Denton Wilde Sapte is advising new client Nasdaq OMX Group on its plans to launch a pan-European trading platform for the most actively traded stocks.

Dentons has advised OMX before, but this is its first deal for Nasdaq OMX, with the firm appointed to advise on the securities platform after February's merger of the exchanges. The firm has also previously worked with Nasdaq but not on a project of this significance. The firm's financial markets and regulation head, Robert Finney, is leading the Dentons team on the project, assisted by fellow financial markets partner Rosali Pretorius, technology, media and telecoms partner Dan Burge and corporate partner Martin Kitchen.

Finney told Legal Week: "We are proud to be acting for Nasdaq OMX and it is good to be involved in this deal. We have a strong track record in market infrastructure work here and overseas, so this is a fantastic opportunity. This is an exciting project with technologies and services that offer a real alternative to the domestic European stock exchanges."

"The new platform takes advantage of the demands of the EU markets in the Financial Instruments Directive, implemented across Europe this year, for increased transparency, greater market access and best execution," he added.

The new trading platform is due to launch in September, subject to approval by the Financial Services Authority. It will allow cross-border trading of about 300 European bluechip shares.