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2027 Edition
Magic Circle firm Clifford Chance is among the largest law firms in the world, with global operations in 23 countries. It has offices in Frankfurt, Düsseldorf and Munich. The firm has a formidable practice across all sectors. Its standout capital markets practice includes Simon Reitz and Axel Wittmann. In a recent highlight the team advised GD Towers on its EUR 7.7 billion refinancing comprising the establishment of a new common terms financing platform and a record EUR 2.5 billion private placement. The project finance team includes highly regarded practitioner Florian Mahler, who advised Nofar Energy on the project financing of its first battery energy storage system in Germany, a deal that was shortlisted for Deal of the Year at the 2026 IFLR Europe Awards. The corporate team, led by Thomas Krecek, advised Helvetia Holding on its planned merger of equals with Baloise Holding, ultimately forming Helvetia Baloise Holding.

Key clients of the firm include GD Towers, Nofar Energy, Deutsche Bank, J.P. Morgan, MTU Aero Engines, Vantage Data Centers, Aeral Bank, Barclays Bank Ireland, Helvetia Holding, Helvetia Holding, and BNP Paribas.

Testimonials
‘We especially appreciate their teamwork approach, availability, and pragmatism.’ (M&A)
Schalast & Partner was established in 1995 and has offices in Frankfurt, Berlin, Düsseldorf, Hamburg and Stuttgart and is part of the Multilaw network. The firm is experienced in financial services regulation, banking, insurance, and M&A and is often noted for its work in with start-ups, on novel financing products and in the emerging digital finance space. This year, the Banking & Finance department, led by co-managing partner Andreas Walter, advised Raisin Bank on its regulatory assessment of European sustainability and ESG-related legislation and supervisory guidelines included in a regulatory review catalogue. The M&A team, led by managing partner Christoph Schalast, advised Beyond Capital Partner (BCP) on its acquisition of Sanitätshaus blu, requiring the coordination of corporate and real estate law expertise across multiple practice areas. Key M&A clients of the firm include Viessmann Generations Group, Mainova, Beyond Capital Partners, Faber-Castell, and Hannover Finanz. The Banking & Finance department advises DLT, Mondu, Fosun, Wayflyer, Morgan Stanley, and CRX Markets.

Testimonials

“Very active on thought leadership in the financial space and very active in the fintech sector; they are well-versed in working with start-ups and have been successful in areas such as blockchain, distributed ledger technology (DLT) and crypto-currency projects.” (Banking & Finance)

“They have a large team with a lot of dedicated regulatory lawyers and some very talented individuals.” (Financial Services Regulatory)

