Caroline Leeds Ruby

Leaders in Law endorses Caroline Leeds Ruby as our exclusively recommended Acquisition Finance Law expert in the United Kingdom. If you wish to get in touch with Caroline, please use the contact information provided above.

Caroline Leeds Ruby, a partner of the firm, represents banking and corporate clients particularly in senior secured and subordinated leveraged and acquisition financings, financings to funds, receivables financings, debt buy-backs, multinational restructuring transactions, distressed purchases, defaulting loans and restructurings.

Caroline is ranked as a leading lawyer by Chambers and Partners UK. A range of impressed clients note that Caroline Leeds Ruby is “really first class,” “stays cool under pressure” and “has an excellent business acumen” (Chambers 2013). “Very diligent, extremely responsive, flexible and has deep technical knowledge” (Chambers 2015).

Finance Law Practice:

Shearman & Sterling’s Finance Group has been involved in many of the largest and most complex financing transactions worldwide and is consistently ranked at the top of syndicated lending league tables. Our group includes experienced lawyers in New York, London, Paris, Frankfurt, Milan and Abu Dhabi who execute transactions under New York, English, French, German and Italian law, often involving multiple facilities, instruments, currencies and jurisdictions. We represent a broad range of clients, including commercial banks, investment banks, private equity sponsors, hedge funds and corporate borrowers, and are particularly noted for our skill in structuring a wide variety of transactions.

Shearman & Sterling LLP:

Shearman & Sterling has been advising many of the world’s leading corporations and financial institutions, governments and governmental organizations for more than 140 years. We are committed to providing legal advice that is insightful and valuable to our clients. This has resulted in groundbreaking transactions in all major regions of the world.

We have also advised on some of the world’s most notable transactions and matters, representing: the Yukos shareholders in their $100 billion compensation claim against Russia; Cadbury in its $19.4 billion acquisition by Kraft; Panama Canal Authority in its $5.7 billion canal refinancing plan; IntercontinentalExchange in its acquisition of The Clearing Corporation and formation of a credit default swap clearinghouse; The Dow Chemical Company in its acquisition of Rohm & Haas and sale of Morton International and its calcium chloride and Styron businesses; Suncor Energy in its $15.8 billion merger with Petro-Canada; Brazilian conglomerate JBS in its acquisition of US poultry company Pilgrim’s Pride through a bankruptcy proceeding; Société Générale in combination of its asset management operations with Crédit Agricole’s; and Sterlite in its $500 Million Convertible Bond Offering in India.

Together, our lawyers work across practices and jurisdictions to provide the highest quality legal services, bringing their collective experience to bear on the issues that clients face. For example, underpinning the quality of our work firmwide are our shared values.

We take pride in the successes of our clients and in our contributions to them.

Denis Van den Bulke

Leaders in Law endorses Denis Van den Bulke as our exclusively recommended Acquisition Finance Law expert in Luxembourg. If you wish to get in touch with Denis please use the contact information provided above.

Denis Van den Bulke is the founding partner of VANDENBULKE (January 2005). Denis specializes in corporate finance, venture capital, group restructuring (along with cross-borders mergers and acquisitions and international tax), international and European banking and financial law (including investment funds and international equity compensation plans).

Before founding VANDENBULKE, he was partner in the international and corporate department of Dorsey & Whitney LLP and a member of the executive management, head of the financial structures, investment funds and financial engineering department at ING-Luxembourg SA, Luxembourg. Denis has also acquired senior experience with UN, and sponsored OCDE, OPEC and World Bank institutions, as financial expert.

Denis Van den Bulke is referenced by world professional directories as leading Luxembourg lawyer; Denis is nominated and recommended by Chambers Global as primary “Corporate/Commercial” and “Banking and Finance” lawyer in Luxembourg, is recommended in the fields of Banking and Finance, Corporate/Commercial, IP and Tax practices by Legal 500 and IFLR and designated by International Tax review as a leading Luxembourg tax lawyer. Denis is a former director of the Luxembourg Association of Luxembourg Fund Industry (ALFI) and still an active member of its Private Equity Commission. He is also active in various professional organization including ADVOC, the European Banking and Financial Association, Luxembourg Private Equity Association (LPEA), IBA, ABA or IFA.

Denis has authored number of articles in the field of corporate finance and international tax. He chairs and is an active speaker at various international conferences and seminars throughout Europe including inter alia Paris Chamber of Commerce and Cercle Montesquieu, International Faculty for Executives (IFE) in Paris, Brussels and Luxembourg or European Life Settlement Association (ELSA).

