Corporate/M&A: High-end Capability | Europe

The highly regarded corporate and M&A practice at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer is renowned across the market for handling large-cap, complex deals. It is well equipped to manage both public and private M&A, as well as corporate advice and international reorganisations. It boasts a broad range of expertise, including carve-outs, investments and complex distribution agreements. A strong international network allows the team to manage large-scale cross-border deals. Close links to the law firm's US offices are of particular advantage for its German blue-chip clients and US investors in Germany. The team showcases broad sector expertise, covering automotive, technology, manufacturing and life sciences.

Hengeler Mueller is a renowned German firm, widely regarded as a market leader in corporate and M&A advice. Its practitioners showcase expertise in domestic as well as cross-border transactions, handling both buy-side and sell-side mandates for multinational corporations. The department comes highly recommended for its strength in all aspects of public and private M&A, carve-outs and strategic partnerships as well as joint venture set-ups. Clients also benefit from the firm's stellar expertise in capital markets transactions, especially those with subsequent business combinations. It provides ongoing corporate advice to a variety of DAX 40 companies and boasts an impressive client roster that includes financial institutions as well as a raft of clients in the TMT, fashion and energy sectors.

Linklaters boasts an excellent corporate and M&A department that is a top choice for complex, high-value transactions. The firm has an exceptionally strong global presence, which enables the team to perform excellently in cross-border matters. It regularly handles major acquisitions and mergers, as well as large-scale corporate restructurings and joint ventures. It also handles complex carve-outs and takeover bids for multinational companies. The department also routinely advises DAX 40 companies on corporate governance and strategic issues. It is especially active in the energy, materials, financial services and automotive sectors.

Clifford Chance features a prominent practice that attracts praise for its capabilities in cross-border M&A transactions. The firm regularly handles joint ventures and ensuing transactions and is well equipped to manage significant international carve-outs. Another strength lies in handling overseas market entries for prominent German clients. The team represents major domestic and international corporates, financial institutions and private equity houses. Its industry focus spans life sciences and health, energy, financial services, automotive and real estate.

The law firm Latham & Watkins is renowned for its impressive cross-border capabilities, with particular expertise in deals originating in the USA. The team is recommended for complex, high-value and cross-border M&A deals, with expertise in both public and private transactions, but also assists with carve-outs, joint ventures and corporate advisory work. Latham & Watkins represents DAX 40 companies and both strategic and financial investors. The law firm's wide-ranging sector expertise spans the automotive, energy, healthcare, TMT and financial services industries.

Sullivan & Cromwell demonstrates an exceptionally strong combination of its public M&A and ECM capabilities. It also has an impressive presence on private M&A mandates. The team specialises in big-ticket, complex transactions, with a strong focus on both inbound and outbound deals involving the USA, representing both buyers and target companies. Its clientele includes private equity houses, investment banks and both traditional and newer large corporates.

The firm is renowned for the depth of its international capabilities. It is a popular choice for complex cross-border transactions, including acquisitions, mergers and divestitures. Share buy-back programmes and joint venture expansions are also handled by the team, while further offering expertise in capital markets-related mandates. It is a trusted boardroom adviser to various DAX 40 companies as well as a strong choice for private equity transactions. The firm's industry expertise ranges from automotive and manufacturing to transportation and financial services. On 1st May 2024, Allen & Overy and Shearman & Sterling merged to form A&O Shearman.

Gleiss Lutz has a robust team that is well regarded for its capabilities in high-end transactions, advising a range of DAX 40 companies. It routinely handles inbound investments and acquisitions for international clients. The scope of its expertise encompasses divestitures and public takeovers whereby the team is often sought after by financial advisers and prominent corporates, while also showing expertise in take-private mandates. The department has an impressive reputation for advising management and supervisory boards of high-profile companies on complex corporate law and governance issues, as well as corporate investigations. It is particularly active in the industrial, automotive, technology and financial services sectors.

The international law firm Milbank showcases a well-established team with a very strong reputation for advising large public companies on corporate law matters. It offers strategic advice to management, supervisory boards and shareholders, including on cross-border acquisitions and divestitures. The team also assists with corporate reorganisations and partnership agreements as well as financing rounds. Milbank additionally has significant expertise in handling deals for private equity funds and related portfolio company mandates. The law firm's versatile client base also extends to family offices and family-owned businesses, and it has particular strength in the healthcare and life sciences sectors.

