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

	Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Linklaters Slaughter and May
	Allen & Overy Ashurst Clifford Chance Gleiss Lutz Hogan Lovells Latham & Watkins Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom Van Bael & Bellis White & Case
	Arnold & Porter Baker & McKenzie Bonelli Erede Pappalardo Bredin Prat Cuatrecasas Gonçalves Pereira Gibson Dunn & Crutcher Gide Loyrette Nouel Hengeler Mueller Herbert Smith Jones Day McDermott Will & Emery/Stanbrook O'Melveny & Myers Shearman & Sterling Sidley Austin Stibbe Uría Menéndez Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr
	Bird & Bird Covington & Burling Eubelius Garrigues Loyens & Loeff Macfarlanes Mannheimer Swartling NautaDutilh Norton Rose Salans Squire Sanders Hammonds Vinge

Sidley Austin scores highly on client relations, commerciality and efficiency. According to one client, "they took it [all] in their stride and made themselves available at all times", while another says: "It has been a natural fit, when we want a firm in the UK we contact them.... [more]

Sidley Austin scores highly on client relations, commerciality and efficiency. According to one client, "they took it [all] in their stride and made themselves available at all times", while another says: "It has been a natural fit, when we want a firm in the UK we contact them. They also help us to connect with other firms globally."

The firm's international ability is vital for some: "it was important that communications were fluid between offices as the transaction moved so quickly and bad communications would have ruined the deal".

Key to the feedback are partners David Went and Stephen Kinsella: "They were as innovative as my risk tolerance would allow ... Their knowledge of the law was fantastic and business acumen top notch," says one client. The duo is also accredited with "applying solutions in a persuasive way" and being "creative in problem solving". "If they were to move to another firm," says the client, "I would be hard pressed not to follow as they do such a great job."

In highlight mandates, the firm won multi-jurisdictional clearance (including in Europe) for Aon's $4.9 billion acquisition of Hewitt Associates. Before the EU Commission the firm also acted for LG Electronics for merger control clearance on its joint-venture with Ericsson. Complicating the deal, the joint-venture also needed clearance in Brazil, Korea and Russia.

The firm has a diverse competition practice spanning competition authorities across Europe and the world. For Corn Products International the firm filed merger notices (for its acquisition of National Starch) in the US, Brazil and Mexico, it handled competition matters in Germany, Norway and Turkey for FLIR Systems in its acquisition of Raymarine, and for Cephalon across a number of European countries.

[hide]