The Legal 500

Within Corporate tax Corporate tax

Within EU and competition EU and competition

Within Financial services, Bingham McCutchen LLP is a second tier firm,

A ‘go-to’ firm for contentious financial regulation, particularly for retail matters, Bingham McCutchen (London) LLP can draw on practical expertise gained from in-house FSA experience. Peter Bibby is ‘always on top of whatever he does’, and Helen Marshall is ‘very good’.

Within M&A: lower mid-market, £50m-£250m, tier 6

Bingham McCutchen (London) LLP acted on transactions totalling $2.25bn in 2010, including advising the bid vehicle controlled by a hedge fund consortium in relation to the €750m acquisition of Wind Hellas, the Greek telecoms company. Vance Chapman and John Clark are the partners of note.

Within Banking litigation: investment and retail, Bingham McCutchen LLP is a third tier firm,

‘Outstanding litigator’ Natasha Harrison heads a niche practice at Bingham McCutchen (London) LLP specialising in banking and finance disputes, distressed debt and restructuring litigation, and regulatory matters. The team has ‘real litigation savvy plus a great awareness of how structured finance documents work’. Harrison led a team representing bondholders of Elektrim SA in 11 successful judgments before the English courts, concluding in a total recovery of over €700m.

Within Corporate restructuring and insolvency, Bingham McCutchen LLP is a first tier firm,

Bingham McCutchen (London) LLP, which moves to the top tier this year, provides an ‘all-around excellent level of service’ and ‘goes above and beyond the call of duty’. Acting predominantly for bondholders and creditors, and landing roles on some of the largest and most complex restructurings, the firm recently acted for the holders of private placement notes issued by Thomson and played an integral role in negotiating the terms of its €2.83bn debt-to-equity conversion under the safeguard procedure in France. The firm has also attracted a number of instructions out of the Iceland crisis, including representing holders of more than $24bn in bonds issued by Glitnir, Landsbanki and Kaupthing. The ‘best insolvency lawyer in London’, James Roome comes highly recommended alongside Barry Russell, who has a ‘great personality for dealing with emotional and diverse creditor groups’.

Within Debt capital markets, tier 6

Bingham McCutchen (London) LLP’s Barry Russell advises institutional investors in private placements. Sarah Smith’s arrival from Sidley Austin LLP ‘adds a huge dimension’ to the practice.

Within Investment funds Investment funds

Within Overview,

US firms also continue to feature prominently, in the corporate restructuring, acquisition finance and high yield rankings in particular. White & Case LLP can lay claim to having the broadest finance offering, while other firms featuring in multiple rankings include Weil, Gotshal & Manges, which recently picked up a four-partner investment funds team from Clifford Chance; Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (UK) LLP; Kirkland & Ellis International LLP; and Shearman & Sterling LLP. Other strong performers are Bingham McCutchen (London) LLP, which moves up to the top tier for corporate restructuring in recognition of its market-leading bondholder practice; and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, which excels in leveraged finance, advising the likes of KKR and Blackstone.