The managing partner of Cooley’s London office has left the firm at the head of a three-partner transactions team to join Akin. 

Justin Stock has joined Akin as international head of its technology practice alongside Stephen Rosen, who led Cooley’s London corporate team, and David Bresnick. 

The trio worked together at Cooley for nearly a decade and bring extensive experience in technology and related sectors, including advising on cross border M&A, private equity, growth and venture investments and corporate advisory work. 

Sebastian Rice, partner in charge of Akin’s London office, said the trio’s arrival was a “significant step” for the firm’s 140-lawyer London office.

“[It] gives Akin a market-leading global technology transactions team, focusing on clients in innovative industries including disruptive commerce, technology, healthcare, life sciences, data, data privacy, gaming and energy transition,” he said. “We are particularly excited about their capabilities to grow the tech M&A pipeline and adding depth to our global technology practice.”

Stock led a five partner Morrison Foerster team that included Bresnick to Cooley in 2015, with Rosen joining the next year from legacy Olswang. 

Stock focuses on M&A, corporate finance and private equity and has acted for trade buyers and portfolio companies acquiring and disposing of both controlling and noncontrolling interests. At Cooley he acted for clients including sports betting company Tipico Group, RZC Investments and Softbank, which he advised as the lead investor on London-based VR company Improbable’s $502m Series B funding round in 2017. 

Meantime, Rosen’s practice covers company sales and purchases, M&A, private equity and venture capital financings; he also regularly acts for spinouts, VC-funded companies and investors in the life sciences sector. He co-led the Cooley team that advised Eliem Therapeutics on its $92m IPO in 2021. 

Bresnick focuses on M&A and venture/growth capital transactions and brings expertise on European cross-border transactions, having acted for international clients on their investment, roll-up plans and joint venture activity across Europe for more than 15 years. Last year he led the Cooley team that advised Nord Security on its $100m financing and also headed the team that acted for financial services software provider Calypso Technology (now Adenza) on its sale to Thoma Bravo in 2021. 

“Justin, Stephen and David’s outstanding reputations in the market, coupled with their transactional experience in high growth sectors such as technology and life sciences, enhance our global corporate platform,” said Akin chairperson, Kim Koopersmith. “Their addition underscores our commitment to our technology focused clients and more broadly to the technology sector both in London and globally.”

Around one third of Akin’s 900 lawyers are part of its technology team, which covers areas including lobbying and public policy and national security and supply chain alongside M&A, capital markets, IP and litigation. 

Akin said it had hired 21 partners globally so far this year, including financial restructuring partner Jacquie Ingram and energy partner Rob Butler in London from Milbank and Baker Botts respectively. 

Following the trio’s exit, Cooley’s London office will have 30 partners according to its website, only one of whom – Chris Coulter – joined alongside Stock and Bresnick from Morrison Foerster. Ed Lukins moved over to Orrick in 2019 and Nicholas Bolter left for Morgan Lewis the following year.

A Cooley spokesperson commented: “We thank Justin, Stephen and David for their contributions and wish them well in the future. We look forward to continuing our ambitious growth plans in London, serving some of the world’s most exciting and disruptive innovators and technology and life sciences companies.”

Cooley boosted its life sciences bench in London in May with the hire of longtime Covington & Burling partner Simon Amies, who advises on M&A, IPOs and venture capital transactions. 

Earlier this week, US heavyweight Kirland & Ellis announced the hire of veteran Clifford Chance partner André Duminy to help spearhead the development of its London tech and IP transactions practice.