Restructuring/Insolvency: London

This practice has a strong reputation for successfully "engaging with thorny and difficult issues." The group is a member of several bank panels, giving it a significant presence in the market and involvement in mid-market restructurings. Recent highlights include acting for HSBC in various multi-jurisdictional restructurings.

KEY INDIVIDUALS Head of department Alison Goldthorp is highly praised by sources as an "excellent insolvency lawyer" who is "thorough, commercial and hard-working for her clients." She recently acted on the high-profile restructuring of New Victoria Hospital. Daniel Redstone has been leading the way on the firm's work for HSBC and is popular with sources, who say he is a pleasure to work with. The impressive Fraser Ritson continues to be a strong member of the team and has been active on behalf of RBS GRG.

Sources hail this outstanding "first-tier firm" as one of the dominant forces in the market, highlighting its excellent strength in depth and vast resources. Recent high-profile work for the team has included advising the super senior lenders on the landmark WIND Hellas restructuring.

Client Service "Superb client service."

KEY INDIVIDUALS Interviewees praise Ian Field as "a tremendously good lawyer" and a leading presence in the market. Clients appreciate that he is cool and calm under pressure, and that "he loves to be in the thick of it with you." Gordon Stewart is the highly respected head of the firm's global restructuring group. He was part of the team advising on the Cattles restructuring. Earl Griffith is another favourite with clients, who say: "He is clear in his advice and dependable." He advised on the high-profile restructuring of major Irish conglomerate Quinn Group. Mark Sterling is the firm's restructuring and insolvency global managing partner, and is deservedly well reputed for his expertise in the Middle East markets. Jennifer Marshall has an excellent reputation for her experience of complex restructurings, and stands out for her work on the fallout from the failure of Lehman Brothers. Katrina Buckley is noted for her role in the team acting on the high-profile WIND Hellas restructuring. Carolyn Conner was head of the London team acting on the Dubai World restructuring, and is praised by clients as "committed and driven." Randal Weeks impresses clients as "an extremely commercial solicitor" who "holds his ground in very pressurised situations."

Clients are quick to praise this team, saying: "The practice overall is excellent." The firm is going from strength to strength, with sources particularly highlighting its expertise in restructuring corporate debt. The team has acted on some of the biggest transactions in Europe of late, such as the high-profile Panrico and WIND Hellas restructurings. Thanks to its broad domestic and international expertise, the firm is involved in a broad range of corporate restructuring and insolvency matters.  

Commercial Awareness "Flexible and commercial."

KEY INDIVIDUALS Sources admire Dan Hamilton for his outstanding technical abilities and experience: "You always feel safe knowing he has been there and done it all before." Giles Boothman is "great on strategy" and adopts a highly "commercial approach." He led the team on Gala Coral's £3 billion restructuring. Simon Baskerville is establishing himself as a firm favourite with sources, who say: "He brings a healthy entrepreneurial approach to transactions." Others praise him as "energetic, pacy and a good communicator."

The London office of this global giant has a strong market presence with an emphasis on cross-border transactions, and has acted for a variety of international clients on significant creditor and debtor mandates. Recent examples include acting for the creditors' steering committee for major Kazakh-based BTA Bank on a USD16.7 billion transaction. 

KEY INDIVIDUALS Practice head Louise Webb has broad expertise in acting for all categories of stakeholders. She also advises on a variety of domestic and cross-border transactions.

This group continues to be a significant presence in the market, with particular expertise in property-related restructuring and insolvency. The firm also acts for a range of leading financial institutions, such as Lloyds TSB, Barclays and Morgan Stanley, and recently acted on the restructuring of the £140 million Liberty One portfolio. Sources praise the team for its "economy of effort" and "very commercial" approach. Client Service "They are dedicated and devoted to us, and pull out all the stops to get the work done."

KEY INDIVIDUALS Head of practice Ben Larkin is hailed as a straight-talking and efficient lawyer with "excellent commercial acumen." He led the team advising on the restructuring of Birmingham Mailbox. Imogen Bell impresses sources as an "absolutely excellent" solicitor, and David Leibowitz continues to make a strong impact on the market with his particular expertise in insurance-related restructuring and insolvency.  

Peers continue to view this firm as a major player in the market, particularly in relation to bondholder issues. The team contains "very skilled and knowledgeable lawyers" with a wealth of high-end transactional expertise. It recently demonstrated its cross-border expertise representing private placement noteholders in the EUR2.8 billion restructuring of Thomson.

