The Legal 500

Global banking and finance giant, Allen & Overy Luxembourg is ‘highly professional’, ‘fast’ and ‘accurate’. The firm has done ‘extremely well on structuring highly complex deals’. During 2009 and 2010, the firm continued to work on a series of major restructurings, including representing JPMorgan on the restructuring of the Wind Hellas group. Securitisation is another key part of the practice, most notably for Frank Mausen. Luxembourg managing partner Henri Wagner provides a ‘high-level service’, particularly in the capital markets environment, while André Marc and Pierre Schleimer are also recommended.

Arendt & Medernach ‘has the advantage of having a very big team’ and remains a key player in the structured finance and securitisation environment, with Philippe Dupont and Ari Gudmannsson very much to the fore. The firm is also widely praised for its bank regulatory and private banking expertise. It has represented numerous major creditors in connection with the administration of the Lehman group and Kaupthing Bank Luxembourg. Paul Mousel is also highly recommended.

Elvinger, Hoss & Prussen is consistently commended for the broad and multi-skilled expertise of its partners, which have impressive ‘industry knowledge’ and ‘long-standing experience’. The firm is ‘responsive’ and ‘user-friendly’, while one client simply says ‘it is the best’. Philippe Hoss, Yves Prussen, Franz Fayot and Pit Reckinger are singled out for particular praise. Recent highlights include acting for JPMorgan Chase Bank in relation to financing Silver Lake’s acquisition of a majority stake in Skype Technologies.

Kremer Associés & Clifford Chance is frequently instructed on many of Luxembourg’s key banking and finance mandates. The firm gained widespread recognition for its innovative work for the senior lenders on the landmark €2bn restructuring of Monier. Its ‘excellent service’ is thanks to a ‘very professional’ approach and ‘in-depth knowledge’. The ‘exemplary’ department head Steve Jacoby has ‘superb knowledge of the industry’ and is able to ‘lead difficult commercial negotiations’. Marc Mehlen is ‘fast’, ‘reliable’ and ‘pragmatic’ and Christian Kremer is recommended for debt capital markets and structured finance.

Patrick Geortay heads Linklaters LLP’s capital markets and banking department. The team continues to impress on headline and landmark deals such as advising the joint lead managers on the €2bn bonds issuance by the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg. The firm also represented Anheuser-Busch InBev in connection with a series of sizeable bond deals. Nicki Kayser is making a big impression in the capital markets sector, while counsel Janine Biver remains an influential member of the practice.

Bonn Schmitt Steichen has worked on a series of major financial restructurings of large industrial institutions and is known to represent a number of powerful Italian banks. The firm has a formidable capital markets practice and in 2009, acted for long-term client ArcelorMittal on the registered offering of $1bn 7.0% 30-year notes. The firm is also commended for its securitisation expertise with Laurent Lazard to the fore. Alex Schmitt is also recommended.

Kleyr | Grasso | Associes is recommended for restructuring and insolvency work. It has had key roles on the Lehman Brothers’ US chapter 11 proceedings and in relation to the financial distress of Iceland’s Kaupthing Bank. The firm is ‘responsive’ and has ‘profound knowledge of the banking sector’. Marc Kleyr is applauded for insolvency and restructuring work, while Rina Breininger has a ‘strong commitment to understand and defend the position and specific needs of her clients’. Patrick Chantrain is recommended for structured finance.

Loyens & Loeff has built on its emerging reputation in Luxembourg by acting for Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional (CSN) in connection with CSN Resources SA’s $1bn bond issuance and representing Reynolds Group in relation to its leveraged acquisition of Reynolds Consumer Products and Closure Systems International. Marc Meyers heads the multi-skilled department that also includes Eugène Tchen.

NautaDutilh’s practice centres on loan finance, refinancing, bank regulatory work, and a solid flow of real estate finance. The firm benefits from a powerful tax department and has an impressive capital markets practice with an excellent record in equity, debt and securitisation transactions. It has a tremendous banking clientele and recently advised Wind Hellas in connection with its UK administration proceedings. The experienced Josée Weydert heads the department.

Chevalier & Sciales has a well established banking and finance practice, with a particularly fine record in structured finance and securitisation, including synthetic and true-sale securitisations. Remi Chevalier is the lead partner.

Noble & Scheidecker has an excellent record in the restructuring and insolvency environment, thanks in part to its frequent collaboration with PwC. The firm is also well known for capital markets and structured finance work, and has a newly established German desk. As part of this broader international initiative, it was recently instructed by a large Asian bank. Katia Scheidecker is the primary partner.

Though often associated with the private equity industry, OPF & Partners has done well to build its presence in the restructuring and insolvency sector. Like many of its competitors, structured finance and securitisation is a key part of the practice.

Vandenbulke’s reputation continues to build due to its ‘high standards’ and ‘higher knowledge base’ in comparison to other firms. Much credit should go to Denis Van den Bulke and Laurence Jacques, who are praised by clients for their ‘professionalism’, ‘accuracy’, and ‘speedy work’. Much of the firm’s work comes from the financial sector, including international banks and asset managers, and is focused on the real estate environment, particularly in the retail sector, which includes numerous cross border deals.

Michel Bulach heads the department at Wildgen, Partners in Law, which as a fervent bank regulatory practice, coupled with a growing presence in the restructuring arena. Its client base features an impressive list of major European lenders and borrowers. Georges Gudenburg is also recommended.

Baker & McKenzie took over the practice of Findling Collin Fessmann in 2010. The new office is recommended thanks to the efforts of Laurent Fessmann who is ‘solutions-oriented’, ‘proactive’ and ‘efficient’, particularly for real estate finance and securitisation.

Brucher Thieltgen & Partners is regarded as ‘helpful’, ‘responsive’ and ‘knowledgeable’, with Nicolas Thieltgen singled out for particular praise. The firm is particularly well known for transactional and regulatory work, with Jean Brucher providing additional gravitas. It recently represented a North American bank in connection with a €150m revolving credit line to an investment fund.

CMS DeBacker Leclère Walry is ‘excellent in every regard’, with Vivian Walry regarded as ‘pragmatic’, ‘quick to respond’, ‘innovative’ and ‘knowledgeable’. The firm recently worked on a €2bn financing on behalf of Credit Suisse’s London branch.

DSM Di Stefano Moyse Avocats à la Cour lost key partner Adrian Sedlo, when he launched SJL | Sedlo Jimenez Lunz in 2010. Despite this, the firm is able to trade on its record in finance, capital markets and securitisation. Mario Di Stefano is the lead partner.

Dechert Luxembourg is a principally borrower-oriented practice. It recently represented a Luxembourg securitisation fund in connection with the €200m issuance of EMTNs.

Linari Law Firm’s Vincent Linari-Pierron is ‘knowledgeable’, ‘quick to respond’ and ‘professional’. He has split from former partner Mike Erniquin, but retains an active practice, most notably transactions related to private equity investments and in connection with IPOs.

Molitor Avocats à la Cour provides ‘very good response times’ and ‘good knowledge’ of the industry. Laurent Fisch is a renowned insolvency and restructuring expert who also acts as liquidator in major administrations. Michel Molitor is also recommended by clients.

New firm SJL | Sedlo Jimenez Lunz is a ‘top-notch for finance’, with founding partners Adrian Sedlo and Michel Jimenez Lunz commended for ‘going the extra mile’, providing a ‘robust legal analysis for specific points’, and being ‘responsive’ and ‘reliable’. The firm has already created an impressive banking client base, and has completed a series of noteworthy structured finance transactions, refinancings and real estate deals.