DLA Piper Makes Major Corporate Hire

DLA Piper has announced that Martin Nelson Jones is set to join the firm's corporate practice in London. The highly regarded M&A expert arrives from Freshfields, where he had been a partner since 2001. 

Nelson-Jones is considered a leading light in the infrastructure and energy fields and formerly served as co-head of Freshfields' global infrastructure and transport sector practice. His recent work includes advising a consortium comprised of AIMCo, Borealis, Wren House and OTPP on its acquision of London City Airport. His clients include both financial sponsors and corporates.

The news was hailed by Robert Bishop, co-chair of DLA Piper's corporate group, who remarked: "Martin is a highly regarded practitioner with a wealth of experience in M&A and in the infrastructure, transport and energy sectors. He has advised on a number of industry shaping transactions and his appointment will boost our London corporate practice and reflects our commitment to further develop our global infrastructure capabilities."

The news represents a welcome boost for DLA Piper's transactional practice, which saw Anu Balasubramanian leave for Paul Hastings in May. It also comes as a further blow to Freshfields, which saw star private equity partner David Higgins depart for Kirkland & Ellis late last year.