Law firm Sullivan has bolstered its recently launched international and cross-border finance practice with the hire of Ellis Lawson as partner. 

Lawson joins after nearly 12 years at Allen & Overy, most recently as counsel in its banking practice in London. He initially worked for the firm in the UAE, joining in 2011 from Berwin Leighton Paisner. 

Sullivan says the appointment is part of efforts to broaden its international finance expertise in both the UK and US. The practice advises financial and corporate clients on both sides of the Atlantic, including on trade and export finance, corporate lending and project finance. 

London-based Lawson has expertise across a range of financial products and commercial parties, including arrangers, export credit agencies and syndicated corporate lenders, both conventional and sharia-compliant, the firm adds. 

Geoff Wynne, head of Sullivan’s trade and export finance group as well as its London office, says the appointment “will help to increase the range of finance advice we give to clients internationally, in particular across emerging markets”. 

He adds Lawson “will also boost our trade and export finance team in London”, and that he will be “announcing another key appointment in the near future”. 

Lawson says: “I look forward to helping to expand Sullivan’s international finance team with a particular focus on the corporate lending and acquisition finance elements of the practice, across Europe, the Middle East and more widely, as well as supporting other US/UK finance initiatives.” 

Sullivan previously expanded its trade finance group in January 2021, promoting Sam Fowler-Holmes to partner.