Karatzas & Partners is another firm that has a certain corporate specialism, as one partner says: "Karatzas do have a strong focus on M&A work." This is not to the detriment of any of the other practice areas however, as K&P continues to be top tier right across the four tables again with a clutch of big ticket deals to their name over the past 12 months....
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Karatzas & Partners is another firm that has a certain corporate specialism, as one partner says: "Karatzas do have a strong focus on M&A work." This is not to the detriment of any of the other practice areas however, as K&P continues to be top tier right across the four tables again with a clutch of big ticket deals to their name over the past 12 months.
Notably, some interesting deals came from their banking team, with partner Alexander Metallinos being heavily involved. "We use Karatzas for the most complex work, and yes, we were very much impressed," says one banking and capital markets client.
In one major deal a team led by Metallinos, the team advised telecommunications company Wind Hellas Group on a major debt restructuring encompassing multiple jurisdictions including Luxembourg and the UK, as well as Greece. Representing a total value of €1.8 billion on closing in December 2010, the deal is also the largest investment into the country since it entered the period of austerity measures recommended by the IMF and other agencies offering rescue funds. This is due to the fact that the initial restructuring work came after an acquisition, which was a large investment, with this additional debt restructuring becoming necessary due to the market conditions in Greece.
Another deal in this area that had some rarity appeal, due to its size and international scope, saw Metallinos lead a team advising Unilever on the Greek aspects of their global acquisition of Sara Lee's Personal Care and European Laundry business. The transaction completed in its entirety in December 2010 for a figure of €1.2 billion, with the Greek portion reaching €65 million.
Karatzas also maintains a top tier position in project finance, with an important infrastructural mandate probably their standout work here. The team is currently advising the lenders, a group of Greek and international banks, as regards the biggest highway projects in Greece, including the E65 and the Ionia Odos motorways.
Clients especially note the creativity of the team: "They had a very innovative approach that was geared towards concluding the deal. They were always working toward resolving issues," comments one finance client.
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