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

	Allen & Overy Clifford Chance Linklaters
	Baker & McKenzie Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Hogan Lovells Norton Rose White & Case
	Herbert Smith Paul Hastings Janofsky & Walker Sidley Austin
	Garrigues

White & Case's China banking and finance practice has showed substantial growth this year, supported by its close relationship with client China Development Bank (CDB). The firm has recently worked with CDB on numerous high-profile deals, which speak to the strength of the Greater China banking and finance team.... [more]

White & Case's China banking and finance practice has showed substantial growth this year, supported by its close relationship with client China Development Bank (CDB). The firm has recently worked with CDB on numerous high-profile deals, which speak to the strength of the Greater China banking and finance team. As one peer notes, "White & Case has developed a very solid practice through their relationship with CDB, and they have grown and expanded their banking team this past year." However, White and Case's banking practice is by no means limited to their CBD connection, as evidenced by some of the key deals this year.

Partners John Hartley and Baldwin Cheng represented Deutsche Bank, Macquarie Capital (Singapore), UBS and DBS as both joint mandated lead arrangers and joint mandated bookrunners in financing for MMI Precision Technologies to be able to acquire Intri-Plex Technologies. White & Case had previously advised a lending syndicate on a credit facility to MMI international, where KKR led the sponsor group. White & Case was tapped to represent the new syndicate in the $75 million financing based on the strength of its experience, as KKR once again led the group of sponsors.

Hartley and John Shum also led the team in advising Deutsche Bank (Hong Kong Branch) in the $260 million pre-IPO financing of Karvin, which was comprised of a term loan and warrants. They also advised Deutsche Bank, Hong Kong Branch's Trustees as agents counsel in the deal. Income from the financing will enable Karvin to expand its aluminium manufacturing capacity in China.

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	Allen & Overy Baker & McKenzie Clifford Chance Shearman & Sterling
	Herbert Smith Linklaters Norton Rose
	Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Gide Loyrette Nouel Hogan Lovells Jones Day Latham & Watkins Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom White & Case

	Allen & Overy Clifford Chance Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Linklaters Shearman & Sterling Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom
	Baker & McKenzie Herbert Smith O'Melveny & Myers Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison Simpson Thacher & Bartlett Sullivan & Cromwell
	Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton Davis Polk & Wardwell Hogan Lovells King & Wood Mallesons Latham & Watkins Mayer Brown JSM Morrison & Foerster Norton Rose Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe Paul Hastings Janofsky & Walker Sidley Austin Slaughter and May Weil Gotshal & Manges White & Case
	DLA Piper Gide Loyrette Nouel Jones Day Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy Minter Ellison Reed Smith Richards Butler Woo Kwan Lee & Lo
	De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek Garrigues

Like many of its peers, White & Case has seen a boom in Chinese outbound M&A work, which has led to a strong set of high-value complex mandates.Partner John Leary in Shanghai last year led in advising GMR group in the $1.... [more]

Like many of its peers, White & Case has seen a boom in Chinese outbound M&A work, which has led to a strong set of high-value complex mandates.

Partner John Leary in Shanghai last year led in advising GMR group in the $1.2 billion sale of its 50% share in worldwide power generation firm InterGen to China's biggest power generation company, state-owned China-Huaneng group. White & Case has had a longstanding relationship with GMR, advising them on a number of large acquisitions over the years. The deal represents the largest cross-border transaction every between India and China, and Huaneng group's largest foreign acquisition in over two years.

White & Case's Greater China M&A team also continued to represent Publicis in its Asia expansion plans. The team has been counsel to Publicis on most of their China regional deals over the past years, advising on complex and highly-structured earn-out provisions. This year, they helped the company acquire the entire issued share capital of G4 Advertising, a full-service advertising agency incorporated in Hong Kong.

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	Allen & Overy Clifford Chance Davis Polk & Wardwell Linklaters Sidley Austin Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom
	Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton Paul Hastings Janofsky & Walker Shearman & Sterling
	Baker & McKenzie Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Herbert Smith King & Wood Mallesons Latham & Watkins Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy Simmons & Simmons Simpson Thacher & Bartlett Sullivan & Cromwell White & Case
	DLA Piper Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson Hogan Lovells Jones Day Mayer Brown JSM O'Melveny & Myers

White & Case's debt capital markets practice has a specialisation in advising clients on high-yield, convertible bond issuances.Recently, White & Case's capital markets team advised Bank of America Merrill Lynch as the sole global coordinator and joint bookrunner in MIE Holdings Corporation's $400 million Rule 144A/ Reg S debut high-yield bond.... [more]

White & Case's debt capital markets practice has a specialisation in advising clients on high-yield, convertible bond issuances.

