The Legal 500

Within Asset finance and leasing, tier 4

George Miller heads the broad and versatile asset finance group at Mayer Brown, which is particularly well regarded for its expertise on the structured finance side. Spread across offices in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, the practice also benefits from a strong international offering, especially in France and Asia. This expertise covers most sectors, including aviation, automotive, maritime and rail. A recent highlight for the firm was representing MassMutual Asset Finance and MMAF Equipment Finance as issuer, master servicer and sponsor in a $704.5m equipment securitization. On the aviation front, Miller and Robert Barnard in New York advised Jackson Square aviation on a $435m term loan facility for the financing of various aircraft with DVB Bank acting as agent. The firm has also been active on the rail front and recently represented Credit Suisse Securities in a $857m securitization of TRIP Rail Master Funding LLC’s equipment leases. Other active clients include Dell, Mitsui Rail, Nissan Motor Acceptance Corporation and BNP Paribas.

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Within Bank lending (including other sources of financing), tier 6

When it comes to bank lending work, Mayer Brown is ‘an A-plus firm in all respects’ according to clients, and has established a very strong reputation acting for lenders on a wide variety of matters. With offices in Chicago, Houston, New York, Charlotte, and Washington DC, the firm has a broad geographic reach. This was significantly enhanced in 2012 through several top level recruits, including former Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP partner Barbara Goodstein in New York, Perry Hicks from Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP in Charlotte, and also Ann Richardson Knox from Haynes and Boone, L.L.P. in New York. Their arrivals add to a team that includes Michael Mascia, who is ‘a top expert’ in subscription finance, with a team that is ‘exceptionally attentive to detail’, ‘works very fast and at the same time delivers quality advice and legal documentation’. A recent highlight for Mascia was advising Wells Fargo & Company on its $3bn deal to acquire WestLB’s subscription finance portfolio. Chicago-based co-head Doug Doetsch has a very strong reputation, as does New York practice head David Duffee and Christopher Erckert in Washington DC. The firm’s Houston office is also noted for its energy-related financings, an area where Tristan Propst is particularly active.

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Within Capital markets: debt offerings , Mayer Brown is a third tier firm,

Mayer Brown has investment-grade debt and high-yield debt experience, and the team is noted for its strength across the US. A team featuring Philip Niehoff in Chicago and John Berkery in New York acted for Abbott Laboratories regarding its subsidiary company AbbVie’s $14.7bn notes offering in six series, the third-largest US corporate offering to date. Also from Chicago, James Patti assisted Turkiye Is Bankasi in a $1bn offering of 6% subordinated notes due 2022. David Bakst and Christopher Erckert, in New York and Washington DC respectively, advised Mexico-based wind power projects Oaxaca II and Oaxaca IV (Acciona Energia) on a $300m offering of senior secured notes due 2031. Among underwriter mandates, Chicago-based Edward Best acted for HSBC Securities in The Dow Chemical Company’s issuance of $1.25bn 3.000% notes due 2022 and $1.25bn 4.375% notes due 2042. Best also represented JPMorgan Securities as underwriter in Colgate-Palmolive’s $500m debt offering of 1.95% medium-term notes due 2023. Elsewhere, the firm’s Houston office handles energy-related work, and William Moss and Robert Gray Jr advised RBC Capital Markets as underwriter in a $500m 4.875% senior notes due 2022 offering by Rowan Companies, a provider of offshore oil and gas contract drilling services.

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Within Capital markets: equity offerings , tier 4

Chicago-headquartered Mayer Brown has a range of impressive issuer-side clients and continues to steadily add to its reputation; it has increased its workflow in underwriter-side equity matters as well as gaining plaudits for its expertise in oil and gas transactions led from its Houston office. A team led by John Berkery and Philip Brandes in New York represented TAL International, one of the world's largest intermodal freight containers and chassis leasing firms, and the selling stockholders, in two secondary offerings of common stock: a $109m offering by the selling stockholder of three million shares in March 2012 and a $192m offering by the selling stockholders of five million shares in May 2012. Philip Niehoff and Jon Van Gorp represented Home Loan Servicing Solutions, a development stage company focusing on acquiring mortgage servicing assets, in its IPO of 13.3 million ordinary shares at a price of $14 per share and in the concurrent private placement of $10m ordinary shares equal to the IPO price of $14 per share, sold to the company’s founder and chairman of the board of directors; the deal raised $196.76m.

