LONDON (SEPTEMBER 17, 2026) – Sullivan & Cromwell LLP announced today that David Avery-Gee and Sarah Flaherty will join the Firm as partners in its London office. Widely regarded as leading M&A practitioners in the London market, Mr. Avery-Gee’s and Ms. Flaherty’s arrivals continue the growth of S&C’s London platform and strengthen its European and broader global M&A capabilities.
“We are delighted to welcome David and Sarah to S&C,” said Robert Giuffra and Scott Miller, Co-Chairs of Sullivan & Cromwell. “They are outstanding M&A lawyers with a strong track record of advising multinational clients on complex international transactions. David brings extensive experience in public and private M&A and strong relationships across natural resources, energy and financial services. Sarah is a highly accomplished adviser across public and private M&A and one of London’s leading Takeover Code lawyers. Together, they will add significant strength to our global M&A practice and further enhance the advice we provide to our clients on their most important transactions.”
Mr. Avery-Gee joins as Co-Head of S&C’s European M&A practice alongside Olivier de Vilmorin in Paris. His practice covers cross-border public and private M&A, joint ventures, public takeovers, distressed M&A, the corporate aspects of restructurings, and strategic advice to listed company boards. His arrival will build on S&C’s existing top-tier London practice in large-cap public and cross-border M&A, adding breadth that reflects the strength of the Firm’s offering in other key markets, and further positions S&C as a destination practice for clients on their most significant matters across energy, natural resources, infrastructure (including digital infrastructure), projects, financial institutions and insurance.
Ms. Flaherty’s practice covers international public and private M&A, corporate restructurings, joint ventures and equity offerings, with particular experience in the natural resources, consumer and healthcare sectors. She previously spent two years on secondment as a senior case officer at the UK Takeover Panel, giving her deep knowledge of the Takeover Code and its practical application. Her career has included work across the UK, continental Europe, the Middle East and the CIS.
“David and Sarah are exceptional additions to S&C,” said London Co-Managing Partners Kon Asimacopoulos and John Horsfield-Bradbury. “Together they bring a broad M&A practice and deep experience, including in high-profile matters under the UK Takeover Code. Their capabilities complement our U.S. securities and regulatory expertise and our continental European M&A practices in Paris, Frankfurt and Brussels, adding further depth to the coordinated advice we provide to clients on significant transactions in the UK, across Europe and beyond. Their arrivals also mark another important step in the continued growth of the London office.”
Mr. Avery-Gee is ranked by Chambers UK 2026 for Corporate/M&A £800 million-plus, London, and is a Legal 500 2026 Leading Partner. Financial News named him to its “Fifty Most Influential Lawyers in Europe” in 2025 and 2026, and Legal 500 2026 describes him as “the highest quality corporate counsel in London.”
Ms. Flaherty is recognized by Legal 500 2026 as a Next Generation Partner and by Chambers UK 2026 as Up and Coming for Corporate/M&A £800 million-plus, London. Financial News named her a 2023 Rising Star of Legal Services in Europe.
About Sullivan & Cromwell's Global M&A Group
Named “M&A Group of the Year” ten times since 2013 by Law360 and ranked Band 1 by Chambers Global – USA, Sullivan & Cromwell operates one of the world’s preeminent M&A practices that delivers seamless execution and strategic guidance to all of the Firm’s clients. Over the last five years, our M&A lawyers have advised on more than $2.8 trillion of transformative domestic and cross-border transactions (LSEG). As a testament to our contributions to the industry, we have won The American Lawyer’s “Dealmaker of the Year” award 31 times in the past 27 years, the most out of all global law firms.
About Sullivan & Cromwell LLP
Sullivan & Cromwell LLP is a leading global law firm that advises on major domestic and cross-border M&A, significant litigation and corporate investigations, finance and corporate transactions, and complex antitrust, regulatory, tax and estate planning matters. Our Firm’s hallmarks are the highest-quality independent advice and intense dedication to solving client problems. Founded in 1879, S&C has more than 1,000 lawyers located in offices in New York, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Palo Alto, London, Frankfurt, Paris, Brussels, Hong Kong, Beijing, Tokyo, Melbourne, Sydney and Abu Dhabi.