A lawyer at a Liverpool law firm who specialises in Transatlantic trade says we could be on the verge of a ‘new dawn’ of business cooperation between the UK and US, despite the unpredictability of President Trump. Tony McDonough reports
Business people both in the UK and US are “more optimistic than they have been for decades” about trade and investment between the two countries, a leading lawyer reveals.
Jonathan Abrams, a senior lawyer at Liverpool law firm Gregory Abrams Davidson (GAD), told LBN that in conversations he had had in recent weeks, both British and American business people were “cautiously optimistic” about prospects for future trade.
He was speaking following the confirmation that US IT giant, Kyndryl, is to establish a new IT hub in Liverpool city region, creating 1,000 high value jobs, and the positive meeting between UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and US President Donald Trump where a possible trade deal was suggested.
Qualified to practice law both in the UK and the US, Jonathan works out of GAD’s London office assisting UK SMEs looking to invest and expand across the Atlantic and also US firms looking to invest and get a foothold in the UK.
He said the Kyndryl investment was “fantastic news” for the city region that will only help cement business relationships between the two countries.
“That is a very significant announcement from the largest IT infrastructure services provider, not only in the US, but worldwide,” explained Jonathan. “It is a huge vote of confidence for the city region as a tech hub and all the economic benefits that stem from that.
“It definitely opens doors in terms of going the other way because you have a major US services company that will have a strong connection locally. It will create a dual carriageway of in demand expertise, connections and a fabric of understanding that will be transferable.
“This is a vote of confidence in our ability to provide highly-skilled and highly motivated people and a knowledge base that is quite cost-effective for them. Liverpool compared to London, and maybe even Manchester, has a lot more to offer from a cost point of view.”
In late 2024 Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram led a trade delegation to the US where he met with potential investors in cities such as New York and Boston.
Add that to the positive vibes from Starmer’s meeting with Trump, Jonathan feels a new era of co-operation could well be on the cards.
He added: “I think the announcement of increasing defence spending was designed for us to go to Trump and say ‘we are doing our bit’. That was quite clever.
“Then there was that ceremonial invite from King Charles. Trump likes the history and tradition of the UK, and I think he wants to be accepted by the establishment. A lot of these things have set quite a friendly scene. That is all about reinforcing the UK-US alliance.
“Conversations I have had with clients looking to expand to the US, or already doing business there, and of course those looking to come the other way, have been going on for a year or so since it has been more obvious Trump might return.
“Those conversations have been characterised by cautious optimism. Most business people I speak with see those ties between the two countries will remain strong but also factor in the unpredictability of Trump.
“During the past few weeks that unpredictability has become more of a concern, especially as we see the negative market reactions.
“This is something that “Trump 1” would have responded to, but “Trump 2” is proving to be more definite in his decisions and defiant in the positions he has taken.
“We know the way he likes to do deals better than we did before – he is a very pragmatic decision-maker. So I have had some very positive conversations.
“Lots of businesses that I work with are looking at America saying ‘that is the market I want to be in’ and there are US businesses looking at the UK favourably when it comes to international expansion. They are thinking longer term and less about short-term market volatility.”
Jonathan works with businesses from across the UK who are looking to expand into America and up to a third of those are based in the Liverpool city region. Links that are forged via investments such as the Kyndryl deal can only lead to more two-way traffic.
He also points out that Liverpool is firmly on the world map in the US, as one of the homes of music and notably as both Liverpool and Everton football clubs now have US owners – in the shape of FSG and the Friedkin Group – and that will help further strengthen those Transatlantic relationships.
READ MORE: Merseyside firm Wild Thang opens US base in ‘bold step’
READ MORE: Metro Mayor meets LFC owners on US mission
“It could well be a new dawn and that is how it needs to be sold to UK businesses and also to US investors looking to invest in the UK. They look at the UK as not just a strategic ally but as a financial and commercial ally, too. Both sides need ‘friends’ in these unpredictable times.
“Other countries are competing for US attention but we don’t have any language barrier. The historic alliances are there and I don’t think Trump views the UK in the same way as he does China or the whole of the EU. He has a lot of affection for us.
“I think we have to be bullish about the relationships and about the infrastructure and fundamentals that are already in place and the potential for future investment and we have to be selling ourselves as one of the brightest tech hubs in the world.”
