Travers Smith LLP is delighted to announce the promotion of three lawyers to Senior Counsel, effective from 1 January 2024.
The new Senior Counsel and their principal areas are:
• Sarah Baker – Employment
• James Barnard – Financial Services and Markets
• Kyle Rainsford - Tax
Sarah Baker – Employment
Sarah advises clients on all aspects of employment law including both contentious matters (in both the High Court and the Employment Tribunal) and non-contentious matters, as well as the employment law aspects of corporate transactions. Sarah works for clients across a broad range of sectors, including financial services and tech, and has significant experience advising clients on global restructuring projects across multiple jurisdictions.
Sarah has particular experience in investigations, both advising and supporting clients and conducting independent investigations. Sarah regularly provides training to clients on employment law issues and DEI matters.
James Barnard – Financial Services and Markets
James advises clients on a broad range of financial services regulatory matters, with a particular focus on the asset management sector. James' practice includes advising clients on various legal, regulatory and practical matters arising from the sustainability-related requirements affecting asset managers (EU SFDR, EU Taxonomy, UK SDR and others), the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (AIFMD), the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID II), the regulatory perimeter, FCA change in control requirements, the Investment Firms Prudential Regime (IFPR), anti-money laundering compliance (MLD4 and MLD5) and the Senior Managers and Certification Regime (SMCR).
Kyle Rainsford – Tax
Kyle leads our real estate tax practice. He advises on all aspects of commercial tax but has particular expertise in the real estate sector and in VAT. He advises institutional real estate investors, real estate funds, and foreign investors on the tax consequences of the acquisition and disposal of real estate, the development of commercial and residential property, and real estate financing. He also advises companies and unit trusts holding real estate as well as leases and letting issues. Kyle has considerable experience working on corporate M&A and private equity transactions, as well as advising insurers and policyholders on warranty and indemnity insurance.
Managing Partner, Edmund Reed, said:
"Congratulations to all of our new Senior Counsel on this significant achievement in their careers. These promotions fairly reflect the skill and hard work they have shown in advising their clients."
