IFLR 1000
The Guide to the World's Leading Financial Law Firms

	Bredin Prat Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton Darrois Villey Maillot Brochier Linklaters
	Clifford Chance Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Gide Loyrette Nouel Sullivan & Cromwell Weil Gotshal & Manges Willkie Farr & Gallagher
	Allen & Overy Davis Polk & Wardwell De Pardieu Brocas Maffei Debevoise & Plimpton Jones Day Latham & Watkins Orrick Rambaud Martel Shearman & Sterling Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom White & Case
	Ashurst Brandford-Griffith & Associés Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson Hogan Lovells JeantetAssociés Mayer Brown Salans Veil Jourde
	August & Debouzy Baker & McKenzie CMS Bureau Francis Lefebvre Franklin Herbert Smith Norton Rose Paul Hastings Janofsky & Walker Proskauer Rose Simmons & Simmons SJ Berwin

	Latham & Watkins Weil Gotshal & Manges
	Linklaters Mayer Brown SJ Berwin Willkie Farr & Gallagher
	Ashurst Bredin Prat Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton
	Allen & Overy Clifford Chance Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Gide Loyrette Nouel Hogan Lovells Salans White & Case
	Ayache Salama & Associés Debevoise & Plimpton Jones Day Shearman & Sterling

Peers were impressed by SJ Berwin's performance in the private-equity market over the last 12 months, as one says: "They close very important deals", while another one agrees the firm should remain in its high-ranking position in private equity alongside Linklaters due to "the number of deals, clients and its reputation."The firm's traditional strength in private equity funds has been expanded in recent years as the Paris office has made great strides on the transactional front.... [more]

Peers were impressed by SJ Berwin's performance in the private-equity market over the last 12 months, as one says: "They close very important deals", while another one agrees the firm should remain in its high-ranking position in private equity alongside Linklaters due to "the number of deals, clients and its reputation."

The firm's traditional strength in private equity funds has been expanded in recent years as the Paris office has made great strides on the transactional front.

Since July 2010, the firm has been involved in a number of outstanding mandates. One example saw a Paris team advise Lion Capital on the €1.6 billion acquisition of Picard Surgelés group, a French frozen food business, from BC Partners.

Another notable transaction saw a corporate team, including Thomas Maitrejean, Guillaume Rémy and Fanny de la Porte des Vaux, advise ING Parcom Private Equity on the €245 million sale of French restaurant chain Courtepaille to Fondations Capital.

One of the key partners involved in many of the mandates is Maxence Bloch. One highlight saw him work alongside the team advise Rocco Giannoni and Joseph Le Mer's families on the sale of their shareholding in a French heat exchanger manufacturer Giannoni France group, as well as Le Mer's investment in the group.

Another example saw Bloch cooperate with Isabelle Meyrier advising bidder OFI Private Equity on a further 21.61% share capital acquisition of a French hair salon chain Dessange International from the founder Jacques Dessange.

In relation to advising sellers, Maitrejean teamed up with Benjamin Garçon acting for Azulis Capital and Natio Vie Développement IV on the sale of their shareholdings in Sofibo to Montefiore Investment.

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	Clifford Chance Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Hengeler Mueller
	Gleiss Lutz Latham & Watkins Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy P+P Pöllath + Partners
	Kirkland & Ellis Linklaters Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom Weil Gotshal & Manges Willkie Farr & Gallagher
	Allen & Overy Ashurst CMS Hasche Sigle Hogan Lovells Shearman & Sterling SJ Berwin White & Case
	Heisse Kursawe Eversheds McDermott Will & Emery Salans

	Uría Menéndez
	Cuatrecasas Gonçalves Pereira Garrigues
	Allen & Overy Ashurst Clifford Chance CMS Albiñana & Suárez de Lezo Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Gómez-Acebo & Pombo Linklaters Pérez-Llorca
	Araoz & Rueda Baker & McKenzie DLA Piper Hogan Lovells Jones Day Latham & Watkins Ramón & Cajal SJ Berwin

SJ Berwin was involved in a notable mandate in the renewable energy sector last year. Roberto Pomares, Carlos Pazos and Pablo Díaz led the team advising EDP group on its acquisition of minority stakes owned by Ente Vasco de la Energía (EVE) and CajaMadrid.... [more]

SJ Berwin was involved in a notable mandate in the renewable energy sector last year. Roberto Pomares, Carlos Pazos and Pablo Díaz led the team advising EDP group on its acquisition of minority stakes owned by Ente Vasco de la Energía (EVE) and CajaMadrid. Naturgás, one of the group’s subsidiaries, is to acquire 30% from EVE while Generaciones Especiales I, another subsidiary from the group, will acquire 20% from CajaMadrid.

