Life sciences and healthcare

High yield Tier 2

Ropes & Gray LLP has 'a great team, collaborative and solution-oriented'. The practice focuses on complex, big-ticket high yield financing for issuers and underwriters, and in 2020 it worked on 30 matters and closed deals with an aggregate value of $25bn. Among its clients are some of the most active high yield issuers in the European market, notably Altice and Liberty Global, as well as investment banks such as Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan. 'They show strong counsel and grit and knowhow to get a deal done while also being commercial, creative and constructive', say clients of practice head Michael Kazakevich and key partners Robert Haak, Jane Rogers and Aditya Khanna. Haak recently handled the high yield aspects of a £5.7bn-equivalent bond and loan secured financing for Liberty Global, Virgin Media and O2 on the in connection with the joint venture combination of O2 and Virgin Media.

Regulatory investigations and corporate crime (advice to corporates) Tier 2

Ropes & Gray LLP provides ‘thoughtful, nuanced, and comprehensive analysis’ during complex compliance and risk management projects and internal investigations, often arising from whistleblower reporting, with regard to fraud, bribery and corruption, and money laundering. The group is a good  destination for multinational clients subject to government investigations in the UK and overseas; with particular strength in SFO and DOJ matters, partially due to the dual qualifications of some team members, as well as its global footprint.  Amanda Raad splits her time between London and New York and is noted for her leadership in launching the Insights Lab, the industry’s first group combining expertise in analytics, behavioural science and legal consulting. Raad shares leadership of the department with Judith Seddon, who is highly experienced in representing large companies, as well as global banks. Dual-qualified counsel Paige Berges is a key contact for economic sanctions and anti-money laundering compliance.

Commercial property: investment Tier 3

US firm Ropes & Gray LLP's London team is ‘expertly able to advise on the full range of real estate transactions’, predominantly focusing on big-ticket private equity deals, catering to a client roster of real estate, pension, hedge and sovereign wealth funds in addition to family offices and operating partners. Practice head David Seymour and counsel Will Bryant demonstrate an ‘ability to cut straight to the heart of transactional issues’ and are especially knowledgeable with regards to data centre, digital infrastructure, life sciences, logistics and light industrial assets.

Fraud: white-collar crime (advice to individuals) Tier 3

Ropes & Gray LLP utilises its ‘calm and personable approach’ to handle all stages of cross-border fraud investigations. The practice benefits significantly from its collaboration with colleagues in the US; in one particularly high-profile highlight, a transatlantic team is representing a Credit Suisse banker as a key figure in Mozambique’s $2bn debt scandal. Also on the cross-border side, the team is experienced in the extradition space, where its work includes representing individuals in relation to Interpol’s red notices for fugitives wanted for prosecution or sentencing reasons. The department is equally well versed in representing suspects and witnesses in investigations led by the UK authorities, particularly the FCA and the SFO. Splitting her time between London and New York, the dual-qualified Amanda Raad shares leadership of the department with Judith Seddon, who is a ‘superstar’ and ‘an inspiration to other lawyers working in the field of white-collar crime’.

Real estate funds Tier 3

Ropes & Gray LLP made a significant investment in its asset management offering by hiring Tom Alabaster from Linklaters LLP in 2020; he is the head of the firm's funds practice in EMEA. Under Alabaster's leadership, the team generates a strong flow of mandates from major funds, asset managers and institutional investors. Its workload includes high-value real estate fund formations, restructurings, joint ventures and downstream investments, including club deals. The team works closely with the firm's US offices on cross-border mandates. Emily Brown and counsel Christopher Townsend have further bolstered the practice by joining from Schulte Roth & Zabel International LLP and Kirkland & Ellis International LLP respectively.

Acquisition finance Tier 4

Led by Michael Kazakevich, Ropes & Gray LLP's 'strong and nimble' finance team excels in providing 'hands-on advice on complex structuring' for a primarily borrower-focused client base, including on deals involving UK and US law governed debt products. The firm has gained most acclaim for its work within the TMT space, as a result of its longstanding representation of multinational telecoms leviathans, Liberty Global and Altice, on their global finance needs. Formerly in-house at Goldman Sachs, the 'exceedingly nimble and strategic' Carol Van der Vorst has an excellent perspective of the market and current market norms, enabling her to effectively 'transition across multiple types of deals and clients'.Malcolm Hitching left for Macfarlanes LLP in summer 2020.

