Clifford Chance > Luxembourg, Luxembourg > Firm Profile

Clifford Chance > The Legal 500 Rankings

Luxembourg > Banking, finance and capital markets Tier 1

Clifford Chance provides a ‘high quality and responsive service’ to a stellar roster of banking and funds clients providing or seeking finance to facilitate a range of transactions. The team is well-placed to advise on cross-border mandates by virtue of its vast international network but is also picking up an increased volume of work where Luxembourg law governs the contractual documentation between parties. In this regard, the ‘very responsive’ Martin Wurth is noted for his fund financing prowess and regularly advises banks and borrowers on both syndicated and bilateral facilities. Steve Jacoby also provides ‘top-notch’ advice on fund financing subscription and capital call facility agreements, as well as handling a considerable amount of fintech and acquisition finance mandates. Stefanie Ferring handles new money deals, refinancings and restructurings, with the real estate sector a particularly fertile source of work. Marc Mehlen rounds out the team at a leadership level and is noted for his capital markets prowess, particularly as it relates to securitisations and debt issuances.

Luxembourg > Commercial, corporate and M&A Tier 1

The ‘responsive and business focused’ team at Clifford Chance has an excellent reputation among myriad domestic and international corporates and private equity sponsors, which are appreciative of its ability to combine in-depth local knowledge with an international mindset enhanced by the firm’s global network. Combining strong financial services regulatory nous with significant corporate transactional sensibilities, senior partner Christian Kremer remains a popular choice among financial institutions and insurers on M&A matters. Saskia Myners also continues to impress since joining the firm in 2022 from PwC Legal Luxembourg, providing ‘efficient and very business focused’ advice to clients, particularly in the context of private equity and real estate transactions. Managing partner Katia Gauzès rounds out the offering at a partner level and co-heads the team alongside Kremer and Myners.

Luxembourg > Dispute resolution Tier 1

With ‘deep knowledge of the Luxembourg market and practices,’ and also benefiting from access to international know-how through the firm’s global network, Clifford Chance provides a ‘highly strategic’ service to clients engaged in complex domestic and cross-border disputes. The scope of the work is broad, cutting across many substantive areas of law including employment, IP and real estate, although a sizeable proportion of instructions relate to financial and shareholder disputes. The ‘very experienced and knowledgeable’ Albert Moro combines excellent legal know-how with an empathetic approach to dealing with clients, thereby providing ‘outstanding’ representation before the domestic courts and in international arbitration. Ada Schmitt co-heads the team with Moro and is noted for her ‘strong technical knowledge and clear strategic vision,’ including in relation to regulatory investigations and financial crime-related work.

Luxembourg > Fintech Tier 1

Leaning into deep industry knowledge both locally and internationally, as well as benefiting from strong relationships with regulators, Clifford Chance is able to provide ‘high-quality advice and tailor made solutions’ to traditional financial services clients and fintech providers across a range of major transformational projects across key areas including digital assets, blockchain, payments, AI, data, fund tech, cyber and insurtech. Banking and finance co-head Steve Jacoby is central to much of the key work in the space, including his recent landmark advice to European Investment Bank (EIB) on the issuance of its first euro-denominated digital bond on a private blockchain. The firm’s multi-disciplinary approach also leads to a significant amount of funds and corporate-related fintech work, including in the context of M&A in the space.

Luxembourg > Investment funds Tier 1

The 'responsive and solutions-oriented' team at Clifford Chance is best known for its sponsor-side work within the alternative investment fund space, where it is particularly well-placed to advise on cross-border structures and raising capital from global investors, by dint of its extensive international network. Paul Van den Abeele is well-versed at structuring real estate, private equity, credit and infrastructure funds; he recently worked alongside the Beijing office to assist SINO-CEEF Capital Management Company in the establishment of a fund in Luxembourg focusing on investments in Central and Eastern Europe. As well as handing retail and private fund structuring, Emmanuel-Frédéric Henrion is noted for his overarching regulatory prowess, which has recently been acknowledged by the Commission for the Supervision of the Financial Sector when it asked him to join its fund advisory committee. Kristof Meynaerts 'stands out for his passion for client service and the drive that he provides to his projects', both on the sponsor and investor side. Maren Stadler-Tjan oversees ESG-related mandates such as carbon credit funds, while Luxembourg and German-qualified counsel Christian Lennig  excels at advising on fund structures launched by clients based in Germany.

