Willkie Farr & Gallagher is a commercial law firm established in 1925. The firm has one office which contains 90 lawyers including 19 partners and eight counsels.
Focusses / specialisms
The firm has a particular specialism in the private equity and restructuring and insolvency practice areas but also does particularly well in project development work.
In restructuring and insolvency, the firm works on domestic and cross border corporate restructuring and rescue work.
In project development, the firm specialises in international projects focusing on infrastructure and energy work for a wide range of sectors.
Key clients
Key clients of the firm include BNP Paribas, Société Générale, Natixis, BRED Banque Populaire, JP Morgan Asset Management, The Carlyle Group, Air France Group, Air France KLM, PAI Partners, Eurazeo, Ardian, CVC, HIG, Ministry of the Armed Forces, Meridiam, Ardian, Allianz, BBVA,
Research period review: 32nd edition (2022/2023)
During the research period the firm worked on a wide range of financial restructurings, project development, acquisition financing loans for both public and private sector clients.
In banking the firm has worked on a variety of loan and financing transactions for borrowers and lenders connected with banking, investment management, energy and financial services.
In M&A, the firm’s work focused on acquisitional and joint venture work for buyers, sellers and shareholders on both domestic and cross-border transactions in the energy, retail and telecommunications sectors.
In project development the firm worked on projects for clients connected with infrastructure, real estate and private equity sectors.
Looking at projects work, the firm’s work focused on both the financing and development of international projects for a variety of public and private sector clients using different frameworks such as PPPs, concession agreements and negotiations across a range of sectors including oil and gas, highways, renewables and telecommunications.
In restructuring and insolvency, the firm focused on corporate restructuring and rescue proceedings for companies, creditors or shareholders. This work was both on a domestic and cross-border basis and included clients in the aeronautics, oil and gas, hospitality and technology sectors.
Deal highlights: 32nd edition (2022/2023)
Air-France/KLM €7 billion French government aid package
CMA CGM €3 billion acquisition of Ingram Micro
Searchlight Capital Partners €400 million financial restructuring
PAI Partners €535 million refinancing
Client Feedback: 31st edition (2021/2021)
Banking and finance
"Clever and reactive. Business oriented."
Leveraged finance
"Extremely skilled and reliable. Smart approach. Think out of the box. Good understanding of the company needs and how to adapt the financing accordingly to make it fit industry standards."
M&A
"Impressive technical and drafting skills as well as a precious support in terms of negotiation."
"Great team/great reactivity and commitment/great technicity. "
Private equity
"Expert knowledge of corporate law, M&A practice, project finance structures. Responsiveness and dedication."
Project development: Infrastructure
"Best law firm in infrastructure project development, thanks to the best infrastructure lawyer globally."
Project finance
"Amir Jahanguiri is the best project finance lawyer globally: very experienced, smart, hard worker, best team support."
"They always demonstrate proactivity and real negotiating skills, including on complex issues. Their pragmatism also makes them effective deal makers. Finally, their expertise in financing brings their clients real comfort and allows them to approach cases with confidence."
"They have been very reactive and have also been able to 'think out of the box' in a context of tight deadlines and complex structures."
"We strongly appreciated their ability to adapt to the situation."
"Highly professional, balanced and strongly appreciated by sponsors and lenders. Top-quality documentation and good command of the whole process."
Restructuring and insolvency
"The team provided the lenders with very precise and helpful legal levers during an extremely tense negotiation and then delivered a complex documentation for both court proceedings and refinancing purposes."
Antoine Bouzanquet
"Expert knowledge of project finance and underlying industrial and financial contracts. Explains and communicates clearly."
"He has everything you should expect from a lawyer: skills, sympathy, reactivity, easy access, calm even in stressed environment. He knows how to defend his clients' interests, advises and knows when pragmatism has to be found. We have total confidence while working with him."
"Very dedicated. Very strong knowledge of project finance and many comparables. Strong ability to understand and challenge complex situations and make the bridge with acquisition finance/leverage documentation."
Grégoire Finance
"Great technicity, creativity, availability (reactivity)."
Amir Jahanguiri
"Best infrastructure lawyer globally."
"Very experienced, smart, hard worker, best team support."
"Highly respected professional, technically strong and constructive."
Paul Lombard
"Reliable – highly skilled – always available at any time – always finds smart solutions."
Annette Peron
"She is a strong reference in M&A transactions. Her experience in structuring and negotiating complex transactions supported by strong technical skills and her perfect knowledge of different jurisdictions are precious."
Batiste Saint Guily
"He is a very available lawyer who has extensive knowledge of French law and LMA financing rules. He listens and always finds common ground among the pool of lenders."