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Within Capital markets: global offerings , tier 4

Chicago-based Mayer Brown is has experience handling global offerings in Europe, Latin America and Canada. A team led by James Patti in Chicago represented Turkiye Garanti Bankasi, a Turkish bank that provides corporate, commercial and retail banking services, in the issuance of $600m 4% notes due 2017, and $750m 5.25% notes due 2022. A team led by Edward Best represented Caisse Central Desjardins du Québec, a cooperative financial institution, in the investment grade issuance of $1.5bn 1.6% series CB2 covered bonds due 2017, under the €5bn global covered bond programme. The firm also represented Oaxaca II and Oaxaca IV, Mexico-based wind power projects, in the investment grade issuance of $300m senior secured notes due 2031. The team was led by the highly rated David Bakst in New York and Christopher Erckert in Washington DC.

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Within Capital markets: high-yield debt offerings , tier 4

Mayer Brown continues to build its experience advising issuer clients on high-yield debt offerings across several of its US offices. A highlight included advising Türkiye Vakýflar Bankasý T.A.O. (Vakifbank) on its offering of $500m 5.75% notes due 2017, a matter led by Chicago-based James Patti. A team featuring John Berkery in New York, and Philip Niehoff and Paul Theiss in Chicago, advised Isle of Capri Casinos on its $350m offering of 8.875% senior subordinated notes due 2020. In an underwriter mandate, Christopher Erckert in Washington DC acted for BNP Paribas in Linea Amarilla’s $527m high-yield debt issuance.

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Within Corporate restructuring (including bankruptcy), tier 5

Although Mayer Brown has historically been focused on creditors’ rights, it recently secured a debtor-side instruction that saw it play a key role in the sixth largest bankruptcy in the US in 2012; the firm advised Houston-based ATP Oil & Gas Corporation, which is over $3bn in debt, in its Chapter 11 case. Led out of New York by ‘star bankruptcy lawyer’ Howard Beltzer, who is also singled out as a ‘wonderful guy with a great sense of humor’, the ‘incredibly deep and highly commercial’ team includes Brian Trust (‘knows the issues important to banks’, ‘excellent judgment’) and Chicago-based Thomas Kiriakos (‘knowledgeable, astute, practical and responsive’). The firm continues to win a good share of top-shelf creditor mandates and it is representing BNP Paribas Fortis in the out-of-court restructuring of a series of project finance loans for four cancer-treatment centers across the US, worth $500m. It also continues to act for more than 50 financial institutions, including several of the world’s largest banks, as creditors in the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy. Also worthy of note, is the firm’s strong track record in contested bankruptcy cases and related litigation.

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Within Financial services: regulatory, tier 6

Often working in close co-operation with other complementary practice groups including corporate, banking and litigation, Mayer Brown provides cohesive and integrated advice across the spectrum of work within the sector including bank regulatory, broker-dealer, investment management and consumer compliance. Leveraging off the firm’s wide international network of offices, the team has been active advising foreign banks on the regulatory concerns with their operations in the US. It recently advised Nara Bancorp on its $285.7m acquisition of Center Financial Corporation, to create the largest Korean-American banking franchise in the US. The team also advised Capital One on its $9bn acquisition of the online banking unit of ING. The deal involved complex US and cross-border legal and regulatory issues, including advising on the impact on the proposed transaction of the Dutch Government’s support of ING Groep arising out of the recent financial crisis. As well as providing the regulatory input associated with transactions, the team has been busy advising international banks including HSBC and Handelsbanken on a whole host of compliance issues arising out of the Dodd-Frank Act including matters associated with the Volcker rule provisions. Team head Scott Anenberg is recognized by one client as the ‘go-to person for every complicated or nettlesome issue’, and is particularly strong at advising on banking compliance matters. Noted for its ‘good network of policy makers and regulators’, the team excels at representing clients that are the subject of enforcement proceedings, and has the capability to represent clients in multiple forums. The ‘experienced and analytical’ Thomas Delaney is regularly involved in enforcement matters and has been particularly active recently advising on anti-money laundering sanctions and enforcement proceedings by the US Congress. Other recommended partners include the ‘highly analytical’ Jerome Roche, for US securities regulation; ‘excellent communicator’ Alex Lakatos, who specialises in advising foreign financial institutions in enforcement actions and litigation; and David Sahr, who is regularly engaged by international banks to advise on the regulatory implications of expanding their operations into the US. Clients include Wells Fargo, ACE and The Clearing House.

