The Legal 500

Within Antitrust, tier 6

White & Case LLP’s recent work includes representing Clariant in merger control proceedings relating to its acquisition of a majority stake in Süd-Chemie, a matter in which the German team worked alongside colleagues in New York, Moscow and Ankara. The team also recently represented Unilever in concluding cartel proceedings. Edeka is a key client. Börries Ahrens provides ‘excellent negotiation strategies and risk assessment’.

Within Bank lending, White & Case LLP is a second tier firm,

White & Case LLP acted for Commerzbank and ING Bank as arrangers of the senior financing of IK Investment Partners’ acquisition of GHD, and for the banks on the financing of Bridgepoint’s acquisition of CABB. Annica Lindegren and rising star Leïla Röder are recommended.

Within Project finance, White & Case LLP is a second tier firm,

White & Case LLP advises on project finance and PPP matters, frequently in the energy and infrastructure sectors, and is ‘very experienced in deals in developing markets’. It recently advised a consortium of lenders on the financing of a photovoltaic power plant in the Czech Republic, and certain development banks on the financing of the expansion and modernisation of a hospital in Brazil. Alexander Reuter is ‘able to sucessfully close extremely difficult deals’.

Within Capital markets , White & Case LLP is a second tier firm,

White & Case LLP has a solid base of longstanding clients. It recently represented Gildemeister in its two-step capital increase, advised Deutsche Bank and HSBC on Aareal Bank’s rights offering, and acted for Crédit Agricole, Deutsche Bank and UniCredit on Rheinmetall’s €500m debut bond issue. Lutz Krämer is recommended along with Jochen Artzinger-Bolten, who ‘thinks beyond the obvious tasks’, and Benedikt Gillessen, who gives ‘clear recommendations, not options to choose’.

Within Large deals, White & Case LLP is a third tier firm,

‘A one-stop shop for global advice’, White & Case LLP maintains a strong corporate and M&A practice, particularly for financial institutions, automotive and energy clients, and has been particularly busy with transactions. It advised Daimler on its joint venture with Robert Bosch, and acted for Clariant on its acquisition of 96 % of Süd-Chemie. The team ‘resolves problems quickly’ and is ‘particularly good at complex international matters’. Andreas Stilcken is recommended, and Lutz Krämer is ‘very engaged and client-oriented’.

Within Dispute resolution , White & Case LLP is a second tier firm,

White & Case LLP enjoys a good reputation for corporate and director’s liability disputes. It defended a German accounting firm facing a €10m claim from Norwegian shareholders of a German bulk shipping company. Christian Wirth heads this ‘outstanding’ team, which also includes the ‘extremely good’ Sabine Dieckmann, whose focus is on out-of-court dispute resolution. Arbitrator Patricia Nacimiento’s move to Norton Rose LLP was a blow.

Within Employment , tier 4

White & Case LLP advised Aixtron on its SE conversion. Other clients include Motorola and Clariant. Karl-Dietmar Cohnen ‘not only points out risks but sees opportunities’.

Within Litigation Other recommended firms

Within IP: trade marks , White & Case LLP is a second tier firm,

White & Case LLP’s Christian Rohnke ‘drills down into complex matters to reach decisive points’. Regular clients include Hapag-Lloyd, Unilever Germany and Henkel, the latter being recently advised on misleading advertising. The firm has also acted for Volkswagen regarding trade mark infringements.

Within Information technology and outsourcing , White & Case LLP is a third tier firm,

White & Case LLP’s premier reputation gives it access to high-profile clients, among them facebook. The team also acted for the German Federal Ministry of the Interior and the Federal Authority for the Digital Security Radio, and advised a DAX 30 corporation on outsourcing matters. Clients say that advice is ‘clear and transparent’ and ‘lawyers easily become part of our team’. Key recommendations are Jost Kotthoff, who ‘always finds a solution’, and Detlev Gabel, who ‘maps commercial models into a regulated environment’.

