The Legal 500

Within Bank lending (including other sources of financing), tier 4

Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP is valued for its ‘understanding of current trends’ and ability to take account of these in its advice, and also its ‘turnaround time and availability’. The group’s activity level reflected market conditions in early 2010, but it benefited from the bank lending sector’s later resurgence, and from its balance of lender and sponsor clients. In a complex borrower-side deal, it acted for Novelis on its $2.3bn senior secured credit facilities, which were entered into in conjunction with a £2.5bn issuance of high yield bonds. The group also advised Goldman Sachs Capital Partners VI Fund in arranging a $865m credit agreement with the purchase of the majority outstanding shares in Michael Foods Group; JPMorgan Securities, as lead arranger, on a $750m senior secured revolving credit facility for BE Aerospace; and several mezzanine partners in a number of multimillion-dollar deals. Clients acclaim department chair F William Reindel as ‘unique’ and ‘thoughtful and thorough, with an expansive memory’. The team as a whole is ‘on top of the issue 24/7’, with other recommended partners including Christian Nahr in the borrower and investor arena, and Emil Buchman in acquisition financing.

Within Capital markets: debt offerings, tier 4

With ‘cutting-edge securities expertise’, Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP is well known for its manager-side representation. The team acts as designated underwriter counsel to Procter & Gamble, and recently represented Banc of America Securities, Deutsche Bank Securities and Goldman Sachs & Co as lead underwriters in P&G’s $1.25bn public offering. Recent highlights include acting for Credit Suisse Securities (USA) as the sole underwriter in Annaly Capital Management’s $500m convertible senior notes offering in February 2010, and also in a further $100m convertible senior notes offering in March 2010. The ‘exceptional’ Valerie Ford Jacob, together with the ‘analytical’ Michael Levitt, advised JPMorgan, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Barclays Capital and UBS Securities as lead underwriters of a $850m Rule 144A senior notes offering and a $650m Rule 144A senior notes offering by Republic Services. The team also acted for the initial purchasers in Republic Services’ $600m Rule 144A senior notes offering. Andrew Barkan and the ‘top-notch’ Stuart Gelfond advised Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley, RBS Securities, Wells Fargo Securities, Barclays Capital, Calyon, JPMorgan Securities, Mitsubishi UFJ Securities and US Bancorp Investments in Quest Diagnostics’ offerings of $500m senior notes and $250m senior notes. On the issuer side, the team recently advised SPX Corporation in a $600m aggregate principal senior notes offering, and also Grupo Televisa in a $600m privately placed senior notes offering. Daniel Bursky is also recommended. The team is praised as ‘delivering a high level of depth in multiple practice areas’ and for its ‘partner work ethic and institutional culture that places the client’s needs above all competing interests’.

Within Capital markets: equity offerings, Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP is a third tier firm,

Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP fields a group of ‘impressive partners’, in addition to a ‘deep and talented pool of associates’, making the firm a popular choice for both manager and issuer clients in equity work. The ‘responsive, knowledgeable and available’ group is praised for its ‘exceptional performance, legal knowledge, industry expertise and superb judgment’. On the manager side, Valerie Ford Jacob and Paul Tropp advised Citi, Goldman Sachs, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, KKR Capital Markets and JPMorgan as joint bookrunning mangers in Dollar General’s $805m public offering of common stock. Tropp is praised as able to ‘navigate the interface of business and legal issues to drive seamless execution’. The firm continues to provide underwriter counsel to Navios Maritime Partners, Ares Capital Corporation and Chimera Investment Corporation. Other highlights included advising sole bookrunner Bank of America Merrill Lynch and co-manager Goldman Sachs on Cathay General Bancorp’s $125.6m common stock offering, and also representing Morgan Stanley and UBS as representatives of the underwriters in connection with the $100m IPO of Horizon Technology Finance. On the issuer side, the firm advised Tracinda Corporation as a selling shareholder in MGM Resorts International’s $350m public offering of common stock. Stuart Gelfond has an ‘unequalled worth ethic’ and provides ‘valued judgment and counsel’, and the ‘very capable’ Vasiliki Tsaganos in Washington DC has a ‘strong knowledge of the markets and good judgment on disclosure’. The ‘commercial’ Michael Levitt and Steven Scheinfeld are also recommended. Clients highly rate partner response times.

