Lending and borrowing in Germany

Hengeler Mueller

Hengeler Mueller's expertise in advising large German companies recently led to numerous financing instructions in connection with KfW special programs on one hand and with restructuring on the other; however, the team also acts on behalf of banks. In this context it was Nikolaus Vieten and Daniela Böning who mainly handled these matters and predominantly acted for DAX and family-run companies, as well as Johannes Tieves, who also assisted various bank syndicates with the provision of credit lines. In the credit financing sphere, sustainability components are playing an increasingly important role within the team's advice. Moreover, the group succeeded in further expanding its advice to private equity investors on acquisition financing, primarily in the mid-cap segment.

Testimonials

‘Professional expertise and client orientation: Outstanding!’

‘Daniela Böning: Professionally and personally extremely pleasant cooperation.’

‘The team is outstanding in linking legal and economic aspects and interdependencies. Dr Vieten engages deeply with concrete economic requirements and he and the team succeed very skilfully in setting the right priorities when drafting and negotiating contracts. This also enables the team to identify “win-win” situations in a targeted manner, to work out critical aspects and to drive implementation forward with a high level of stability. Particularly noteworthy is the negotiating power, which is always used factually, technically precisely and constructively. The excellence of its legal expertise and industry knowledge is self-evident in the case of Dr. Vieten’s team.’

‘Dr. Nikolaus Vieten is the outstanding partner in the strong Hengeler Mueller team, who has a unique ability to combine legal and economic aspects and develops pragmatic and efficient solutions even in complex situations. With precise analysis and professional expertise, he is very strong in negotiation situations, where he also succeeds in picking up the other side and working out constructive compromises. The economic thinking in connection with legal excellence and negotiating power clearly distinguishes him from leading partners of other law firms, who often ignore the economic situation too much or have difficulties in developing creative solutions quickly and yet stably.’

‘Dr. Daniela Boening is technically excellent and has a good understanding of business and a broad knowledge of the market.

‘Very high professional competence of the colleagues at HM, who can competently advise on questions and topics at any time and find solutions for difficult issues. Many topics can be answered “in your sleep”. Back-up during vacation, etc. is guaranteed at all times.

‘Highly qualified legal advice, entrepreneurial thinking that goes beyond purely legal aspects, high commitment.

‘Dr. Nikolaus Vieten: Excellent legal expertise; good market knowledge; Very good and – if necessary – emphatic conduct of negotiations.

Latham & Watkins LLP

Latham & Watkins LLP handles matters on the entire financing spectrum, including various interdisciplinary issues at the corporate, capital market and restructuring interface. This interdisciplinarity and the group's multijurisdictional skills are also evident at management level; Frank Grell, who jointly heads the practice with Alexandra Hagelüken, is one of the key contacts for the latter cross-sectional segment, while Hagelüken, as part of the three-strong management team of the firm's global finance department, is qualified not only in German but also in English law. In addition, clients – including sponsors, banks, companies and debt funds – benefit from the German practice's US law expertise in cross-border matters. The team recently assisted with government-sponsored and KfW financing, ESG-linked transactions, investment grade and cross-over investment grade financing, direct lending and unitranche financing with senior/super-senior structures as well as with corporate loans and bond refinancing. Kim Woggon, who made counsel in January 2021 and covers a similarly broad range of topics, is regularly involved. Sibylle Münch is another key contact and excels in the area of (secured) promissory note loans.

Testimonials

‘International set-up. Solution-oriented.’

Key clients

3i Group

Alcentra Limited

Allgeier SE

Apera Asset Management

Ardian

Banco Santander

Bank of Ireland

Bayerische Landesbank

Berenberg Bank

Blackrock

BNP Paribas

Capvis Equity Partners

CAPZA

Chequers Capital

Commerzbank

CVC Credit Partners Investment Management

Deutsche Apotheker- und Ärztebank eG

Deutsche Bank AG

Deutsche Intensivpflege

DPE Deutsche Private Equity

DZ Bank

Equistone

EQT Partners

Ergon Capital Partners

Findos Investor

FSN Capital

Goldman Sachs

IK Investment Partners

Landesbank Baden-Württemberg

Lindsay Goldberg

Nord/LB Norddeutsche Landesbank Girozentrale

Oldenburgische Landesbank

One Equity Partners

Partners Group AG

Permira Debt Managers

UniCredit Bank AG

Waterland

Work highlights

  • Advising Allgeier SE and Nagarro SE on their respective financing after the spin-off of 100% of Allgeier SE’s global technology consulting and software development business to Nagarro Group  and the associated listing of Nagarro SE.
  • Advising the senior secured lenders of TOM TAILOR Holding SE in connection with the federal and state-guaranteed loan financing of Tom Tailor GmbH and the associated financial restructuring.
  • Advising Waterland on the acquisition financing of packaging and folding carton manufacturer Leupold.