Recently, White & Case's capital markets team advised Bank of America Merrill Lynch as the sole global coordinator and joint bookrunner in MIE Holdings Corporation's $400 million Rule 144A/ Reg S debut high-yield bond. MIE operates three oil fields in the northeastern province of Jilin, China, and was the first Chinese oil exploration and production company to issue a high-yield bond. Proceeds will be used to fund MIE's $170 million acquisition Kazakhstan oil & gas E&P company Emir-Oil, in addition to refinancing a loan facility from Citic Bank. The 9.75% bonds are due in 2016.

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	Allen & Overy Clifford Chance Linklaters
	Baker & McKenzie Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Hogan Lovells King & Wood Mallesons Latham & Watkins Norton Rose Paul Hastings Janofsky & Walker White & Case
	DLA Piper Herbert Smith Mayer Brown JSM Reed Smith Richards Butler Sidley Austin Slaughter and May

One of White & Case's main assets in its greater China banking and finance practice is its ongoing relationship with and advising of China Development Bank (CDB). The relationship has led to growth in the form of a number of new associate hires in both Hong Kong and Beijing who can support the bilingual and China-focused nature of the greater China practice.... [more]

One of White & Case's main assets in its greater China banking and finance practice is its ongoing relationship with and advising of China Development Bank (CDB). The relationship has led to growth in the form of a number of new associate hires in both Hong Kong and Beijing who can support the bilingual and China-focused nature of the greater China practice.

The relationship is well known in the market, and has led to a deal list that is making other firms take notice. One peer says that, "White and Case has developed a very solid practice through their relationship with CDB, and they have grown and expanded their banking team this past year." This strong relationship does not mean, however, that White & Case's banking and finance practice is limited to CDB work. Indeed, the firm seems to be actively broadening its client base while maintaining the CBD stronghold.

This past year, partners John Hartley and Baldwin Cheng represented Deutsche Bank, Hong Kong Branch, Macquarie Capital (Singapore), UBS (Hong Kong Branch) and DBS Bank as both joint mandated lead arrangers and joint mandated bookrunners in financing for MMI Precision Technologies in its acquisition of Intri-Plex Technologies. As White and Case had previously advised a lending syndicate on a credit facility to MMI international, where Kohlberg Kravis and Roberts (KKR) led the sponsor group, the firm was tapped to represent the new syndicate in the $75 million financing because of its strong KKR relationship.

The White & Case team also has a strong real-estate side, as exemplified by Balwin Cheng's recent leadership on separate financings for Hong Kong-listed developer Agile Property. The loans included a HK$1.92 billion ($246 million) and HK$1.55 billion syndicated loans from Standard Chartered Bank. Because the financings to Agile were given in conjunction with ongoing high-yield note issuances the deal involved complicated negotiations between the banks and Agile over intercreditor issues.

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	Clifford Chance Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Herbert Smith Linklaters Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom
	Allen & Overy Baker & McKenzie Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton Davis Polk & Wardwell Latham & Watkins Norton Rose Shearman & Sterling Slaughter and May
	Hogan Lovells King & Wood Mallesons Mayer Brown JSM Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy O'Melveny & Myers Paul Hastings Janofsky & Walker Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison Reed Smith Richards Butler Sidley Austin Simpson Thacher & Bartlett Sullivan & Cromwell Weil Gotshal & Manges
	Bingham McCutchen Deacons DLA Piper Jones Day Kennedys Kirkland & Ellis Minter Ellison Morrison & Foerster Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe Proskauer Rose Simmons & Simmons White & Case Woo Kwan Lee & Lo

White & Case's M&A team benefits from quality partners and the firm's solid relationships with Chinese financial institutions, meaning that much of the firm's M&A work is related to inbound or outbound China-related acquisitions.White & Case has had a successful year in outbound work, as it recently represented Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) on its $140 million acquisition of an 80% interest in The Bank of East Asia (USA) National Association.... [more]

White & Case's M&A team benefits from quality partners and the firm's solid relationships with Chinese financial institutions, meaning that much of the firm's M&A work is related to inbound or outbound China-related acquisitions.

White & Case has had a successful year in outbound work, as it recently represented Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) on its $140 million acquisition of an 80% interest in The Bank of East Asia (USA) National Association. ICBC will become the first mainland Chinese bank to acquire a controlling stake in a US bank, if the deal clears regulatory approvals, and it will also become the first mainland Chinese bank to receive a full CCS determination by the Federal Reserve. This may signal a place in the market for further mergers between Chinese and US banking institutions.

