Cleary Gottlieb Achieves Excellent Results in Chambers Europe 2010 Guide

Cleary Gottlieb has once again achieved outstanding results in the 2010 edition of Chambers Europe, Europe’s Leading Lawyers for Business, with recognized leading practices in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Russia and the UK.

Praise from clients and peers includes: “The team is lauded by clients as very knowledgeable in its key practice areas, commercial in its thinking, and oriented towards problem solving… the firm works effectively within and across multiple jurisdictions.”

Overall 63 European partners and counsel have been recognized as leading individuals.

The following Cleary Gottlieb practices are recognized for being among the best in their respective regions based on Chambers Europe’s interviews with firm clients and competitors:

Belgium
Banking & Finance: “Whilst market perception suggests that this firm’s focus is not pure banking, the group’s first-rate corporate practice and the sheer quality of its individual lawyers enable it to secure complex instructions. Sources Say: ’Creative and experienced; truly a delight to work with.’”

Competition/European Law: “This huge team of 70 practitioners is extremely well regarded in Brussels, where it provides a first-class EU competition law service. The group is well integrated and networked with its other offices in Europe, which makes it a perfect fit for multi-jurisdictional filings. Sources Say: ’It has great connections with the regulators, so the lawyers are aware of what it is possible to do at any given time.’”

Corporate/M&A: “Clients compliment this responsive, inventive and creative team, which benefits from a long-standing and impressive track record in corporate, M&A and capital markets matters.”

International Trade/WTO: “This global firm acts on a variety of European trade cases from its Brussels base. Sources Say: ’Cleary Gottlieb will leave no stone unturned in pursuit of a client’s interests.’”

Public Law: “This team has niche strength in the economic areas of public law, and its dynamic and high-quality lawyers are mainly active in PPP and advising public and private entities on corporate and privatisation issues. Although there is no separate public law department, the team’s knowledge of the system and negotiation skills mean it can provide first-class services on a variety of public law-related matters.”

TMT: “This firm is sought after for its premium competition and antitrust advice. The firm is proficient in both EU and local law, and boasts able litigators and an acclaimed corporate practice. Clients highlight the group’s seamless work with the firm’s North American offices.”

France
Capital Markets: “This global powerhouse is renowned for handling high-end equity deals and in particular disclosure work for complex transactions. The team also advises on high-end niche derivatives work as it arises. Clients fall broadly into three categories: investment banks as underwriter counsel, blue-chip and other major French corporations, and financial institutions. The office houses seven partners that dedicate a significant portion of their time to capital markets.”

Competition/European Law: “This Paris-based competition and antitrust team comprises two partners and seven associates. Working closely with the Brussels office, it is particularly active in merger control and litigation before the European authorities.”

Corporate/M&A: “This firm’s strength lies in the depth of its corporate practice, which houses a wealth of dual-qualified restructuring, capital markets and M&A specialists, all praised for their consistent quality and versatility. Energised by its excellent Brussels office, the group is especially famed for cross-border M&A transactions, and attracts high-profile clients.”

Dispute Resolution: “The arbitration practice at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton is regarded as a team of hard-working and skilled lawyers, able to attract high-profile cases. This ’classy outfit’ represents a wide array of sovereign clients as well as an impressive roster of commercial groups. The firm, which wins praise for its first rate corporate expertise, houses a team of 12 well-regarded litigation specialists who represent key industrial groups in all types of business dispute.”

Private Equity: “The broad corporate practice at this firm has considerable expertise in high-end private equity transactions. Much of the group’s recent work has involved debt restructuring for existing clients. It has also advised funds in areas such as infrastructure, a sector to which investment has been returning more quickly than to other parts of the market. Clients have enthusiastic praise for the department, which is ’outstanding technically’ and puts ’strong, integrated teams in place for each deal.’”

Projects: International Projects: “This three-partner team focuses on projects in the Middle East and Africa, acting for governments, multinational corporations, investment funds, banks and international financial institutions on oil, gas, mining and infrastructure projects.”

Tax: “This market leading tax practice wins praise primarily for its prowess in transactional work. It also covers a wide range of other matters including litigation, personal income tax and estate planning. The group has recently handled a large number of debt restructurings.”

Germany
Banking & Finance: “A group of nine partners advises on a broad range of banking and finance matters at this firm.”

Capital Markets: “This firm impresses peers with the depth and strength of its lawyers. Commentators identify the seven-partner team as one of the busiest capital markets practices in the market. It regularly acts on complex cross-border transactions, and has a highly regarded US capital markets team.”

