Mr George Stephanakis > Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP > London, England > Lawyer Profile

Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP has a stellar reputation in New York law deals, in which it predominantly acts for corporate issuers in high-value bond offerings, though it is starting to handle a growing workload for underwriters. The firm has ‘very strong technical and commercial knowledge of the market‘. London managing partner Philip Boeckman and co-head of the EMEA capital markets practice George Stephanakis lead the high yield group, in which key partner Alyssa Caples has ‘very strong knowledge, is always available, and manages transactions quietly and efficiently‘. European counsel Margaret Rallings also plays a pivotal role in some of the firm’s largest deals. Boeckman and Rallings acted for the initial purchasers of an €850m offering of 144A/Reg. S high yield senior secured notes offering for Loarre Investments, a portfolio company of CVC Funds, to fund the company’s investment in LaLiga in exchange for an interest in media and TV rights. Caples assisted INEOS Finance with the offering of €400m and $425m in high yield senior secured notes.

Clients praise the capital markets team at Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP for its ‘availability, profound legal knowledge, and practical approach‘. The firm is best known for its high yield work, though it also investment grade bond issuance for corporates and sovereigns. Co-heads of the EMEA capital markets practice Philip Boeckman has ‘a very good understanding of clients’ needs‘, and George Stephanakis are the key partners. European counsel Lawrence Verhelst, who acts for corporate and sovereign issuers and financial institutions, has ‘very solid US law knowledge and a practical approach to solving legal issues‘. Boeckman and Verhelst recently acted for European Investment Bank in six registered notes offerings with a total value of $25bn, including a $5bn Climate Awareness Bond and a $4bn Sustainability Awareness Bond.