Allen & Overy LLP

Allen & Overy LLP continues to be a popular address for DAX30 and other blue-chip companies as well as for large corporations that rely on the team for strategically important financing; the client base also includes investment banks, sponsors and debt funds. The team's advice covers various financing and refinancing transactions, including those related to capital market law, while special expertise is demonstrated in the areas of leveraged finance and direct lending; here, the practice recently assisted with an increasing number of ESG-related financing transactions and – due to Covid-19 – KfW loans and state-guaranteed financing. Advice on corporate and acquisition financing represents another part of its day-to-day business. Practice head Walter Uebelhoer focuses on syndicated loans and leveraged finance and is also well versed in assisting with restructuring-related financing matters. For cross-border issues the practice can draw on team members who are qualified under English law.

Practice head(s):

Walter Uebelhoer

Key clients

Bencis Capital Partners

Bilfinger SE

Bridgepoint Europe IV Fund

CABKA Group GmbH

Commerzbank AG

Daimler AG

Enercon

European Investment Bank

FlixMobility GmbH

DKV Mobility Services Holding GmbH & Co. KG

Hapag-Lloyd AG

HSBC

IHO Holding GmbH & Co. KG

ING Bank AG

KWS SAAT SE

Landesbank Hessen-Thüringen (Helaba)

One Equity Partners

Providence Strategic Growth

Riverside Europe Partners LLC

SAP SE

Sartorius AG

Schaeffler AG

SGL Carbon SE

UBS

UniCredit Bank AG

Volkswagen AG

Work highlights

  • Advising FlixMobility GmbH on the conclusion of a debut syndicated loan.
  • Advising Bilfinger SE on the refinancing of its €250m revolving credit facility.
  • Advising One Equity Partners on the purchase of IT reseller and service provider MCL Beteiligungs GmbH and associated financing issues.

Clifford Chance

Banks, private equity investors, direct lending funds and companies instruct Clifford Chance to assist with acquisition and corporate financing, restructuring and refinancing as well as with the financing of takeovers of listed companies under German and English law. Recently, the group advised on an increasing number of regulatory-related issues, for example when advising KfW on the implementation of its Corona special program 'Direct Participation for Syndicated Financing'. The group is led by Bettina Steinhauer, whose expertise includes mezzanine and high-yield financing as well as public-to-private transactions. At the end of 2020, former practice co-head Barbara Mayer-Trautmann joined Milbank with a team of senior associates.

Practice head(s):

Bettina Steinhauer

Other key lawyers:

Steffen Schellschmidt

Linklaters

Linklaters is known for its capacity in matters touching on corporate and M&A and regularly instructed by large national and international companies seeking advice on acquisition finance, syndicated loans, promissory notes and the financing of group restructurings. Practice head Marc Trinkaus traditionally focuses on advising banks, but also acts for companies. In addition, both types of clients frequently draw on the team's expertise in sustainable financing instruments, which, in addition to assisting banks with Covid-19-related loan financing from the KfW special program, recently led to an increased case load. This range of skills is complemented by relevant experience in leveraged finance, where the group advises financial sponsors, arrangers and financiers. In addition to various financing transactions, managing associate Przemyslaw Lipin also handles restructuring matters.

Practice head(s):

Marc Trinkaus

Testimonials

Przemyslaw Lipin: One of the best and most efficient lawyers for banking issues.

‘Good technical knowledge combined with experience in a range of transactions/situations. No problem is too complicated and the team strives to find appropriate solutions that are proportionate to the complexity.’

‘The team is reactive, hardworking and passionate.’

