The Legal 500

Within Administrative and public law, tier 4

White & Case LLP’s Jacques Bouillon and Paule Biensan are regularly appointed by lenders and sponsors to work on the market’s largest public procurement contracts. Highlights included representing the lenders in the Tours-Bordeaux railway project and a bidding consortium on the GSM-R system project.

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

White & Case LLP’s Thomas McDonald and Victoria Westcott assist leading banking institutions and export credit agencies on financing, leasing, tax structuring and bankruptcy work. The six-lawyer team assisted Société Générale on the French tax lease financing of Lufthansa’s first Airbus A380.

Within Banking and finance, White & Case LLP is a first tier firm,

White & Case LLP’s Gilles Peigney leads an eight-lawyer practice with Raphaël Richard being the other key element in the team, while Denise Diallo was appointed partner in 2011. The department advises leading financial institutions with a strong focus on acquisition finance deals. It continued to handle restructuring work in 2010, and was also consulted on the design of the double LuxCo scheme. Highlights included assisting the lead arrangers on the acquisition of Cerba by PAI Partners and BNP, Citibank, Citigroup and Commerzbank on the acquisition of Sebia by Diacine.

Within Capital markets, tier 4

Led by Vincent Morin and Gilles Peigney, White & Case LLP’s practice is making good progress in the debt and equity fields, the firm acting on the issuers and underwriters’ sides. Highlights included assisting BC Partners on Medica’s IPO, and Calyon, RBS and Bank of America on Rexel’s €500m offering.

Within Construction Other recommended firms

Within Dispute resolution Commercial litigation , White & Case LLP is a third tier firm,

White & Case LLP further enhanced its practice on regulatory and criminal matters after taking over French boutique Beaussier & Associés. The arrival of a seven-lawyer team, led by the reputed Michel Beaussier, is a major addition to the practice, which consolidated its presence alongside major financial institutions. Philippe Métais also frequently acts on strategic cases abroad often in the US.

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

With one of the largest teams in the market (seven partners and 20 associates), White & Case LLP is a major player for commercial and investment cases, delivering ‘great quality work’. Led by the ‘very professional’ Michael Polkinghorne, the team includes leading construction expert Christopher Seppälä, John Willems and Philippe Sarrailhé, while ‘very good’ Charles Nairac and Christophe von Krause are both rising talents. Matthew Secomb was made partner in 2011. The firm runs a busy ICC, SCC and ICSID practice, notably in the energy and construction sectors, representing Eastern European states in a series of cases. The practice acted for the National Environmental Agency of Ukraine on the first-ever Permanent Court of Arbitration dispute.

Within EU competition and distribution, White & Case LLP is a third tier firm,

Jean-Paul Tran Thiet manages White & Case LLP’s practice while of counsel Jean-Patrice de La Laurencie is a renowned expert for merger control work. The seven-lawyer team advised on major antitrust cases, representing L’Oréal in a perfume case. It also assisted BC Partners on the acquisition of Spotless and the French banking Association in relation to state-aids granted in the context of the banking crisis.

Within Employment Other recommended firms

Within IT, telecoms and the internet Other recommended firms

Within Insolvency Other recommended firms

Within Intellectual property: Full-service firms Other recommended firms

Within Mergers and acquisitions, tier 5

Led by François Leloup and Philippe Sarrailhé, White & Case LLP’s practice has one of the largest teams in the market with 12 partners and 35 associates. Frédéric Bouvet, Nicolas Huet, Frank de Vita and Vincent Morin also deserve mention. The firm handles a high volume of transactions in France and abroad, running a busy practice in the hotel, energy and insurance sectors. Highlights included advising IMS’ managers on the takeover of the listed company by Jacquet Metals.

Within Private equity, White & Case LLP is a second tier firm,

Led by Vincent Morin, White & Case LLP’s practice assists a strong client base of funds (Apax Partners, Carlyle, Cinven). Franck De Vita is also recommended. Highlights included assisting BC Partners on the acquisition of Spotless.

Within Project finance and energy: Energy Project finance and energy: Energy

Within Project finance and energy: Project finance, White & Case LLP is a first tier firm,

White & Case LLP’s Paule Biensan, Jacques Bouillon, Victoria Westcott and newly promoted partner Louise Mor are renowned for their French and international project practice, advising lenders and sponsors. In France, the team handles high-profile public procurement work, often assisting financiers such as in the Tours-Bordeaux railroad and A65 motorway projects. Abroad, the firm focuses on projects in Europe and Africa, recently assisting Société Nationale Industrielle et Minière on the financing of the expansion of a mine and the construction of a new port in Mauritania. On the energy side, the team is a major player in the oil and gas, electricity, nuclear and renewable sectors in France and abroad, notably acting for Verbund on the financing of the first French independent power plant.

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

White & Case LLP’s 11-lawyer team, led by Brice Engel and the ‘deal maker’ Frank Peter, has built a strong client portfolio including high-profile investors (ING Reim, Unibail-Rodamco) and hotel names (Hilton, Marriott International). The practice assisted Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations on its agreement with Club Méditérannée, and Sofival regarding the construction of a Village Vacances in mountain resort Valmorel.

Within Shipping finance Other recommended firms

Within Tax, tier 4

White & Case LLP’s six-lawyer practice, led by Norbert Majerholc and including Alexandre Ippolito, has in-depth experience handling corporate tax matters on behalf of major corporate companies and investors. It assisted MBI International on its investment for the development of two twin-towers in France.