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Within Project finance, Mayer Brown is a second tier firm,

Mayer Brown draws praise for its ‘on-point, solutions-based advice’, its ability to ‘consistently meet or beat deadlines’, and for fielding ‘a particularly strong and experienced pool of partners and senior associates’. The team is ‘simply top-notch in terms of project finance generally’, with ‘remarkable strength in the power, mining and infrastructure sectors’. It has a strong following among lenders and capital investors such as Morgan Stanley, Bank of America and Siemens Financial. In 2012 it remained at the forefront of airport privatizations, representing government entities in airport transactions in the US, the Caribbean, Spain and Brazil. Chicago-based partners John Schmidt, David Narefsky and Joseph Seliga have been advising the Puerto Rico Public-Private Partnerships Authority on its proposed PPP transaction involving the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan. Another highlight saw Christopher Erckert, who has substantial experience in projects in Latin America, assisting Acciona Energia with two separate project bond financings for the Oaxaca II & IV wind farm projects in Mexico. The ‘vastly experienced’ Barry Machlin ‘provides services well above and beyond’, and Paul Astolfi has ‘significant expertise in renewable energy project finance’. Houston-based Robert Goldberg, and newly appointed partner Nathan Galer are also highly regarded. Thomas Eldert was recruited from Morrison & Foerster LLP and is ‘a strong addition’ to the team.

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Within Structured finance , Mayer Brown is a first tier firm,

Mayer Brown’s service ‘is as you would expect from a top player - its knowledge of the securitization industry is impressive and very comprehensive’. The practice is built on partner-intensive, high-value, bespoke deals and clients particularly appreciate that ‘it updates its clients very quickly and accurately on changes in the regulatory, legal and accounting framework such as Dodd-Frank’. The practice group is distributed between the New York, Chicago, Charlotte, and Washington DC offices. The New York office, which took three partners from Dewey & LeBoeuf in 2012, houses Joshua Cohn, head of the US derivatives and structured products group, and the founder of the firm’s securitization practice Jason Kravitt, who brings vast knowledge and experience to the group. Also in New York Paul Jorissen is ‘top notch’ for structured lending, as is Perry Hicks. In recent Chicago-led instructions, Jon Van Gorp, who ‘uses the expertise of his partners in a surgical way to get to the answers quickly’, and ‘rising star’ Angela Ulum, represented Bank of America in connection with the formation of the first-ever auto financing program for Volvo’s captive finance company, Volvo Car Financial Services. Stuart Litwin led the work on Porsche Financial Services first-ever securitization financing of Bentley and Lamborghini loans and leases. James Patti, who divides his time between Chicago and London, has established a reputation for complex, cutting-edge transactions in emerging markets. George Pecoulas and Paul Forrester are also recommended. In Charlotte, Carol Hitselberger is ‘knowledgeable, responsive and very client-oriented’. Practice group clients include Barclays Capital, GE Capital, GMAC LLC, Morgan Stanley and Société Générale.

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Within Environment: litigation, Mayer Brown is a third tier firm,

Mayer Brown’s ‘fast response times’ and ‘deep resources’ are coupled with ‘outstanding knowledge of environmental law’. The practice’s expertise spans litigation, enforcement, compliance, permitting, and counseling, and it is comfortable operating at US Supreme Court and federal appellate level. The firm is representing Tarrant Regional Water District in a US Supreme Court case regarding a water dispute between Texas and Oklahoma concerning the quantity of water each state can justifiably allocate its residents under an existing agreement. The decision of the court will affect the water supply of two million residents in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The firm also represented Dow Agrosciences in a class action in Illinois, in which plaintiffs allege that the company’s use of a common herbicide has contaminated the local water supply. Chicago-based Rich Bulger co-heads the practice group with Mark Ter Molen, who is ‘able to provide very good advice that is tailored to business needs’.

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Within Insurance: advice to insurers, tier 4

Mayer Brown is credited for its ‘tremendous insurance industry knowledge and resources’, ‘great depth’ and for being ‘cost conscious’. Its formerly ad hoc dispute resolution practice is now grouped together under insurance litigation practice head Fred Reinke in Washington DC and operates alongside its more renowned transactional and regulatory team. The firm’s renowned appellate practice has handled various insurance and reinsurance cases. Another area of expertise is counseling and defending corporate clients in government investigations into alleged business misconduct. It also has an international footprint in London and Hong Kong. New York-based Joseph De Simone recently won a victory for LFR Collections, a PartnerRe affiliate, which sought recovery for the failure of a borrower and its guarantor to repay monies owed under a revolving credit line and unconditional guaranty. Richard Dodge is ‘knowledgeable and incredibly responsive’. Brian O’Sullivan joined Crowell & Moring LLP.