Milbank

Milbank's activity is characterised by acquisitions and refinancings that often entail complex financing structures and cross-border elements, but also include capital market products, above all term loan B loans. In this regard, the group is instructed by lenders such as banks and debt funds as well as by financial investors and companies. Investment grade and sub-investment grade borrowers are also regularly advised on corporate financing. With the addition of Barbara Mayer-Trautmann in January 2021, the group not only strengthened its leveraged finance and corporate loans practice, but also its restructuring and infrastructure financing capabilities; she previously held the position of co-head at Clifford Chance and now jointly leads the practice with Thomas Ingenhoven who is also managing partner of the Frankfurt office. Ingenhoven also focuses on acquisition financing and regularly takes the lead in syndicated loans. Mathias Eisen is another key member of the practice and offers extensive advice across financing matters.

Other key lawyers:

Mathias Eisen

Key clients

Advent International

Ardian

Axel Springer SE

Bayerische Landesbank

Bregal Unternehmerkapital GmbH

Commerzbank AG

DZ Bank AG

FUNKE Mediengruppe GmbH & Co. KGaA

H.I.G. Capital

ING Bank

Körber AG

Leonine Holding GmbH

Pemberton Capital Advisors LLP

ProSiebenSat.1 Media SE

Schön Klinik SE

UniCredit Bank AG

Work highlights

  • Advised Ardian on the acquisition financing of GBA Group, a leading independent TIC provider of bioanalytical laboratory services.
  • Advising German media group Leonine Holding GmbH on a comprehensive €190m refinancing.
  • Advised the lenders of L Catterton and CVC on the acquisition of a majority stake in Birkenstock.

Ashurst LLP

Ashurst LLP is instructed by mid-market companies for LBOs and corporate loans, particularly in the context of unitranche, stretched senior and super senior/first-out last-out financing; this is also where the expertise of practice head Anne Grewlich lays, who also represents financial institutions, debt funds and private equity funds. In recent years, the group has been particularly successful in expanding its advice to sponsors on acquisition financing through new client relationships with PE houses. In addition, the team's interdisciplinary cooperation enables the engagement with various legal interfaces; this successful interaction became particularly apparent in its recent advice on Covid-19 relief measures and assistance to companies in financial distress. Matthias Weissinger, among others, is a key contact for matters relating to restructuring. Sector-wise, the group's focus remains on the healthcare and pharmaceuticals industries as well as on digitization and IT/software.

Practice head(s):

Anne Grewlich

Testimonials

‘The Ashurst team led by Anne Grewlich is outstanding. It responds very quickly to all our requests and questions. Very knowledgeable and helpful in finding mutually acceptable solutions. We feel very well advised and would choose Ashurst again at any time.

‘Anne Grewlich gave us excellent advice and answered all of our questions very promptly and professionally. Excellent service. Excellent knowledge of German law. Will choose the team again for the next deals.

Gleiss Lutz

Gleiss Lutz has extensive expertise in restructuring-related matters, which is not least due to its close cross-practice cooperation with the restructuring team. The group recently particularly utilised this strength in assisting corporates and lenders with financial restructuring and crisis-related financing due to Covid-19. Practice head Kai Arne Birke regularly took the lead in these matters, while also advising on capital market-related issues. Frank Schlobach is a key contact for LBO and acquisition financing – another mainstay of the practice – with his clients including sponsors in the large and mid-cap sectors in particular. Eva Reudelhuber, who specializes in corporate financing, is another key contact.

Practice head(s):

Kai Arne Birke

Testimonials

‘Strong (partner) commitment for the deal with a high level of competence and assessment of feasible implementation in the loan documentation based on the extraordinarily extensive market experience.’

Key clients

Alcentra Ltd

Apax Partners Beteiligungsberatung GmbH

Bausch & Lomb

Deutsche Beteiligungs AG

Flughafen Köln/Bonn

Flughafen Düsseldorf

Lindsay Goldberg

LEONI Kabel GmbH

PUMA SE

Robus Capital / Whitebox

SCP Retail Investments S.A.

Steinhoff Europe AG

SunExpress

Wieland Werke AG

Work highlights

  • Advice to Alcentra Ltd on the financing and restructuring of the Arwe Group.
  • Advising Düsseldorf Airport in connection with a €250m loan as part of NRW.BANK’s NRW.Infrastruktur Corona program, an additional syndicated loan financed by several banks and a €100m shareholder loan.
  • Advised Lindsay Goldberg and her portfolio company Schur Flexibles on the refinancing of Schur Flexibles through a €440m unit-tranche/SSRCF financing.