Within Capital markets: global offerings, tier 4

With offices in Europe and Asia, Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP is well placed to serve US clients abroad and foreign clients in the domestic market. Advising issuers and underwriters, the firm is ‘extremely good overall’. Joshua Wechsler, who is based between Hong Kong and New York, assisted in advising Sound Global in its RMB¥885m convertible bonds offering on the Singapore Stock Exchange. Stuart Gelfond, together with the firm’s London team, represented Latin American media group Grupo Televisa with regard to its $600m senior notes offering in the US. On the underwriter side, Valerie Ford Jacob, Daniel Bursky and Andrew Barkan advised Mitsubishi UFJ Securities, Citigroup Global Markets and HSBC in Procter & Gamble’s JPY¥885m SEC-registered offering in May 2010. The firm provides ‘quality representation and service’, with the ‘required industry knowledge and expertise’.

Within Capital markets: high-yield debt offerings, Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP is a second tier firm,

Offering ‘quality representation and service’, Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP has a strong high-yield practice, particularly on the manager side. Clients praise the team’s ‘very high level of overall service’, and for the ‘excellent quality and timeliness of work product’. The firm advised Bank of America Merrill Lynch regarding American Tire Distributors’ $250m 9.750% senior secured notes offering, and JPMorgan Securities as representative of the initial purchasers in Sinclair Television Group’s $250m private placement of 8.375% senior notes. It also assisted Bank of America Merrill Lynch as representative of the initial purchasers in Asbury Automotive Group’s issuance and sale of $200m 8.375% senior subordinated notes. On the issuer side, the firm represented Virgin Media in its £1.5bn Rule 144A/Reg. S senior secured notes offering, and also advised CVR Energy in its private offering of $275m aggregate principal amount of first-lien senior secured notes, and $225m of second-lien senior secured notes. ProQuest, McJunkin Red Man Corporation and Michael Foods are all clients on the issuer side. Rated for his ‘commercial approach’, Paul Tropp is ‘very client friendly’ and is ‘able to dispense with issues efficiently as they arise’. Valerie Ford Jacob and Stuart Gelfond are also very active in the arena.

Within Corporate restructuring, Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP is a third tier firm,

Although it is small in comparison with many of its peers, Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP’s six-partner New York-based practice has successfully been able to furrow a very nice niche in the market as a result of its ability to provide ‘pragmatic, business sensitive and solutions-orientated advice’ to clients. Regularly leveraging off the expertise of other relevant practice areas including litigation, corporate and capital markets, the firm has a very transactional approach to restructuring work and will only look to formal Chapter 11 as a last resort in an effort to best maximize value for the client. This approach was recently illustrated in the firm’s representation of a consortium of private equity sponsors, led by Centerbridge Partners, in the $3.93bn acquisition of Extended Stay Hotels out of Chapter 11. ‘Superb’ team head Brad Scheler led on this matter and is central to many of the firm’s most sophisticated transactions including its representation of Fidelity Management & Research Company as a bondholder in the Six Flags restructuring. The team was bolstered by the arrival in March 2010 of Shannon Lowry Nagle from O’Melveny & Myers LLP. Specializing in creditor mandates, Nagle recently represented numerous hedge funds, including Appaloosa Management, as major creditors of failed bank Washington Mutual. Gary Kaplan also has a strong reputation and along with the ‘excellent’ Alan Resnick recently helped Cooper-Standard Automotive Holdings successfully emerge from Chapter 11 protection.

Within Financial services: regulatory, Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP is a third tier firm,

‘Knowledgeable and responsive’, Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP’s financial services practice provides ‘excellent commercial judgment’ to an impressive array of banking clients on their most critical strategic initiatives, transactions, litigation and regulatory services. ‘Very capable on M&A generally and the issues confronting financial advisors’, the firm has handled a slew of high-profile mandates for underwriters on capital raisings for financial services companies. Recent highlights include advising Bank of America and Goldman Sachs as underwriters in Cathay General Bancorp’s $125.6m common stock offering and representing the underwriters, led by Deutsche Bank and Bank of America, on CreXus Investment’s $200m IPO. Philip Richter regularly represents Goldman Sachs in its role as financial advisor on many M&A transactions and recently represented it in this capacity in relation to leading Puerto Rican bank Popular’s agreement to sell its majority interest in its processing subsidiary EVERTEC, to funds managed by Apollo Management. Also active on the enforcement front, the group is representing various Federal Home Loan Banks across a raft of regulatory and potential enforcement actions. Chair of the firm’s litigation department, William McGuinness is recommended for his work within the brokerage, securities and financial services industry.

