Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP is a go-to-firm for financing and refinancing needs pertaining to the private equity sector. The team, which assists the most prominent private equity sponsors and private debt providers, is retained to advising on the market’s largest LBO and unitranche financing deals. Recently, the practice has also been particularly sought after by funds and companies to help with refinancing and amend and extend negotiations, and by bondholders to work on large debt restructuring. Paul Lombard heads the practice, with Thomas Binet being the other key name within the practice. Igor Kukhta left the practice.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
- Profile
Accolades
Client satisfaction
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘High availability and responsiveness. Excellent technique and good commercial sense.'
‘Paul Lombard: very available and responsive, excellent technical skills and extensive knowledge of the unitranche market.
‘Team combining professionalism, rigor and responsiveness. A benchmark player among LBO financing advisors.'
‘Paul Lombard is close to his clients, available and very efficient. He has a programmatic approach and a perfect knowledge of the subjects. A pleasure to collaborate with him and his team.’
‘Very available and very engaged. Partner gets very involved, spends time on the details as well. Associates are extremely experienced, professional and helpful. ’
'Thomas Binet: pragmatism, ability to reach compromises. Paul Lombard: dynamic in negotiations.’
‘Thomas Binet is a responsive lawyer, attentive to his clients and their expectations, who knows his market perfectly and who has established himself as a key player in small & mid cap financing in France.'
‘Thomas Binet: ability to identify key issues from the first discussions and to effectively resolve sticking points with a very pragmatic approach.'
Key clients
- Ardian Private Debt
- Astorg
- Barings
- BlackRock Private Debt
- Bluegem
- Bonduelle
- BNP Paribas
- Bridgepoint
- CACIB
- CVC
Work highlights
- Advising IK Partners on the financing of its acquisition of Eurofeu, a leading player in the French fire protection market
- Advising Barings on the unitranche financing of the acquisition of Groupe Premium by Blackstone and Eurazeo.
- Advising Arcmont on the unitranche financing for the acquisition of a spin-off of Nexity by Bridgepoint.
Lawyers
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Practice head
Paul Lombard
Other key lawyers
Thomas Binet