Noerr

Noerr is regularly sought after by major German banks for advice on the granting of loans and the restructuring and refinancing of credit relationships. In addition to traditional financial institutions, the group has been increasingly active for alternative financiers such as mezzanine funds and insurance companies on lender side, while the team also simultaneously expanded its advice to borrowers, and here in particular to German medium-sized companies. Advice to this diverse client base encompasses takeovers, acquisitions, project and corporate financing and, most recently, also an increasing number of debt restructuring matters among other things. Practice head Andreas Naujoks is particularly active in the corporate financing and restructuring area and also routinely handles real estate financing. Acquisitions, real estate and project finance specialist Dorian Legel made associated partner in January 2021.

Practice head(s):

Andreas Naujoks

Testimonials

‘The Noerr team behind Andreas Naujoks and Dr. Torsten Wehrhahn is highly competent, solution-oriented and also well versed in current topics. This is especially true when compared to other leading corporate law firms.’

‘Dr. Torsten Wehrhahn: Top lawyer, pragmatic and highly competent, high level of consulting expertise and negotiating skills. Premium support also for international and large financing transactions.’

‘Noerr’s banking and finance team is very diverse. In recent years, Noerr has been very good at recruiting good new employees, developing these employees and keeping them in the law firm. From my point of view, Noerr is therefore also able to process several larger financing transactions at the same time without quality suffering as a result. In addition to banking and finance, there is a very strong team for restructuring and insolvency law, which is important if the borrower encounters subsequent problems with the financing.’

‘Dr. Andreas Naujoks heads Noerr’s banking and financing team. Over the years, he has managed to gradually increase the size of the transactions he oversees thanks to his quality and know-how. During the corona pandemic, he was therefore a sought-after legal advisor to some of the largest companies that have fallen victim to the corona pandemic.’

‘Torsten Wehrhahn and Alexander Schilling are both very experienced lawyers with a high level of know-how, who, alongside Mr. Naujoks, can independently handle financing transactions to the full satisfaction of their clients.

‘Broad team for all departments within the firm, which was managed very well by our contacts. Good accessibility, quick processing. Very high quality!’

‘Thorsten Wehrhahn is fast, pragmatic and reliable.’

‘Well coordinated team with experienced associates and very good partner access.’

Key clients

Deutsche Bank

Europäische Investitionsbank

Commerzbank AG

BayernLB

LBBW

Condor Flugdienst GmbH

Unicredit

Wirecard

Bundesrepublik Deutschland – Finanzagentur GmbH

Raiffeisenlandesbank Oberösterreich Aktiengesellschaft

NordLB

Adjust GmbH

Work highlights

  • Advising the senior banks on the €1.4bn debt restructuring of a large coal-fired power plant operator.
  • Advising the banking consortium on the financing of the €2.1bn takeover of Berlin’s power grid.
  • Advising European Investment Bank (EIB) on the granting of a €100m loan to BioNTech SE.

White & Case LLP

White & Case LLP regularly advises national and international financial institutions on acquisition financing. These usually span several jurisdictions, for which the group is well equipped due to its cross-location capacities on one hand and its German, English and US law expertise at its German locations on the other. Vanessa Schürmann, head of the bank finance practice, specializes in advising on English law and also assists with matters pertaining to the high-yield sphere. Insolvency and restructuring-related issues such as the refinancing of existing loans or the modification of existing credit lines also represent parts of the group’s case load. Sébastien Seele made partner in January 2021 and assists with leveraged and investment grade acquisition as well as with corporate finance and financial restructurings.

Testimonials

‘For me the best team in Germany in the field of leveraged loans. Very good transaction expertise, good ideas regarding structuring; partners always available, going above and beyond the norm and making all timetables match.’

‘It’s very helpful that the W&C bond team is also very active and top notch – hence a certain flexibility between various capital market instruments.’

‘Vanessa Schürmann and Andreas Lischka – simply omniscient, always available, very nice to deal with, and make the impossible possible.’

‘Available at all times – high level of expertise – extremely solution-oriented – good sparring partner for problem areas.’

