People

Shawn Atkinson Partner

London

In addition to sheer volume of deals, Shawn's incomparable market insight stems from his leadership roles at Orrick, the only global firm focused on technology, and his experience working throughout the UK & Europe, North America and Asia. Shawn leads Orrick's London Corporate practice, its Global Emerging Markets practice and co-leads the Global Fintech team and the Global Technology Companies Practice Group. These complement his practice serving public and private companies in UK multi-jurisdictional and complex corporate transactions, including countless acquisitions and disposals, cross-border mergers, bankruptcy infused asset sales, recapitalisations and reorganisations. He is also a recognised leader in late stage venture transactions and in early stage private equity transactions in Europe and the emerging markets. Shawn has been recognised as a leading individual in several legal directories, including Chambers and Legal 500, for his expertise and excellence in venture capital, M&A, emerging markets, and fintech. In addition, he has been ranked as a top 5 (by volume) UK M&A lawyer in each of 2017, 2020-2024 by Mergermarket, including a #1 ranking in 2021, 2022 and 2024.

Shawn also advises early stage businesses across a number of sectors – including insurtech, Fintech, Crypto, SaaS, EdTech, HRTech, Marketplace and EnergyTech. He assists them from incorporation through to M&A exit, initial public offerings and other growth opportunities. His participation in the private equity and venture capital sector spans his entire career - with time spent in private practice, in-house and advising investors as well as investor-backed businesses-and affords him a deep knowledge and understanding of the industry and client needs and expectations.

Among the leading investment funds he has represented are ABN Amro Ventures, Acton Capital Partners, ABRY Partners, Accel Partners, Apax Partners, Bain Capital, Balderton Capital, Battery Ventures, Beringea, Bessemer Venture Partners, Black Pearls VC, Black Sheep Ventures, BMWi Ventures, Coatue Management, Columbia Capital, CommerzVentures, Evolvence, FTV Capital, Golden Gate Capital, Stepstone Group, Headway Capital Partners, Innova Capital, Kinnevik, KPS Capital Partners, Marlin Equity Partners, Mangrove Capital Partners, M/C Partners, One Peak, Oxx, Pearson Ventures, Piper Private Equity, Piton Capital, Salesforce Ventures, Sprints Capital, Summit Partners, Updata Partners, VNV Global and VEF.

James Badge Managing Associate

London

Regularly acting for early through to late-stage companies, as well as leading investors, operating within the technology and media sectors, James' practice primarily focuses on equity financings, secondary transactions, M&A, private equity and general corporate advisory work.

James was previously seconded to a leading global start-up accelerator, venture studio and early-stage investor for six months where he sat as Legal Counsel, advising some of the over 300 portfolio companies and acting on cross-border joint venture and partnership arrangements and transactions with prominent corporate investors.

Passionate about working with innovators and investors, James is motivated to provide commercially pragmatic advice and to deliver innovative solutions to aid the growth and success of his clients within the ecosystem.

Siddharth Balani Associate

London

Sidd trained at Orrick and has experience acting on the company- and investor-side of venture capital and growth equity transactions, including early-stage financings, institutional funding rounds, venture debt, bridge financings, secondary transactions, cross-border 'flip' transactions, and exits. Sidd also advises companies on the day-to-day and broader commercial matters that they encounter.

Emma Cameron Senior Associate

London

Emma's primary focus is venture capital work, and she has considerable experience working with early stage companies as well as with investors and VCs. She can advise on all aspects of venture and growth capital transactions including early stage financing, institutional funding rounds and exits.

Rachel Conder Associate

London

Rachel has experience working with companies of all stages, primarily in the technology sector, as well as venture capital funds and investors.

Patrick Driscoll Senior Associate

London

Patrick advises companies with often transformative technologies across a number of sectors – including Enterprise Software, Consumer Marketplaces, Fintech, Web3, EdTech, Media, Cleantech, Healthcare and Life Sciences. He has supported companies in formation, through growth stages, to those scaling their operations across geographies, on a wide range of private equity transactions, M&A, joint ventures and corporate restructurings.

