Alexander Rayner

International Arbitration and Litigation

• Acting as trial counsel for Extraction Oil & Gas, Inc. and its affiliates in their Chapter 11 restructuring and related adversary proceedings before the Chief Bankruptcy Judge for the District of Delaware. Following extensive discovery, briefing and multi-day trials against multiple counterparties, prevailed in rejecting numerous midstream contracts by establishing that they did not contain real covenants and that rejection was a reasonable exercise of Extraction’s business judgment. Also achieved favorable finding in novel argument that contracts could be rejected even if they had contained real covenants. Courtroom victories ensured multi-million dollar savings to the company.
• Acting for FTV Capital in a long running shareholder dispute with the founder and majority shareholder of ETFS Capital Limited. This dispute culminated in an unfair prejudice petition in the Jersey courts in which FTV Capital prevailed in establishing unfair prejudice and obtained an order for a buy-out by the majority shareholder.
• Representing a leading global logistics company in a number of ICC, ICSID and Lebanese arbitration and mediation proceedings, as well as a number of court and regulatory proceedings in various jurisdictions, in relation to multiple shareholder and finance disputes and an investment treaty claim.
• Representing a Western European services company in ad hoc UNCITRAL arbitration proceedings against a South American state in connection with economic measures targeting the investor’s customs infrastructure investment.
• Advising a Central European bank with respect to an investment treaty claim against a Middle Eastern state in relation to the state’s discriminatory treatment of its investment in the financial sector.
• Representing a global electronics company with respect to global patent infringement FRAND litigation strategy, including court proceedings in the UK and France.
• Advising a Middle Eastern investor with respect to a multi-forum shareholder dispute relating to a joint venture telecommunications project in Myanmar, including Singapore court proceedings and a SIAC arbitration.
• Advising a global software company in relation to a warranty dispute arising out of a corporate acquisition.
• Representing a real estate investment fund with respect to a dispute with a global hotel chain relating to restrictive covenants in a property management agreement.
• Advising a multinational pharmaceutical company with respect to global arbitration strategy relating to a damages claim pursuant to a suite of global product supply agreements.
• Advising multiple clients, including a listed biopharmaceutical company and a high net worth individual, in respect of Hague Evidence Convention applications to the English court for assistance with US proceedings.

White Collar, Government and Regulatory

• Advising corporate and private equity clients across a range of sectors on the design and implementation of compliance programmes in relation to all aspects of anti-bribery and corruption, anti-money laundering and financial sanctions compliance.
• Advising a range of clients, including a leading international banking group and a listed European medical devices manufacturer and distributor, with respect to internal and external regulatory investigations.
• Advising corporates and private equity sponsors in relation to ABC, AML and financial sanctions related matters in the context or M&A activities, including:
  • Representing Blackstone on the recommended £4.77 billion cash offer for Merlin Entertainments, a global leader in location-based, family entertainment.
  • Representing BC Partners on its £2 billion investment in Advanced, a provider of business software solutions.
  • Advising GIC on the €950 million buyout acquisition of a pan-European logistics platform from Apollo.
  • Advising a leading private equity sponsor in respect of a US$100 million investment in a joint venture with a global energy trading company.
  • Advising a leading private equity sponsor in respect of a proposed US$120 million investment in the healthcare industry in Asia.
  • Advising a leading private equity sponsor in respect of an £200m investment in a European specialty product manufacturer.

Kirkland & Ellis International LLP, London

• Trainee Solicitor, 2016–2018