SNR Denton partner quits to launch City arm for US firm Sullivan & Worcester

Trade finance specialist Geoff Wynne’s client base includes international banks, which he has advised on trade and commodity transactions in emerging market such as the CIS, the Far East, India, Africa and Latin America.

Wynne has worked on structured trade transactions covering commodities ranging from oil, nickel, steel, tobacco, cocoa and coffee.

It is not known if any other SNR Denton lawyers will be leaving with Wynne to join the UK start-up.

Boston-headquarterd Sullivan & Worcester’s new office will be the 175-lawyer firm’s first outside the US. Stateside it has three offices, in Boston, New York and Washington DC.

Last year the full-service corporate and commercial firm posted a total revenue of $101m, with average partner profits of $805,000 and revenue per lawyer of $700,000.

“Geoff’s extraordinary reputation in trade and commodities finance transactions strengthens our current trade finance practice,” said Sullivan & Worcester co-managing partner Joel Carpenter in a statement. “A significant presence in London is increasingly important to our clients, and with Geoff at its foundation, we anticipate our London office will further our plans to broaden and enhance our existing practices in cross-border finance, mergers and acquisitions, tax, banking, and international arbitration.”

The move comes as SNR Denton closes in on finalising its mergers with Salans and Canadian firm Fraser Milner Casgrain (28 November 2012).

Following the completion of the mergers, expected in the first quarter of this year, the firm will be known as Dentons.

A spokesperson for SNR Denton said: “We can confirm Geoff Wynne is leaving.”