He has also represented leading investment funds (such as EQT Growth, ABN Amro Ventures, Kinnevik and Greycroft) and corporates (such as EDF, Live Nation, Workday and Twist Bioscience) in their venture capital and private equity investments.

Elizabeth Gavin Managing Associate

London

She is broadly experienced with venture capital financing transactions, as well as corporate formation and governance matters. Elizabeth has also advised a number of leading venture capital funds.

Prior to joining Orrick, Elizabeth worked in the Boston office of another US law firm.

Christopher Grew Partner

London

Drawing from his comprehensive experience, network and passion for all things geek, Chris forms an integral part of the European tech ecosystem. Chris advises companies in venture capital transactions, public offerings and cross-border mergers and acquisitions. He also advises high-growth companies, investment banks, and venture capital firms on fundraising, international business operations and transactions.

As noted in the engagements below, Chris works closely with those powering the next generation of technology, from revolutionary AI companies to influential investors. His track-record and industry-wide reputation were noted in the most recent Legal 500 edition, which describes Chris as “excellent,” accompanied with a band 1 ranking in venture capital investment by Chambers and Partners 2021.  

Adele Harrison Senior Associate

London

Adele has advised clients on a wide range of cybersecurity and data privacy matters.  Adele has a particular interest in online safety requirements for companies and has advised clients in relation to the Age Appropriate Design Code, Video Sharing Platforms requirements and the Online Safety Bill. 

Before joining Orrick, Adele worked for two years on a global investigation into allegations of fraud, bribery and corruption, resulting in settlements with the UK Serious Fraud Office, French Parquet National Financier, U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Department of State.

Prior to her work in private practice, Adele practiced at the independent Bar for five years. She has experience in prosecuting and defending in a wide range of criminal law cases and has developed a practice focusing on fraud, white collar crime and regulatory law.  Adele has conducted secondments with the Serious Fraud Office and Crown Prosecution Service on high profile banking fraud cases, as well as internships with the International Criminal Court and the New York State Division of Human Rights.

Adele has obtained the Certified Information Privacy Professional - Europe (CIPP/E) designation from the International Association of Privacy Professionals.

Kristy Hart Managing Associate

London

Kristy has experience working with companies as well as investors and venture capital funds throughout a company's life cycle, including early-stage financings, institutional funding rounds and exits.

In addition to equity financings, Kristy advises clients on other corporate transactions including bridge financings, secondary transactions and cross-border flip transactions.

Rebecca James Managing Associate

London

Rebecca has worked with regulated companies and financial institutions on, among other things, authorisation, outsourcing, systems and controls, payment services, e-money, consumer credit and anti-money laundering regulations. Her clients include retail and wholesale businesses across the financial services sector.

Rebecca has a passion for Fintech and has experience working with clients in the Fintech space. In particular, she has provided advice on crypto assets to e-money platforms, exchanges and firms looking to launch token offerings, including initial coin offerings, security token offerings, initial exchange offerings and NFTs.

Daniel Jones Partner

London

Dan has experience across the full spectrum and life cycle of financial services firms: from determining whether the firm's products or services are the subject of financial services regulation, assistance in obtaining a regulatory license, interpretation of applicable regulations and implementation guidance through to M&A regulatory due diligence and skilled person's reports in the event of regulatory investigation.

His clients include global retail and investment banks, asset managers, e-money issuers and payments services providers, crypto-asset issuers, wallets and exchanges.

Dan's notable work includes advice to the UK Open Banking implementation body, the development of a digital only retail bank for a U.S. headquartered global bank and preparing the regulatory license application for a leading global payment services provider.

Before joining Orrick, Dan spent more than a decade working in UK ‘magic circle’ law and ‘Big 4’ consulting firms, advising leading fintech's on regulatory issues across the UK, Europe and the Middle East.