Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP - The Who's Who Legal 100 2012

What is the Who's Who Legal 100?

The firm’s global M&A team worked on a number of high-profile deals in the past year, such as its representation of Express Scripts in its $29 billion acquisition of Medco Health Solutions in the world’s second largest deal of 2011, as well as acting for Progress Energy in its acquisition by Duke Energy. In the M&A section, 12 lawyers feature, seven of whom are also included in the corporate governance chapter. In New York, Peter Allan Atkins is “fantastic” and is well known for his representation of BHP Billiton in its attempted takeover of Rio Tinto. He features in both chapters, as does Lou Kling, who received many votes from high ranking lawyers in the research, a testament to his “top-tier” practice in buyouts and corporate restructuring. He was part of the team that actied in the Express Scripts deal. William Kunkel and Charles Mulaney from the Chicago office are both “big names” in the field. Kunkel is praised for his work on IPOs, advising on capital underwriting and the issuance of securities. Mulaney is “excellent” on disclosure issues and directors’ duties and earns a dual listing in the M&A and corporate governance chapters.

Head of the private equity practice group and New York office leader Eileen Nugent is “one of the finest around” and appears in our M&A and governance chapters. Alongside her in both those chapters is Brian McCarthy, former general counsel at Pacific Capital Group and a “highly experienced” lawyer in advising in the financial services, technology and entertainment arenas. Head of the Palo Alto office Kenton King is the global co-head of the corporate transactions practice and focuses exclusively on M&A and related matters.

Skadden’s London office boasts two “incredibly good” practitioners, the co-heads of the global transactions group. “Legal heavyweight” Scott Simpson is recommended by peers and clients, and has been involved in facilitating deals between US and European companies. Michael Hatchard is a “rainmaker” with a strong cross-continental expertise in European and US matters. He is in charge of the English law facility at the firm.

Head of the Paris office, Pierre Servan-Schreiber is a highly experienced and well-known lawyer who has advised clients in M&A and finance litigations, and the corporate structuring and IPOs of a number of international French companies, such as France Telecom and Gaz de France. He is lauded for his M&A and capital markets expertise and features in both those sections. “Leading lawyer” Paul Schnell is an expert on financing transactions in emerging economies and appears in the capital markets and M&A sections of the research this year.

The capital markets practice group is truly international, listings lawyers in eight countries. It has been responsible for some of the biggest deals in the world of late, including one of the largest IPOs in history by the China Construction Bank in 2005. Also featuring is Richard Aldrich, a securities offering and financing specialist based in São Paulo. He has advised the government of Brazil on their foreign debt restructuring and Bank of America Securities on management of financing.

In Toronto, Christopher Morgan focuses on US/Canada cross-border securities and financing, advising public companies, issuers and underwriters on debt and equity financing. In London, the co-head of the firm’s corporate finance group Richard Ely has earned a reputation for his representation of corporate and governmental issuers and underwriters in the public offering and private placement of equity and debt securities in Europe and the United States. In Frankfurt, Stephan Hutter concentrates on high-yield debt financings and share and securities placements. The firm’s Hong Kong office fields Jonathan Stone and Alec Tracy who both work for bidders, sellers, target companies, investment banks, financial sponsors and government entities.

In Singapore, Rajeev Duggal has advised multinationals based in the region, such as Singapore based Rizal Commercial Banking in a recent acquisition, ASAT Holdings in a Chinese restructuring and Telekom Malaysia Berhad in its acquisition of an Indonesian wireless operator.

In New York, alongside Paul Schnell, David Goldschmidt is a leading lawyer in this field and his practice places particular emphasis on public offerings, financing and transactions for REITs, commercial property companies and developers. Phyllis Korff is “very well known” for her focus on financing and transactions for SEC, NASDAQ and NYSE listed companies.

There are 10 Skadden lawyers included in the tax section, most notably Paul Oosterhuis, the global head of the firm’s regulatory practice. He is “excellent on international tax matters” and leads “the best one-stop-shop for tax” according to peers. Alongside him in DC is Fred Goldberg, the co-head of the firm’s tax group, while in London, Tim Sanders is the head of the European tax practice

The firm’s competition and IP expertise is well represented. Eight lawyers are listed for their competition practices, two as life science specialists and two as patent lawyers. The firm also enjoys listings in the real estate, project finance, private funds, public procurement, oil and gas, life sciences and many more disciplines, showcasing the breath of its legal expertise.