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Within Insurance: non-contentious, Mayer Brown is a third tier firm,

Mayer Brown has a ‘groundbreaking’ insurance practice of ‘great depth’ that is also ‘cost conscious’. The group is led by James Woods in California and Kenneth Pierce in New York, who has the ‘most amazing mind’ and ‘extraordinary focus and capacity for detailed work’. The practice has ‘tremendous insurance industry knowledge and resources’, ‘works effectively as a team’, and is ‘extremely creative, yet sound, in its advice’. It continued to expand with four partners who joined at the end of 2011 from Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP, including the ‘knowledgeable and incredibly responsive’ Richard Dodge as well as Stephen Rooney and Richard Spitzer. The insurance M&A team led by Edward Best is highly recommended and ‘never fails to get the desired results’. Russell Nance and David Alberts in New York, and Lawrence Hamilton and George Craven in Chicago, are also singled out as top lawyers. Highlights in 2012 included an Everglades Re transaction, which was the largest Rule 144A offering of catastrophe bonds in the history of the ILS market, and the continued representation of Embarcadero Re in two follow-on offerings of principal-at-risk notes. The firm was involved in the merger of two of the largest Japanese insurers, Nipponkoa and Sompo.

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Within Overview,

Within the legal market, the implosion of Dewey LeBoeuf LLP’s renowned insurance practice continues to make its mark with some of its most prominent partners settling at Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP and Patton Boggs LLP, and others at Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP, Mayer Brown, Clifford Chance, Hogan Lovells LLP, Sidley Austin LLP, and DLA Piper.

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Within Patent litigation: full coverage, tier 4

Mayer Brown leverages its excellent trial and litigation credentials to handle patent litigation matters for clients such as Philips Electronics, DuPont Air Product Nanomaterials, Avago Technologies, Coby Electronics and Google. Alan Grimaldi and John Mancini co-chair the global IP practice. Highlights included successfully representing the defendant in Callaway Golf v Acushnet Company in district court proceedings regarding patents asserted against the client’s Pro V1 golf ball product. Brian Nolan and Lisa Ferri act for GSK in a dispute brought by Biogen and Genentech, which asserts patent infringement claims against the client’s cancer treatment drug Arzerra. The case is currently on appeal following a district court judgment of non-infringement in favor of the defendants. It also acts for the client in disputes against Genentech. Gary Hnath handles Section 337 litigation and IP litigator Theresa Gillis is also recommended. She successfully represented Valeant International in Hatch-Waxman litigation asserting patent validity for antidepressant product Aplenzin as well as obtaining an infringement verdict against Watson Pharmaceuticals.

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Within Trademarks: litigation, tier 5

Mayer Brown’s contentious trademark practice is underpinned by its strong reputation in litigation matters and ‘gives great practical counsel’. Global IP co-chair John Mancini is ‘an excellent negotiator and advocate’. He acted for consumer food companies Nestlé and Dreyer’s in both TTAB and state court proceedings. The practice is representing Zest IP Holdings in a dispute involving trademark infringement claims in relation to medical devices and also advised Deutsche Telekom on TTAB proceedings.

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Within Private equity funds, tier 4

Mayer Brown’s seven-partner, Chicago-based practice is particularly noted for its real estate capability, which has enabled it to amass a client base that includes CB Richard Ellis Investors and Prudential Real Estate Investors, as well as institutional investment banks such as UBS. Work handled in 2012 encompassed open-end and closed-end real estate funds, mezzanine funds, and funds of funds targeting private equity investments. Practice head John Noell brings over 30 years’ experience in the fund formation space, and is ably supported by Anne Marie Konopack, Matthew Posthuma and Frank Falbo.

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Within Employee benefits and executive compensation, tier 4

Mayer Brown has a sophisticated US EBEC practice that packs a punch with its global reach. The firm advised Caterpillar with respect to employee benefits and executive compensation issues in its acquisition of Bucyrus International; and ProLogis with respect to employee benefits and executive compensation in its merger with AMB Property Corporation. Other clients include UBS Global Asset Management. Maureen Gorman who is co-leader of the firm’s global employment and benefits group, Debra Hoffman and Lennine Occhino are all recommended. The firm welcomed James Williams to the Chicago office from Proskauer Rose LLP, and promoted Ryan Liebl to partner.

