Join us for our annual Law Professional Network this Spring.
Guests will have the opportunity to hear from a panel of experts from across the legal sector and within our own community: Eklavya Sharma (OP 2012-17), Associate at K&L Gates, Yasseen Gailani (OP 1997-2002), Partner at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan UK LLP, Simon Cohen (OP 1998-2003), Partner at W Legal, and Alasdair Wilson (OP 2003-05), Partner at Harbottle & Lewis. The discussion will be moderated by Daragh Fagan, History Teacher at St Paul’s School.
 |
Eklavya Sharma graduated from St Paul’s School in 2017 where he went on to study law at the University of Nottingham and the LPC at the University of Law. He is a solicitor (1 year PQE) within the Corporate team of K&L Gates LLP and specialises in Mergers and Acquisitions. Eklavya completed his training contract at K&L Gates LLP where he gained experience in the firm’s Corporate, Finance, Construction and Commercial Disputes practices. Eklavya is also an active member of the firm’s mental health and multicultural society sub-committees. |
 |
Yasseen Gailani is a partner in the Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan UK LLP London office who focuses on complex, high value commercial disputes in the banking, finance, financial services, restructuring and insolvency, white collar, civil fraud and sanctions spaces. His experience spans an array of sectors, including fund management, property, telecoms, aviation, oil and gas, insurance, construction, utilities and metals.Yasseen’s practice routinely involves representing clients in bet the company cases with hundreds of millions, or billions, of dollars at stake. He has deep expertise in disputes relating to derivatives and structured financial products, benchmark manipulation, margin calls, valuation issues, private equity, M&A, and joint ventures. His practice is heavily international, with a focus in recent years on advising UK and US clients on complex transatlantic disputes; European (and especially Italian) clients involved in disputes in the UK; complex cross-border restructuring, insolvency and enforcement mandates; and, drawing on his Iraqi heritage, Middle Eastern clients in cases before the English courts and international arbitration tribunals. |
 |
Simon Cohen has extensive experience advising and representing ultra-high net worth individuals, multi-national corporations, and financial institutions across a range of civil and commercial litigation and other disputes. Simon has been listed in The Legal 500 as a Recommended Lawyer for 2021, 2022 and 2023 where he has been commended for his “very hands-on approach to complex litigation and good attention to detail”.
Simon has experience enforcing arbitration awards, including ICSID awards arising out of inventing treaty disputes. In 2015, Simon advised Abu Dhabi Global Market on – and drafted the primary and secondary legislation for – the establishment of ADGM Courts. In 2011, Simon was seconded to the Royal Courts of Justice where he was assigned to Mr (now Lord) Justice Briggs as his Judicial Assistant. Simon trained at Clifford Chance before assisting Locke Lord to set up their first European office in 2012. Between 2014 and 2018, Simon was part of Shearman & Sterling’s London disputes team. He joined W Legal in August 2023 from Ontier. |
 |
Alasdair Wilson advises individuals, families and fiduciaries based in the UK and overseas in relation to all matters of international taxation, wealth structuring, global compliance and cross-border estate planning.
This includes tax and legal advice to wealth generators or custodians who are moving between countries, seeking to maintain tax efficiency across multiple jurisdictions or passing ownership or control to the next generation. Alasdair has significant experience in advising US-UK clients, individual entrepreneurs and family businesses. He also has a particular interest in clients connected to civil law jurisdictions, in particular France, Belgium and Switzerland, as well as to Latin America and the Middle East. Alasdair speaks English, French, Spanish and German and holds law degrees obtained in England and in France (Paris I Pantheon-Sorbonne). Alasdair is a full member of STEP and was named a “Rising Star” in The Legal 500 2024. He previously spent nine months on secondment to a multi-family office headquartered in London. |
 |
Mr Fagan has taught History at St Paul’s School since September 2022, but before that he worked as a lawyer for 28 years.
After qualifying as a solicitor at Herbert Smith Freehills, in their litigation department, he moved a year later to work as an in-house lawyer in leading global companies in three different sectors. He spent 10 years working in the oil and gas industry for Italian multinational Eni/Agip), then 7 years at Reuters/Thomson Reuters, the news agency and financial information services company. His final legal job was as Group General Counsel and Company Secretary of Rentokil Initial plc, the FTSE100 business services company from 2013-2022. |
The St Paul’s Professional Groups were first launched in 2016 in collaboration with the Old Pauline Club and Parents’ Group. Their aim is to connect those working in specific professional fields and to support current pupils and young Old Paulines in their career journey.
Please note that this event is open to 6th Form and 8th Form only for SPS Pupils, and Years 11 – 13 for Partner School Pupils.
With thanks to K&L Gates LLP for hosting the event.
Find out more about St Paul’s Careers and Networking events here.