Within Structured finance , Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP is a third tier firm,

Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP is ‘outstanding in all respects; the advice is timely, and shows knowledge not only of the law but of the client’s commercial imperatives’. The structured finance practice group concentrates on complex bespoke products and handles the full spectrum of OTC and listed derivatives, structured investments, securitization, and other financial instruments involving derivative products. Lawyers in the group are also in demand for regulatory advice. In New York, David Mitchell is ‘a lawyers’ lawyer with a deep knowledge of his subject – he’s astute and insightful’, and Lisa Schneider, promoted to partner in 2010, is ‘clearly a rising star in the group, a most intelligent and commercial lawyer whose work product is always perfect’. Clients also commend Jessica Forbes, who has a strong following of hedge funds, private equity firms and broker-dealers, for her regulatory expertise. In Washington DC, Walid Khuri’s ‘understanding of complex derivatives and his diversity of experience allows him to offer a unique perspective on all sorts of issues’. In June 2010, derivatives expert Robert McLaughlin, who was previously co-chair of the structured products practice at Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, joined the New York office, and has since been extremely active in instructions such as counseling a leading financial institution in connection with its substantial OTC derivatives claim againstt Lehman Brothers, and advising a major financial services client in connection with the close-out of multiple separate synthetic CDOs following the bankruptcy default of the hedge counterparty. The practice group’s blue-chip base includes Morgan Stanley, Citadel Investment Group, Goldman Sachs, Tudor Investment Corporation, UBS and Citibank, as well as insurance companies, fund managers and broker-dealers.

Within Alternative/hedge funds, Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP is a first tier firm,

Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP’s ten-partner team ‘isn’t the highest-volume hedge fund practice, but its selective reputation attracts a high-quality roster of clients who typically have complex requirements’. It is an approach that has ensured the firm’s place at the forefront of regulatory and transactional developments dominating the alternative funds space in 2010. The practice focuses on high-end fund work for some of the largest funds and fund managers, including new clients BlackRock and JPMorgan Asset Management, and in 2010 it represented eight of the top 15 largest hedge funds. Describing the firm’s successful strategy, one client notes that ‘the team works hard to learn where we draw our lines and provide advice that is consistent with our expectations’. Chief among the practice’s institutional clients is Goldman Sachs, for whom it has acted as primary outside counsel to its direct managed hedge fund and fund-of-hedge-funds businesses over the course of an 11-year relationship. 2010 saw the practice advise on a host of matters, including establishing various feeder funds and handling M&A and seeding transactions. From structuring and formation issues to tax and regulatory matters, ‘the team is great up and down the line from senior partner to a uniformly strong band of associates’, with particular mention going to tax expert Brian Kniesly. In 2010, the practice acted as counsel to three major financial institutions on structuring and transactional issues related to the Volcker Rule’s mandated spinout or other disposition of their proprietary trading businesses. Other highlights included advising on the formation of Attara Capital – a hedge fund set up by a former co-chair of Atticus Capital – and acting for longstanding client Highbridge Principal Strategies on forming a number of senior loan funds. ‘Smart, hardworking and thoughtful’ senior partner Lawrence Barshay heads the group, while David Selden and Jonathan Adler deliver ‘fantastic service, advice and work product’.

Within Private equity funds, Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP is a third tier firm,

Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP’s 18-partner team has ‘in-depth expertise in the investment management field, in particular in private equity and the tax and ERISA issues involved in that field’. It has developed a strong following among major financial institutions, including key client Goldman Sachs – which it represents on a broad array of fund matters, from structuring fund complexes to secondary transactions and fundraising matters. Other institutional clients include Fortress Investment Group, Highbridge Principal Strategies and JPMorgan, which call on the team to develop fund complexes and advise on regulatory compliance issues arising from the Dodd-Frank Act. Recent highlights include advising Goldman Sachs on forming PEG Early Secondaries Fund to invest on a secondary basis in under-resourced private equity funds; and on the restructuring of Goldman Sachs Capital Partners VI, with a portion of the funds being allocated to invest in distressed opportunities. 2010 saw the practice expand its client base to encompass JPMorgan Asset Management, JPMorgan Real Estate Investment Banking and Madison International, advising the latter on secondary transactional work relating to the real estate sector. This ‘solutions-oriented, responsive team’ is led by Kenneth Rosh, whom clients consider to be ‘smart, thoughtful and willing to be flexible in his approach’, while Jonathan Adler is ‘an outstanding attorney – bright, caring, personable and extremely responsive’, whom clients ‘recommend without hesitation’.

