David is a corporate partner based in London who specialises in M&A and private equity transactions.  David is the relationship partner for several of the firm's largest financial investor clients and is the Global Co-Head of the Financial Investor Client Solutions Group.  David is ranked by Chambers as a leading private equity lawyer and was nominated for European Private Equity Lawyer of the Year (top 5 in Europe) in 2007.

David’s experience includes advising:

  • Goldman Sachs, Borealis, GIC and Infracapital on the £2.5bn consortium offer for Associated British Ports;
  • Best Buy on its joint venture with Carphone Warehouse plc;
  • CPP on its acquisition of Macquarie Communications Group;
  • CPP, 3i, Colonial and IFM on the €5bn take private of Anglian Water plc;
  • RREEF on its acquisition of a 50 per cent shareholding in Tank and Rast from Terra Firma;
  • Cinven and BC Partners on their €4bn Spanish take private transaction for Amadeus (Acquisition Monthly’s Buy-out of the Year, 2006);
  • Cinven on its take private acquisition and subsequent disposal of Fitness First;
  • Cinven on its take private acquisitions of McKechnie and Gondola and on the acquisitions of Partnerships in Care and Eutelsat;
  • Cinven on its acquisition of BUPA Hospitals;
  • PAI, MidOcean and Cinven on the disposal of United Biscuits for £575m;
  • Dubai International Capital on its disposal of the Tussauds Group;
  • Dubai International Capital on the proposed investment in Liverpool FC;
  • P&O Princess Cruises on its DLC merger with Carnival Corporation;
  • AstraZeneca on its $67bn merger of Zeneca and Astra to form AstraZeneca;
  • AstraZeneca on the demerger of its agrochemicals business and the demerger of Novartis’ agrochemicals business and the merger and listings of both businesses to form Syngenta;
  • Prudential on its proposed $45bn merger with American General Corporation;
  • Royal Bank of Scotland on its £26.5bn bid for NatWest;
  • Alliance & Leicester on its proposed £11.4bn merger with Bank of Ireland;
  • London Stock Exchange on its listing and subsequent potential transactions with NYSE, NASDAQ, Euronext and Deutsche Borse; and
  • DX Services, the UK B2B mail service company on its take over offer from Candover Investment.

Personal Awards

2007 – Nominated for European Private Equity Lawyer of the Year (top 5 in Europe)
2007 – Acquisitions Monthly Mid Market Deal of the Year
2006 – Legal Business Private Equity Team of the Year
2006 – Acquisition Monthly Buyout of the Year

Contact details

david.higgins
@freshfields.com

  • London office
  • 65 Fleet Street
    London EC4Y 1HS
    United Kingdom
  • Telephone
  • +44 20 7832 7353
  • Fax
  • +44 20 7108 7353