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Within ERISA litigation , Mayer Brown is a third tier firm,

Mayer Brown has solid experience representing employers and plan sponsors on ERISA litigation up to and including the US Supreme Court. The firm successfully represented Lockhead Martin Corporation in a case where it was alleged that its 401(k) accounts were subject to unreasonable fees and imprudent investment fund offerings. Having been dismissed, the plaintiffs request for permission to appeal the ruling on class certification is pending before the Seventh Circuit. Other clients include AXA Rosenberg, Northern Trust and Amgen. The firm’s ERISA practice is led by Robert Davis, who was a solicitor of the DOL. Stock drop specialist Reginald Goeke and Michele Odorizzi, who is knowledgeable on the intersection of ERISA fiduciary claims and class actions, are also recommended.

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Within Product liability and mass tort defense: toxic tort, Mayer Brown is a third tier firm,

Mayer Brown’s ‘incredibly responsive’ team is ‘highly knowledgeable’ on the substantive areas of toxic tort law, and is praised for its ‘excellent’ representation at both at trial and appellate level as well as its ‘well-reasoned’ advice and ‘good value’. Michael Olsen and Daniel Ring continue to represent Union Carbide and Amchem Products as co-national counsel in asbestos litigation, largely concerning its Bakelite product. The team also defended NXP Semiconductors USA and Philips Electronics North America in litigation brought by former employees of Signetics Corporation concerning alleged exposure to toxic chemicals and substances. Henninger Bullock heads the practice.

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Within Securities: shareholder litigation, tier 4

Mayer Brown’s New York office houses several key members of a group which has impressive nationwide and global representation. Co-chair Joseph De Simone is ‘knowledgeable, insightful, effective, and focuses on results for the client and not on excessive billing’, and Steven Wolowitz is ‘a seasoned litigator whose experience is invaluable’. De Simone and Richard Spehr, ‘highly intelligent, thorough, personable and tenacious’, are leading the team which represents several senior officers and directors of AIG in high-profile $30bn securities and derivative actions brought against AIG and several other defendants in the Southern District Court of New York and the Delaware Chancery Court. In Houston Mark Manela is ‘extremely smart, tactical, careful, ethical and responsive’, and Chicago-housed Mark McLaughlin’s ‘written work and oral presentation skills are superb’. Associate Bradford Jealous, in New York, is noted by several clients as ‘an outstanding young talent’.

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Within Supreme Court and appellate, Mayer Brown is a first tier firm,

Known for its provision of ‘unsurpassed quality’, Mayer Brown continues to enjoy market share in the Supreme Court. The firm is particularly known for its deep bench; 45 of its lawyers have collectively argued 225 cases in the Supreme Court. In one recent highlight, a team led by revered practitioner Stephen Shapiro secured a big win on behalf of the claimant in Mayo Collaborative Services v Prometheus Labs; the Court held that Prometheus’ patents failed to claim patentable subject matter. The firm is also handling an increasing amount of securities-related appeals work. The firm represented Siemens in the third circuit ERISA case Shaver v Siemens Corp, a case involving claims for early retirement benefits by former employees; the court entered judgement in respect of all 227 class member plaintiffs in favour of the client. Numerous lawyers from this firm attract praise: Charles Rothfeld is ‘a serious player’ with 28 wins to date in the Court; Timothy Bishop also has ‘an extensive Supreme Court practice’; Andrew Pincus is ‘one of best Supreme Court advocates in the country’ and a ‘brilliant strategist’; Evan Tager, Archis Parasharami, and Donald Falk are ‘outstanding writers, fine oralists, and excellent strategists’. Kevin Ranlett is an ‘extremely thorough researcher and analyst; a future star’.

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Within Trade secrets, Mayer Brown is a third tier firm,

Mayer Brown fields a core trade secrets team comprising eight partners that includes leading lawyer John Mancini, who co-chairs the firm’s IP practice from the Washington DC office. The team is able to draw on the firm’s global network to assist clients in the US, Europe, and particularly Asia. It advises a diverse client base on company-to-company trade secret cases relating to college football TV networks, door-to-door airport baggage services, and technological innovations in the smart phone market.