Client Service "They have a culture of availability and are easy to deal with."

Commercial Awareness "They are commercially aware and grasp our needs well."

KEY INDIVIDUALS James Roome is hailed as "a real doyen of restructuring and insolvency," with "extensive sector experience." He is the managing partner of the London office and co-head of the restructuring group. Barry Russell heads the London finance group and led the team acting on the Thomson restructuring. He is praised for his commercial approach and for being "frank with clients." Interviewees highlight Tom Bannister as a "very thoughtful and analytical" lawyer, and are impressed with his recent representation of bondholders in major restructurings. James Terry is hailed for his hard-working and efficient style, and notably demonstrated his cross-border know-how advising bondholders on Norwegian high-yield bond restructurings. Elisabeth Baltay is a firm favourite with clients thanks to her extensive multi-jurisdictional expertise. Sources say she "delivers excellent client service and is always available." 

This firm continues to be one of the dominant forcesin the market, with sources remarking that the whole team is "excellent." Its restructuring and insolvency know-how is matched by a strong capital markets and banking practice, and extensive multi-jurisdictional expertise. Recent highlights include advising Dubai World Group on its USD14 billion restructuring.

Client Service "I'm impressed by them always. They are extremely thorough and very quick to react."

KEY INDIVIDUALS Nicholas Frome recently advised a committee of lenders on the EUR730 million restructuring of Deutsche Group's senior facilities and mezzanine bonds. Mark Hyde acted for LyondellBasell on its USD27.5 billion debt restructuring, and impresses interviewees with his consistently pragmatic advice. Adrian Cohen led the team working on the Nakheel restructuring as part of the Dubai World transaction. Sources praise Philip Hertz as "a class act" and "a solution-driven commercial lawyer," while David Steinberg stands out for his extensive expertise in the banking sector and in insurance-related restructuring and insolvency.

On November 1st 2011, Barlow Lyde & Gilbert merged with Clyde & Co. The merged entity will trade under the Clyde & Co banner. This team handles multi-jurisdictional insurance restructuring and insolvency matters. It recently advised GLOBALE on the first instance of a solvent scheme of arrangement for a German reinsurer. In other work highlights, the firm acted for the Minster Group of Insurance Companies on a scheme of arrangement.

KEY INDIVIDUALS Geraldine Quirk specialises in non-contentious insurance matters, and led the firm's work for GLOBALE.

This firm is well established in the market and has particular expertise in restructuring real estate portfolios. The team has considerable experience of handling restructuring and insolvency matters in the professional services sector, and recently acted for the administrators of Halliwells.

KEY INDIVIDUALS Rita Lowe led the team acting on the Halliwells administration and is praised by clients as "a fantastic transactional lawyer" with "bags of energy and enthusiasm." Peter Wiltshire frequently acts for insolvency practitioners, financial institutions and banks on non-contentious restructuring and insolvency. His highlights include acting for the administrators of Stanford International Bank. Martin Brown specialises in non-contentious restructuring and insolvency and is a favourite with clients, who say he is "sensible and friendly."

Dewey & LeBoeuf has established a significant presence in the London market, acting for a number of high-end domestic and international clients. Sources praise the team as being "brilliant strategically." The firm demonstrated its cross-border capabilities acting for the bondholders' committee in relation to the insolvency of Russian International Industrial Bank.

Commercial Awareness "They really cater to business needs well."

KEY INDIVIDUALS Clients praise Bruce Johnston's excellent service, saying he is "very available and responsive" with "excellent commercial awareness." Mark Fennessy recently joined the firm. He is praised by sources as being "fantastic with innovative solutions." He specialises in both contentious and non-contentious insolvency and turnaround issues.

According to market sources, the team at DLA Piper is "mature and well established." The firm combines a notable presence on domestic bank panels with a strong international practice, and recently acted for RBS on the restructuring of £135 million of debt.

Client Service "The team is very client-focused and commercial."

KEY INDIVIDUALS Stephen Halladay is head of the firm's restructuring group in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. He has considerable experience in corporate cross-border restructuring and insolvency. Paul Fleming recently acted on the Nicholas Levene bankruptcy, which involved more than £100 million in creditor claims. Michael Fiddy leads the London practice and specialises in domestic restructurings. He recently acted for the receivers of Goldman Sachs' former headquarters in London, which had been seized in relation to £600 million in debt. Sarah Coucher has considerable experience in acting for banks and bondholders in restructurings and distressed financial transactions. Simon Neilson-Clark specialises in workout assignments and restructuring, and frequently acts for Lloyds TSB and Barclays Bank. 

