Finance & Capital Markets (International & Cross-Border) | Global

New York-headquartered Davis Polk has high-end capabilities across transactional, regulatory and contentious areas. It is 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 matters, as well as running international investigations and disputes, including global antitrust files.

As a top-tier New York practice, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett is regularly sought out by major private equity firms and global corporations as a go-to firm for advice on international transactional mandates. Primarily handling high-end mergers and acquisitions as well as sophisticated fund formation, financing and cross-border tax matters, the firm's New York office is a significant hub of global expertise. It frequently coordinates cross-border work with the firm's other international offices across Europe, Latin America and Asia and with carefully chosen independent co-counsel from other jurisdictions.

Cravath, Swaine & Moore is highlighted as an elite-level example of an independent, lockstep firm with significant global influence. Its approach towards international work revolves around maintaining a high-quality partner-led practice in New York which collaborates effectively with other elite independent firms based overseas to advise on cross-border matters. The firm’s work is driven predominantly from its New York base, where the bulk of its expertise and resources is situated. It also has a long-established London office which provides clients a European centre of gravity and a high-performing capital markets group. The firm handles some of the world's most complex and high-value transactions, particularly public M&A involving US-listed corporations, regularly acting as global deal counsel and coordinating legal work across various jurisdictions. Its elite clientele also benefits from the firm’s capabilities representing in both US and international disputes and investigations.

Sidley Austin is frequently sought out by international clients for its global sector expertise, with the firm's focus built around strong relationships with clients in financial service, energy, life sciences and biotechnology. While the firm's US base remains the central hub of its global operations, Sidley Austin also attracts ample praise for its ability to join up experts across its platform throughout Europe and Asia, with offices in London, Singapore and China among others also playing a vital role in the firm's international appeal. The firm has an impressive ability to handle global transactions, disputes and investigations, enabling it to provide a comprehensive service on sophisticated matters for clients in its key industry groups.

US teams provide high-end capabilities across capital markets areas and act as a trusted adviser to clients on cross-border ECM and DCM transactions. The firm has a stellar reputation for substantial acquisition financing work, and frequently works with clients throughout the initial financing and, in a corporate context, execution stages. Offering impressive global scope with high-end teams in China and Europe, the bulk of the firm’s resources are in the USA, from where teams regularly coordinate multi-jurisdictional transactions for US and foreign multinationals. Advising on some of the most substantial US inbound investment and outbound projects, the firm counts elite corporates, including major energy, pharmaceutical and technology players, among its clients.

Its finance and capital markets groups offer high-end expertise across various product lines and have an excellent reputation for advising on major cross-border ECM and DCM issuances for large corporates and banks. The firm has an excellent handle on transatlantic capital flows, leveraging strong UK and Germany teams to adeptly handle outbound matters for US clients and European clients investing and listing in the USA. Strong financing capabilities intertwine with a market-leading energy and resources practice, making the firm a top choice among oil and gas and other clients on substantial global financings and capital raisings. Also regularly handles international project financing, with a robust reputation for Latin American mandates.

The US groups offer a global finance platform to multinational clients including investment banks, energy companies and corporates. The firm performs well in leveraged and investment-grade lending, and has a strong reputation for derivatives and corporate bond and equity issuances. This expertise, combined with the firm’s well-established global reach, positions it to advise on cross-border finance and capital markets matters. The transatlantic nexus is a key area of focus for its US lawyers, and they also link with Asia and Latin America to support clients with multi-jurisdictional requirements.

Debevoise & Plimpton offers an exceptional multidisciplinary and international practice with notable capabilities in the global contentious space. Renowned for handling complex multi-jurisdictional disputes, it also holds an impressive track record for coordinating cross-border transactions. The New York office, often regarded as the central hub of the law firm’s international operations, is known to coordinate highly complex international work and regularly co-counsels with colleagues in the UK, Asia and Europe.

The US teams provide solid capabilities in advising on complex, cross-border finance, particularly on project finance across the US-Latin America nexus, and in providing support for banks and other lenders investing in infrastructure and energy developments. US teams, largely in New York and Chicago, also excel in coordinating cross-border securitisation matters, and combine internal collaboration with project-managing other counsel. Teams can call upon strong sector knowledge in technology and energy, providing further cross-border value to clients in these industries.

It houses a highly regarded team for finance transactions, with a reputation for specialist expertise in project and asset finance. Strong teams in the USA frequently lead cross-border transactions, and the firm has a solid reputation for advising clients on transatlantic finance deals in cooperation with its London office. It also collaborates with teams in Asia and is adept at directing its chosen local law counsel. In global energy and infrastructure financing matters, it leverages deep sector expertise to provide a holistic service to multinational clients.

Largely New York-driven, US teams offer a strong global platform for large clients seeking cross-border capital markets and finance expertise, utilising strong UK, European and China offices. The firm has a stellar reputation for its representation of private equity clients and is a trusted adviser on cross-border leveraged finance in transatlantic deals. It also has an established reputation in financial markets in Asia, and its US-based teams often advise on US-Asia deals. It offers solid expertise in cross-border securitisation, and the firm has a global reputation for a leading bankruptcy group that is well versed in project-managing multi-jurisdictional proceedings.

White & Case provides clients with an impressive global platform. The firm handles high-end, complex mandates from the USA and works seamlessly with other teams in its expansive network across EMEA and Asia-Pacific and with other offices across North and South America. The team excels in transactional and contentious matters, and is recognised for its ability to drive cross-border deals into other jurisdictions. By remaining highly attuned to the needs of all international clients, it is a popular choice for global operations.

A highly regarded firm in the financing space, particularly in structured finance, its US teams offer solid expertise in specialist areas including cross-border trade receivables and asset finance. The firm can call upon its extensive US and international resources, providing a full suite of services to clients domestically and across its global offices. It also provides clients with strong internal collaboration and the ability to project-manage local counsel on cross-border work. Its clients include asset managers, banks and public companies, and it regularly provides cross-border counsel on finance and capital-raising deals for life sciences and technology companies.

Paul Hastings has a highly respected corporate offering with an excellent reputation for its cross-office collaboration and strong global network. The team stands out for its work on complex cross-border cases, frequently directing negotiations and advising clients in relation to deals in key foreign markets, particularly in Europe, Africa and Asia jurisdictions. Clients praise the firm's deep bench consisting of highly qualified and capable lawyers, with the commercial awareness and legal expertise to successfully achieve transactional goals. The firm is regularly sought after by US and overseas investors for its international appeal and ability to collaborate seamlessly with local counsel and provide timely legal support worldwide.

The firm offers clients strong international capabilities in the areas of acquisition financing, LBOs, asset financing and restructuring. It provides US-based expertise in areas of capital markets including high yield, ECM and securitisation, with teams regularly linking with a well-established capital markets group in Japan to serve clients on cross-border deals. US teams often collaborate with London colleagues and provide a platform to clients seeking to execute transatlantic deals, and the firm offers strong multi-jurisdictional project management capabilities, particularly from its New York base.

Ropes & Gray provides an integrated international offering with a strong global focus on financial services, life sciences and pharmaceuticals. The firm's US offices act as its primary driving force for international work, with Boston and New York frequently leading cross-border work, typically coordinating global transactions for major private equity funds and corporations. Key areas of geographic strength include Asian markets, and Ropes & Gray is often considered a popular choice by US and Asian clients for investments from the USA into China and Japan, where the firm can also offer locally-based US law-qualified experts. The US team also works in a seamless manner with the firm's London office, particularly for the funds and corporate sides of the practice.