Within International arbitration, tier 4

Large commercial disputes are at the heart of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP’s international arbitration practice. Clients are impressed with the firm’s ‘experience, knowledge and skill’. Construction, aviation and energy are sectors where the firm has significant expertise. The practice is acting as counsel to Basari Electronik in multiple ICC arbitrations in Helsinki and Istanbul against a large Scandinavian telecom equipment supplier in a $120m case. The firm is also representing a major European aircraft manufacturer in a commercial arbitration before the ICC. The dispute involves cross claims of breach of contract by both parties and is valued at $100m. Elliot Polebaum heads up the practice and is recommended.

Within Securities: shareholder litigation, Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP is a third tier firm,

‘A great team to have on your side in difficult times’, the securities litigators at Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP receive excellent feedback from clients. ‘The firm has tremendously talented professionals and operates in a cutting edge environment, particularly in the corporate, finance and hedge fund arenas’. Among the partners, clients praise the ‘excellent’ Douglas Flaum, the ‘very knowledgeable and accessible’ David Hennes and William McGuinness, who is also group head, while the ‘outstanding’ Gregg Weiner is noted for his ‘strategic advice and relationship management with opposing counsel’. The firm is currently representing Wells Fargo, Wachovia Corporation and its former directors and officers in six consolidated class actions brought on behalf of Wachovia stock and bond holders alleging breaches of directors’ fiduciary duties, fraud and negligent misrepresentation. Ultimately the Court approved a settlement that required no payment by the defendants to the shareholders. The firm is also defending a group of underwriters, including Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank, Credit Suisse, UBS, RBS and Citigroup against a claim relating to the issuance of approximately $36bn in mortgage-backed securities by Wells Fargo. The lawsuit claims that the bank and its officers and directors failed to make proper disclosures concerning the bank’s alleged exposure to the subprime mortgage market.

Within White-collar criminal defense , tier 5

Praised for its ‘deep knowledge of the subject matter in this area’, Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP’s eight-partner New York-based team provides a ‘high level of service’ to an impressive roster of blue-chip corporates, hedge funds, banks and private equity sponsors. Although it is perhaps less frequently seen in litigation than other firms in the ranking, it regularly handles regulatory or internal investigations across the waterfront of hot-button issues including FCPA abuses, securities fraud and insider trading. ‘At the top of her profession’, Audrey Strauss has an excellent pedigree within the field, particularly within the financial services industry and recently guided hedge fund adviser Pequot Capital Management to a settlement following a five-year insider-trading probe by the SEC. Led by Teresa Venezia and Carmen Lawrence, the firm was involved in another high-profile SEC investigation, this time on behalf of the State of New Jersey, against allegations that it had fraudulently marketed $26bn in municipal bonds to investors. Notably, this was the first time that a state had been accused of violating federal securities laws and was settled without any fines being levied against it. The firm has ‘a good team of lawyers with strong backgrounds in the white-collar arena’, including the ‘hardworking and knowledgeable’ Howard Goldstein and William Johnson, and Steven Witzel, whose ‘level of commitment and responsiveness to his client are extraordinary’.

Within Antitrust, tier 7

Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP advises clients on the full range of antitrust issues, but its core competency is perhaps advising high-end clients on significant cross-border mergers and acquisitions. With most of this work attracting the attention of the FTC, clients unsurprisingly praise the team for its ‘good knowledge of the workings of the FTC’, particularly Peter Guryan in New York, who ‘has a good working relationship with the FTC’. The regular stream of transactions has allowed the team to cultivate strong relationships with clients who appreciate its ‘patience, consistent guidance and quality of work’. The group advised Merck & Co on its $41bn merger with Schering-Plough. Other recent merger highlights include advising Abraxis BioScience on its $2.8bn acquisition by Celgene, creating a leading global provider of oncology drugs, and acting for Houghton International, a leading supplier of metalworking fluids, in reaching a settlement with the FTC concerning its investigation of Houghton’s 2008 acquisition of D.A. Stuart. Eight litigation partners staff the practice in New York and Washington DC, with recent work including acting for Malaysia Airlines in a multi-district litigation involving price-fixing allegations and representing clients in investigations into the air cargo and freight-forwarding industries. Practice head Barry Nigro in Washington DC is a former deputy director of the FTC’s Bureau of Competition, and has expanded the European antitrust practice with a new partner in London.