The London office of this highly regarded Scottish firm continues to be a strong presence in the market. The firm acts for a number of banks in relation to administrations and insolvencies, and continues to act for the Madoff UK liquidators on asset recovery.

Client Service "The back-up and support from the firm is fantastic." 

KEY INDIVIDUALS John Verrill is "very, very clever" and inspires sources with his ability to innovate and provide "lots of very interesting ideas." David Gibson is praised for his commercial acumen. He has been active on the administration of John Laing Partnership.

This national firm maintains a strong practice in London, with a presence on leading bank panels. Sources praise it as fielding "a good technical, commercial and client-focused team." The group demonstrated its cross-border capabilities in advising the German office holder following the collapse of Lehman Bankhaus.

KEY INDIVIDUALS Head of department Simon Waller earns praise from clients for adopting a "balanced approach – he looks at the commercial as well as technical and legal" aspects of a transaction. Byron Nurse continues to impress sources with his robust approach and particular expertise on the banking side of the sector. Paul de la Peña specialises in the non-contentious aspects of corporate recovery transactions.

This team is firmly established in the market and acts for distressed companies and insolvency practitioners on both contentious and non-contentious restructuring and insolvency matters. Recent highlights include acting for the liquidators of Lehman Brothers Finance and for the liquidators of Greek and Turkish budget travel operator Goldtrail Travel.

KEY INDIVIDUALS Peter Stewart is the key contact at the firm.

Peers and clients alike are quick to recognise Freshfields as a "premier restructuring practice" that handles a broad range of high-profile and complex restructuring and insolvency matters. Recent highlights for the group include acting on the £3 billion Cattles restructuring and, utilising its cross-border expertise, handling the high-profile Bavaria Yachtbau restructuring.

KEY INDIVIDUALS Sources enthuse that Ken Baird is "simply brilliant" and "without doubt a leader in the field." He specialises particularly in creditor and debtor matters with a multi-jurisdictional dimension. Nick Segal is lauded as an impressive practitioner who is a pleasure to work with. He has been leading the team acting on the administration of Heritable Bank, the UK subsidiary of Landsbanki, while Adam Gallagher was involved in the Cattles restructuring. Richard Tett is admired as "an excellent lawyer who is really good to work with," and was involved in advising La Seda de Barcelona on an English scheme of arrangement. According to sources, Neil Golding is "very client-focused and solution-driven," with an admirable ability to "think outside the box." 

This team debuts in the rankings, having made a strong impact in the market and earned praise for its "deep reservoir of talent." It played a role in the EUR2.4 billion restructuring of European Directories, and advised Macquarie Bank on the restructuring of WIND Hellas.

Client Service "It's a strong team that looks after its clients."

KEY INDIVIDUALS Jason Salman is a key contact.

Clients praise this "very strong team" for being "proactive and approachable." It has been advising on the high-profile Nortel administration. The firm also has a strong insurance insolvency practice.

KEY INDIVIDUALS Sources say Stephen Gale has "a great bedside manner" and clients are also quick to highlight his proficiency in cross-border work. Kevin Pullen was part of the team advising on the Nortel administration. Laurence Elliott is hailed as "very commercial and quick to analyse and understand where the real issues are."

This firm's strong presence in the restructuring and insolvency market is enhanced with its excellent insurance insolvency offering. The team combines its outstanding expertise with a strong international reach, and notably acted for the administrators of British American Insurance on its restructuring.

Client Service "They deliver a Rolls-Royce service and are 100% committed to their clients."

KEY INDIVIDUALS Stephen Foster is the firm's global head of restructuring and insolvency, and is deemed "very impressive." He specialises particularly in advising senior and junior debt holders on the restructuring of leveraged and syndicated transactions, while Deborah Gregory has considerable expertise in corporate restructuring and insolvency. Joe Bannister recently led the team that advised the scheme administrators of OIC Run-Off and London & Overseas Insurance. Robin Spencer leads the team acting on insurance insolvency, and has been active on behalf of the judicial managers of British American Insurance. Sources say Alex Wood "has the rare ability to grasp detailed technical concepts and adapt his advice accordingly."