Key clients

Credit Suisse International, ING Bank N.V., ABN AMRO Bank N.V., Coöperatieve Rabobank U.A. und BNP Paribas Fortis NV/SA re Boels/Cramo

Battery Ventures

Barclays Bank, Deutsche Bank AG, J.P. Morgan und The Royal Bank of Scotland (firmierend als NatWest Markets)

Goldman Sachs

Stabilus S.A.

Banco Santander

Deutsche Bank AG, UniCredit Bank AG, Deutsche Bank Luxembourg S.A.

ING Bank N.V.

UniCredit Bank AG

Duke Street

Work highlights

  • Advising a banking consortium consisting of Credit Suisse International, ING Bank NV, ABN AMRO Bank NV, Coöperatieve Rabobank UA and BNP Paribas Fortis NV/SA as Mandated Lead Arrangers, Physical Bookrunners and Underwriters on a public-to-private takeover financing for Boels Topholding BV with a delayed drawdown tranche and subsequent reallocation of commitments and refinancing of this financing in June 2021.
  • Advising a banking consortium led by Goldman Sachs on the add-on acquisition financing of All4Labels, combining loans and bonds on a cross-border basis on shared collateral.
  • Advising UniCredit Bank AG and other banks in connection with the acquisition financing of SCHOCK GmbH by Triton.

CMS

In February 2021 and at the end of 2021, respectively, Kerstin Block (Hamburg) and André Frischemeier (Frankfurt) took over the lead of CMS' banking and finance group, replacing Markus Pfaff (Frankfurt) and Marc Seibold (Stuttgart), who remain key members of the team. Block has particular expertise in advising on matters in the energy and digital infrastructure sectors, while Frischemeier assists with restructuring and refinancing of financing transactions among other matters; here, the team frequently  cooperates with its corporate and restructuring colleagues which, alongside corporate and acquisition financing, represents one of the practice's mainstays. The practice predominantly, but not exclusively, acts for borrowers.

Testimonials

‘CMS cooperated efficiently, with foresight and with very good timing in a specific corporate financing, but also in corporate financings in the past, and delivered very good work results. The fee quota provided in advance was also not exceeded.’

‘Dr. Markus Pfaff: fluent in negotiations, pragmatic, goal-oriented.’

Shearman & Sterling LLP

Practice head(s):

Winfried Carli

Work highlights

    Taylor Wessing

    Taylor Wessing focuses on acquisition and corporate finance as well as on financial restructuring, while the arrival of Jennifer Maiworm in Hamburg as a salary partner at the end of 2020 (previously Principal Associate at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer) also strengthened the group's real estate finance capacities. Practice head Clemens Niedner also devotes himself to this range of topics, including restructuring advice, for which the group routinely cooperates with the firm's insolvency and restructuring teams. In the acquisition financing field, the team predominantly advises private equity and private debt funds, and in the corporate loan area, it is primarily instructed by banks.

    Practice head(s):

    Clemens Niedner

    Testimonials

    ‘Sabine Schomaker: Fast reaction times, fair offers, open communication, enormous solution-orientation, strong basis of trust.’

    ‘High reliability; good accessibility; expertise.’

    ‘Excellent cooperation with Ms. Schomaker, who is characterized by excellent specialist knowledge and a high degree of sovereignty. The commitment to the matter in negotiation rounds is exemplary.’

    ‘The team led by Clemens Niedner stands out for its high level of solution competence in corporate and leveraged finance financing and knows how to convey the legal issues to both the lender and the borrower side in an understandable way and to negotiate compromises with respect. As a client you always feel that you are in very good hands.’

    ‘Professionally and personally excellent. The accessibility and the quality of the work leaves nothing to be desired. The assessment applies to the entire team around Mr. Niedner. A first choice for me!’

    Key clients

    Bayerische Landesbank

    Norddeutsche Landesbank

    Hamburg Commercial Bank

    Landesbank Hessen-Thüringen

    Landesbank Baden-Württemberg

    Deutsche Bank

    DZ Bank

    Kreissparkasse Biberach

    Kreissparkasse Esslingen-Nürtingen

    Oddo BHF Bank

    LFPI European Debt Fund

    Cordet Capital Partners

    H.I.G. Europe

    Steadfast Capital (jetzt Borromin Capital Management)

    Deutsche Beteiligungs AG

    Nord Holding

    Oberberg

    Trilantic Capital

    Silver Investment Partners

    VR Equitypartner

    WTI

    Work highlights

    • Advising a banking consortium under the joint coordination of Commerzbank and UniCredit on the €500m syndicated financing for M-Dax group Symrise, including sustainability criteria.
    • Advising private equity house ECM on the financing of an investment in Yellow Fox.
    • Advising CORDET Capital Partners LLP on the takeover of the FLABEG Group.