Luxembourg > Private equity Tier 1

Leveraging its global international network and full-service offering, the ‘very professional and knowledgeable’ team at Clifford Chance provides ‘pragmatic, efficient and business-focused advice’ to a variety of major sponsors, including Permira, Cinven and Partners Group, on high-profile multi-jurisdictional transactions on both the buy and sell side. Appreciated for her ‘ability to think outside-the-box’, dual Luxembourg and UK-qualified partner Saskia Myners has ‘a sound knowledge of the market and its actors’, working on large-scale LBO transactions as well as growth finance mandates. Christian Kremer and Katia Gauzès co-head the overarching corporate team, with Gauzès recently active on a number of major energy-related transactions for private equity sponsors.

Luxembourg > Tax Tier 1

Often working alongside complementary practice areas, as well as practitioners across the firm’s global network of offices, Clifford Chance's team is best-suited to tax structuring advice on cross-border finance and corporate transactions, where it is noted for its ability to provide ‘pragmatic and precise advice’. Practice head Geoffrey Scardoni, who is recognised as ‘one of the most knowledgeable tax lawyers in Luxembourg’, takes the lead on most of this work and is noted in particular for funds work (where he also adds value through his involvement in lobbying groups) and financial services clients, which he advises on tax implications across a range of financial products.

Luxembourg > Employment Tier 2

‘Very dedicated to its clients,’ which include numerous funds, banks and insurance companies, Clifford Chance provides ‘flexible and responsive’ advice across a range of discrete employment issues, as well as in the context of employment support to transactions handled by the firm’s corporate and real estate teams The ‘highly responsive’ Albert Moro is ‘a very experienced negotiator,’ whose expertise spans both litigation and advisory work, including as it relates to redundancies and reorganisations, and defending employers against harassment and discrimination claims. Ada Schmitt co-heads the team alongside Moro that also includes ‘very strong’ senior associate John Ted.

Luxembourg > Insurance Tier 2

Tapping into ‘excellent industry knowledge’ and working in a co-ordinated fashion with accomplished corporate, banking and capital markets practices, both in Luxembourg as well as across the vast network of firmwide offices, Clifford Chance is particularly skilled at handling big-ticket transactional work in the sector. Udo Prinz‘s experience in insurance regulation, coupled with his ‘additional expertise in other fields of law’, means he is ‘an excellent choice for M&A work in the insurance sector’. Team head Christian Kremer is also recommended.

Luxembourg > IP and IT Tier 2

Overseen by litigator Albert Moro and led on a day-to-day basis by the ‘friendly and always available’ senior associate Charles-Henri Laevens, Clifford Chance handles a range of IP, IT and data protection work, primarily for clients within the asset management and financial services sectors. As part of his wide-ranging banking practice, Steve Jacoby has become increasingly active in the fintech space, gaining particular insight into developments and trends through his involvement with the LHoFT Foundation, Luxembourg’s dedicated fintech centre.

Luxembourg > Real estate and construction Tier 2

Combining ‘deep real estate and local market knowledge’, as well as drawing upon international know-how and best practice, Clifford Chance is particularly well-placed to advise international funds and developers across a broad range of major Luxembourg-based development projects, hotels, commercial and office buildings, and co-living projects. Recently promoted to senior counsel, Sébastien Schmitz has broad coverage across the sector, and regularly provides advice on sale and lease agreements for office and residential properties, as well as for Belgian developers on Luxembourg real estate projects. Schmitz heads the team alongside Albert Moro.