Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP - The Who's Who Legal 100 2013

What is the Who's Who Legal 100?

The firm’s strong suit is its finance practice and this is demonstrated by multiple inclusions in our banking, corporate tax and capital markets chapters. Mark Darley leads the European law banking practice as well as being co-head of the global banking group, and is rated “exceptional” in our research. Clive Wells advises on a wide range of banking transactions, acquisitions and leverage finance options for key clients. In New York, Paola Lozano is “highly recommended” for her cross-border transactional work, particularly for Spanish-language corporate clients. William Sweet heads up the firm’s financial institutions regulatory and enforcement group and is “globally recognised” for his international regulatory and enforcement expertise. On the corporate tax side, Tim Sanders is the London-based head of the European tax practice and a “top-tier practitioner”. He writes extensively on corporate and bank tax issues. Matthew Rosen and Fred Goldberg co-lead the firm’s tax group and are considered “extremely able”, the former having experience in all types of domestic and cross-border transactions, joint ventures and investment. They are joined by Kenneth Gideon, a “national leader” on federal tax and tax planning. He has represented clients before the US Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service and is “extremely able”. Richard Ely is co-head of the European corporate finance practice and his representation of large corporations, government departments and financial institutions on international financing solutions earns him recognition in the capital markets chapter. Riccardo Leofanti handles a range of public and private equity and debt financings, and colleague Christopher Morgan is “well known” for his work with major multinational banks. In New York, Phyllis Korff has extensive experience in a wide range of capital market transactions, including initial public offerings and corporate finance deals.

Pierre Servan-Schreiber heads the Paris office as well as the mergers and acquisitions practice and features in both our capital markets and M&A chapters. Paul Schnell is also a “global powerhouse for corporate matters” and is noted for his involvement in numerous high-value deals in the US and internationally. Co-head of the firm’s private equity group Eileen Nugent is “universally regarded as a leading light” in all types of M&A and corporate governance, having represented Burger King and American Standard in acquisitions, spin-offs and takeovers. Lou Kling is “talented and proactive” and specialises in public and private takeovers, as well as corporate governance. Chicago-based Charles Mulaney is “highly praised” for his broad M&A practice and corporate governance expertise. He counts numerous major banks and international corporations as clients. Kenton King and Scott Simpson head the firm’s global transactions practice and the latter is lauded by sources as “first rate”.

In addition to the firm’s universal finance and transactional expertise, Skadden boasts leading dispute resolution lawyers, with inclusions in our commercial litigation and arbitration chapters. In Hong Kong, Paul Mitchard QC is co-head of the global litigation and arbitration practice, as well as head of the Asian litigation and arbitration group. He has handled numerous commercial disputes as an arbitrator and counsellor, and is regarded as a “solid and convincing presence”. Julie Bédard is a “terrific” arbitration adviser and is “trusted” for her experience drafting dispute resolution clauses in commercial contracts. Alongside her in New York, “senior statesman” Barry Garfinkel is universally regarded as “one of the best dispute resolution lawyers around” and has acted as lead counsel in numerous arbitrations, as well as building up a reputation as a “wise and fair” arbitrator and adjudicator for commercial matters. Karyl Nairn is “second to none” and focuses her practice on a range of key industry sectors including banking, pharmaceuticals and telecommunications. Our commercial litigation chapter features a further four lawyers including “world renowned attorney” Thomas Nolan and “talented litigator” Jay Kasner, who is renowned for his work on corporate securities matters and general commercial cases.

Continuing on a theme of strong litigation, five lawyers apiece are listed in our product liability defence and business crime defence chapters. John Beisner is “highly recommended” for both commercial litigation and product liability defence in his capacity as co-head of the mass torts and insurance litigation group. On the white-collar crime side, David Zornow leads the New York business crime practice and is regarded as a “top-tier” litigator. Michele Roberts is a “reassuring advocate”, having conducted trials before federal and state courts. With over 20 years’ experience, Warren Feldman’s expertise in all phases of business crime defence litigation is “second to none”.

The firm fields a “top-notch” global antitrust and competition team, led by Shepard Goldfein. A “stunning” litigator, he has extensive experience in an “impressive variety” of competition cases. James Venit and Simon Baxter co-head the European antitrust and competition group, the latter focusing on merger control and regulatory compliance. In Brussels, Ingrid Vandenborre specialises in the competition aspects of international mergers, and she is noted for her “skill and proficiency”. Nikolaos Peristerakis is “particularly recommended” for cartel and abuse of dominance work, also handling high-profile M&A within the technology, energy and financial services sectors. “Global specialist” Frederic Depoortere has worked extensively on transactions for the Coca-Cola Company, Renault and Yahoo! and is recognised for the strength of his regulatory and compliance advice. John Nannes stands out in DC for his “market awareness”, having previously worked at the US Justice Department’s antitrust division.

Skadden Arps also enjoys listings in the private funds, project finance and regulatory communications chapters among others, demonstrating the breadth of its expertise and showcasing its strong position in the international legal marketplace.