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Within White-collar criminal defense , tier 7

Using its global footprint to its advantage, Mayer Brown’s white-collar team frequently takes on complex mandates involving multiple government agencies (including those overseas), and provides ‘the highest quality of professional services’. Much of its remit centers around acts of misconduct within financial institutions, and this experience, when blended with a raft of trial expertise, often sees the firm take a leading role in defending prominent individuals. For example, it is representing former labor union president Tyrone Freeman, who has been charged with embezzling union funds, mail fraud, bank fraud, and filing false tax returns; the matter is ongoing and potential damages could exceed $500m. For Orbit Medical, the firm is lead counsel in a parallel criminal and civil DOJ investigation into allegations of fraudulent health care billing practices with potential False Claims Act damages. Recent successes include acting for Academi in a DOJ investigation into alleged violations of export control and firearms law, and alleged FCPA violations; a deferred prosecution agreement was reached and no action was taken. Chicago is the group’s principal location, and key contacts there include James Ferguson, who is a ‘true counselor in the historic sense of the word’, and co-heads Vincent Connolly and William Michael Jr, who are also recommended. Kelly Kramer is the main contact in Washington DC.

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Within Technology: data protection and privacy, Mayer Brown is a third tier firm,

Mayer Brown’s multi-disciplinary privacy practice is supported by the firm’s international footprint and provides specialist expertise in financial services regulatory, intellectual property and technology outsourcing, and transactional support as well as providing stand-alone advice on data protection, global data transfer and privacy. In Washington DC, Jeffrey Taft advises Visa on regulatory and compliance matters involved in its US and foreign call center operations. Howard Waltzman is representing CTIA, AT&T, and Verizon on privacy, data security, and cyber security legislation. Chicago-based Rebecca Eisner, who combines outsourcing and data privacy expertise, is advising Hill-Rom on global data protection compliance concerning shared services in the United States.

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Within Technology: outsourcing, Mayer Brown is a first tier firm,

Mayer Brown’s 50-attorney practice is recognized as the leader in this field, working in partnership with US and international clients on strategic outsourcing implementation. Led by Daniel Masur in Washington DC, it covers information technology outsourcing (ITO) and business process outsourcing (BPO), including multi-sourcing, next generation strategic sourcing, renegotiations and terminations, as well as issues surrounding multiple providers, facilities management, spin-offs and divestitures. The ‘excellent, well-coordinated’ practice is highly experienced in niche areas of sourcing, including facilities management, telecoms, cloud computing and privacy. Recent mandates involve a more strategic and transformational approach to outsourcing and the group handled more multi-jurisdictional transactions designed to promote business efficiency, boost performance and save costs. The group represents customers and suppliers. Rebecca Eisner and Gregory Manter in Chicago assisted mortgage industry BPO service provider CoreLogic with its agreements with Dell for data center services, including data center management, server and database hosting, network management and other back office IT functions. In Washington DC, Masur and Linda Rhodes renegotiated and terminated agreements for LightSquared following FCC issues related to the first-ever wholesale nationwide satellite integrated 4G wireless broadband network. Brad Peterson represented CEMEX in one of 2012’s largest outsourcing transactions with a value of over $1bn involving IT, applications development and maintenance, finance and accounting, human resources and contact center services in 50 countries. Masur, Rhodes, Paul Roy and Kevin Rang in Chicago advised Procter & Gamble on the renegotiation and extension of its previous outsourcing arrangements. David Hudanish left the firm for an in-house role.

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Within Telecoms and broadcast: regulatory, Mayer Brown is a third tier firm,

Mayer Brown’s practice, led by Howard Waltzman and Donald Stockdale in Washington DC, combines regulatory expertise with a highly respected nationwide telecoms litigation practice. Clients recommend the ten-partner group for its ‘excellent knowledge and technical understanding of telecom/common carrier law’. The regulatory group is supported by the firm’s broad national and international presence as well as its transactional strength, technology expertise and international trade law practice. Stockdale, who clients single out for praise, represented longstanding client AT&T in FCC proceedings in connection with a reverse auction to distribute universal service support to wireless companies for broadband deployment and represented a coalition of telecoms operators at the FCC in relation to a computer cost model for the distribution of universal service support for wireless broadband deployment. Walzman is advising AT&T and Verizon regarding possible amendments to communication statutes. The team provides ongoing legal and regulatory advice to Motorola Mobility in the US and globally. The US Chamber of Commerce is another key client. The regulatory practice is supported by the firm’s telecoms litigators in Chicago, who have handled numerous landmark cases under the 1996 Telecommunications Act in multiple forums. The group has a successful record in handling significant litigation matters before the FCC and in 40 states, including regulatory commissions, state and federal courts, federal Courts of Appeals for seven Circuits, and the US Supreme Court. Practice head Theodore Livingston in Chicago represents AT&T in antitrust cases which involve communications regulatory rules and orders, and consumer class actions under the communications laws. Dennis Friedman represented AT&T in interconnection agreement arbitrations. Demetrios Metropoulos also represents AT&T before regulatory commissions in several states concerning the rates AT&T pays for access to the networks of local carriers for intrastate long-distance calls.

