Profile: Clifford Chance LLP

Clifford Chance LLP - Who's Who Legal '70'

What is the Who's Who Legal '70'?

Clifford Chance
Who’s Who Legal Banking Law Firm of the Year 2008
Who’s Who Legal Law Firm of the Year
Who’s Who Legal Law Firm of the Year – Russia

Clifford Chance performs exceptionally well in our finance-related chapters. The project finance chapter sees 17 partners listed in 13 jurisdictions. The firm was recommended by our sources around the world, and its track record is similarly international. The London office performed well with three highly rated nominees: Margaret Gossling was described as “excellent” and “highly impressive”, Chris Wyman is “very highly regarded in the market” for his work in South Asia, and Russell Wells performed particularly well. The firm is also strong on the other side of the Atlantic, specifically in DC where three of its partners are featured. Joint head of the Americas energy and projects group Christopher McIsaac is highly rated by his peers – “you only ever hear good things about him” – and he is joined by David Evans, who brings “invaluable experience” from his former post as staff counsel for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Catherine McCarthy is regarded as an “absolute joy to work with”. Clifford Chance is also represented throughout the European research. In France, Anthony Giustini is highly rated for infrastructure work and in Germany, Nicholas Wong features prominently. Péter Köves leads the Hungarian research, as he does in the banking chapter, and Charles Adams, managing partner of the Milan office, is said to be “of the very highest class”. In Spain, Carlos Hernandez-Canut was recommended. The firm also makes an impression in the Far East. Stephen Harder appears from the Shanghai office, and Huw Jenkins is “very prominent” in the Hong Kong research, as he is in the banking chapter. Timothy Jeffares represents the firm at the top of the Japanese research. Clifford Chance’s final featured partners are based in Dubai; Peter Avery is a “splendid lawyer” and Malcolm Turner is a “very impressive operator”.

The firm stands out in the capital markets research: seventeen lawyers from nine jurisdictions make the grade, with the largest contingent in London. Peter Voisey enjoys an “excellent reputation” for securitisation in particular, an area in which Chris Oakley is also one of the City’s most respected practitioners. David Bickerton’s debt and equity capital markets expertise was noted while reports identified David Dunnigan as “the go-to guy” in emerging markets. The “absolutely stellar” Kevin Ingram comes highly recommended, and Matthew Cahill’s securitisation practice earned glowing reviews.
The firm is recognised as a “leading player in Europe” for securities issuance. The Frankfurt office provides three individuals for the capital markets chapter; Markus Pfüller has advised on more than 60 capital markets transactions since 1994, Sebastian Maerker’s debt practice was noted and Kirti Vasu stands out for securitisation. Frank Graaf heads the securities and derivatives group in the Amsterdam office.

Richard Parolai was the most highly recommended individual in the French research, and his “excellent reputation” extends to the banking chapter. Jaime de San Román in Madrid is another to feature in both chapters; he was recommended to researchers for his knowledge of securities and structured finance. Nicholas Wrigley and Filippo Emanuele are included in Italy, while Christian Kremer appears in Luxembourg. David Eatough is the most highly regarded expert in Romania, and further afield, Crawford Brickley’s debt and equity work from the Singapore office is “well recognised”.

BANKING
The firm’s presence in the banking chapter is similarly impressive, and it comes recommended for its “sustained brilliance” across the range of banking and finance related legal disciplines. Mark Campbell heads the firm’s contingent in the London research as “one of the best and the brightest around”. Alongside him, Malcolm Sweeting was praised for his “international business perspective”, while Michael Bray was described as “the doyen of London banking law.” James Johnson is well known for his leveraged and acquisition finance work.

Clifford Chance also supplies several lawyers for the Germany section. Kersten von Schenck “really knows his stuff”, in the field of financial regulatory law in particular, while Michael Weller “stands out”. The firm’s European strength is further illustrated through the inclusion of leading lawyers in the Poland, Spain, Hungary, France, Netherlands and Belgium sections. In Brussels, Yves Herinckx gathered more nominations than any other local practitioner; while Frank Graaf led the research in the Netherlands and makes a second appearance in this book. The firm’s thriving Russian office brings two further nominees; William Knowles and Logan Wright – the “best lenders’ counsel in town”. Sam Bonifant gains a place in the Singapore section, underlining Clifford Chance’s formidable geographical reach and depth of talent.

