the communications industry, he is regularly asked to participate in the resolution of disputes between and among equipment manufacturers and operators. He has handled a wide variety of both institutional and ad hoc arbitrations.

Representative Matters

• Represented one of the principal investors in the London-based satellite operator, Inmarsat, through the entire life-cyle of its conversion from an intergovernmental organisation to a private company through its US$1.4 billion sale process through which the private equity funds, APAX and Permira, were brought in as majority shareholders, and the IPO that saw Inmarsat brought to the London Stock Exchange.  He also represented the same client through the subsequent disposal of its shares in Inmarsat.

• Represented a US-based engineering company in its bid to acquire the Magnox nuclear reactors business from British Nuclear Fuels plc

• Represented a US-based defence and electronics company in its acquisition of a UK military vehicle manufacturer

• Served for over a decade as European Coordinating Counsel for a U.S. based communications equipment manufacturer, in which capacity he managed the provision of legal services to each of group’s business division throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa.  This work included the management of mergers and acquisitions, restructurings, product regulation issues, commercial contracts, employee and privacy matters, and compliance issues

Experience

Professional Admissions / Qualifications

• England and Wales
• Colorado

Interests

Proprietor of a gastropub