Europe
European services
Practices
Industries
Antitrust and competition
Our global antitrust team of UK, European and US lawyers – with extensive experience in tech and life sciences – guides clients through regulatory review of bet-the-company transactions, government investigations and high-profile litigation. Our track record includes successfully defending client interests during UK Competition and Markets Authority, European Commission and US Department of Justice investigations. Our lawyers navigate complex antitrust and competition matters for companies reshaping the global economy across tech, life sciences, financial services and beyond.
Antitrust and competition contacts
Capital markets
As the most active law firm for technology and life sciences initial public offerings (IPOs) – and the leading firm for European foreign private issuers (FPIs) – our fully integrated European and US practice advises on capital markets transactions of every size across public and private markets. Our team brings deep insight into the challenges European companies face when listing in the US, providing seasoned, strategic counsel that enhances value and reduces risks. We bring a unique vantage point from our balanced practice representing both issuers and banks in IPOs, as well as in follow-on offerings, private investments in public equity (PIPEs), and private placements of equity and debt securities.
As an interconnected global team, Cooley has advised on 116 IPOs in Europe, raising $45.5 billion, over the past 10 years.
Capital markets contacts
Compensation and benefits
Our team delivers boardroom-ready guidance and scalable compensation and benefits solutions for clients, ranging from startups and emerging growth companies to large global public corporations with complex multijurisdictional frameworks. We advise executives and boards of public and private companies on compensation and senior executive transitions, often supporting our innovative clients in establishing new share plans, bespoke executive plans and international all-employee arrangements, as well as advising on the impact of corporate transactions.
Compensation and benefits contacts
Cyber/data/privacy
As leaders in cybersecurity, data rights and privacy, our global cyber/data/privacy group delivers the full spectrum of counseling and litigation services through one collaborative team spanning the UK, Europe and the US. Our practical, risk-based advice helps clients develop products and services while enhancing and protecting value. We provide end-to-end support across privacy, security, incident response, breach preparedness, litigation and investigations – along with clear, strategic guidance through complex European Union, UK and global regulatory landscapes covering IT, data privacy, artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging areas.
Cyber/data/privacy contacts
Debt finance
We represent lenders, borrowers, trustees and distressed debt investors in connection with cross-border and domestic financing transactions, acquisitions and restructurings. Our team brings the necessary experience to tackle the complexities of appropriately structuring debt financing in international cross-border transactions.
Debt finance contacts
Emerging companies and venture capital
Leveraging decades of experience as the go-to advisor to innovators and disruptors, our European practice assists high-growth companies, serial acquirers and institutions navigating innovation-driven sectors such as tech, life sciences, fintech and climate tech. Our team has built strong roots in key European markets, serving as proactive and strategic counsel to companies seeking cross-border growth or investment. We position clients for long-term success through extensive industry experience and access to the most influential venture capital networks.
Beyond financing and transactional work, we guide clients on business strategy, compliance and protection. The result is a collaborative Cooley team delivering seamless advice across disciplines critical to the long-term success of our innovative and disruptive clients, including intellectual property protection, regulatory compliance, tax, employment and compensation, litigation and others. As primary counsel to 7,000+ investment fund organizations worldwide, we keep current on – and influence – industry trends, helping our VC and growth equity firms investing in startups and emerging companies stay ahead of opportunities.
We have advised on 1,300 funding rounds for VC-backed startup and growth companies in Europe over the past 10 years.
Emerging companies and venture capital contacts
Labor and employment
Cooley’s team advises public and private companies, investment funds, government contractors, senior management and boards of directors, and nonprofits on a range of global employment issues. We leverage deep experience to provide creative, business-oriented advice on employee contracts and benefits, service agreements, discrimination, employee intellectual property considerations, and confidentiality and noncompete agreements. The team solves complex contentious employment matters, advising on UK High Court restrictive covenant and trade secret litigation, as well as statutory and contractual claims before employment tribunals.
Labor and employment contacts
Litigation
Cooley litigators know how to navigate challenges that threaten to interrupt business. We represent clients in all forms of dispute resolution across jurisdictions, including commercial litigation, arbitration, class action defense and investigations. From data privacy and intellectual property to employment matters, board actions, trade secrets, regulatory scrutiny and beyond, we bring a deep understanding of the complexities of life sciences, tech and other disruptive industries to safeguard our clients’ innovations so they can focus on growth.
Litigation contacts
Mergers and acquisitions
Our globally acclaimed practice leads the market in cross-border M&A. We counsel clients in all manner of complex transactions, including domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, strategic deals including joint ventures, acquisitions of IP assets, patent cross-licenses, complex divestitures and spinoffs, takeover defense and shareholder activism counseling, and multibillion-dollar public company mergers. Pairing sector depth with extensive deal experience, we help European innovators – especially clients in the technology and life sciences spaces – execute transformative transactions.
We have advised on 788 M&A deals in Europe, valued at $335.5 billion, over the past 10 years.
Mergers and acquisitions contacts
Patent
Ranked by the Financial Times in 2025 as a top UK patent firm, our market-leading patent lawyers are trusted strategists and advocates for Europe’s preeminent businesses and most innovative companies. With decades of experience drafting, prosecuting, defending and opposing patents at the US Patent and Trademark Office and European Patent Office, our team delivers comprehensive, business-focused patent counsel. We advise across life sciences investments, M&A, capital markets and other high-value transactions – cutting through the complexity by translating IP risks into business risks and providing comprehensive patent services geared toward growth and success.
Patent contacts
Product liability
Cooley’s products team has the unique ability to assist clients with the full product life cycle – defending product liability litigation around the world, resolving business-to-business disputes, managing product safety and regulatory compliance issues, handling regulatory investigations, launching products, and overseeing international product recalls across classic product safety and compliance areas through to emerging areas of risk, such as AI and environmental, social and governance (ESG). Our European lawyers are highly regarded and hold leadership positions in key policy areas with institutions such as the European Commission, International Bar Association, DRI Product Liability Forum, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and International Consumer Product Health and Safety Organization (ICPHSO).
Product liability contacts
Tax
Cooley’s tax team is well-respected, not only for its premium technical ability on domestic and international tax structuring, but also for its versatility in handling a range of very complex and strategic matters for a number of different companies, investors and other clients. Our London tax practice regularly collaborates with lawyers in our US offices, advising on transactions requiring tax advice initiated in the United States for US and international clients that have links in Europe or are affected by UK and European jurisdictions.
Tax contacts
Life Sciences
Our deep roots in the biotech ecosystem and cross-border strength are key reasons life sciences clients in the US and Europe seek counsel from Cooley. We are trusted advisors to 2,500+ public and private life sciences companies worldwide and to nearly 50% of the companies on the Nasdaq Biotechnology Index. In Europe, our team represents groundbreaking pharmaceutical, biotech and medtech companies on collaborations, M&A, equity fundings, public offerings, and a range of transactional, IP, regulatory and competition matters. We leverage our US market leadership to provide strategic advice to cutting-edge companies in Europe’s major life sciences hubs.
Life sciences contacts
Tech
Cooley stands at the forefront of tech innovation, advising pioneering companies and investors across Europe as they build new industries and business models. We provide legal strategies across the corporate life cycle – from IP protection and commercial transactions to regulatory compliance, landmark litigation and enforcement wins. Our robust experience translates into legal strategies tailored to the unique needs of the industries they are shaping – including defencetech, fintech, industrial tech, biotech and life sciences.