REAL ESTATE AND CONSTRUCTION
Clifford Chance LLP also puts in a strong performance in the real estate chapter with 12 practitioners on our list. With three lawyers featured the firm boasts the most nominees in Poland, where Pawel Debowski gained sufficient nominations to appear in both the real estate and construction chapters. The same number appear from the Frankfurt office, and the firm is the best represented outfit in the country; Klaus Minuth was described as “very good indeed”, with a reputation for high-profile, large-scale portfolio transactions. The London office fields “two fantastic lawyers”. Iain Morpeth is “extremely well regarded”, and Jonathan Solomon has significant experience in central London office developments. In France, François Bonteil was praised for his broad and “impressive” practice, and Alfonso Benavides is regarded as “one of the top practitioners in Spain”. The firm has a foothold in the important New York market thanks to the inclusion of Alan Gosule, who was recognised for his work on the tax aspects of investment vehicles such as REITs and partnerships.

The firm’s presence in the construction chapter is split between four countries. Pawel Debowski has already been mentioned, and Jaap Koster in the Amsterdam office is another to feature in two practice areas; his listing in the construction chapter standing alongside similar endorsement in the project finance research. Tim Steadman in London is a “reliable and effective source of counsel”; Peter Rosher appears in Paris.

CORPORATE
Clifford Chance LLP has a strong international M&A practice and fields seven lawyers from five jurisdictions. The London office is as strong as ever: Adam Signy has an “excellent reputation”, particularly for private equity, and our sources were full of praise for Guy Norman, who is seen as “an absolute star”. Clifford Chance also leads the way in Hong Kong in the M&A field as the only firm with multiple representatives, and also appears in Germany thanks to the highly rated Thomas Gasteyer. The firm’s presence also encompasses Hungary and Russia, where Marc Bartholomy was consistently brought to our attention.

Corporate lawyers from the London office appear in several further chapters. David Childs is an “authority on corporate governance”, and three further partners appear in the corporate tax research, with Jonathan Elman standing out. The tax research identifies another three experts in Paris, where Eric Davoudet is “admired for his grade-A structured finance work”. Frank de Vos gives the firm an entry in the Dutch research courtesy of his “encyclopedic knowledge of securitisation-related matters”. Two partners from the Frankfurt office complete the contingent in this chapter, with respondents effusive in their praise for Uwe Schimmelschmidt, saying that they “would have no hesitation in referring work to him if conflicted out”.

Clifford Chance’s presence in the insolvency and restructuring research is again based on a strong showing in London. Mark Hyde heads the firm’s insolvency practice and stands out for his cross-border work, while Nicholas Frome is “very well respected”. Adrian Cohen is skilled in domestic and international non-contentious insolvency and corporate restructuring, particularly in relation to insurance. Andrew Brozman in New York is recognised for his work for foreign and domestic banks in the restructuring and recovery of syndicated loan facilities. The “calm and collected” Kolja von Bismarck in Frankfurt is the most highly nominated individual in the German insolvency research, while Bernt Gach occupies a similarly lofty position at the head of the labour and employment findings.

The status of London practitioners in the private funds market is as strong as ever, and Jason Glover in the UK capital is the “premier” practitioner in the research, having received more nominations than any other. Described as “dynamic, well respected and very present in the area”, he is joined by the “terrific” Nigel Hatfield from the London office and two Hong Kong partners.

DISPUTES
The firm is also blessed with “outstanding disputes lawyers” including nine highly rated lawyers in the commercial litigation chapter. Again, the London and Frankfurt offices stand out. London managing partner Jeremy Sandelson is an “authority” in this area, picked out for his securities disputes and M&A related work. The firm’s head of public policy Michael Smyth and the “highly effective” Simon Davis also feature. In Frankfurt, Fabian von Schlabrendorff heads the European litigation and dispute resolution practice and is a “leading light in this field”; he also appears in the commercial arbitration chapter. The “very able” Uwe Hornung appears alongside him for litigation, and Burkhard Schneider is regarded as a “leader in the field”.

Madrid-based José Antonio Caínzos represents the firm in the Spanish section, while Timur Aitkulov is the only lawyer in Russia we identify in this field. In a similar fashion, Martin Rogers is the most highly regarded individual in the Hong Kong research; he heads the litigation and dispute resolution group in Asia.

