What we say about the firm's legal practice in London
Corporate and commercial
Within Corporate tax Corporate tax
Within Equity capital markets: UK capability, tier 5
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP is very highly rated for its expertise in Russia and other emerging markets, and acts for both issuer and underwriter clients. Raj Panasar recently advised Russian real estate developer Etalon Goup in its $575m IPO, and also counts Rusal as a key client. Simon Ovenden is also recommended.
Within Equity capital markets: US capability, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP is a first tier firm,
A ‘first-rate’ firm, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP is noted for its strength in emerging market transactions and particularly in Russian work, where it has the ‘number one’ practice. Daniel Braverman, who is based between Moscow and London, advised social networking company Mail.ru Group on its $912m Rule 144A/Reg S IPO in November 2010. Pierre-Marie Boury acts for clients including Statoil Fuel & Retail, and Aluminium Bahrain. David Gottlieb is also recommended.
Within EU and competition EU and competition
Within M&A: upper mid-market and premium deals, 250m+, tier 4
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP ‘provides a first-class service with an outstanding level of skill’. With just four London-based partners, it continues to act on some of the largest cross-border M&A deals; the team handled a select 11 UK deals in 2010, with a good chunk of them well over the £1bn mark. It advised TPG in the sale of its majority shareholding in Turkish spirit manufacturer Mey Icki Sanayi ve Ticaret to Diageo for around £1.3bn; other representative matters included deals for Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan and Grupo Kuo. Tihir Sarkar has ‘an acute business sense’; Michael McDonald has ‘top-quality financial services expertise’; and Simon Jay and Samuel Bagot are also highly regarded.
Within M&A: US law capability, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP is a first tier firm,
Never far from the largest European M&A deals, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP’s team in London advised the financial advisers to Cadbury on the unsolicited $19bn approach from Kraft, and London lawyers were also involved in the ultimately aborted $40bn bid by BHP Biliton for Potash Corp. Daniel Braverman, Sebastian Sperber and dual-qualified partner Tihir Sarkar make up the spine of the team.
Within Private equity: transactions , tier 5
‘Very used to thinking outside their comfort zones’, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP’s lawyers are ‘very good at handling deals that deviate from the norm’. TPG and Hellman & Friedman are core clients, and have been relatively active in a quiet market; the team advised the former on the acquisition of Republic from Change Capital Partners. Simon Jay, Michael McDonald and Tihir Sarkar are recommended.
Dispute resolution
Within Banking litigation: investment and retail Leading individuals
Within Commercial litigation, tier 6
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP has successfully built up a team of seven lawyers in its UK litigation practice, with Jonathan Kelly ‘an excellent choice for any serious dispute’. The practice was counsel to a joint venture in a shareholder dispute over control of a $2bn Russian retail group, and also advised a number of sovereigns in litigation arising out of sovereign debt defaults.
Within International arbitration, tier 5
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP was counsel to the Russian Federation in three parallel arbitrations in The Hague, the claims totalling more than $50bn and alleging unfair treatment and expropriation in violation of the Energy Charter Treaty. Jonathan Blackman is highly rated.
Within Public international law, tier 4
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP’s highlights included acting as counsel to the Republic of Argentina, together with the Procuración del Tesoro de la República Argentina, in claims brought at ICSID under the Argentina-Italy bilateral investment treaty by holders of interests under multiple Argentine bonds, the case marking the first attempt to pursue a mass claim in an ICSID arbitration. Jonathan Blackman and David Sabel are recommended.
Finance
Within Acquisition finance, tier 5
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP’s four-partner finance team excels in matters ‘that deviate from the norm’, and, though small, is ‘flexible and innovative’. The ‘excellent’ Andrew Shutter recently advised TPG on the financing of its acquisition of fashion retailer Republic, and subsequently advised the acquired company on a syndicated loan to refinance a bridge loan funded by TPG at the time of the acquisition. Clients include a mix of banks, corporates and sponsors such as including ArcelorMittal, Hellman & Friedman and JP Morgan.
Within Bank lending: investment grade debt and syndicated loans , tier 4
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP’s ‘very flexible and knowledgeable’ finance team in London handles financing for a number of major corporates, notably Arcelor Mittal.
Within Debt capital markets, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP is a second tier firm,
‘Standout US firm’ Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP brought David Gottlieb over from New York to boost the US law practice of Sebastian Sperber, Daniel Braverman and liability management expert Pierre-Marie Boury. Gottlieb advised on the Russian Federation’s $5.5bn bond, its first international capital markets issue since 1998. Simon Ovenden acted as underwriter counsel in the Republic of Nigeria’s $500m inaugural Eurobond, and also as counsel to the first emerging market issuer outside China to issue renminbi-denominated bonds. Raj Panasar advised Volkswagen on its $1.75bn issue.
Within Emerging markets, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP is a second tier firm,
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP is well known for its Russia work, and also focuses on Indian and African securities and corporate matters. Tihir Sarkar is a key figure, and continues to advise longstanding client Helios Investment Partners on a number of corporate deals in Africa. Daniel Braverman’s main focus is on Russia.