Despite the departure of Adam Plainer, Jones Day continues to enjoy a strong position in the market. It fields dedicated insolvency litigation and non-contentious restructuring teams, which handle a broad range of work. Sources say the team works "quickly, accurately and calmly under pressure." Recent highlights include advising KPMG as administrator of the Connaught Group companies. 

KEY INDIVIDUALS Michael Rutstein is praised as a "very considered lawyer" who "makes the right decision after proper and careful thought." Sion Richards specialises on the contentious side of the sector and sources single out his "approachability and ability to cut through the issues."

This firm has a well-deserved reputation for its strong international offering in restructuring matters and "very good lawyers" who can be relied on in difficult situations. Recent highlights include acting for European Directories on its EUR2.1 billion restructuring.

Commercial Awareness "They have a business-oriented approach."

KEY INDIVIDUALS Sources say Kon Asimacopoulos combines "very sound commercial judgement with great legal judgement." He was part of the team acting on the European Directories transaction.

Latham & Watkins' London team works with its international offices on a series of significant multi-jurisdictional restructurings and insolvency transactions. It acts on the full range of distressed transactions for a wide client base that includes hedge funds, banks, financial institutions and creditors' committees.

KEY INDIVIDUALS John Houghton heads the firm's European restructuring and insolvency practice. Dominic Newcomb has extensive experience of representing lenders and borrowers in domestic and multi-jurisdictional restructuring transactions. Daniel Maze stands out for his knowledge of restructuring and workouts. He recently acted for Preem in its significant restructuring.

Clients praise this team for its reliably "sound advice." It frequently handles transactions with an international dimension, and recently advised Saad Group on its restructuring and refinancing in multiple jurisdictions. Other highlights include acting for Hill Dickinson on its acquisition of the offices of failed firm Halliwells.

KEY INDIVIDUALS Department head Tom Withyman is praised by clients for being "fantastic at finding a way to achieve a commercial deal." He was part of the team acting on the Saad Group restructuring. Steven Cottee is also a firm favourite with clients, who say he "is very supportive and has an excellent commercial approach." He has been acting on behalf of the administrators of the Agora Group.

Since publication, Tom Withyman has joined Pinsent Masons

Since publication, Steven Cottee has joined Pinsent Masons

Linklaters continues to be a towering presence in the market, combining domestic strength with an international network of offices to give it a strong presence on transactions with a cross-border flavour. The team continues to handle the fallout from the landmark insolvency of Lehman Brothers and is also involved in other high-profile matters, such as the WIND Hellas restructuring. 

KEY INDIVIDUALS Tony Bugg is the firm's global head of restructuring and insolvency and has been leading the way on the firm's Lehman Brothers work. Sources praise him as "very diligent and calm" and say he "gets to the point quickly and is decisive." Global head of banking Robert Elliott recently acted on the recapitalisation and refinancing of the De Beers group. Richard Holden frequently acts on cross-border matters, and has been deeply involved in the Lehman Brothers insolvency. David Ereira has also been acting on the Lehman administration, and has considerable expertise in contentious and non-contentious restructurings. Clients praise Chris Howard as a fantastic and standout lawyer. His recent highlights include advising on the multi-jurisdictional restructuring of the Almatis group. Rebecca Jarvis earns client praise for being able to "explain complex matters in a straightforward way." She has been acting on European Directories' high-profile restructuring. Yushan Ng continues to impress interviewees, who say he is "very innovative" and "mixes technical expertise with calmness." He is praised for thinking through a transaction "from every angle." 

This firm has an excellent reputation for its strength in both domestic and international matters. The team has been involved in the high-profile USD1.5 billion liquidation of Lehman Brothers Commercial Corporation Asia. It is also highly active in the insurance insolvency and restructuring sector, and recently acted for the Australian liquidator of New Cap Reinsurance.

Commercial Awareness "They helped with practical things as well as being up to speed on insolvency law."

KEY INDIVIDUALS Head of practice Ian McDonald has particular expertise in the contentious side of the sector, and has recently been active on the firm's Lehman Brothers work. Sources say David Allen "provides excellent practical advice." He acted on the Kaupthing Capital Partners administration. Ian McKenna has considerable experience of managing the discontinued operations of insurance companies. His recent highlights include acting on the first solvent scheme of arrangement for a company in the Munich Re group. Devi Shah is highly popular with clients, who say she "is really approachable and really knows her stuff." She led the way on the firm's work for New Cap Reinsurance.

