Addleshaw Goddard is bolstering its Corporate Finance practice with the appointment of Giles Distin from Squire Patton Boggs. The appointment is in line with the firm's growth of its City-based practice and provides greater support across the spectrum of its corporate finance and public M&A clients in the City.

Giles joins from the Global Corporate Group of Squire Patton Boggs. He has extensive experience advising on UK public company transactions including takeovers, initial public offerings, reverse takeovers and public equity fundraisings on both the Main Market and the AIM Market of the London Stock Exchange. Giles was previously on secondment as Assistant Secretary at the Takeover Panel (where Addleshaw Goddard partner Simon Wood is currently on secondment). Among Giles' recent deals has been acting for Latchways plc on its recommended £124m takeover by MSA Safety Inc. Other clients for whom Giles has acted include Peel Hunt, Smith Square Partners and VSA Capital.

Yunus Seedat, Corporate and Commercial Divisional Managing Partner, said: "We welcome Giles to the team. He has a stellar client base, an enviable list of contacts amongst the UK financial advisory community and excellent networking abilities. His skillset perfectly fits our existing capability and he will be a superb addition to our team, who already have a thriving base of FTSE, AIM and intermediary clients".

Addleshaw Goddard's Corporate Finance practice provides a first-rate service across the full range of transactions typically undertaken by public companies with the assistance of their investment banks, financial advisers and corporate brokers. The team is highly regarded and, in addition to work for the Takeover Panel, has many years' experience advising a wide range of clients in the UK and overseas, from FTSE 100 and 250 companies to AIM companies to start-up companies operating in many sectors on their most strategically important transactions. Clients include Assura, Peel Hunt, KPMG and Rathbone Brothers Plc. The team has most recently been advising GVC Holdings on its competitive £1.1bn bid for bwin.party.

Notes to editors:

• Giles Distin's arrival at Addleshaw Goddard will enhance the Firm's existing strong public takeover expertise. Giles will be the fourth person in the Firm with direct experience of working at the Takeover Panel after Charles Penney (former Secretary), Simon Wood (current Secretary) and Charles Groves (former Assistant Secretary).