Profile: Sullivan & Cromwell LLP

Sullivan & Cromwell LLP - Who's Who Legal '70'

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

INTERNATIONAL CORPORATE EXPERTISE
According to Bloomberg, S&C ranked first by value among the law firms representing principals in announced transactions worldwide in 2007. Indeed, in six of the 10 largest announced deals the firm was advising one of the principals. Unsurprisingly, therefore, six partners feature in the mergers & acquisitions chapter – four in New York and two in Paris. James Morphy leads the firm’s US contingent, as one of the practice area’s most nominated individuals. Morphy spent 10 years as the managing partner of the firm’s M&A group and significant matters include working on the largest buyout to date in which he’s representing BCE in connection with its pending sale to an investor consortium led by Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan and Providence Equity Partners. Rodgin Cohen, chairman of the firm since 2000, is one of the practice area’s stars. Sources label him “absolutely brilliant”, particularly for bank-related M&A. Benjamin Stapleton is another high-flyer while Joseph Frumkin was variously described as “excellent”, “standout” and “a leader”. Among multiple high-profile deals Frumkin recently represented TXU in its acquisition by an investor consortium led by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. The firm’s international credentials are highlighted by a strong presence in the France section. Dominique Bompoint comes recommended as “very bright” and advised Abertis Infraestructuras, the leader of a consortium of investors, in its bid and subsequent €5.3 billion purchase of SANEF. Gérard Mazet is similarly well regarded and he has worked for the likes of Sidel, Scor, Alcan and Aventis.

Lawyers at S&C are also recommended for their advice to boards of directors. Six individuals are selected for the corporate governance chapter, four of whom (Morphy, Stapleton, Bompoint and Mazet) have already been mentioned. New York-based John Warden joins them in the chapter a “litigation expert”, his board-level trial work stands out, he’s also a member of the prestigious American College of Trial Lawyers. Alison Ressler in California is another “very strong practitioner” who “stands out from the field” for her “high-quality, practical and commercially minded advice”.

Jean-Pierre Le Gall and Willard Taylor excel in our corporate tax research and feature in our list of the practice area’s leaders. Taylor’s work on federal and state taxation was brought to our attention. He is joined in the New York section by Andrew Mason, who represented Wachovia in its £25.5 billion acquisition of Golden West. David Hariton was also consistently endorsed during our research – particularly for federal income tax matters – with sources praising him as a “respected name in the field”. Gauthier Blanluet, a colleague of Le Gall’s in Paris, is “very active” when it comes to tax advice on mergers and acquisitions. Andrew Solomon, managing partner of the S&C tax group, gives the firm a notable presence in the important London market. His client list includes corporations such as American International Group, Allianz, Barclays Bank and Total.

Corporate real estate is yet another strong point with three individuals in that chapter. Joseph Shenker is well known for his representation of Goldman Sachs and General Growth Properties among others and is “one of the best in the US”, according to sources. Arthur Adler worked on the redevelopment of Penn Station in New York and is joined in the chapter by the “excellent” Anthony Colletta.

BANKING AND FINANCE
Sullivan & Cromwell boasts one of the leading banking practices in the United States with lawyers engaged in the full gambit of transactional, regulatory, anti-money laundering and corporate governance issues. Rodgin Cohen is the most nominated banking lawyer overall. He represents the Clearing House – an association of 11 major banks – and is reported to be an “awesome talent” and a “fabulous lawyer”. Sources noted that Michael Wiseman is “aptly named” and he comes recommended for his regulatory expertise. Clients include UBS, ABN AMRO, the Bank of New York and Delta Bank. Erik Lindauer is “extremely good across a range of complex financings” while Donald Toumey is “spectacular for banking related M&A”. Mark Welshimer coordinates the firm’s asset based finance group and was described to researchers as “very good”. Stanley Farrar in Tokyo was also consistently endorsed, particularly for his M&A work in the banking sector. With such a strong contingent in the publication it is unsurprising that one source enthused: “They have one hell of a team over there.”

International capital markets is another forte: six partners make the cut in the corresponding chapter. Wolfgang Feuring in Frankfurt is one of the leading German practitioners in equity and equity-linked products and boasts the “strongest team of senior associates in the community” according to one high-profile corporate source. Co-head of the firm’s Japan practice Izumi Akai in Japan is “absolutely exceptional”. Chun Wei adds further weight to the firm’s Asian practice, coordinating the China group from Hong Kong. Among other matters she advised the Bank of China in its US$11.2 billion IPO and Hong Kong listing. The “vastly experienced” William Williams is of counsel in the New York office from where he is joined in the chapter by John Bostelman, coordinator of the firm’s securities practice and one of the practice area’s most nominated individuals. Robert Risoleo in Washington, DC brings the firm’s impressive listing to a close.

S&C also boasts some of the “finest legal minds around” for project finance. Frederic Rich is “an acknowledged leader” in the field and makes our breakdown of the practice area’s elite. Rich heads the firm’s project finance group and has worked on projects in countries including Azerbaijan, China, Panama, Russia and Venezuela. Sources recommend Christopher Mann as “wonderful to work with” while Sergio Galvis’s Latin American expertise was noted on a number of occasions. Jamieson Logie is rated as “one of the finest project finance lawyers in London”. He and Galvis also appear prominently in the mining chapter.

DISPUTE RESOLUTION
The firm’s alternative dispute resolution credentials are plain for all to see in the commercial arbitration chapter. The “deeply experienced” James Carter and “first rate” Joseph Neuhaus were consistently endorsed to researchers. The firm also boasts an “exemplary pedigree” when it comes to commercial litigation with Goldman Sachs, Barclays, UBS, Morgan Stanley and JPMorgan Chase among its clients. Gandolfo ‘Vince’ DiBlasi is a “highly respected” financial services litigator who, among other matters, counselled First Boston in connection with Orange County’s bankruptcy in a case brought by the SEC. John Warden’s work on behalf of Goldman Sachs in antitrust litigation was noted with sources rating him as “very eminent”. “There are few better than David Tulchin for high-stakes litigation,” noted one rival while Michael Cooper is rated as “one of the all-time greats” and “the source of learned, practical and often invaluable advice” to clients. White-collar criminal defence is also part of the S&C armoury with two high-profile entries in the business crime chapter. Samuel Seymour represented the former lead Arthur Andersen engagement partner for Enron, David Dunca, in the criminal probe of Enron and Andersen. Karen Patton Seymour has a background as chief of the criminal division for the US attorney’s office for the southern district of New York where she served as lead trial counsel for the government in the prosecution of Martha Stewart and Peter Bacanovic.

COMPETITION
The firm’s antitrust practice is headquartered in New York and in the past 12 months lawyers have worked on a number of high profile matters for longstanding client Microsoft. Other notable highlights include representing British Airways in two global antitrust investigations and related multidistrict class action lawsuits relating to the alleged price fixing of fuel surcharges for air cargo services and passenger air services. On the transactional side the team also advised Alcan on its US$38.1 billion acquisition by Rio Tinto. Yvonne Quinn coordinates the firm’s antitrust practice from New York and is recommended as a “quite exceptional litigator”. John Warden, once again, featured prominently in the research. The firm’s London office is also represented, thanks to the well regarded practice of Juan Rodriguez.

Matthew Brennan and Theodore Rogers, who appear in the environment and labour & employment chapters respectively, complete Sullivan & Cromwell’s excellent showing on the following pages.