The White & Case team also advised GMR group in its $1.2 billion sale of its 50% share of global power producer InterGen. InterGen is an affiliate of the state-owned China Huaneng group, which is China's largest power generation company.

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	Allen & Overy Baker & McKenzie Clifford Chance Herbert Smith Latham & Watkins Linklaters
	Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy Norton Rose Shearman & Sterling Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom
	Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe Paul Hastings Janofsky & Walker
	Ashurst Deacons Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Mayer Brown JSM Minter Ellison White & Case

White & Case has India practice elements in New York, Singapore and London. The firm provides legal services to high profile domestic clients such as GMR Group, Kotak Mahindra, ICICI, and KEC.... [more]

White & Case has India practice elements in New York, Singapore and London. The firm provides legal services to high profile domestic clients such as GMR Group, Kotak Mahindra, ICICI, and KEC.

A highlight for the firm in the last year was advising GMR Group in the $1.23 billion sale of its 50% stake in global power generation company InterGen to state-owned China Huaneng Group, China's largest power generation company. This deal closed in April 2011.

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	Davis Polk & Wardwell Linklaters Simpson Thacher & Bartlett Sullivan & Cromwell
	Clifford Chance Morrison & Foerster Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison Shearman & Sterling
	Allen & Overy Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Ropes & Gray Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom
	DLA Piper Hogan Lovells White & Case

	Anderson Mori & Tomotsune Mori Hamada & Matsumoto Morrison & Foerster Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu Nishimura & Asahi
	Baker & McKenzie GJBJ Linklaters
	Atsumi & Sakai DLA Piper TMI Associates White & Case

White & Case has had a banner year, representing Credit Agricole, Deutsche Bank, the Development Bank of Japan and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking in its capital markets practice. In a landmark deal, Tokyo partner Simon Collins and Hong Kong partner Hallam Chow served as the English legal counsels to Nomura Holdings, Nomura Babcock and Brown and BBAM Aircraft Management in the issuance of a Shari'a law-compliant sukuk (Islamic bond) with a principal amount of $100 million, which was used to finance an aircraft purchase.... [more]

White & Case has had a banner year, representing Credit Agricole, Deutsche Bank, the Development Bank of Japan and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking in its capital markets practice.

In a landmark deal, Tokyo partner Simon Collins and Hong Kong partner Hallam Chow served as the English legal counsels to Nomura Holdings, Nomura Babcock and Brown and BBAM Aircraft Management in the issuance of a Shari'a law-compliant sukuk (Islamic bond) with a principal amount of $100 million, which was used to finance an aircraft purchase. This multi-jurisdictional sukuk issuance was the first to be completed in a US dollar denomination.

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	Allen & Overy Linklaters
	Clifford Chance Hogan Lovells
	Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom
	White & Case

	Atsumi & Sakai Mori Hamada & Matsumoto Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu Nishimura & Asahi
	Anderson Mori & Tomotsune Linklaters
	Baker & McKenzie GJBJ City-Yuwa Partners
	TMI Associates White & Case

White & Case has advised several clients in large securitisation deals in the last year. Noted partner Koichiro Ohashi, who specialises in cross-border transactions, has handled securitisation, derivative and mezzanine finance transactions over the course of his career.... [more]

White & Case has advised several clients in large securitisation deals in the last year. Noted partner Koichiro Ohashi, who specialises in cross-border transactions, has handled securitisation, derivative and mezzanine finance transactions over the course of his career. Partner Ayako Kawano also joined the firm in February 2011. Though she is best-known for her work in real estate investment trusts (Reits), she also handles complex financing deals. [hide]

White & Case has a strong presence in Japan, with clients such as Crédit Agricole, Development Bank of Japan, Mizuho Securities, Nomura and JPMorgan. Tokyo partners Mark Goodrich and Toshio Dokei represented Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank, ING Bank, Mizuho Bank, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Aozora Bank and UBS regarding a ¥165 billion ($2.... [more]

White & Case has a strong presence in Japan, with clients such as Crédit Agricole, Development Bank of Japan, Mizuho Securities, Nomura and JPMorgan.

Tokyo partners Mark Goodrich and Toshio Dokei represented Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank, ING Bank, Mizuho Bank, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Aozora Bank and UBS regarding a ¥165 billion ($2.1 billion) loan to Japanese internet service provider eAccess. The transaction represented the largest syndicated telecommunications financing in Japan since the global financial crisis.