Nabarro continues to have a strong presence in the market, frequently acting in transactions with a cross-border flavour. Recent highlights for the firm include advising Lehman Brothers Japan and Lehman Brothers Treasury on the Lehman Group insolvency.

Client Service "They impressed me with their ability to act very well in a very short period of time with no notice."

KEY INDIVIDUALS Head of practice Patricia Godfrey wins praise from clients, who say she "gives you the feeling that she is really taking care of you." They add that she combines "a hands-on approach" with "outside-the-box thinking." Sources admire Glen Flannery's "sophisticated and dedicated" approach. He led the team advising the administrators of Cloud 9 Mobile Telecommunications.

This international firm continues to act on a variety of multi-jurisdictional workouts, insolvencies and restructurings, including the recent high-value BorsodChem restructuring, which involved EUR950 million senior and EUR200 million mezzanine facilities. The firm also acted for Czech Solar on the restructuring of project financings.  

KEY INDIVIDUALS Hamish Anderson has particular expertise in acting across multiple jurisdictions for banks, insolvency practitioners and creditors. He continues to act for the US trustee of Lehman Brothers following its collapse.

Sources praise this team for combining a robust approach with excellent technical ability. It has been appointed to the NAMA and Nationwide Building Society panels, and recently acted for the Kaupthing Resolution Committee.

KEY INDIVIDUALS Sources say Alicia Videon strikes "the right balance between subtlety and aggression." She was part of the team handling the Kaupthing transaction. 

This national firm's London team acts for banks, insurance companies and distressed corporates across the full range of restructuring and insolvency matters. Recent highlights include advising the trustees of Nortel on the Nortel pension fund following the group's restructuring.

KEY INDIVIDUALS Department head Richard Williams led the team on the Nortel matter and has particular expertise in the construction and property sectors. Nicholas Pike specialises in advising directors on restructurings and contentious insolvency, and has recently been involved in the high-profile Cattles restructuring.

The London office of this US heavyweight has established a strong presence in the market with an impressive roster of financial institution, corporate and banking clients. The team often acts on complex multi-jurisdictional matters, and notably advised a number of hedge funds and banks on their exposure to Lehman Brothers International (Europe). It also advised UniCredit on the EUR1.1 billion transaction of debt restructuring facilities made available to BorsodChem.

KEY INDIVIDUALS Clifford Atkins leads the department.

This US firm's London office continues to occupy a strong position in the market. The team frequently takes on multi-jurisdictional work, and interviewees are quick to highlight its strength in transatlantic restructurings. It recently acted for the senior creditor committee to the TI Automotive Group on the restructuring of its £1 billion debt.

Commercial Awareness "They provide commercial advice."

KEY INDIVIDUALS Patrick Corr "brings a commercial approach to restructurings and gets the job done," according to sources. He has extensive expertise in both contentious and non-contentious restructuring and insolvency. Nigel Montgomery stands out for his experience in the insurance restructuring and insolvency sector.

Simmons & Simmons maintains a strong reputation for its work for private equity firms, hedge funds and banks. The team recently advised Macquarie Bank as a hedge counterparty on the high-profile European Directories restructuring. Sources were also impressed with its advice to numerous hedge funds as counterparties to the Lehman Brothers International (Europe) insolvency.

KEY INDIVIDUALS Department head Peter Manning is recognised as having broad experience in restructuring and insolvency matters, and led the firm's Lehman Brothers work. Alan Gar led on the European Directories matter and is a firm favourite with clients, who say he is "very approachable and responsive."

This team has a well-deserved reputation for its work on complex multi-jurisdictional restructurings. Recent examples include acting for the creditors of Bakkavör Group on the group's Icelandic restructuring. Clients appreciate that the team can be relied on in high-pressure circumstances.  

KEY INDIVIDUALS Clients say Jeremy Goldring is "innovative in his approach." He "deals with distressed clients very well" and "you can always go to him in a difficult situation." Sources admire Michael Woollard as being "pragmatic and very commercial," saying he "has a brain the size of a planet."

Skadden's European corporate restructuring group is headquartered in London and handles an impressive array of transactions in multiple jurisdictions. Recent highlights include acting for Weather Investments on the restructuring of its portfolio company WIND Hellas, and handling the European elements of the pre-packaged insolvency of MGM.  

