HOWZAT

Neel Sachdev
Kirkland Ellis

“Even sharper than his Savile Row suits.” Neel Sachdev, 32, doesn't have many rivals in his age bracket when it comes to handling complex financing transactions. After completing his training contract at SJ Berwin, the Nottingham English literature graduate spent three years as an associate in the banking and finance department at Freshfields before moving to the London office of Chicago-based Kirkland Ellis, where he was made partner last year. “He’s got a hell of a work ethic,” says a senior colleague. “And it doesn’t stop there. Strong intellect, great commercial instinct, outgoing personality — you name it." Career highlights to date include assisting in the $3.5 billion acquisition of Edcon — the largest ever African leveraged buyout — and acting as lead finance partner in the £150 million financing of TowerBrook Capital Partners' buyout of Jimmy Choo. Sachdev is now advising private equity and hedge fund clients on a range of restructuring issues.

Craig Tevendale
Herbert Smith

Craig Tevendale, a senior associate at Herbert Smith, is carving out a stellar reputation on the international arbitration stage. Tevendale, who has a double first in Arabic from Leeds University and speaks the language fluently, regularly advises clients around the world on complex, high value cases: a law firm in a dispute over an Islamic finance transaction, a group of investors on a claim over the liberalisation of Indian telecommunications. At present, the 32-year old Scot is advising a multinational energy company in a big money dispute over a series of energy projects in Iran. Tevendale looks set to complete a speedy ascent to partnership within the next few years.

Future stars of the Bar 2007

Who are the Pannicks and Sumptions of the future? Meet ten barristers of less than ten years call who may have what it takes

Terry van Poortvliet
Ashurst

Although he is only four years qualified, Terry van Poortvliet, a rising star in the firm's transport and infrastructure practice, already looks to be on the expressway to partnership. After studying history at Edinburgh University, van Poortvliet converted to law, joining Ashurst as a trainee in 2001. The son of an unlikely named Norfolk potato farmer has played a key role in advising on several major projects, including the extension of the Docklands Light Railway and the redevelopment of Newquay Airport. Van Poortvliet also impresses with his people skills. “He’s got this ability to establish a rapport with all parties on a deal, which really helps to facilitate smooth and efficient transactions,” says Ashurst partner Lee McDonald. van Poortvliet is now working on his biggest deal yet: assisting a bidder in its proposal to provide a fleet of 500 train vehicles for the national rail network as part of the Intercity Express Programme.

Sarah Wright
Olswang

In order to pursue her interest in media-related intellectual property work, Sarah Wright bid farewell to Freshfields, the "magic circle" firm where she spent five years, in order to join media specialists Olswang. “They were peeved to lose her and we can see why,” says Olswang's joint head of IP, Michael Burden. Raised in Manchester, educated at Liverpool University, Wright has advised M&C Saatchi on its advertising campaigns and Fifa on the enforcement of rights over the "Jules Rimmet" trademark. Recently, she managed an anti-counterfeiting campaign for a manufacturer of remote control helicopters. The 32-year-old is now assisting Amazon evict cyber-squatters parking themselves under trademarked domain names.

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