NautaDutilh > Luxembourg, Luxembourg > Firm Profile

NautaDutilh > The Legal 500 Rankings

Luxembourg > IP and IT Tier 1

Led by Vincent Wellens, who is ‘very experienced and knowledgeable across both IP and IT’, NautaDutilh‘s ‘knowledgeable and pragmatic’ team provides a ‘high-quality service’ to private and public sector clients in the context of commercial contracts, M&A-related due diligence and litigation. Leveraging vast private practice experience as well as insight derived from his previous in-house role at the historical telecom operator in Luxembourg, Wellens provides a ‘very well rounded’ service which encompasses IT outsourcing (for buyers and vendors), data protection and IP work, including a growing demand among clients for pre-litigation patents advice. Senior associate Sigrid Heirbrant provides ‘pragmatic and to-the-point advice’ to clients in relation to tech, IP and data protection commercial contracts.

Luxembourg > Banking, finance and capital markets Tier 2

NautaDutilh provides a ‘hands-on, accessible and responsive’ service for a bank-focused client base across a range of finance mandates throughout the Benelux region. As well as work on fund and acquisition finance transactions, Josée Weydert regularly advises underwriters on debt capital markets mandates, including recently in a liability management context. Sara Gerling co-heads the team alongside Weydert and as part of her broad practice regularly handles real estate finance mandates with a German nexus.

Luxembourg > Commercial, corporate and M&A Tier 2

Private equity is the centrepiece of NautaDutilh's transactional offering, with the flexible and adaptable team providing ‘technical, business-oriented, and efficient’ advice across corporate structuring, financing requirements and restructuring matters. The ‘outstanding’ Romain Sabatier provides ‘pragmatic and reactive’ advice both at the front end of deals, as well as in any pursuant distressed matters, including on matters within the technology space. The ‘client-oriented’ Margaretha Wilkenhuysen heads the team, which has strong relationships with US and UK law firms and is also able to provide a holistic service on Benelux matters by virtue of its network in the region.

Luxembourg > Dispute resolution Tier 2

The ‘knowledgeable and pragmatic’ team at NautaDutilh provides a ‘high quality service’ to clients across a range of high-stakes commercial litigation and arbitration. As part of his eclectic mix of work, which also includes shareholder and insolvency litigation, the ‘proactive and commercial’ Antoine Laniez regularly handles high-profile investor-state disputes on behalf of both private and public sector entities, most regularly in the context of enforcing the awards which have been granted. Vincent Wellens co-heads the team alongside Laniez and is often involved in contentious IP and IT disputes, as well as public law-related matters.

Luxembourg > Fintech Tier 2

Drawing upon the firm’s strong banking, IP and TMT offerings, NautaDutilh is well-placed to advise large financial institutions, challengers and service providers across a range of fintech projects, compliance and advisory work. IP practitioner Vincent Wellens is ‘business-oriented, passionate and smart’ and co-heads the de facto fintech team alongside banking head Josée Weydert.

Luxembourg > Private equity Tier 2

NautaDutilh provides a ‘solutions-driven approach’ to private equity sponsors, including Oaktree and Thomas H Lee Partners, on the Luxembourg structuring associated with their cross-border M&A transactions. In this context, as well as advising on corporate issues, the firm offers its strong tax structuring prowess. Key members of the team include Caroline Notté, who ‘provides pragmatic solutions’, and the ‘excellent’ Romain Sabatier, whose transactional expertise also includes restructuring mandates such as work for distressed debt funds. Margaretha Wilkenhuysen heads the team.

Luxembourg > Tax Tier 2

The ‘technically excellent, responsive and very user-friendly’ team at NautaDutilh provides domestic and international tax law advice primarily in the context of alternative fund structuring, as well as in the subsequent downstream transactional work. In this regard, team head Jean-Marc Groelly is appreciated for his ability to ‘structure investments in a tax-efficient manner but without over-complicating things’. ‘Fiercely intelligent and very personable’ counsel Audrey Derep is also a key member of the team, both for transactional structuring work as well as on standalone advisory and transfer pricing matters.

Luxembourg > Investment funds Tier 3

A small team in comparison to some of its higher-ranked peer firms, nevertheless, NautaDutilh is able to leverage broader tax, corporate and financing expertise to good effect on behalf of UK, US and EU-based managers across a range of legal and regulatory matters related to Luxembourg-based funds. Team head Géraldine Léonard advises clients across a fairly balanced mix of UCITS and alternative funds matters.