Clifford Chance

Leveraging 'strong business and technical understanding' developed over its many years at the vanguard of the finance sector – through both its pioneering work at a transactional level as well as through leadership roles on many industry groups – Clifford Chance remains a popular choice for creditors and debtors across a wide range of new money deals and restructuring transactions. Although it has also seen a rise in transactions papered under Luxembourg law, the team remains best-known for its work alongside key European-based network offices on cross-border mandates. While all five partners in the team are fairly versatile in the field, each individual has some degree of specialisation. Combining his duties as regional managing partner for continental Europe with a thriving fee-earning practice, Steve Jacoby is particularly skilled at advising on financial services regulatory matters, including in the rapidly developing fintech space. The 'very responsive' Marc Mehlen has a creditor-side focus across a range of new money finance transactions, and as well as handling a regular flow of work for banks, he has also overseen a growing number of cross-border mandates for debt funds as well as lenders. Although she handles some new money mandates, including within the real estate space, Stefanie Ferring is best-known for her restructuring expertise, with work running the gamut from formal insolvencies through to special situations-related mandates and distressed M&A. The team is rounded out at partner level by Martin Wurth, a fund finance expert, and Christian Kremer, whose corporate expertise frequently sees him engaged in financial services-related M&A.