Denis Van den Bulke is a former lecturer at the Solvay Business School and at the University of Liège. Denis holds a M.A. degree in law (Liège, Belgium), a M.Sc. in Economics (CORE, center of operational research and econometrics) (Louvain, Belgium) and M.A. in Sociology and anthropology (Louvain and Liège, Belgium). He is graduated from Marysville (USA) and is member of the Brussels and Luxembourg Bars.

Firm Description

VANDENBULKE is an independent law firm specializing predominantly in the Corporate, Finance and Tax practices. The Firm has the continuing ambition to provide an elite and fully integrated service in these practice areas to international institutional and professional investors. It has been structured and designed to provide a comprehensive and cutting-edge approach for the most complex legal issues arising in Luxembourg’s corporate and financial markets.

In recent years, Luxembourg has seen a tremendous growth as a financial centre, requiring a dramatic increase in more international and sophisticated legal counselling. VANDENBULKE was specifically founded to address this demand and provide the latest local and cross-border legal expertise in international Corporate, Finance and Tax matters. VANDENBULKE has been constantly outperforming the Luxembourg law firms market and has consolidated its position as the unique corporate finance boutique in Luxembourg. The success of this niche strategy translated into an annual triple-digit growth over the last five years, resulting in a firm of twenty elite professionals providing assistance to Fortune 100 or 500 companies and international institutional investors.

Significant Market Recognition

Today, VANDENBULKE is undoubtedly THE leading Luxembourg niche firm specializing only in Corporate, Finance and Tax. Beyond the recognition of Chambers, The Legal500, and International Tax Review, the Firm has been recognized in 2010 and 2011 as the Best Tax Boutique Law Firm in Luxembourg (Corporate International) and shortlisted for the Best European Niche Law Firm of 2011 by The Lawyer.

Our lawyers bring additional creativity and fresh thinking. They combine boundless energy with the nimble minds needed to address, in an innovative way, legal issues encountered by foreign investors in Luxembourg’s somewhat complex financial and corporate market practices. Finally, the Firm develops a business-centric approach towards its clients. At VANDENBULKE, we pursue one sole aim: to provide the most quality-efficient legal service in Luxembourg, matching the international standards at the peak of the profession.

 

Richard J. I. Stock

Richard Stock is a partner in the Hong Kong office of Mayer Brown JSM’s finance practice. He focuses his practice on the aviation industry, with nearly twenty years experience assisting airlines, lessors and financial institutions to negotiate and document leasing and financing arrangements for commercial aircraft. He also has a busy corporate jet practice, representing owners, lessors and financial institutions in the purchase, leasing and financing of corporate jets.

Richard has represented airlines, lessors and owners who intend to purchase new aircraft from OEMs; the total value of these transactions exceeds USD 20 billion. He has also represented airlines, lessors and owners in equipment procurement programmes and out-fitting agreements for new and used aircraft.

Richard has a particular interest in used aircraft and in aircraft and engine maintenance. Richard has assisted airlines to negotiate service agreements for airframe and engine maintenance. Many of these service agreements involve sizeable revenue streams; the engine service agreements alone involve revenues in excess of USD 7 billion.

Richard also advises investors seeking to establish joint ventures in the aviation industry, including the establishment of new airlines, the re-purposing of existing airlines and other aviation-related matters.

Mayer Brown JSM:

Mayer Brown JSM (formerly known as Johnson Stokes & Master) is one of the leading law firms in the world’s fastest-growing legal market. Mayer Brown JSM was established in 1863 in Hong Kong and has offices in Hong Kong, Mainland China, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Mayer Brown JSM has a multinational, multilingual team of 800 staff, including 300 lawyers who are qualified in local and international jurisdictions.

Our proven record of experience, culture and networks in Asia means we are closely tuned in to regional issues and policy development – a factor that we will leverage to our clients’ advantage. Our long-term, on-the-ground experience and knowledge of Asian markets and networks have been the key to building our reputation. We are known as the law firm that “opens doors and closes deals in Asia”.

Ruth Galea

Ruth Galea is a corporate, financial services and taxation lawyer. She mainly practices in the Financial Services, Capital Markets, Gaming and ICT industries. Her principal areas of specialisation are corporate finance, corporate governance, corporate restructuring (with a particular focus on joint ventures and mergers & acquisitions), credit and financial institutions, taxation (direct and indirect) and contract drafting and negotiation. She also regularly advises on matters relating to investment funds, capital markets, gaming law and employment law.

Ruth joined WH Law in 2006 and became a partner of WH Partners on 1 January 2012.

Ruth holds a Master of Laws degree in Commercial Law magna cum laude from the University of Cambridge and a Doctor of Laws degree from in University of Malta.

Ruth is a member of the Malta Chamber of Advocates and was admitted to the Bar in Malta in 2007. She is also a member of the Institute of Financial Services Practitioners of Malta. She is fluent in English, Maltese, Italian and French, all of which she uses to conduct business on a day-to-day basis.

