When Nick Davis joined US firm Haynes Boone as London Co-Managing Partner in early 2025, he brought with him 25 years of experience building one of London's most respected boutique corporate practices. Within months, he'd helped deliver a landmark transaction: the first simultaneous London-New York dual listing since the mid-1990s.

In this episode, Nick discusses what drew him to a Texan law firm, how he's driving the London office's growth, and why the next generation of lawyers might not need a Cambridge degree to make partner.

Episode Summary

Nick Davis spent 24 years at Memery Crystal, ultimately serving as CEO and helping guide the firm through its merger with Rosenblatt. His move to Haynes Boone—only his third firm in a 30-year career—was driven by the opportunity to plug into a genuinely global platform while preserving the collaborative, entrepreneurial culture he'd always valued.

The conversation explores what makes Haynes Boone's Texan partnership model distinctive in a London market saturated with US firms. Nick describes a culture of ”proper partners” where originations aren't measured and sharing is actively rewarded—a stark contrast to the siloed structures he's observed elsewhere.

With the London office approaching 80 people and the firm recently opening its 20th office in Boston, the ambition is clear.

The standout case study is Fermi, an off-grid energy company powering AI data centres in Texas. Founded in January and valued at $12 billion by October, Fermi became a proof-of-concept for Haynes Boone's cross-border capabilities. Nick's team delivered the London listing in a quarter of the usual timeframe, with the CEO opening the New York market one evening and flying overnight to ring the bell in London the following morning.

Nick also discusses leadership in the hybrid working era. His philosophy centres on leading by example, empowering people to manage their own time, and ensuring that high-pressure deals are followed by genuine recovery time. On diversity, he's candid about being the first in his family to attend university and explains why the firm's partnership with the Sutton Trust matters: giving opportunities to people who wouldn't otherwise have access to City careers.

Key Takeaways

Culture as differentiator: Haynes Boone operates as a single global partnership without separate profit centres, rewarding collaboration over individual origination a model Nick believes is increasingly rare in the City.

London as gateway: The firm uses its London office as the hub for Middle East, African, and international work, with seamless integration into US capital markets capabilities.

Regulatory tailwinds: Recent reforms to London's capital markets regulations enabled the Fermi dual listing—a deal Nick says would have been impossible three years ago.

Leadership philosophy: Lead by example, surround yourself with people smarter than you, and treat partners like adults who can manage their own time.

Social mobility focus: Through partnerships with the Sutton Trust and internal Future Leaders programmes, the firm actively recruits lawyers who don't fit the traditional Oxbridge-to-City mould.

About the Guest

Nick Davis is a Partner and London Office Co-Managing Partner at Haynes Boone. With over 25 years' experience in corporate finance, he specialises in flotations, equity capital markets, and public M&A across the natural resources, technology, life sciences, and healthcare sectors. Nick is the only practising lawyer on the AIM advisory group and is recognised by Chambers UK and Legal 500 as a leader in Capital Markets and Energy & Natural Resources. Before joining Haynes Boone in 2025, he spent 24 years at Memery Crystal, latterly as CEO.

Connect with Nick on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nick-davis-12471513

Subscribe to the Spotlight Series

Don't miss future episodes featuring senior leaders from the UK legal sector.

Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and follow Redlaw for updates.