The Legal 500

Allen & Overy Luxembourg is ‘accessible’ and ‘responsive’, provides ‘an excellent level of service’ and delivers ‘fast’ and ‘reliable’ advice. It has an unrivalled record in M&A, private equity, restructuring and IPOs. It recently advised Avelar Energy on a new Luxembourg joint venture with Enovos Luxembourg. Senior partner Marc Feider (‘deep transaction, tax and financing experience’) is a pre-eminent figure in Luxembourg. Fabian Beullekens is also recommended.

Arendt & Medernach’s senior corporate partners have an ‘impressive range of knowledge’ and ‘have seen it all’ according to clients. The firm has an excellent record on major Luxembourg-related transactions or restructurings. It is also strong in the private equity field. Jean-Marc Ueberecken is commended for industrial M&A, while Guy Harles is becoming more prominent on the private equity and real estate investment side.

Elvinger, Hoss & Prussen may be regarded as a ‘traditional’ and ‘old school’ firm by modern standards, but clients genuinely value the ‘broad knowledge’ and ‘availability’ of its distinguished partners. The firm now represents many of the world’s leading private equity houses such as Cinven, TPG, KKR and CVC. It recently advised BC Partners on a series of IPOs including the headline IPO of Amadeus IT Holdings in May 2010. Philippe Hoss, André Elvinger and Pit Reckinger have mighty reputations.

Jean-Paul Spang heads Linklaters LLP’s Luxembourg corporate department. The firm leads the way in virtually every discipline from private equity to M&A and corporate reorganisations. The firm has continued to represent major private equity houses on landmark deals, such as representing Triton on its acquisition of Inflight Services group from CapMan, and on its acquisition of Dunkermotoren division from Alacatel Lucent. Clients continually applaud the firm’s local knowledge and international-style service. Tom Loesch, Laurent Schummer and Marc Loesch are all recommended.

Bonn Schmitt Steichen remains a credible challenger to the top four, despite the 2010 departure of Dirk Leermakers to Stibbe. The firm is equally capable in corporate M&A as private equity buyouts. The firm recently advised Apax Partners on its $3bn sale of Tommy Hilfiger to Philips-Van Heusen, and has represented Advent on a series of transactions. On the corporate M&A front, it advised Swiss private banking group on its proposed bid to acquire KBL Private Bankers. Alex Schmitt and Pierre-Alexandre Degehet are the principle corporate partners.

Kleyr | Grasso | Associes continues to demonstrate its leading credentials in the restructuring field. It recently worked alongside White & Case LLP on the restructuring of Wind Hellas Telecommunication’s €1.8bn debt, amongst a number of other prominent deals. The firm’s service is ‘top rate’ and ‘excellent’. Patrick Chantrain (‘excellent business acumen’, ‘knowledgeable’, ‘responsive’), Rina Breininger (‘extremely competent’, ‘very responsive’, ‘conscientious’, ‘knowledgeable’) and Marc Kleyr are recommended.

Kremer Associés & Clifford Chance combines a fervent private equity practice with an eminent corporate M&A and restructuring workload. In 2009, it represented eBay on the headline $2bn sale of its controlling share in Skype to Silver Lake. The firm also has a particularly strong transactional record in the financial services sector, including insurance and re-insurance. Christian Kremer is highly regarded.

Loyens & Loeff has continued its impressive form in the M&A arena, most notably acting for the Hinduja Group on its €1.35bn acquisition of KBL European Private Bankers from KBC. On the private equity front, the firm represented New Mountain Capital on its $280m acquisition of Mallinckrodt Baker. Thierry Lohest is the key partner.

The ‘excellent’ OPF & Partners is ‘very responsive’, ‘very personable even under pressure’, and is able to ‘apply sufficient resources to get the transaction done’. It has exemplary transactional experience, including recent advice on Apax’s sale of Tommy Hilfiger and handled a major restructuring for an international corporate. Gérard Maitrejean is ‘knowledgeable’, ‘commercial’, ‘calm under pressure’ and provides ‘the kind of service delivery ethos that North American clients demand’. Stef Oostvogels and Delphine Tempé are also recommended.