Ruth has a particular interest in current affairs, and enjoys travelling, Indian food and learning languages.

WH Partners:

WH Partners progressed from WH Law, which was founded by Olga Finkel in 2006. In January 2012, James Scicluna joined forces with Olga and together they co-founded the firm it is today. Ruth Galea, previously Senior Associate working alongside Olga, became Partner shortly afterwards. The firm has grown considerably since, not only in staff numbers but also in quantity and quality of clients.

At WH Partners we have a universal ethos: it is key for us to understand our clients’ business in order to advise them in their decision-making process. We believe that this can only be done by taking time and dedication to fully comprehend our clients’ needs, enabling us to ensure that their goals are achieved.

To accomplish this, we have built our approach on our values, which place the client at the centre. Our approach combines an in-depth grasp of our clients’ business with a result-oriented focus and a strong dose of enthusiasm and perseverance. We believe that the quality of our work reflects our values, whether in advice on the legal aspects of a market entry strategy, or conducting due diligence on a target asset or putting forward alternatives on the structuring of an IPR portfolio.

Lawyers at WH Partners, who specialise in licensing and regulatory, tax, IP, financial services, corporate and commercial law, are amongst the strongest in Malta and are well regarded by regulators and clients for their thoroughness, efficiency and knowledge of their clients’ business, as well as their versatility. To this end our firm has achieved an excellent reputation both locally and internationally for its expert legal advice in gaming and gambling, M&A, taxation, technology, intellectual property and corporate finance.

WH Partners, as well as its individual lawyers, are highly ranked by the foremost leading directories, including Who’s Who Legal, The Legal 500, Chambers & Partners and the International Financial Law Review, in the above-mentioned practice areas. The firm has also received acclaimed international awards for its service levels in corporate services, mergers & acquisitions, taxation and insolvency & restructuring.

Dr. Kati Beckmann

Leaders in Law endorses Dr. Kati Beckmann as our exclusively recommended Acquisition Finance Law expert in Germany. If you wish to get in touch with Dr. Beckmann please use the contact information provided above.

Kati Beckmann is a partner in the German Finance Group with a special focus on investment law, acquisition and corporate finance as well as financial restructurings.

She advises sponsors and investors on fund formations, investments in and marketing of funds, as well as on regulatory requirements for specific institutional investors. Kati has also a wide-ranging experience in advising clients on the borrower and lender side regarding national and cross-border financing, refinancing transaction and in workout and insolvency scenarios or in connection with distressed loan investments (NPLs).

Prior to joining the firm, Kati spent several years working for Olswang Germany, the banking team of Freshfields in London and Frankfurt/Main and the finance group of CMS Hasche Sigle in Berlin.

Firm Overview

Five decades ago, while at lunch in a South Florida deli, attorneys Mel Greenberg, Robert Traurig, and Larry J. Hoffman, saw an opportunity to establish a new breed of law firm for South Florida; one that mirrored a New York style firm. In 1967, they founded the law firm Greenberg Traurig Hoffman, a quality business law firm where client service and collaboration ruled.

This new model was strong and scalable: deliver the quality of legal work to which substantial U.S. commercial clients were accustomed; truly listen to and work hand-in-hand with clients to help them achieve their goals (not simply drown them in legalese); and do so while offering a decentralized structure that would help them control their legal costs. This approach would also allow the new firm to develop substantial and long-term relationships with some of the top businesses in the region and, eventually, the world.

In the early 1990s, the consolidation of firms had started to take off. The firm developed and executed a strategy that would allow it to deliver the United States to clients at much better value through quality lawyers in the key growth, financial, and political centers in the United States. Clients no longer needed to hire two different firms for the same matter. Because matters were priced locally and with flexibility, they could take advantage of market differences when it came to budgeting.

The firm’s cultural strategy attracted the highly ranked attorneys, who were already perceived as leaders in their community. These individuals wanted to join a firm of positive people who valued working together and shared experience and clients for the benefit of all involved.

The new firm was (and remains) non-bureaucratic. When clients needed a decision, they knew they were talking to someone who could make it happen.

From the beginning, Greenberg Traurig selected laterals not solely on traditional criteria, but also on how well they fit this new culture of collaboration. Additionally, the firm focused on creating a business staff roster that aimed to be the best in the profession.

Early on, Greenberg Traurig developed a strong commitment to giving back to the community. Attorneys and business staff striving to make a difference by leading, volunteering, and donating to a rich spectrum of causes.

Fifty years after its founding, Greenberg Traurig has more than 2,000 attorneys and 38 locations on three continents.

As each new office opened, this unique culture was replicated, but never dictated. The firm grew by way of laterals who fit in and had a passion for quality work and collaboration, and in response to client needs. Greenberg Traurig has never added lawyers through a merger and remains one firm. Each new office can be traced to an opportunity to better serve clients.