    Baker McKenzie

    Baker McKenzie is mainly instructed by lenders – including traditional banks and alternative financiers – but also acts for borrowers. Recent highlights, often entailing cross-border elements, particularly reflect the group's expertise in acquisition financing and ECA-covered loans. However, practice head Oliver Socher's team also handles corporate financing and financial restructuring.

    Practice head(s):

    Oliver Socher

    Testimonials

    ‘Baker McKenzie’s banking team is made up of outstanding individuals with many years of experience in the financing field.

    ‘The team has consistently delivered high quality over the years. It’s extremely helpful and creative. The combination is unique on the market.

    Key clients

    Weatherford

    Credit Suisse

    DBS Bank

    Landesbank Baden-Württemberg

    Berlin Hyp AG

    GEA

    Livekindly Company, Inc.

    Work highlights

    • Advising Weatherford on the German portion of the exit financing, financial restructuring and Chapter 11 termination.
    • Advising DBS Bank on the €3.75bn takeover of semiconductor group Siltronic by Taiwanese competitor GlobalWafers.
    • Advising Livekindly Company, Inc. on the acquisition of a 49% stake in LikeMeat from Recker Holding GmbH.

    Hogan Lovells International LLP

    In the acquisition financing field, Hogan Lovells International LLP recently increasingly acted for debt funds, but also advises traditional lenders. In the corporate financing area, the group advised borrowers and lenders on financial restructuring and Covid-19-related financing measures, which often entailed capital markets aspects; subsequently, the practice regularly cooperates with its capital markets colleagues. The group is led by financing and financial restructuring expert Katlen Blöcker .

    Practice head(s):

    Katlen Blöcker

    Testimonials

    ‘Very high client benefit and goal orientation. Legal costs are always a point of discussion in M&A transactions, so the service and personal understanding must match the client’s needs. At Hogan Lovells, that works perfectly.’

    ‘Katlen Blöcker is characterized by a high level of content-related know-how combined with pragmatic solutions.

    ‘Partner takes hands-on care of documentation. This makes financing very efficient.

    ‘Dr. Kalten Blöcker is a very experienced and commercially minded partner responsible for syndicated loans.’

    Key clients

    AccorInvest

    AkquiVest

    BNP Paribas

    Bundesrepublik Deutschland – Finanzagentur GmbH

    Crédit Agricole CIB

    Europäische Investitionsbank (EIB)

    ETERNA

    Globus Holding

    GmbH & Co. KG

    Hapag-Lloyd

    ING Bank N.V.

    Work highlights

    • Advised Crédit Agricole CIB on the Auto1 inventory securitization of over €485m.
    • Advised BNP Paribas SA, German branch, in connection with a €90m loan agreement in the retail sector.
    • Advising European Investment Bank (EIB) on refinancing measures for automotive supplier Benteler.

    Norton Rose Fulbright

    Norton Rose Fulbright primarily advises banks and alternative lenders and, to a lesser extent, companies on acquisition, asset and corporate financing, while the Covid-19 crisis resulted in an increased demand in advice on KfW loans and financial restructuring. For matters related to restructuring and insolvency, the group is well equipped thanks to its close cooperation with the firm's respective practice groups. Practice head Oliver Sutter focuses on acquisition finance and corporate loan transactions. With the arrivals of Stefan Schramm and counsel Carolin Glänzel from Eversheds Sutherland in July 2021, the team's acquisition financing capabilities were particularly strengthened, although both also field broad financing experience in relation to syndication and securitization.

    Practice head(s):

    Oliver Sutter

    Testimonials

    ‘The team works efficiently and effectively with reasonable effort.’

    ‘Dr. Oliver Sutter is a fair conversationalist who is good at concentrating on essential issues.’

    ‘Flexible, customer and solution-oriented, excellent price-performance ratio.’

    ‘Oliver Sutter: Many years of experience, focus on the essentials, clear view of what is feasible in the respective negotiation situation; explanation of difficult facts in simple language for clients and laypeople.

