June.20.2014
London – Orrick announced today that Shawn Atkinson will join the firm’s London Corporate Group as a partner. Mr. Atkinson will join the firm from Edwards Wildman, where he served as co-chair of the Venture Capital Group, the Cross-Border Group and the Central & Eastern Europe Group.
Mr. Atkinson is a leader in late stage venture transactions and in early stage private equity transactions in Europe and emerging markets. He advises venture capital funds, private equity funds and technology companies. Among the leading venture funds he has represented are Bessemer Venture Partners and Battery Ventures. He joins Orrick’s market-leading venture capital and emerging companies practice in London.
"Well respected for his deep knowledge of the technology and emerging companies market, Shawn adds to our London team tremendous complementary strength representing investors in growth equity investments and emerging markets," said Mitch Zuklie, chairman of the firm. "We are excited to be able to offer his talent to our clients, particularly at a time when the market is white hot."
A leading advisor to the venture capital market in Silicon Valley and globally, Orrick counsels more than 1,400 emerging company clients, as well as the world’s most successful venture funds and corporate venture investors. Over the past two years, Orrick’s emerging companies group has counseled on nearly 600 venture capital-backed transactions raising over USD$5 billion. Orrick advised on private technology company acquisitions valued at nearly $10 billion including Nest’s acquisition by Google; Instagram’s acquisition by Facebook; Yammer’s acquisition by Microsoft and Neolane’s acquisition by Adobe Systems. The firm acts for some of the most exciting startups in the London and European market, including Brainient, Conversocial, Skimlinks, Huddle, XMOS and WorldRemit.
Mr. Atkinson’s wider corporate practice includes multi-jurisdictional and complex corporate transactions, including private acquisitions and disposals, distressed M&A, venture capital financings, bridging transactions and initial public offerings for a variety of clients, including FTSE 100, Fortune 500 companies and startups.