Mayer Brown Adds Experienced Partners to Capital Markets Practice

Mayer Brown, a leading international law firm, has bolstered its Capital Markets practice with the addition of two new partners, Scott Ashton and Brian Bates. Both professionals will be based in the firm’s London office and will focus on cross-border securities offerings, representing issuers and placement agents in various capital markets transactions.

Ashton, a seasoned partner, and Bates, who joins as senior counsel, bring extensive experience in advising non-U.S. entities on cross-border private placements to U.S. and other large financial institutions and pension funds. Together, they have been involved in approximately 30 percent of total cross-border U.S. private placement debt issuance in recent years, making them among the most active practitioners in this sector.

Their expertise extends beyond client work to industry development, where they have played central roles in creating standard documentation for the cross-border private placement market. They have contributed to the Loan Market Association private placement documentation and the model forms published by the American College of Investment Counsel for the cross-border private placement market.

Institutional debt private placements have become increasingly significant as a funding solution, particularly for infrastructure and energy-related projects. Jon Van Gorp, a partner at Mayer Brown, noted, "The addition of Scott and Brian further bolsters our leading position in debt capital markets. We are pleased to welcome them to the firm, and their experience will benefit our clients."

Mayer Brown, ranked among The Legal 500 Worldwide's 25 best law firms for capital markets, continues to strengthen its position in the global legal services market. The firm's expertise spans various sectors, including capital markets: investment-grade debt, high-yield products, and global offerings. In the 2025 LSEG league tables, Mayer Brown ranked second as issuer's counsel in the U.S. Debt, Equity & Equity-related table and fourth in the Global Debt, Equity & Equity-related tables by deal count.

Scott Ashton and Brian Bates join Mayer Brown at a time when cross-border private placements are gaining prominence, reflecting the firm's commitment to staying at the forefront of legal trends in the capital markets.