Within Insolvency, White & Case LLP is a first tier firm,

White & Case LLP has a market-leading practice through Sven-Holger Undritz and Biner Bähr, who are recognised as ‘extremely experienced insolvency administrators and trustees’. The practice is a good choice for large and cross-border administration cases, with recent examples being the administration of AE&E Inova’s assets and acting for Hermann Hötten Maschinenbau to transfer business assets to two investors. The team also served as administrator of the assets of TelDaFax, a large German energy supplier.

Within Restructuring, tier 4

White & Case LLP has been active in cross-border refinancings and advised Bayerische Landesbank as arranger on the multibank refinancing of Kunststoff-Technik Scherer & Trier. It is also representing Daimler regarding the insolvency of certain automotive parts suppliers. Biner Bähr and Sven-Holger Undritz are highly rated, and financial restructuring specialist Tom Oliver Schorling is also recommended.

Within Investment funds , White & Case LLP is a third tier firm,

White & Case LLP has expertise advising foreign UCITS in the German market and on exchange-traded funds platforms including the listing of ETFs on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. Clients include Goldman Sachs International and HSBC Global Asset Management. Marietta Lienhard is recommended.

Within Media: Entertainment, tier 5

White & Case LLP’s media and telecoms practice, which has a particular focus on the cable sector, where Kabel BW is a prominent client, and is also known for its gaming law expertise. Norbert Wimmer heads the team, which advised Facebook on media regulatory issues and acted for Tipp24 Service in administrative court proceedings.

Within Private equity , tier 4

White & Case LLP’s clients value its sector expertise and international network. Highlights included advising Cognetas on the sale of KSM Castings to CITIC, and H.I.G. European Capital Partners on its acquisition of Hanlo Group. Christoph von Einem is well regarded.

Within Public sector , White & Case LLP is a second tier firm,

‘Excellent in all aspects’, White & Case LLP advises expertly on environmental, planning and zoning law, as well as constitutional law and public procurement, and has particular expertise in PPP and energy matters. It represented EdW in various administrative litigation proceedings, advised the German Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency on the dismantling of offshore wind farms, and acted for EDF’s Hungarian subsidiary regarding an EC decision ordering recovery of state aid. Norbert Wimmer and the ‘quick, pragmatic, and convincing’ Martin Hoffmann are recommended.

Within Real estate, White & Case LLP is a third tier firm,

Project development and financing were busy areas for White & Case LLP’s team in 2011. It advised Flughafen Berlin Schönefeld on real estate agreements relating to the new BBI airport and SEB on the acquisition financing of an office building in Warsaw, in a deal that showcased the firm’s cross-border capabilities. Endrik Lettau heads the practice.

Within Structured finance and securitisation , White & Case LLP is a third tier firm,

White & Case LLP has been busy advising on covered bonds, CMBS and RMBS restructurings, plus ABCP conduit work and asset-based lending matters. The team advises on UniCredit’s ABCP programmes, acted for Helaba on its ABCP programme, and has been instructed by Belltrend Menorah, Barclays Capital and Hatfield Philips on CMBS and RMBS restructurings. It also advises DWS and Deutsche Bank on CLO and CDO restructurings. The practice is advising the City of Hamburg and the State of Schleswig-Holstein on the restructuring of HSH Nordbank. Ulf Kreppel is recommended along with Dennis Heuer, who ‘presents well-founded findings in a condensed way’.

Within Tax , tier 4

White & Case LLP has been busy advising on cross-border matters, with one example being representing an international corporation on both tax and customs law across-borders. Advising Clariant on the acquisition of shares in Süd-Chemie, and Deutsche Bank on the new financing of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen were further highlights. Andreas Knebel heads the practice.

Within Telecoms , White & Case LLP is a third tier firm,

White & Case LLP’s team, which includes the ‘superb’ Norbert Wimmer, has substantial expertise concerning cable networks, leveraging the firm’s wider media and IT expertise. It acted for Berlin-Brandenburg State Media Authority (mabb) in a dispute with a radio station about licence tendering and is advising the Federal Ministry of the Interior and the Federal Authority for the Digital Security Radio on implementation of a digital voice and data communication system nationwide.