John Beechey leads the firm’s arbitration practice and is one of the most heavily nominated individuals overall, described as “a star” with a “truly international profile”. Audley Sheppard is also prominent in London, and David Lindsey gives the firm a notable presence in the New York market. Ignacio Suarez Anzorena features prominently in DC and his Latin American experience was consistently endorsed. Fabian von Schlabrendorff is listed again for his arbitration work. The Frankfurt office also provides the firm’s sole nominee in the business crime chapter, Jürgen Taschke.

COMPETITION, REGULATION and E-COMMERCE
The firm’s competition practice was rated among the ten best in the world by our sister publication Global Competition Review in its GCR 20, and the majority of the nine lawyers we feature are based in either London or Brussels. In Belgium, Simon Baxter is “a very strong practitioner”, while Thomas Vinje is “fantastic, both academically and practically” and also appears as an expert in the regulatory communications chapter. Tony Reeves is “young and bright with a burgeoning reputation.” Alex Nourry heads Clifford Chance’s London European competition and regulation group, and impressed respondents to our survey with his “vast knowledge”. John Osborne is highly rated, as is the “excellent” Oliver Bretz. The firm also has “one of France’s best and most experienced competition lawyers” in Claude Lazarus, as well as further highly rated nominees in Rome and Madrid.

Clifford Chance’s presence in six countries outstrips any other in the regulatory communications chapter. London-based partner Elizabeth Hiester leads the way in terms of nominations, and two partners appear from Madrid: Pablo Mayor is highly specialised in technical issues and the “excellent” Juan José Lavilla’s “keen eye for administration issues” won him great praise. Peter Lakatos represents Clifford Chance in our Hungary list, and the firm gains multiple representatives in Asia with Alison Lindsay in Hong Kong and Philip Rapp in Singapore.

The firm is held to be “very technologically savvy”, especially for large international outsourcing deals, data protection and e-commerce, and the “very experienced” Vanessa Marsland was praised for her work on home shopping, IT and technology procurement and appears in the internet and e-commerce chapter.

INSURANCE
Clifford Chance is seen as “one of the principal forces in insurance and reinsurance law”. In the UK, Katherine Coates is “very well respected” for her local and EU regulatory expertise, and Hilary Evenett has a “terrific reputation” for her regulatory practice; both also handle transactional matters. Nicholas Munday was praised for his “exceptional talents” and Terry O’Neill comes highly recommended for both contentious and non-contentious work. In the US, Peter Chaffetz is global head of litigation and dispute resolution and one of the firm’s most successful representatives in terms of nominations. He is joined by the “technically brilliant” Steven Schwartz and transactional expert Paul Meyer.

TRANSPORT
Seven partners make it onto our aviation chapter, led in the voting by Geoffrey White, whose “great breadth of knowledge” make him “one of the deans of the bar”. Clive Carpenter and William Glaister also appear. Riko Vanezis in Frankfurt reinforces the firm’s European reputation and it also has a strong grip on the Asian market; Tokyo-based Keiji Isaji appears, while Fergus Evans is the only lawyer in Thailand to earn inclusion. John Howitt rounds off Clifford Chance’s impressive showing and offers the firm an important US dimension to its aviation practice. In a related sector, the firm can boast a “top-class” ship finance lawyer in Paul Turner.

ENERGY, Environment AND IP
The expertise of Russell Wells in the field of project finance has already been noted, and he also appears as a leader in the oil and gas research, accompanied by Paul O’Regan in Japan. Michael Cuthbert in Moscow is an expert in mining law, and the firm also has four nominations in the environment chapter. Two are based in the London office; Nigel Howorth was recognised for his expertise in the planning and environment aspects of developments and energy projects, and Brian Hall is head of the group in this area and well regarded. Stanislaw Wajda heads the Poland research and is regarded as “the go-to guy” there, while William Thomas heads the Americas environment practice from Washington and was praised for his “very effective and thoughtful counsel”.

Clifford Chance also appears in our intellectual property-related chapters. In the patent chapter, Miquel Montaná from the Barcelona office emerges as one of the most respected IP lawyers in Spain, and Jean Frederic Gaultier in Paris appears alongside him. Peter Taylor in London gives the firm a presence in the trademarks chapter and completes the firm’s listing overall.