Corporate/M&A (International & Cross-Border) | Global

Clifford Chance's London office is viewed as a powerful force in the UK market, with a leading reputation for carrying out international work across a full-service range of practice areas. The firm has significant appeal for handling cross-border work because of its impressive global network and remains a popular choice for leading sophisticated international mandates.

A distinguished full-service law firm, Freshfields is recognised for its international mindset and its ability to lead cross-border work from its London centre. The law firm has outstanding international capabilities and can utilise widespread offices in its top-tier, integrated network, which incorporates highly-rated teams across Europe, the Middle East, the Americas and Asia-Pacific. Equally, the firm has established the 'Stronger Together' group of local firms, serving clients' needs in jurisdictions where collaboration with co-counsel is required.

Recognised as one of the most internationally-focused law firms in the UK, Linklaters offers an outstanding full-service practice in London, which is renowned for the quality of its international work throughout its wide-ranging scope of expertise. The London team holds an elite reputation for coordinating both transactional and contentious cross-border matters and often acts as the driving force behind strategic advice in global mandates. The law firm's distinguished global platform is also noted as a key attraction to clients, extending the firm's reach across Europe, the Americas, Asia-Pacific, Africa and various emerging markets.

Slaughter and May is an elite UK law firm which is revered for its ability to orchestrate global mandates from London and has carved out a high level of influence worldwide. In addition to its London headquarters, the firm operates from office locations in Brussels, Beijing and Hong Kong. Slaughter and May's independent lockstep model has also proved appealing when forging close relationships with firms of a similar style and status in jurisdictions outside the UK, ensuring that the firm can provide clients with a team of market-leading firms to add foreign law expertise on international work to fit the client's requirements.

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom is a premium global practice which has built widespread coverage and expertise across regions and areas of law on the foundation of its long-standing, market-leading reputation for US law advice. Strength in depth across the firm's UK and European teams across transactional and contentious areas makes the firm a leading choice for sophisticated transatlantic matters.

Baker McKenzie offers one of the most expansive and established international footprints in the legal industry and its global reach is frequently referenced by multinational clients as one of its primary assets. The London office acts as an important hub of lawyers with international experience and expertise across multiple areas, offering a full-service scope. The firm enjoys an excellent reputation for its international and cross-border capabilities and is often praised for the smooth execution and collaboration clients experience across the firm's network.

Combining a well-established London team with a top-tier New York practice, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett is renowned for handling complex cross-border work with a strong focus on transactional mandates. The UK team is primarily responsible for the firm's work and clients across Europe as well as working in conjunction with lawyers in the firm's principal hub of resources in New York, which means it is chiefly engaged on high-value international work.

Sullivan & Cromwell has developed a stellar reputation as an international law firm, combining a leading US law practice headquartered in New York with top-end expertise throughout its offices across Asia-Pacific and European financial centres. The law firm provides broad international capabilities on substantial transactions and high-value contentious cases, appealing to a broad range of international companies and banks based both within and outside the USA.

Weil, Gotshal & Manges has forged an excellent reputation internationally through a global platform principally built around its transactional capabilities. The law firm's primary headquarters in New York and its impressive London base both act as important global hubs and are coupled with a far-reaching network of offices which extends across the USA and Europe, with Asian operations run from China. All the law firm's offices have a principal focus on advising international banks, large multinational corporations and private equity funds. The firm typically offers strength in cross-border finance, restructuring, high-end M&A and tax across its platform.

White & Case provides clients with an impressive global platform. The UK team handles high-end, complex mandates and works seamlessly with other offices in its expansive network across the Americas, EMEA and Asia-Pacific. The team offers a full-service practice in London with notable transactional capabilities and a particularly high standing in finance and capital markets work, which has made the team an appealing option for numerous international banks. By remaining highly tuned to the needs of all international clients, it is a popular choice for global operations.

Regarded as a highly-capable global practice, CMS provides a comprehensive service to international clients in areas such as M&A, dispute resolution and banking and finance. The sector-oriented London team exhibits real strength advising clients from the energy, insurance, technology and life sciences spaces. Cross-border mandates are often coordinated from the UK, but the firm also stands out for its excellent network of offices throughout continental Europe, which is strengthened by its presence in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

Davis Polk & Wardwell is a New York-headquartered firm with high-end capabilities across transactional, regulatory and contentious areas. Set up to serve global clients and project-manage matters from key financial centres, including London, Paris, Beijing and Hong Kong, and collaborates with selected partner firms in other jurisdictions for local law aspects. Primarily serving large US and international investment banks, financial institutions and corporates, the firm has extensive experience handling sophisticated, multi-jurisdictional M&A, financing and capital markets offerings, as well as running international investigations and disputes, including global antitrust files.

A law firm frequently endorsed for its geographic reach, DLA Piper is highlighted by sources as delivering an integrated approach to an array of transactional and contentious proceedings. Across its network, the firm has a strong commitment to sector groups and industry-focused expertise, with retail, pharmaceuticals and technology representing key areas of focus.

Hogan Lovells represents international clients across its full-service scope, providing an excellent cross-border service for a range of contentious, transactional and regulatory work. The London team remains a central contributor to the law firm's worldwide success and frequently coordinates cross-border work. It has particularly close ties to the firm's European offices as well as forming an effective team with the law firm's lawyers in other key jurisdictions throughout the USA, Asia, Australia, the Middle East and Africa.

Jones Day offers renowned cross-border capabilities to international clients for a mixture of transactional and contentious matters. The London team is particularly seen working in conjunction with the firm's US-based teams and also gives clients access to a broad global presence spanning across Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region. While offering a broad practice in London, M&A transactions, civil fraud and corporate litigation are key areas of the UK team's international activity.

Dechert is widely acknowledged to have an extensive international footprint with which it is able to handle major complex matters concerning multiple jurisdictions. With a significant focus on the financial sector, private equity and life sciences industries, the law firm is able to provide clients with assistance on a myriad of mandates, including fund formation, transactions and disputes from key offices across the major markets in the USA, Europe and Asia. To complement its significant global reach, the firm also frequently collaborates with co-counsel from other jurisdictions to provide a complete service.

Dentons enjoys a formidable reputation for its international and cross-border capabilities through its unmatched global presence. The law firm's vast network of offices covers more jurisdictions than any other competitor. The firm's UK offices, which incorporate teams in England and Scotland, play a significant role in international work, with London often acting as a focal point of the firm's global operations. The firm's UK lawyers offer in-depth expertise in international work across a range of practice areas.

"Norton Rose has strong resources in all jurisdictions and key partners that help us coordinate the complex multi-jurisdiction transactions."