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	Davis Polk & Wardwell Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Morrison & Foerster Shearman & Sterling Simpson Thacher & Bartlett
	Allen & Overy Herbert Smith Linklaters Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom Sullivan & Cromwell
	Clifford Chance Hogan Lovells Jones Day Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe White & Case
	Ashurst Latham & Watkins Norton Rose O'Melveny & Myers Paul Hastings Janofsky & Walker Simmons & Simmons
	Morgan Lewis Bockius Ropes & Gray

	Mori Hamada & Matsumoto Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu Nishimura & Asahi
	Anderson Mori & Tomotsune Baker & McKenzie GJBJ Linklaters Morrison & Foerster Oh-Ebashi LPC & Partners Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom TMI Associates
	Allen & Overy Atsumi & Sakai City-Yuwa Partners Clifford Chance Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Hibiya Park Law Office Jones Day O'Melveny & Myers Paul Hastings Janofsky & Walker White & Case

White & Case has bolstered its M&A practice this year with the hire of partners Ayako Kawano and Jun Usami from Paul Hastings. Usami was formerly the co-chair of Paul Hastings' Tokyo corporate practice.... [more]

White & Case has bolstered its M&A practice this year with the hire of partners Ayako Kawano and Jun Usami from Paul Hastings. Usami was formerly the co-chair of Paul Hastings' Tokyo corporate practice.

Partner Brian Strawn, head of the firm's M&A practice, advised Valeo on its €320 million acquisition of over 97% of Niles, a manufacturer of automobile switches and electronic components, from RHJ International and Nissan Motor. Though Davis Polk & Wardwell acted as deal counsel, Strawn was the Japan counsel for the transaction.

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	Allen & Overy Herbert Smith Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy
	Anderson Mori & Tomotsune Ashurst Baker & McKenzie GJBJ Hogan Lovells Latham & Watkins Morrison & Foerster Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu Nishimura & Asahi
	Atsumi & Sakai Clifford Chance DLA Piper Norton Rose Oh-Ebashi LPC & Partners Paul Hastings Janofsky & Walker Shearman & Sterling
	Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Linklaters Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe Simmons & Simmons TMI Associates Vinson & Elkins White & Case

White & Case has diversified its project finance practice to focus on not only traditional energy sectors, such as oil and gas, LNG (liquefied natural gas) and mining, but also clean energy. The firm is involved in the financing of the landmark Blythe project, which is a parabolic trough solar thermal generating project.... [more]

White & Case has diversified its project finance practice to focus on not only traditional energy sectors, such as oil and gas, LNG (liquefied natural gas) and mining, but also clean energy. The firm is involved in the financing of the landmark Blythe project, which is a parabolic trough solar thermal generating project. It will cost a total of $6 billion and is one of the largest solar projects ever on US public lands. Partner Toshio Dokei is representing the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, which will invest equity through an investment vehicle named CA Solar 10 Holdings. [hide]

	Allen & Overy Latham & Watkins Linklaters Allen & Gledhill
	Clifford Chance Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy
	Baker & McKenzie.Wong & Leow Herbert Smith Hogan Lovells Lee & Lee Norton Rose Shearman & Sterling White & Case
	DLA Piper Gibson Dunn & Crutcher O'Melveny & Myers Sidley Austin Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom

White & Case's Hong Kong office plays a prominent role in its successes in the Singapore market, as do well-regarded partner Kaya Proudian and counsel Sin Teck Lim. The firm especially focuses on capital markets transactions in growing markets such as Thailand and Indonesia.... [more]

White & Case's Hong Kong office plays a prominent role in its successes in the Singapore market, as do well-regarded partner Kaya Proudian and counsel Sin Teck Lim. The firm especially focuses on capital markets transactions in growing markets such as Thailand and Indonesia.

Proudian and Lim advised BTS Group Holdings in its $330 million issue of credit-backed convertible bonds due 2016 listed on SGX in the first debt deal out of Thailand in 2011.

The same team also handles equity capital markets transactions. In a landmark deal, Produian and Lim represented PT Bumi Resources in its $232 million IPO of 3.3 billion ordinary shares and 2.2 billion warrants, which were all listed on the Indonesian stock exchange.