Baker McKenzie boasts excellent cross-border capabilities thanks to its broad global network of offices. The team regularly advises on large-scale and often multi-jurisdictional M&A transactions, with a strong focus on Chinese and US investments. Extensive partnership agreements and share sales are also handled by the team. The law firm's clientele is made up of domestic and international corporations from sectors including manufacturing, automotive, technology, energy and chemicals.

CMS offers a strong team that draws on a deep bench of lawyers to handle a multitude of both high-end and mid-cap M&A transactions. The law firm routinely assists with the formation of joint ventures, especially in the energy and electric mobility sectors. CMS is particularly strong in M&A matters that have a significant regulatory component, benefiting from deep-rooted expertise in the TMT, energy, financial services and healthcare sectors. It also has a substantial client base in the automotive industry. Aided by its expansive office network, CMS is well placed to handle cross-border mandates.

The corporate practice at Hogan Lovells is commended for its knowledge and understanding of regulated industries such as energy, life sciences, insurance and telecommunications. It handles asset and share deals and restructurings, as well as auction proceedings and investments in start-ups. The team also handles partnership agreements and assists with supervisory law mandates. It caters to mid-market clients as well as large internationally active companies. The law firm's global network enables the team to handle multi-jurisdictional transactions, demonstrating broad European capabilities coupled with notable US expertise.

Kirkland & Ellis frequently handles noteworthy transactions, offering particular expertise in private equity deals, acting for prominent sponsors, investors and portfolio companies. It also boasts a strong practice for public takeover deals. The team is well placed to handle cross-border transactions, working closely with colleagues in London and the USA. It is especially active in the manufacturing and technology industries.

Noerr is a German law firm with international offices that comes recommended for handling a variety of matters, including acquisitions, divestitures, public takeovers and corporate reorganisations. Long-term partnership agreements and joint venture formations constitute a further area of expertise. The law firm regularly acts on international deals, including those involving China. It has a strong standing among German SMEs and public entities as well as catering to large corporate clients from Germany and abroad.

Skadden, Arps, Slate Meagher & Flom displays a strong M&A profile and is best known for its involvement in global and pan-European transactions, drawing on its international network. The team receives regular instructions for complex, high-end M&A and private equity deals. Partnership agreements and joint venture set-ups also fall within the firm's area of expertise. It regularly assists DAX 40 companies as well as large international corporations, investment firms and financial advisers. Many of its clients are headquartered in the USA.

The German law firm SZA Schilling, Zutt & Anschütz houses a well-regarded corporate law practice that acts primarily for domestic clients, assisting with national as well as cross-border matters. It provides boardroom and shareholder advice to DAX 40 clients, with notable strength in corporate governance matters. The law firm also handles corporate litigation, shareholder agreements and investments. High-value M&A transactions including acquisitions and divestments as well as carve-outs and spin-offs further fall under its expertise. It offers additional strength in corporate reorganisation matters. SZA attracts prestigious clients from a range of sectors, including financial services, automotive, pharmaceutical and technology.

White & Case is an internationally focused law firm advising on a mixture of M&A and corporate matters. It has extensive capabilities in high-end, cross-border transactions, including joint ventures, divestments and acquisitions via auction processes. The team's client roster boasts a number of prestigious domestic and international corporates. It also advises private equity funds and portfolio companies on acquisitions, and commands expertise in the real estate, financial services, technology, automotive and energy industries.

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher has a dedicated corporate team that offers advice on corporate governance to management and supervisory boards of several DAX 40 companies and international businesses. It also handles cross-border private and public M&A transactions, with a particular focus on US-driven deals. The firm offers additional expertise in international joint ventures. Active on both high-end and mid-cap deals, the team routinely handles inbound investments for international clients. It predominantly acts for clients from the life sciences, manufacturing and technology sectors as well as private equity houses and their portfolio companies.

Jones Day is a well-known international firm, especially recommended for cross-border and multi-jurisdictional M&A deals. It handles acquisitions and divestitures with particular expertise in transactions involving the US and France. Further expertise includes carve-out and spin-off matters, cooperation agreements and venture capital investments. The law firm's client base includes private equity investors and corporates. Jones Day offers extensive expertise in the technology, automotive and healthcare sectors and also handles transactions for domestic and international clients in the manufacturing sector.

The international law firm Willkie Farr & Gallagher's expertise lies in mid as well as large-cap M&A transactions, and the firm acts for domestic and international corporates as well as founders and portfolio companies. Willkie Farr & Gallagher also enjoys a strong standing in private equity-related mandates. The team also assists with joint venture formations. Due to its international office network the firm is in a strong position to handle cross-border mandates across various industry sectors including pharmaceutical, technology, fashion and automotive.