Capital Markets: Equity | France

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton has market-leading capabilities in ECM, regularly acting on major IPOs and rights issues. The team offers expertise in the field of debt, with notable strength in a variety of bond issuances as well as EMTN programmes and private placements. The practice is best known for its work for large corporate issuers, sovereign states and leading banking institutions. The team features experts in French and US law.

White & Case maintains a standout reputation in the debt and equity fields, both domestically and on a global scale. The law firm handles a wide range of complex transactions including rights issues, capital increases, the establishment of EMTN programmes, bond issuances and securitisation transactions. The team shows further capabilities in high-yield bond refinancing matters. The practice has a strong client base of issuers, shareholders and investment banks. The team frequently works with its other offices across the globe on cross-border transactions.

The French team of this international powerhouse covers the full spectrum of capital markets matters. The practice remains a market leader in debt and structured finance, often dealing with complex hybrid bond issuances and securitisation transactions, and is additionally active on ECM and derivatives matters. The team acts for an impressive range of clients including banks, insurers and corporates, and it benefits from US and UK law capabilities based locally in Paris. Clifford Chance's lawyers can access the firm's wider European resources to offer further support to clients.

Gide Loyrette Nouel boasts a strong debt and equity team with further skills across the wider capital markets field. The law firm is well reputed for its presence on complex deals, offering particular knowledge and experience of European private placements and high-yield bond issuances. The team also has notable expertise advising on IPOs and capital increases, as well as derivatives matters. The practice maintains a varied client roster of leading banks and French corporates, and is particularly active in the biotech sector.

Jones Day has a leading team in Paris for derivatives products, with a strong focus on strategic equity and swaps. The law firm also acts on notable IPOs and capital increases, including highlight mandates for companies operating in the biotech or medical devices fields. The team is adept at handling transactional as well as regulatory matters, and offers growing expertise in structured finance mandates. The practice makes use of its international presence to assist clients with cross-border transactions.

Bredin Prat boasts a strong team that advises on a range of equity transactions including IPOs, capital increases and private placements. The law firm acts for both domestic and international corporate issuers on their listings in France. Its clients benefit from the close collaboration between the firm's corporate, finance and tax teams. 

Latham & Watkins houses a respected practice that draws particular recognition for its activity on high-yield debt issuances. The law firm has additional experience in ECM and derivatives transactions. It advises a range of clients including investment banks and insurance companies. The team provides international coverage for cross-border capital market transactions.

Linklaters' strong capital markets practice has demonstrable expertise in the debt and securitisation fields. The law firm advises on both domestic and cross-border deals governed by French, UK and US law. The practice offers fully integrated services thanks to close links with the firm's corporate, banking and tax teams and can also assist with equity deals. The lawyers regularly act in coordination with team members based in Europe, Hong Kong or London. The law firm's client list includes leading investment banks, corporates and insurers.

Sullivan & Cromwell boasts a solid ECM practice with notable experience in capital increases and IPOs. The law firm advises both issuers and underwriters on the French and US law aspects of international capital markets transactions. Its client roster includes major French corporates, banks, insurers and private equity companies.