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Within Antitrust, Mayer Brown is a third tier firm,

Mayer Brown’s antitrust team sustained a number of departures recently, when five partners left for positions in government or at another law firm. Nevertheless, the group is still a sizeable department, which acts for clients such as ArcelorMittal and United Airlines, and comprises over 20 partners practising antitrust across five offices. ‘Excellent all round’ and ‘very sensitive to business needs and realities’, the team handles M&A-related matters and antitrust litigation, as well as offering niche expertise in healthcare issues and appellate representation. Work highlights included acting for Google in a nationwide class action alleging that major hi-tech corporations conspired to eliminate competition for skilled labor by entering into agreements not to cold-call one another’s employees. In the transactional space, the firm advised Nestlé on its $11.9bn acquisition of Pfizer’s infant nutrition business, which was one of the largest M&A transactions of 2012. Carmine Zarlenga delivers ‘sound knowledge and advice that keeps clients out of “sticky” legal issues’; Richard Favretto and Britt Miller are ‘very savvy, practical and efficient’; and Robert Bloch leads the practice. Scott Perlman and John Roberti are also recommended.

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Within M&A: large deals ($1bn-5bn), Mayer Brown is a second tier firm,

Mayer Brown is ‘very strong and responsive. The firm has good depth of resources, knowledge of the substantive legal areas, and very good, quality lawyers. We have also been satisfied with billings and the ability to control costs’. Between December 2011 and November 2012, the firm’s US practice handled more than 90 deals in 29 different countries, with an aggregate deal value of $40bn. In mega deals, the practice represented Nestlé in its $11.85bn acquisition of Pfizer Nutrition, a producer of premium-quality pediatric nutritional products, from Pfizer. Large deal highlights included acting for Gulf Oil in its $1bn acquisition of Houghton International, an international supplier of metal finish fluids and industrial lubricants, from AEA Investors; and advising Fresenius Kabi in its acquisition of Fenwal Holdings, a leading provider of transfusion technology products for blood collection, separation and processing. In the mid-market, the group represented ACE on its $865m acquisition of ABA Seguros, Mexico’s sixth-largest property and casualty insurer, from Ally Financial; assisted The Jordan Company in the $505m sale of Kinetek, a global designer, developer and manufacturer of custom-engineered electric motors, gear motors, gearing, electronic controls, system solutions, elevator controls and complete elevator packages, to Japan-based Nidec Corporation; and represented Syngenta in its $125m acquisition of the DuPont Professional Products insecticide business, a supplier of innovative products for the professional turf, ornamentals and home pest control markets. Chicago-based Marc Sperber, William Kucera and Frederick Thomas are rated contacts; Los Angeles-based Brian May, and New York-based Edward Davis, Todd Bowen, James Carlson and Thomas Vitale are praised. Key advisers in Houston include Jose Valera, Pablo Ferrante, Dallas Parker,Robert Gray Jr and Marc Folladori. Recent arrivals to the practice include James Woods and Rory Cohen in the New York office from Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP and Venable LLP respectively; and William Heller, Harry Beaudry and Kirk Tucker, in Houston, from Thompson & Knight LLP.

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Within Construction, Mayer Brown is a third tier firm,

Recommended for its ‘extensive knowledge of construction law matters’ and ‘good sense of current market practices’, Mayer Brown’s construction and engineering practice group houses 15 attorneys across five US offices. It advises on all stages of the transactional process and on large-scale projects. Additionally, its litigators represent clients in court litigation, as well as domestic and international arbitration relating to a wide range of claims. The practice recently acted for the Texas Department of Transportation in all aspects of bidding, procuring, contractors and negotiating design-build and concession agreements for five major public-private highway construction projects valued in excess of $1bn. Other clients include the Panama Canal Authority, Carlyle and Caterpillar. Practice head Joanna Horsnail is ‘very knowledgeable and practical’. Marcia Madsen is also recommended.