There never has been a headquarters office. From Day 1, people have been empowered to do the right thing and the best thing no matter where they were sitting. These qualities have allowed the firm to thrive along with its valued clients, attorneys, and staff.

We are proud of our achievements and grateful to our founders and to all those who continuously work harder and smarter to expand their vision.

 

D’Arcy Nordick

Leaders in Law endorses D’Arcy Nordick as our exclusively recommended Acquisition Finance Law expert in Canada. If you wish to get in touch with D’Arcy, please use the contact information provided above.

D’Arcy Nordick is a partner in Stikeman Elliott’s Corporate Group. His practice includes advising both foreign and domestic clients in a variety of industries on business law matters including mergers and acquisitions (both public and private), corporate finance, securities, corporate governance, structured financial products, licensing and joint ventures, project development, restructuring and general corporate and commercial law.

Mr. Nordick’s diverse clientele includes banks, governmental and quasi-governmental entities, securities dealers, mining and resource companies, investment funds, technology companies, real estate investment trusts, industrial companies, retailers, infrastructure/P3 participants, food services companies, transportation companies, media and telecom companies and private equity firms. This breadth of experience and expertise contributes to and is the result of Mr. Nordick’s practical, creative and business-focused approach to the needs of his clients.

Mr. Nordick is a member of the firm’s M&A/Negotiated Transactions Group, Securities Practice Group, Infrastucture/P3 Group, Mining Group, Investment Funds Group and the Structured Financial Products and Derivatives Group.

Mr. Nordick was recognized in The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory 2014 as a leading lawyer in the Corporate Mid-Market, Corporate Finance & Securities and Mining sectors, the 2014 Lexpert Guide to the Leading U.S./Canada Cross-border Corporate Lawyers in Canada, the International Who’s Who of Mining Lawyers 2013 and the 2010 Lexpert’s Rising Stars as one of the “Leading Lawyers Under 40” in Canada.

Stikeman Elliott LLP:

Stikeman Elliott is one of Canada’s leading business law firms, recognized for top tier services in each of our core practice areas – corporate finance, M&A, real estate, corporate-commercial law, banking, structured finance, tax, insolvency, competition and foreign investment, employment and business litigation. We are regularly retained by domestic and international companies in a wide range of industries including financial services, insurance, technology, telecommunication, transportation, manufacturing, mining, energy, infrastructure and retail.

The firm’s National Litigation Group, whose specializations include class actions, securities litigation, antitrust and restructurings, has been ranked among the top business litigation practices in Canada by Chambers Global, Lexpert and Benchmark. The firm is also well known for its extensive regulatory and government relations expertise; the latter anchored by its office in Ottawa.

We have prominent cross-border expertise, as the first Canadian firm to open offices in London and New York, and extensive experience in the U.S., Europe, China, South and Southeast Asia as well as in Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa. Our 500 lawyers include many of Canada’s most prominent business practitioners and litigators, and our depth across practice areas enables clients to benefit from efficient, expert teams of lawyers at all levels. The firm has also invested heavily in cutting-edge knowledge management and project management systems in order to assure our clients of advice of the highest quality.

 

Agis Agapiou

Leaders in Law endorses Agis Agapiou as our exclusively recommended Acquisition Finance Law expert in Cyprus. If you wish to get in touch with Agis please use the contact information provided above.

Agis deals with commercial, company, taxation, banking and the acquisition of immovable property. He has participated and spoken in Business Seminars in Cyprus and abroad.

Agis was a Member of the House of Representatives (2001 to 2006), deputy chairman of the Standing Parliamentary Committee on Institutions, Merit and the Commissioner of Administration (Ombudsman), a member of the committees on European Affairs and on Legal Affairs and he represented the House in COSAC

Acquisition Finance Law Practice:

We advise major banks and other debt providers, as well as corporate borrowers and private equity investors in the structuring and documentation of leveraged buyouts, public-to-privates, bid financing, investment grade financing and other acquisition-related financing transactions.

Chrysses Demetriades & Co:

Chrysses Demetriades & Co. LLC is a Cyprus law firm providing a comprehensive range of legal services to local and international clients.We have been instrumental to the development of Cyprus as an offshore and international financial centre and are widely acknowledged as one of the leading law firms in Cyprus in the key areas of corporate activity.

We have long established relationships with many of the world’s leading international financial institutions, professional advisers and regulatory bodies, are consistently highly rated in independent research studies and regularly lead offshore league tables.

Our success is founded on our ability to provide practical, creative and cost-effective advice, combined with an uncompromising service commitment to our clients and a strong dedication to our lawyers, staff and the communities in which we practice.