KEY INDIVIDUALS Practice head Chris Mallon has considerable experience in multi-jurisdictional restructuring and insolvency. He led the team on the WIND Hellas restructuring.

This heavyweight firm continues to have a strong impact on the restructuring/insolvency market, where recent standout work has included providing ongoing advice to HM Treasury on the restructuring of Northern Rock. The practice also handles high-profile multi-jurisdictional matters, such as advising the Ministry of Finance of the Greek Republic on the EUR80 billion loan it received from EU member states.

Client Service "They always back you up when you need them to."

KEY INDIVIDUALS Clients highlight that George Seligman is "very well respected and well known" in the banking sector. He recently advised Icelandic bank Glitnir on its winding-up, alongside Sarah Paterson, who has a wealth of experience in domestic and international restructurings.

Sources praise this team for its broad expertise in the sector and strength in depth at partner level. Supported by the firm's strong banking department and array of offices abroad, the group handles both domestic and multi-jurisdictional transactions.

KEY INDIVIDUALS Mark Andrews is highly rated by sources as "a guru of the sector." Clients say he excels at "guiding us through complicated insolvency issues." Nigel Barnett co-heads the insolvency and restructuring group, and has particular expertise in the contentious aspects of corporate insolvency. Clients praise Rachel Anthony's diligent approach and experience on both the contentious and non-contentious aspects of corporate insolvency. Neil Griffiths has a well-deserved reputation for his knowledge of contentious restructuring and insolvency. Sue Moore acts in both contentious and non-contentious transactions, and is well regarded for her multi-jurisdictional experience. Sources hail Graham Paine as "a quality act." He has considerable sector expertise and is also a licensed insolvency practitioner.

This team continues to go from strength to strength and has established a strong presence in the market. High-profile instructions include acting for the administrators of Borders UK.

Client Service "They feel as if they are an extension of our firm, as if we have our own in-house counsel."

Commercial Awareness "They are extremely commercial and reliable."

KEY INDIVIDUALS Sources praise Christopher Harlowe as a lawyer who "fits the commercial and pragmatic mould." He was part of the team advising on the Borders UK administration, alongside Simon Ridpath, who clients say provides "an exemplary service – no time of the day or night is ever inconvenient to contact him for advice." Keith Bordell recently joined the team. He will add further depth to the team and the market will watch developments with interest.

This "friendly and efficient" team continues to build a strong reputation for its restructuring and insolvency work. Its workload is increasingly multi-jurisdictional in nature, as reflected in its recent role as leading counsel to the liquidators of Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities.

Client Service "They deliver confident advice in a timely manner."

KEY INDIVIDUALS Head of practice Nick Moser led on the Madoff Investment Securities work, and impresses interviewees with his broad experience of complex restructurings and insolvency.

The team at Travers Smith handles a broad range of matters, from formal insolvencies and turnaround assignments to restructuring and refinancing. The group has been involved in high-profile matters such as acting for the joint administrators of Lehman Brothers International (Europe) in its litigation against Citibank.  

KEY INDIVIDUALS Head of banking Jeremy Walsh specialises in debt restructuring. He recently acted for the trustees of the Lehman Brothers Pension Scheme.

This firm's strong domestic and international practice handles the full range of restructuring and insolvency issues, and continues to act on the high-profile Chapter 11 process of Lehman Brothers International (Europe). The team also acted for Dubai International Capital on the restructuring of the Almatis group, demonstrating its ability to tackle complex multi-jurisdictional matters.  

KEY INDIVIDUALS Clients have high praise for Adam Plainer, saying he combines "robust expertise in the field" with the ability to "establish very close relationships with clients." Dominic McCahill has particular expertise in advising creditors and companies on multi-jurisdictional issues. He was active on the firm's Lehman Brothers work and in advising Kaupthing following the Icelandic collapse.

The London office of this US firm continues to go from strength to strength. Recent complex and cross-border highlights for the team include acting on the WIND Hellas restructuring. Sources are quick to emphasise the team's considerable expertise at partner level and beyond.

KEY INDIVIDUALS Interviewees praise Christian Pilkington as being "very calm and unflappable," and for combining "extensive experience in the field" with being "very able technically." Mark Glengarry is lauded as a "very imaginative lawyer" with a "commercial approach to problem solving." According to sources, he is "a tough negotiator" and "the catalyst that can make things happen."