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	Allen & Overy Clifford Chance Linklaters Allen & Gledhill
	Latham & Watkins Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy Norton Rose
	Ashurst Baker & McKenzie.Wong & Leow Herbert Smith Hogan Lovells Lee & Lee White & Case
	DLA Piper O'Melveny & Myers Shearman & Sterling

White & Case has built up its banking and finance team in the last 12 months, transferring and recruiting Singapore-based partners to broaden its expertise and relationships. The firm added project finance partner Ken Hawkes and counsel Niel Liebenberg, both from Hogan Lovells, and transferred structured finance specialist David Barwise to Singapore.... [more]

White & Case has built up its banking and finance team in the last 12 months, transferring and recruiting Singapore-based partners to broaden its expertise and relationships. The firm added project finance partner Ken Hawkes and counsel Niel Liebenberg, both from Hogan Lovells, and transferred structured finance specialist David Barwise to Singapore.

Partner Kate Allchurch also advised lender Axis Bank in English law matters in relation to a $74 million bilateral loan to Crescent Investment.

Partner Guan Feng Chen represented PT Bayan Resources, a listed company on the Jakarta Stock Exchange and of Indonesia's biggest coal producers, regarding a $300 million senior secured financing transaction provided by Standard Chartered Bank, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation and Australia and New Zealand Banking Group.

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	Clifford Chance Linklaters Allen & Gledhill
	Allen & Overy Latham & Watkins Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy
	Baker & McKenzie.Wong & Leow Herbert Smith Hogan Lovells Lee & Lee Norton Rose Shearman & Sterling White & Case
	Ashurst DLA Piper

White & Case has capitalised on Southeast Asia's mushrooming M&A market, advising a diverse clientele, including Lehman Brothers, Nomura, PetroSaudi, China Resources Enterprise and CLSA Capital Partners, in the last year.In a highlight transaction, Kirschner advised Russian oil company TNK-BP in its US $1.... [more]

White & Case has capitalised on Southeast Asia's mushrooming M&A market, advising a diverse clientele, including Lehman Brothers, Nomura, PetroSaudi, China Resources Enterprise and CLSA Capital Partners, in the last year.

In a highlight transaction, Kirschner advised Russian oil company TNK-BP in its US $1.8 billion acquisition of BP's upstream and pipeline assets in Vietnam and Venezuela. TNK-BP will also acquire BP's 35% stake in the Kan Tay and Kan Do gas fields.

Kirschner also acted for KEC International, an Indian company that makes electricity transmission towers, in their acquisition of SAE Towers Holdings, which produces steel lattice towers for high-voltage power transmission.

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	Allen & Overy Latham & Watkins
	Clifford Chance Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy
	Ashurst Hogan Lovells Lee & Lee Linklaters Allen & Gledhill Norton Rose Shearman & Sterling
	Baker & McKenzie.Wong & Leow Herbert Smith White & Case
	DLA Piper Watson Farley & Williams

Partner Ken Hawkes at White & Case is a pivotal addition to the firm's project finance practice. Hawkes and partner Sebastian Buss are representing Island Power Company, a subsidy of GMR International, regarding the proposed S$1.... [more]

Partner Ken Hawkes at White & Case is a pivotal addition to the firm's project finance practice. Hawkes and partner Sebastian Buss are representing Island Power Company, a subsidy of GMR International, regarding the proposed S$1.2 billion ($974 million) financing for a power project in Singapore.

Hawkes is also advising Sembcorp Utilities regarding its bid for the Sur IPP, reportedly Oman's largest greenfield project. Project costs are estimated to be between $1.6 and 2 billion.

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	Clifford Chance
	Allen & Overy O'Melveny & Myers
	Baker & McKenzie.Wong & Leow Herbert Smith Latham & Watkins Linklaters Allen & Gledhill Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy Norton Rose Shearman & Sterling White & Case
	Ashurst Gibson Dunn & Crutcher

White & Case's restructuring and insolvency practice has acted for an impressive international clientele, including Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank and Lehman Brothers. Though the firm lacks a dedicated restructuring and insolvency practice, partner Kate Allchurch, the head of the banking, capital markets and restructuring practice, and the five other partners in the area all advise clients on related matters.... [more]

White & Case's restructuring and insolvency practice has acted for an impressive international clientele, including Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank and Lehman Brothers. Though the firm lacks a dedicated restructuring and insolvency practice, partner Kate Allchurch, the head of the banking, capital markets and restructuring practice, and the five other partners in the area all advise clients on related matters.

Partner William Kirschner advised Kingfisher Capital, a subsidiary of Lehman Brothers Holdings, regarding the restructuring of PT Bhakti Investama's $104 million convertible bonds, issued in 2007. Kingfisher Capital is the principal bondholder.

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