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Within Real estate, Mayer Brown is a third tier firm,

One of the ‘best firms in terms of quality’, Mayer Brown delivers ‘excellent service and knowledge’, and its attorneys are ‘smart and thorough’. The 24-partner team, including Frank Henneberg (an ‘outstanding financing lawyer’), is spread across seven US states. Scott Buser and Leonard Rosenberg recently advised Australian investment trust Charter Hall Office Management Limited on the $1.7bn sale to Beacon Capital Partners of its US portfolio, consisting of direct and joint venture interests in fourteen office properties. The firm also acted for Principal Real Estate Investors in a number of transactions, including an $820m investment by CALSTRS; the formation of a joint venture with PCCP to acquire an office building in Seattle; and the disposition of a residential multi-family building in Denver. The firm also regularly handles multi-jurisdictional transactions, and other key clients include HFZ Capital Group and CRBE Investors. David Stewart joined in May 2012 from Latham & Watkins LLP’s New York office.

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Within Domestic tax: Central, Mayer Brown is a first tier firm,

Mayer Brown ‘consistently provides quality service’ and the substantial team includes a number of ‘knowledgeable’ partners. The firm is recognized for its considerable tax controversy expertise. The team in Houston was strengthened by the arrival of the ‘timely and responsive’ Shawn O’Brien in April 2012 from Jackson Walker, L.L.P.. In Chicago, James Barry heads the transactional tax practice, and the highly regarded Joel Williamson leads the tax controversy group. The ‘very knowledgeable’ George Craven represented Everglades Re in the issuance of a catastrophe bond consisting of $750m Series Class A variable rate notes due 2014. The firm also represented Nestlé in its $11.85bn acquisition of Pfizer Nutrition from Pfizer. The firm also represented Caterpillar in multiple sales, including the sale of the distribution operations of Caterpillar’s subsidiary, Bucyrus International, to the industrial division of Malaysia-based, Sime Darby Berhad.

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Within Domestic tax: East Coast, tier 4

Mayer Brown’s ‘very good’ East Coast tax team covers corporate, partnership, and individual taxation, including taxation of cross-border transactions, litigation, and state and local issues. The broad practice has deep knowledge across a number of sectors and has a formidable reputation in the market for its strength in tax controversy. Jason Bazar, in New York, provides ‘excellent advice’ and has a ‘good understanding of business’, and the ‘knowledgeable’ Jeffrey Davis, in Washington DC, is ‘always up to date’ with the latest developments. Work highlights included advising LS Power Development on the formation of a joint venture with GE Energy Financial Services to develop Arlington Valley Solar Energy II, a 127MW solar-powered generating facility in Maricopa County, Arizona. Alvan Bobrow recently joined the team in New York from Hodgson Russ LLP and leads the national SALT group.

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Within International tax, tier 4

The ‘responsive’ team at Mayer Brown provides ‘excellent advice’ and ‘good business acumen’. The firm is primarily recognized for its strength in tax controversy matters, but the team’s experience also extends to advising leading global companies on the tax aspects of international mergers and acquisitions and tax issues specific to multiple jurisdictions. Work highlights included the representation of Tyco International in connection with the IRS’ audit of US federal tax liabilities prior to Tyco’s separation into three companies; Chicago-based Joel Williamson led the advice. In other matters, the firm advised GE Money Bank in the first securitization of its kind in Switzerland involving the issuance of CHF200m of auto lease-backed class A notes; New York-based Russel Nance advised on the deal.

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Within Tax controversy, Mayer Brown is a first tier firm,

Led by Joel Williamson in Chicago and Larry Langdon in Palo Alto, Mayer Brown’s Chicago-based controversy practice, also has a presence in New York, Washington DC, Houston and Palo Alto. The firm is recognized for its strong international transfer pricing expertise. Clients include Flextronic International, PEPCO Holdings, Tyco International (US), and Union Bank of California. The practice is representing Tyco International before the Appeals Division of the IRS regarding a proposed income adjustment to the client’s $1bn federal income tax returns. David Abbott in New York is also recommended. Shawn O’Brien joined the Houston office from Jackson Walker, L.L.P., and Nicole Reuling departed to go in-house.

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