Andrew Coats > Clifford Chance LLP > London, England > Lawyer Profile

Clifford Chance LLP has ‘excellent partners with depth of knowledge and experience‘ and clients remark that the firm has ‘a strong team of associates and some very good trainees coming through‘. Matthew Fairclough  is head of the firm’s global financial markets practice, in which houses the debt capital markets group, and his practice typifies the partner team as it encompasses advice to issuers and underwriters on new issuance, debt programmes, convertible and exchangeable bonds, corporate hybrid capital and regulatory capital trades, and liability management. Andrew Coats specialises in advising financial institutions. Simon Sinclair assisted Hellenic Bank Public Company Limited with its €100m EMT programme. Global head of capital markets Michael Dakin has extensive experience advising private equity sponsors, and Paul Deakins assists issuers and underwriters with a broad range of deals. Deborah Zandstra, who leads the firm’s sovereign debt advisory practice, is advising Sri Lanka in its bid for an Extended Fund Facility from the IMF and a restructuring of its debt. Kate Vyvyan advised the arranger and dealer on the establishment of the AXA Logistics Europe Fund €2bn EMTN programme. Clare Burgess handles  infrastructure, renewables and sustainability-related transactions including project bonds and private placements. Jill Concannon joined from White & Case LLP to add more experience in international securities offerings. US capital markets partner Johannes Juette recently moved to London from the Singapore office.

Clifford Chance LLP has ‘outstanding lawyers who never overpromise and underdeliver‘, and clients remark that ‘in addition to their legal expertise, they are also quick to point out the impact that specific regulatory or legal developments may have‘. The firm handles the full spectrum of instruments and asset classes, but it particularly well known for its knowledge of the synthetic securitisation market, and its understanding of regulatory matters. The ‘incredibly constructive‘ Timothy Cleary leads the practice, which is known for ‘strong market knowledge, regulatory expertise and commercial awareness‘. Jessica Littlewood is a market-leading expert on synthetic CLOs. Andrew Coats handles repackaging programmes, derivatives, structured securities and retail-targeted securities offerings. Paget Dare Bryan  leads the derivatives group and is known for his knowledge of repackagings, credit and equity derivatives, total return swaps, and structured repo and securities lending. Anne Drakeford‘s work encompasses OTC fixed income, credit and equity based derivatives. Key partners Faizal Khan and Will Winterton frequently advise on bespoke equity-linked financing structures using derivatives, repo, securities lending and loan documentation frameworks. Up-and-coming partner Jeremy Walter is ‘outstanding, a clear thinker who is able to think outside the box‘.