Bank lending: investment grade debt and syndicated loans Tier 4

Although it is smaller than some of its higher-ranked peers, Ropes & Gray punches above its weight and is particularly well-suited to advising its borrower-focused client base on often very complex debt structures, including combined loan and bond products. This manifests itself in the firm's regular financing work for global telecoms giants Liberty Global and Altice, both in terms of general corporate lending, as well as in the context of event-driven financings. Michael Kazakevich heads the six-partner finance team that also includes the 'first-class' Jane Rogers, who regular advises corporates on syndicated credit facilities, and 'rock star attorney' Carol Van der Vorst, who is appreciated by clients for her ability to 'transition across multiple types of deals and clients'. 

Corporate tax Tier 4

Data protection, privacy and cybersecurity Tier 4

Ropes & Gray LLP works closely with its counterparts in the US to provide a cohesive transatlantic service for international data protection compliance matters. The ‘knowledgeable, attentive, approachable, responsive, pragmatic, collaborative and available’ team is headed up by Rohan Massey, who advises a number of clients in the financial services and healthcare sectors.

Derivatives and structured products Tier 4

Ropes & Gray has a small asset management practice that frequently advises clients on derivatives transactions and regulatory matters. Among those clients are leading asset managers, alternative credit providers, hedge fund managers and PE firms. In the regulatory sphere, the firm is known for its cross-border capabilities, and its technical expertise in areas such as UCITS eligible assets rules, risk retention and other regulatory regimes affecting the use of derivatives and structured products by asset managers. Anna Lawry is the lead partner and has more than 15 years' experience in advising on derivatives in all the major asset classes, whether OTC or on-exchange, and any associated ISDA, collateral, brokerage, clearing and custody arrangements.

Private equity: transactions – high-value deals (£250m+) Tier 4

Ropes & Gray LLP's London private equity team acts advises premium and mid-market clients on a range of acquisitions, investments, and transactions for portfolio companies. The team works with both US and UK buyout houses, as well as sovereign wealth funds, and frequently advises on multijurisdictional mandates. Key contacts in the team include London managing partner Will Rosen and Kiran Sharma, who both have close relationships with prominent sponsors. John Newton specialises in the healthcare and life sciences sector, while Helen Croke is active across sectors including consumer goods, technology, and professional services.

Private funds Tier 4

Ropes & Gray LLP has established a notable practice in London with the arrival of practice head Tom Alabaster from Linklaters LLP in mid-2020, further bolstered by the arrival of Emily Brown from Schulte Roth & Zabel International LLP in early 2021. The team advises sponsors and investors on fund formations across a variety of strategies, including buyout funds, credit, and venture capital, working with major asset managers, funds, and institutional investors.

EU and competition Tier 6

Frequently collaborating with its US offices, Ropes & Gray LLP 's London team assists with the UK and EU competition elements of major cross-border M&A transactions. Beyond corporate assistance, the team, led by Ruchit Patel, advises on intellectual property, as well as abuse of dominance issues. Ian Hastings is one of a number of associates experienced in dealing with the CMA, European Commission and the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority.

Financial services: non-contentious/regulatory Tier 6

Impressing clients with its 'knowledge and commercial sense', the group at Ropes & Gray LLP services the firm's funds and asset management clients in relation to their UK regulatory issues. The team works closely with colleagues in the US and Asia, providing advice on a multitude of cross-border regulatory issues arising from transactions and fund formation. The practice is jointly led by asset management regulation expert Eve Ellis and Anna Lawry, who focuses on derivatives regulation. In March 2021, the group was joined by Vanessa Walters from Charles Russell Speechlys LLP, adding additional expertise in the UK and EU regulatory requirements of investment services for the UK market.

Property finance Tier 7

United States > Media, technology and telecoms > Cyber law (including data privacy and data protection) Tier 3