Within M&A: mega-deals ($5bn+), tier 4

Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP is ‘responsive, thorough, skilled and innovative. It consistently provides a very high level of service. The firm’s legal knowledge is deep and always appropriately meshed with knowledge of business and industry. It maintains a strong team of lawyers, ranging from the top levels down to new associates, while staffing at appropriate levels to maintain reasonable fees’. The corporate department is global and operates seamlessly within each of the firm’s seven offices that include New York, Washington DC, London, Paris, Frankfurt, Hong Kong and Shanghai. The M&A group is noted for its work with the pharmaceutical industry, having advised Merck in its $41bn merger with Schering-Plough, the $4bn sale of Merck’s 50% interest in Merial to Sanofi-Aventis, and its acquisition of SmartCells. It has also acted for Abraxis BioScience in its $2.8bn acquisition by Celgene Corporation, and assisted Goldman Sachs and Credit Suisse as financial advisors to Genzyme in the rejection of an unsolicited $18.5bn tender offer made by Sanofi-Aventis, and acted for Goldman Sachs as financial advisor to Millipore in its $7.2bn sale to Merck. The firm was also involved in two of the largest private equity buyouts of 2010, serving as counsel to Goldman Sachs and Greenhill in connection with Dynegy’s announced $4.7bn acquisition by an affiliate of The Blackstone Group, and representing GS Capital Partners in connection with its $1.7bn acquisition of Michael Foods from Thomas H Lee Partners. In a deal that was widely noted as an example of the rejuvenated private equity market, the practice represented Northrop Grumman in the $1.65bn sale of its advisory services business TASC to a consortium led by General Atlantic and affiliates of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts. The team also represented Simon Property Group in connection with its acquisition of all of the outlet shopping center business of Prime Outlets Acquisition Company and certain of its affiliated entities in a transaction valued at approximately $2.325bn, including the assumption of Prime Outlets’ existing indebtedness and preferred stock. In early 2011, the firm also represented Cargill in connection with the split-off and orderly distribution of its 64% stake in Mosaic, a leading provider of crop nutrients and feed ingredients for the global agriculture industry. Robert Schwenkel chairs the department, and is ‘extremely knowledgeable and hard-working and can easily lead and handle large, complex transactions’. Richard Steinwurtzel ‘has a wealth of skill and experience’. Senior partner Arthur Fleischer Jr has led the firm’s M&A practice for over 30 years. His practice encompasses negotiated as well as contested transactions. Steve Epstein joined the firm as a partner in 2010. Epstein was previously an M&A partner at O’Melveny & Myers LLP and an investment banker at Credit Suisse. His transactional experience broadens the practice’s presence in the healthcare, consumer products and infrastructure sectors. Based in Washington DC, corporate partner Andy Varney is ‘found to be very bright, creative and extremely efficient. He is very focused on giving me the best service possible and on numerous occasions has proposed more time-efficient structures that have resulted in keeping our legal costs down’. Of the M&A team, clients also say: ‘Whether it’s time sensitive deals that need to be executed on the weekends or on holidays, the firm has gone above and beyond to help us keep a transaction on track and to achieve a successful closing’.

Within Private equity buyouts, Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP is a third tier firm,

As regular adviser to Goldman Sachs Capital Partners and Permira Advisers, New York’s Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP has a prestigious high-value private equity practice and a lengthy history in this sector. It has more than 100 attorneys engaged in various aspects of private equity transactions, across its US, Europe and Asia offices. The broad expertise within the firm ensures that private equity sponsors receive a rounded service that extends from fund formation to exit strategies. In June 2010, it advised GS Capital Partners on its $1.7bn acquisition of Michael Foods from Thomas H Lee Partners, one of the largest secondary buyouts of the year. Later in the year, the firm also represented GS Capital Partners in connection the $4bn sale of portfolio company Burger King Holdings to 3G Capital, as well as advising the private equity sponsor on its acquisition, alongside Clayton Dubilier & Rice, of HGI Holdings from the Jordan Company. Beyond representation of its marquee client, it acted for mid-market fund New Mountain Capital on four separate deals during 2010, including its $280m acquisition of Mallinckrodt Baker’s chemical business, Covidien. Clients include AEA Investors, Abry Partners, Cortec Group, GS Capital Partners, Morgan Stanley, New Mountain Capital, Onex Partners and Permira Advisers. Chair of the corporate department and head of the M&A and private equity groups, Robert Schwenkel, remains the firm’s most high-profile private equity lawyer, with his close connections to GS Capital Partners and Permira Advisers. Fellow New York partner Christopher Ewan is also well-connected amongst major buyout funds, including Permira Advisers, while Andrew Colosimo and Murray Goldfarb frequently work alongside Robert Schwenkel on behalf of GS Capital Partners. Aviva Diamant has a strong record in mid-market sector with key client New Mountain Capital, while Washington DC-based Brian Mangino is also widely commended.