Wildgen, Partners in Law acts for numerous high-net-worth individuals with assets based in or structured through Luxembourg. The firm also represented Switzerland-based Maag Pump Systems on its merger with Germany’s Automatik Plastics Machinery. Pierre Metzler is ‘very responsive’ and has a ‘very good relationship with Luxembourg notaries’, while Michel Bulach provides ‘excellent responsiveness’, is ‘calm and pleasant at all times’, and is always ‘focused on the commercial outcome’. François Brouxel and Samia Rabia are also recommended.

NautaDutilh is ‘responsive’ and ‘knows its market very well’. The firm recently advised Wind Hellas in connection with its UK administration proceedings, and represented Californian private equity house Bertram Capital on its acquisition of One Distribution. The ‘very smart’ Margaretha Wilkenhuysen and Jean-Michel Schmit lead a ‘strong’, ‘hard working’ and ‘knowledgeable’ team.

Noble & Scheidecker is ‘responsive’, shows ‘strong business acumen’ and provides ‘practical solutions’. It regularly collaborates with Big Four accountancy firms and has recently worked on several major restructurings and group reorganisations. One client says that it is ‘way ahead of any other firm in corporate structuring work’. Founding partner Marie-Béatrice Noble (‘pleasure to deal with’, ‘reactive’, ‘displays strong commercial awareness’) and Catherine Baflast (‘hard working’, ‘always available’, ‘very good technical knowledge’) are recommended.

Baker & McKenzie took on the practice of Findling Collin Fessmann in 2010, a firm that has impressed clients with its ‘pragmatic approach’ and ‘tailor-made advice’. Aside from corporate M&A, it has made considerable headway in the private equity industry, closing major transactions for a series of prominent private equity houses. Jean-François Findling is ‘flexible’, ‘responsive’, and always chooses the ‘appropriate solution’.

DSM Di Stefano Moyse Avocats à la Cour remains a strong alternative to its larger competitors, thanks to its experience in domestic and cross border M&A, as well as restructurings. The firm has a strong focus on German clients and has a Frankfurt branch office. Mario Di Stefano is highly recommended.

Molitor Avocats à la Cour boasts the presence of prominent figures Michel Molitor and Laurent Fisch. The firm recently advised a major Chinese group in connection with its acquisition of a Canadian company through a Luxembourg holding company. It is also known for real estate acquisitions.

Vandenbulke is increasingly prominent in Luxembourg, with the firm ‘very much driven’ by Denis Van den Bulke. Much of the practice centres on real estate acquisitions and transactions. The department is also experienced in equity offerings and IPOs. The quality team is ‘responsive’, ‘business-minded’, and ‘pragmatic’.

Brucher Thieltgen & Partners is making considerable headway thanks to the ‘professionalism’ and ‘responsiveness’ of the team. Much of the firm’s work relates to private equity funds, most notably those in Eastern Europe. Nicholas Thieltgen is commended for his ‘reactivity’, ‘responsiveness’, and ‘very deep technical knowledge’. It also has good contacts with financial regulators.

CMS DeBacker Leclère Walry is ‘A-class’ and ‘one of the best firms I have used’, according to one client. Julien Leclère and Vivian Walry are ‘outstanding individuals’ that have evident ‘technical skills as well as a practical approach’. Clients highlight their particular expertise in private equity and investments.

Aside from its core investment funds business, Dechert Luxembourg represents a large number of major industrial groups, most notably in the pharmaceutical sector. The firm has also recently advised a major shareholder in connection with the merger of three energy companies. Marc Seimetz has a fine reputation.

LG@vocats is widely recognised for its TMT and IP practice, but is frequently engaged in company domiciliation issues.

Linari Law Firm has developed an impressive private equity transactions business over the last three years, including a number of deals in Eastern Europe. Vincent Linari is the key name and is commended for his ‘rounded skill set’ and ‘industry knowledge’.

Pierre Thielen Avocats is making headway in the private equity sector, most notably in relation to investments in Eastern European real estate.

Stibbe launched a Luxembourg office in August 2010 by hiring the eminent Dirk Leermakers from Bonn Schmitt Steichen and corporate and finance partner Gérald Origer from Loyens & Loeff. Much is expected from the new office, particularly in the private equity sector.