SJ Berwin expands

SJ Berwin has appointed Simon Topping as a partner on the EU and Competition team based in Brussels. This is a further development in SJ Berwin’s EU & Competition law network in key European jurisdictions. In addition to its team in London, SJ Berwin has established EU & Competition practices in France, Germany, Spain and Belgium. Topping will join existing EU partner Ramon Gallardo in Brussels. The SJ Berwin network now includes 11 EU & Competition law partners.

Topping joins SJ Berwin with over 15 years experience in Brussels and London. The main focus of his practice is EU and UK Competition Law and regulatory aspects of the telecoms, media, pharmaceuticals, IT and e-commerce sectors. He also has expertise in the crossover between intellectual property and competition law.

Stephen Kon, head of EU & Competition at SJ Berwin, said: “Simon’s practice has significant synergies with our existing focus, particularly on the IP and sectoral side. Brussels is of pivotal importance to the development of our EU & Competition law network and expanding the team with somebody of Simon’s background and calibre could not come at a better time.”

Also, Nick Terras has joined SJ Berwin as a partner in the banking department. He specialises in structured finance transactions such as securitisations, repackagings and derivatives. He also advises in relation to the establishment of private equity/venture capital and hedge funds and other investment structures.

Terras was most recently a partner at Withers, where he set up the hedge funds practice and he was previously at Allen & Overy, where he was associate head of the commercial trusts and partnership group and a member of the team specialising in partnership and trust-based securitisations and other structured finance and derivative instruments. Prior to working at Allen & Overy he practiced at the Bar for seven years focusing on the application of off-shore funds, trusts and partnerships in the structuring of commercial finance transactions.

Terras’ appointment follows the recent arrival of senior members to the finance practice: Jeremy Cross joins as partner from Osborne Clarke; Iona Levine becomes an executive director, derivatives and funds; and ex-Allen & Overy senior assistant Julian Barker.