Within Land use/zoning , Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP is a first tier firm,

Representing developers and institutional clients from its New York office, Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP has a ‘first rate’ land use practice, with its lawyers noted for their ‘expertise, judgment and professionalism’. Melanie Meyers is singled out as being ‘at the absolute top of her profession’; she ‘knows more about the “ins and outs” of city building codes and zoning regulations than any other lawyer in the City’. She recently advised Google on land use and zoning of its New York headquarters. Stephen Lefkowitz is also recommended, and worked alongside Melanie Meyers and Richard Leland on the planning and development of the $5bn Atlantic Yards project in Brooklyn, representing Forest City Ratner Companies.

Within Real estate, Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP is a first tier firm,

The ‘fabulous’ 11-partner team at Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP predominantly operates in the New York market but also undertakes work across Illinois, Pennsylvania and Connecticut. It is considered ‘pre-eminent’ and a ‘deep’ real estate practice that is at the top of its game, mixing market-leading financing with sale-and-purchase transactions and development work. The widely acclaimed Jonathan Mechanic, who chairs the department, recently represented Condé Nast on its tentative 1 million sq ft lease at One World Trade Center. He also acted for Tishman Speyer and its affiliates on recapitalizing a segment of its Chicago property portfolio, in addition to restructuring $1.4bn of mortgage and mezzanine financing. Mechanic, Harry Silvera and Michael Barker represented a private equity investor consortium on its $3.92bn mortgage and mezzanine financing for the acquisition of the business and the assets of Extended Stay Hotels. Robert Sorin is accustomed to handling complex and high-value deals; he and Richard Leland represented Google on acquiring 111 Eighth Avenue, a 2.9 million sq ft building, as its New York headquarters. Leland, Stephen Lefkowitz and Melanie Meyers advised Forest City Ratner Companies on Brooklyn’s $4.9bn Atlantic Yards project. This 22-acre development comprises residential, commercial and community spaces and has involved participation from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the Empire State Development Corporation and the City of New York. Meyers, Ross Silver and Carol Rosenthal have also been involved with numerous matters for the Hospital for Special Surgery. The real estate group is augmented by a specialist land use and zoning practice.

Within Domestic tax: East Coast, Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP is a second tier firm,

Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP’s ‘tax group is the best – while not cheap, it provides sound guidance in complex matters, world-class expertise and incredible customer service’. Substantially based in New York, with a significant Washington DC presence, the well balanced team generates instructions directly from clients, as well as providing tax expertise to other departments. Clients confirm effective delegation and supervision. New York tax chair Robert Cassanos heads the tax practice – he ‘combines a very commercial approach with robust technical analysis’. Recommended lawyers in New York include David Shapiro, who is ‘an exceptional attorney who has handled the most complex and difficult tax issues both US and foreign’, Lisa Levy for funds and insurance work, and Brian Kniesly for hedge fund matters. In Washington DC, Alan Kaden is ‘smart, incredibly pleasant to work with and has a wonderful ability to make very complex, dry tax material easy to understand’, and Michelle Gold is ‘tremendous value because of her speed in grasping issues and completing projects’. In recent high profile instructions, Washington DC-based Michael Alter worked with Alan Kaden advising Abraxis BioScience in its $2.8bn acquisition by Celgene Corporation, and New York’s Eli Weiss represented Cooper-Standard Automotive and its US subsidiaries in connection with Chapter 11 cases filed in the US Bankruptcy Court in the District of Delaware. Other clients include Cloud Peak Energy, GS Capital Partners, Northrop Grumman and Virgin Media.

Within Employee benefits and executive compensation, Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP is a third tier firm,

Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP’s Laraine Rothenberg and Donald Carleen co-chair the expanding New York practice which provides broad-ranging advice across the EBEC field and handles direct instructions as well as supporting the transactions and restructuring departments. In complex recent matters, it advised Abraxis BioScience on executive compensation issues in its $2.8bn acquisition by Celgene Corporation, and represented Cooper-Standard Automotive Holdings and its US subsidiaries in connection with their $1.1bn Delaware Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Jeffrey Ross is recommended for private equity and investment fund instructions. Practice clients include GS Mezzanine Partners, AEA Investors, Medco Health Solutions and Northrop Grumman.