Competition/European Law: “This firm’s German competition practice is concentrated in its Cologne office, where two partners, one counsel and eight associates focus on competition. According to observers, it is ’a small outfit whose top-quality partners justify their strong ranking.’ The practice is noted for its integration with the firm’s Brussels practice, where there are 14 further German or German-speaking competition specialists. Clients comment that it is a ’go-to firm’ for both European and US competition matters, and further praise the team for ’always having someone available if we need assistance’ and for providing ’practical and reliable advice.’”

Corporate/M&A & Private Equity: “This firm fields a small but high-quality corporate/M&A team based in Cologne and Frankfurt. The absence of fixed departments provides the group with a great degree of flexibility.”

Restructuring/Insolvency: “This firm fields a team of three partners and nine additional fee earners focused on restructuring and insolvency work. Clients are drawn to the firm for its strong network, endorsing it as ’a truly international operation with very professional and accessible lawyers.’”

Tax: “Known for its prowess on the capital markets scene, this firm advises on a range of transactions, including M&A. It is also involved in restructuring work, distressed real estate portfolios and employee share purchase programmes. Sources praise the team’s ability to understand the commercial concerns of its clients. They also note the lawyers’ responsiveness and the quality of their service.”

Italy
Banking & Finance: “The bulk of this firm’s activity is centred upon LBOs, with M&A being its notable area of specialisation. Also covering litigation, lending and restructuring, the team assists clients … with their financial transactions.”

Capital Markets: “This firm co-ordinates its solid practice in the Middle East capital markets domain from its London and Paris offices. It covers both debt and equity issuances. In the past it has advised on a number of cross-border transactions and is highly regarded for its ability to manage deals on a global scale.”

Competition/European Law: “This is ’undeniably a market-leading practice,’ commentators confirm.”

Corporate/M&A: “This firm has offices in Rome and Milan. It has an impressive list of domestic clients as well as international clients doing business in Italy, and is equally adept at providing the full range of corporate services for both. The team also assists Italian companies taking their operation abroad. Sources Say: ’It strikes an excellent balance between legal rigour and an understanding of business needs.’”

Dispute Resolution: “International clients appreciate the global resources of this firm, finding it to be ’uncomplicated and efficient, among other things because the lawyers are fluent in several foreign languages.’ Speaking of the firm’s local offices, clients affirm: ’You can still breathe the air of a boutique, but you also feel the power of the machine which is ready to make itself felt when necessary.’”

Private Equity: “This international firm has offices in both Rome and Milan, and advises clients on tax, legal and corporate matters. The team is lauded by clients as very knowledgeable in its key practice areas, commercial in its thinking, and oriented towards problem solving. With lawyers operating in Italian, French, German, Spanish and English, the firm works effectively within and across multiple jurisdictions.”

Restructuring/Insolvency: “With offices in Milan and Rome, and of course its famous international network, this team of four partners and one counsel is frequently engaged in many of the market’s most notable, multinational operations. Sources Say: ’They are truly multidisciplinary, which is an important and useful trait.’”

Tax: “This team of one partner and two associates advises the firm’s predominantly international clients on tax aspects of M&A, real estate and capital markets transactions.”

TMT: “Symptomatic of its high-profile work in the sector and the expansion of its TMT team, Cleary climbs the rankings this year.”

Russia
Banking, Finance & Capital Markets: “Since establishing a Moscow practice in the early 1990s, Cleary has built a stellar reputation in capital markets, offering a team of top individuals with cutting-edge expertise. The practice represents issuers and underwriters equally. It is also able to draw on the firm’s first-class London team when necessary.”

Corporate/M&A & Private Equity: “Flanked by its top-flight capital markets team, this M&A department is notably well resourced in Moscow and supported by the dedicated firm-wide Russian team. The department handles prominent cross-border deals with expected aptitude, but also has a premium local client base. Sources Say: ’I am astonished by the quality of service.’”

Restructuring/Insolvency: “Cleary enjoys famously strong ties with the top Russian companies, who have now turned back to the firm for restructuring advice. Clients are vocal about the firm’s strengths: ’Their effectiveness was perfect; they are great at negotiating and reasoning with logic, bringing banks to the table and understanding the Russian clients.’”

UK
Banking & Finance: “This US firm has seven partners and 30 associates in its London office who work on banking and finance matters. Its low-volume, high-value finance practice has followed the lead of many other firms and increased its restructuring work in recent times. Nevertheless, it continues to be active on a variety of acquisition finance matters, particularly ones involving emerging markets.”

Corporate/M&A: “This was one of the first US firms to establish itself in Europe and the UK, with offices in London, Paris, Brussels, Germany and Italy. It has some of the finest M&A and financing talent around, thanks to its commitment to excellence. It can handle domestic deals, but is most active in multi-jurisdictional matters, and is especially highly rated for its representation of financial institutions. Sources say: ’A tight team that adds value to a transaction thanks to its economic view about what is necessary on a deal.’”