Mr Michael Kazakevich > Ropes & Gray LLP > London, England > Lawyer Profile

Under the leadership of UK and New York law-qualified Michael Kazakevich, Ropes & Gray continues to generate much of its acquisition/leveraged finance mandates from its solid roster of borrower clients, among them a leading multinational telecoms behemoth. In addition, the firm remains active for a number of financial sponsors, working on its own as well as alongside international offices on sizeable new money deals and on refinancing matters for portfolio companies. Alex Robb is conversant across a broad array of financing structures including bank/bond, unitranche, first lien/second lien and holdco PIK structures, which he executes effectively on many sponsor-backed deals, while the return of Benoit Lavigne in January 2024 from King & Spalding LLP is a welcome boost to the firm on the creditor front in light of his strong private capital credentials.

Ropes & Gray LLP is known for its ability to handle complex high yield financings for big repeat issuers, who frequently turn to the high yield market for debt financing, though it is also able to advise first-time issuers and underwriters. Michael Kazakevich, who is co-head of the firm’s global finance practice and advised on the largest high yield deal in the mining and minerals sector in the last decade, oversees a strong partner group that also handles work for initial purchasers and coordinators on repeat offerings. Robert Haak and London managing partner Jane Rogers lead the team in financings including the largest sustainability-linked bond to date in the digital infrastructure sector in Costa Rica.