    ‘Dr. Andrea Spellerberg: Very competent, constructive in difficult negotiation situations and when phrasing contracts, quick response times, friendly, easily accessible.’

    ‘Andrea Spellerberg: Great expertise, great approach.

    ‘Excellent understanding of economic context and legal implementation.’

    ‘Well-established, efficient team with a clear division. Excellent market knowledge combined with powerful persuasiveness.’

    Key clients

    ABN Amro Bank

    Bank of America

    Bayerische Landesbank (BayernLB)

    BNP Paribas S.A.

    Commerzbank AG

    Deutsche Bank AG / Postbank

    Deutsche Pfandbriefbank

    DVB Bank SE

    European Investment Bank (EIB)

    Fattal Hotels Group

    Hamburg Commercial Bank

    HSBC Trinkaus & Burkhardt AG (HSBC)

    Invesco Real Estate

    KfW IPEX- Bank GmbH

    Landesbank Baden-Württemberg (LBBW)

    Landesbank Hessen-Thüringen (Helaba)

    Norddeutsche Landesbank – Girozentrale (Nord/LB)

    Société Générale

    Thüga Aktiengesellschaft

    UniCredit Bank AG

    Wells Fargo

    Work highlights

    • Advising European Investment Bank (EIB) on a €15m loan for the German identity verification platform IDnow.

    Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

    Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP's financing team routinely handles transactions – of which many entail cross-border aspects and are private equity-related – and in Germany, predominantly acts on behalf of borrowers. The group mainly assists with acquisition and corporate financing and also handles matters touching on capital market law. Practice head Johannes Kremer comprehensively covers the area including related regulatory issues.

    Practice head(s):

    Johannes Kremer

    Other key lawyers:

    Jörg Hanke; Matthias Horbach

    Testimonials

    ‘The banking and finance group at Skadden Frankfurt impresses with a very uncomplicated and pragmatic approach even in challenging and complex situations, very short response times and a pleasant, solution-oriented exchange.’

    ‘I appreciate Jörg Hanke very much. Very good counterpart in handling cross-border financing transactions.’

    ‘Excellent financing practice that can be used in all jurisdictions, especially in international transactions.’

    ‘Dr. Jörg Hanke impresses with his absolute focus on the matter and meets highest quality standards. His longstanding market experience and his charming way of negotiating make him an indispensable companion in every negotiation.’

    Key clients

    Adevinta ASA

    AGRAVIS Raiffeisen AG

    Black Diamond Capital Management, L.L.C.

    Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

    Energy Infrastructure Partners AG

    F.I.L.A. Fabbrica Italiana Lapis ed Affini S.p.A.

    Gulf Energy Development

    Hillenbrandt Inc.

    KAP AG

    PayPal Inc.

    Work highlights

    • Advising Adevinta ASA in connection with a senior secured bond.
    • Advising SCP Group on financing aspects of the sale of real,-‘s digital business, including online marketplace real.de.
    • Advising Wells Fargo Bank, National Association on an amendment to Novelis Inc. ‘s senior secured cross-border revolving asset-based facility.

    Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP

    Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP is renowned for advising sponsors and their portfolio companies on cross-border LBOs and refinancings, with a focus on the IT and healthcare sectors. Jan Wilms heads the practice and, in addition to LBOs, also assists with corporate finance and project finance matters.

    Practice head(s):

    Jan Wilms

    Other key lawyers:

    Jasmin Dettmar

    Key clients

    Ardian

    EQT

    CVC Capital Partners

    Insight Partners

    IK Investment Partners

    Arcmont Asset Management

    Baring Asset Management

    LGT Private Debt

    Capital Four

    Permira Debt Managers

    Telemos Capital

    Novum Capital

    Pemberton Asset Management

    SGT Capital

    HIG Whitehorse

    3i

    Adiuva Capital

    Platinum Equity

    Work highlights

    • Advising Questel and its financial sponsors Eurazeo, IK Investment Partners and Raise Investissement on the planned takeover and the associated acquisition financing of NovumIP by Paragon Partners.
    • Advised Baring Asset Management as lender on the acquisition financing of Sanoptis by Telemos Capital.
    • Advising Berlin Brands Group in connection with its growth financing to drive the expansion of its direct-to-consumer brand portfolio, which it sells via Amazon and other channels.