Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP & Affiliates

Executive Partner: Eric Friedman

London Office Head: Richard Youle

THE FIRM With offices in London, Paris, Brussels, Frankfurt and Munich, Skadden has successfully developed an integrated European practice that handles substantial cross-border and domestic matters.

PRINCIPAL AREAS OF WORK

MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS

Skadden has one of the leading M&A practices in the world. We have developed a top M&A capability in Europe with a focus on complex, cross-border transactions. In London, we have a first-tier capability in Takeover Code regulated transactions and have a fully established non-public and private equity transactions practice. We offer significant advantages in managing complex cross-border issues and the demands of multiple legal and regulatory regimes.

PRIVATE EQUITY

Skadden advises private equity firms on the structuring and execution of large, cross-border and domestic private equity transactions, including the purchase and sale of portfolio companies. Our European private equity real estate team also advises on issues on behalf of clients involved in real estate, real estate investment, real estate finance and other real estate-related sectors.

CAPITAL MARKETS

Skadden's integrated U.K. and U.S. capital markets practice advises corporate, investment banking and governmental clients. We act on a variety of capital markets transactions, including initial public offerings, rights offerings, investment-grade and high-yield financings, private placements, offerings of regulatory capital and other hybrid securities, and other global equity and debt offerings. We provide transactional and compliance advice in connection with securities offerings under the U.K. and EU Prospectus Regulations, U.S. Rule 144A and Regulation S, and listings on the London Stock Exchange, U.S. stock exchanges and major European exchanges.

BANKING

Skadden advises lenders and borrowers on all aspects of acquisition finance, high-yield and private placements, project and real estate finance, general corporate lending and restructuring. The group is regularly engaged in the development of new financing techniques as well as more traditional approaches.

WHITE COLLAR AND INVESTIGATIONS

Skadden’s European white collar crime and investigations team defends corporations, directors, officers and employees against allegations in various business contexts and at every stage of the investigation and enforcement process. The firm advises clients regarding the implementation of business ethics compliance programmes. We frequently counsel on compliance concerns, including those related to anti-corruption/Foreign Corrupt Practices Act issues, anti-money laundering issues, and trade sanctions and export control issues.

INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION

Skadden’s European litigation and arbitration practice undertake multijurisdictional litigation and international arbitrations, including commercial and investment treaty arbitrations. We conduct cases under the ICSID, ICC, LCIA, HKIAC and UNCITRAL rules, among others. In London, we do not need to hire external barristers to act as advocates in international arbitration, as we have the relevant experience within our team. We also have solicitor-advocates with rights of audience before the High Court of England and Wales.

TAX

We are one of the few international law firms to provide a combined offering of both domestic and cross-border tax advice within the major European jurisdictions. Our work focuses on tax advice in connection with M&A and private capital transactions, and we also are leaders for complex tax advice in relation to the real estate sector, and on behalf of high-net-worth individuals.

TAX CONTROVERSY AND INVESTIGATIONS

Skadden’s U.K. tax controversy and investigations practice provides its clients with tactical and technical advice to ensure that tax disputes and investigations are resolved as effectively as possible through various methods such as negotiation, expert determination or a hearing before the tribunals or the courts.

INSURANCE

Skadden represents insurance and reinsurance companies and their financial advisors and underwriters in a wide variety of corporate transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, public and private financings, restructurings and reorganisations. Our team also provides a broad range of regulatory advice to insurance and reinsurance companies.

CORPORATE RESTRUCTURING

The European corporate restructuring team advises enterprises in cross-border, out-of-court restructurings and prenegotiated plans of reorganisation, as well as in judicial, insolvency restructuring transactions and bankruptcy proceedings. The firm also advises on insolvency issues in corporate transactions and in connection with litigation-related matters.

INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT

Skadden’s European Investment Management Group's core experience lies in structuring, establishing and operating a wide variety of pooled capital enterprises, such as general private equity funds, real estate funds, infrastructure funds, investment clubs and managed accounts.

IP, IT, DATA PROTECTION AND CYBERSECURITY

Skadden advises international clients across various industries on IP, IT, data protection and cybersecurity matters. We assist at every stage of the matter to ensure compliance with applicable privacy, data protection and cybersecurity legal and regulatory frameworks.

EU/INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION

Skadden’s European Union/international competition practice focuses on four principal areas under EU and other non-U.S. antitrust laws: merger control, cartels, abuses of dominant positions and other antitrust issues (e.g., vertical licensing/distribution arrangements and state aid issues).

EMPLOYMENT

Skadden’s employment practice handles cross-border employment, employee benefits, compensation and pension-related issues in mergers, acquisitions and joint venture transactions involving multinational parties, including issues relating to employee transfers and works council consultations.