The structured capital markets group at Baker McKenzie is ‘highly cost-effective and extremely prompt’. It is particularly active for buy-side clients, among them sovereign wealth funds, hedge funds, pension schemes, and large multinationals. It is also sought after for both transactional and regulatory advice by investment banks and private equity firms. Head of structured capital markets Simon Porter has skilled individuals in his team, including James Tanner, who is ’a master in the field’. Alongside his main focus on securitisation, he handles derivatives and structured products, and cross-border restructurings. Iolie Calochristos focuses on OTC derivatives and structured products, including interest rate and currency swaps and options, total return swaps, equity derivatives, securities lending transactions, and repos. Matthew Dening now works from the Riyadh office.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘James Tanner is by far our go-to lawyer for any deal or non-deal concerns. He is a master in the field and has an outstanding understanding of the commercial requirements which makes the real difference between him and other lawyers from other firms. Any new relevant transaction we would need enter we would want James to be our advisor for it.’
'The Bakers team provides full court support to our innovative repackaging programme which has been set up to facilitate institutional investor access to African credits. They are able to support on the drafting and execution of loans as well as the subsequent repackagings. The team is highly cost-effective and extremely prompt on document production.'
'James Tanner leads the team and is highly responsive and always ahead of schedule on documentation.'
‘Excellent knowledge of the market practice.’
‘Expertise, fast execution, easy to work with.’
‘The team knows us and our structures and has worked with us for many years. As such they can provide practical, commercial, solution-driven advice which properly caters for our preferences and bespoke features. This results in cost and time efficiencies.’
Key clients
- Advent International
- Afreximbank
- Ahlstrom-Munksjo Oy
- Aptiv Global Operations Limited
- Atalaya
- Banca IMI
- Blackstar Capital
- BNP Paribas Trust Corporation UK Limited
- Bradesco Bank
- Cobham Limited
- Commerzbank
- Computershare
Work highlights
Advising Afreximbank as the (currently sole) lender under a loan/repurchase programme established for The Liquidity and Sustainability Facility (the LSF) Designated Activity Company.
Advising HSBC as Bond Trustee in the administration of healthcare group NMC and issuer of USD450 million convertible bonds.
Advised GLAS (Global Loan Agency Services) in connection with the consensual restructuring of Consolis Group, a European manufacturer of precast concrete elements providing highly engineered and sustainable solutions for the building and utilities sectors, as between the Group’s sponsor, noteholders, revolving credit facility lenders and PIK lenders.
Lawyers
Hall of Fame
The lawyers at the very top of the profession, widely known and respected by peers and clients for their longstanding involvement in market-leading work.
Leading associates
Leading associates with regular involvement in their team's key work, and recognition from peers or clients as being ones to watch.
Practice head
Simon Porter
Other key lawyers
Matthew Dening; Iolie Calochristos; James Tanner