Another highlight saw Pomares, Gonzalo Olivera and Díaz advise RREEF Infrastructure on the acquistion of 49% stakes in the SPVs owning five wind farms of more than 200MW in aggregate, located in the Castilla y León region. The transaction was believed to be the first in the renewable energy industry in Spain after the enacting of the regulations on the new regulatory framework as regards to renewable energy.
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	Cuatrecasas Gonçalves Pereira Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Garrigues Uría Menéndez
	Clifford Chance Gómez-Acebo & Pombo
	Allen & Overy Baker & McKenzie Broseta Abogados Bufete M Vega Penichet CMS Albiñana & Suárez de Lezo DLA Piper Linklaters Ventura Garcés & López-Ibor Abogados
	Deloitte KPMG Abogados Landwell Lupicinio Ramón Hermosilla & Gutiérrez de la Roza Ramos & Arroyo SJ Berwin

The key restructuring and insolvency partner at SJ Berwin is Alfredo Guerrero. He led the team advising SIDSA on a petition for a declaration of voluntary bankruptcy; in addition, the firm also collaborated with the Bankruptcy Authority in the determination of SIDSA's assets and liabilities.... [more]

The key restructuring and insolvency partner at SJ Berwin is Alfredo Guerrero. He led the team advising SIDSA on a petition for a declaration of voluntary bankruptcy; in addition, the firm also collaborated with the Bankruptcy Authority in the determination of SIDSA's assets and liabilities. In addition, the team also acted for Lartec Desarrollos Inteligentes in relation to its file of petition for the voluntary bankruptcy declaration.

Elsewhere the firm defended La Seda de Barcelona in the restitution proceeding initiated by the Bankruptcy Authority of Provimola. In the proceeding, the bankruptcy authority is claiming for the reintegration of €29 million to the creditors.
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	Clifford Chance Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Linklaters
	Allen & Overy Herbert Smith Norton Rose Slaughter and May Travers Smith
	Ashurst CMS Cameron McKenna Shearman & Sterling Simmons & Simmons
	DLA Piper Hogan Lovells SJ Berwin White & Case

	Kirkland & Ellis SJ Berwin
	Ashurst Macfarlanes
	Clifford Chance Debevoise & Plimpton Linklaters Simpson Thacher & Bartlett
	Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld Allen & Overy Berwin Leighton Paisner Covington & Burling Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Weil Gotshal & Manges White & Case

In terms of funds work there are few practices in the UK or indeed in Europe that can compete with SJ Berwin. The firm boasts one of the largest and most active teams in the market and few would question the firm's tier one position.... [more]

In terms of funds work there are few practices in the UK or indeed in Europe that can compete with SJ Berwin. The firm boasts one of the largest and most active teams in the market and few would question the firm's tier one position.

However it has been a tumultuous 12 months. In the latter half of 2010 the firm engaged in protracted and ultimately unsuccessful merger talks with US firm Proskauer Rose in an attempt by both firms to increase their presence outside of their home markets. Though the talks eventually came to nothing, the ramifications continued and in July 2010 Proskauer poached partners Nigel van Zyl and Oliver Rochman from the UK operation. The market will wait to see if the firm brings in replacements or indeed if it seeks another merger partner.

Before departing the firm van Zyl and Rochman advised Gilde Buy Out Partners on the fundraising and closing of Gilde IV with funds of €800 million. Josyane Gold also assisted SL Partners establish its new €700 million fund, which exceeded its original 500 million target.

Gold also acted on a £450 million fund for Phoenix Equity Partners while Duncan Woolard, Mark Hainsworth, Brian O'Neill and Catherine Sear acted on a £220 milion turnaround fund for Endless which closed in July 2011.

The team is not as well-known in transactional matters but can still point to work acting for the likes of Lion Capital and Duke Street.

On the transactional side, head of department Steven Davis acted for Lion on the sale of restaurant chain Wagamama to Duke Street. David also assisted the Lloyds Banking Group on the sale of a portfolio of private equity investments in 43 companies to Coller Capital.

Other highlights include Tim Wright and Ed Harris acting for Duke Street on the acquisition of the Payzone Group, while Martin Bowen, Nadim Zaman, Gareth Amdor and Laura Abrahams acted for Graphite on the £215 million sale of luxury shoe retailer Kurt Geiger to the Jones Group.

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