“Christoph Schalast is highly experienced; excellent rhetoric.”
Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom is an American multinational law firm founded in 1948 in New York. It is present in Germany with offices in Frankfurt and Munich. In Banking and Capital Markets, the firm advises on domestic and cross-border transaction, with a focus on structured finance, syndicated lending and debt restructuring, and equity capital markets work. In M&A and private equity, the firm has a strong international focus, advising private equity houses on their inbound buyouts in Germany, as well as pan-European transactions with a strong German component. The team also boasts substantial experience in significant transatlantic transactions involving major US corporates and investors. This year, the Capital Markets and M&A teams, led by Holger Hofmeister and Stephen Hutter, advised CureVac in its all-stock acquisition by BioNTech that valued CureVac at approximately USD 1.25 billion. The Private Equity team, led by Jan Bauer in Frankfurt, advised BlackRock as part of a consortium of investors led by Allianz, in the acquisition of Viridium Group, a transaction that was shortlisted as a Deal of the Year in the 2026 IFLR Europe Awards. Key clients of the firm include BlackRock, CureVac, Paypal, The Middleby Corporation, Qatar Investment Authority, Kulczyk Investments, HSBC, Jefferies, Wells Fargo Bank, Citibank, Hillenbrand, AGRAVIS Raiffeisen, and Energy Infrastructure Partners.
Debevoise & Plimpton
5 practice areas
View profile
Germany
Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson
4 practice areas
View profile
Germany
Arnold & Porter
3 practice areas
View profile
Germany
King & Wood Mallesons
9 practice areas
View profile
Germany
A&O Shearman - Germany View profile
Germany
Hermann
3 practice areas
View profile
Germany
Leonhardt
2 practice areas
View profile
Germany
Magnusson View profile
Germany
Reed Smith View profile
Germany
Rödl & Partner View profile
Germany
Beiten Burkhardt
1 practice area
View profile
Germany
Hasch & Partner View profile
Germany
Brehm & v Moers View profile
Germany
Brödermann & Jahn View profile
Germany
WilmerHale View profile
Germany
ZIRNGIBL View profile
Germany
Squire Patton Boggs
1 practice area
View profile
Germany
Baum Financial Services Law Team View profile
Germany
BBORS Kreuznacht View profile
Germany
Becker Büttner Held View profile
Germany
756 results756 results
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38
Deal Highlights
1,539 results1,539 results
Deal Name Deal Date Firm Name Jurisdiction Deal Type Lawyer Names Client Names Client Role
SAP Fioneer GmbH - M&A
2022-04-04
POELLATH
Germany
M&A
Christian Tonies, Daniel Wiedmann, Markus Dollner, Nico Fischer, Sebastian Gerlinger
SAP Fioneer GmbH
Buyer
Bilendi SA - M&A
2021-11-22
SKW Schwarz
Germany
M&A
Alexander Moller, Angela Poschenrieder, Heiko Wunderlich, Matthias Nordmann, Matthias Orthwein, Nicole Wolf-Thomann, Nikolai Schmidt, Stefan Peintinger
Bilendi SA
Buyer
ISEL Germany AG - M&A
2022-01-27
McDermott Will & Schulte
Germany
M&A
Christian Masch, Christian Rolf, Clemens Just, Heiko Kermer, Isabella Katzlmeier, Isabelle Muller, Lisa Schickling, Maximilian Clostermeyer, Nadine Hartung, Tina Zeller
ISEL Germany AG
Target
Microsoft Corp. - M&A
2022-02-01
Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe
Germany
M&A
Mark Parris
Microsoft Corp.
Seller
Fidelidade - Companhia de Seguros SA - M&A
2022-02-04
Freshfields
Germany
M&A
Bertrand Guerin, David Schwintowski, Frank Rohling, Jadwiga Loiko, Kai Hasselbach, Mark Grutzeck, Mathilde Beaumunier, Max Alles, Wessel Heukamp
Fidelidade - Companhia de Seguros SA
Buyer
Optel Group - M&A
2021-12-30
McCarthy Tétrault
Germany
M&A
Charles-Antoine Souliere, Mireille Trottier
Optel Group
Buyer
Bosch Sensortec GmbH - M&A
2022-04-29
Hengeler Mueller
Germany
M&A
Anja Balitzki, Benedikt Statz, Bernd Wirbel, Christian Hoefs, Christoph Stadler, Dirk Uwer, Gunther Wagner, Jan Adami, Jan Schülting, Kira Fritsche, Mona Geimer, Moritz Rademacher, Sara Jungewelter, Thomas Meurer, Wolfgang Kellenter
Bosch Sensortec GmbH
Buyer
Arioso Systems GmbH - M&A
2022-04-29
Willkie Farr & Gallagher
Germany
M&A
Miriam Steets
Arioso Systems GmbH
Target
Stryder Corp - M&A
2022-04-13
Gibson Dunn & Crutcher
Germany
M&A
Chris Trester, Christoph Jacob, Ferdinand Fromholzer, Hans Schmid, Jordan Holsinger, Mark Zimmer, Michael Walther, Robert Phillips, Sonja Ruttmann, Sophie Schürmann, Yannick Oberacker
Stryder Corp
Buyer
Individual Seller(s) - M&A
2021-12-14
Gütt Olk Feldhaus
Germany
M&A
Heiner Feldhaus, Matthias Uelner, Ricarda Theis, Thomas Becker
Individual Seller(s)
Seller
International Chemical Investors Group - M&A
2022-05-02
Freshfields
Germany
M&A
International Chemical Investors Group
Seller
Astorg Partners - M&A
2022-05-02
Latham & Watkins
Germany
M&A
Astorg Partners
Buyer
Gentherm Inc. - M&A
2022-05-04
Gleiss Lutz
Germany
M&A
Gentherm Inc.
Buyer
Gentherm Inc. - M&A
2022-05-04
Honigman
Germany
M&A
Gentherm Inc.
Buyer
Datagroup SE - M&A
2022-04-28
Heuking Kühn Lüer Wojtek
Germany
M&A
Benedikt Raisch, Emanuel Teichmann, Fabian Gaffron, Felix Drefs, Rainer Herschlein, Veronica Straub
Datagroup SE
Buyer
DPE Deutsche Private Equity GmbH - M&A
2022-05-09
Gütt Olk Feldhaus
Germany
M&A
Dominik Forstner, Isabelle Vrancken, Karl Ehrenberg, Kilian Helmreich
DPE Deutsche Private Equity GmbH
Seller
Telefonica SA - M&A
2022-05-09
Clifford Chance
Germany
M&A
Belen Irissarry, Christopher Fischer, Claudia Milbradt, Cord von Mandelsloh, Dimitri Slobodenjuk, Jana Landsittel, Julius Schradin, Marc Besen, Miguel Odriozola, Nicolas Hohn-Hein, Olaf Mertgen, Ribana Piontek, Simon Schmid, Stefan Bruder, Stefan Simon
Telefonica SA
Buyer
PKN Group - M&A
2022-05-11
POELLATH
Germany
M&A
Dominik Gerlicher, Frank Thianer, Gerald Herrmann, Michael Haussler, Tim Junginger
PKN Group
Target
Timetoact Group - M&A
2022-04-26
A&O Shearman - Germany
Germany
M&A
Timetoact Group
Buyer
Active Capital Co. BV - M&A
2022-05-11
Arqis
Germany
M&A
Anja Markworth, Benjamin Bandur, Daniel Schlemann, Franziska Resch, Jasmin Stuckenbrock, Jens Knipping, Johannes Landry, Julia Regenauer, Marcus Nothhelfer, Mauritz von Einem, Nora Meyer-Stratmann, Rolf Tichy, Thi Chinh Nguyen, Tobias Neufeld, Ulrich Lienhard
Active Capital Co. BV
Buyer
38
of
77
By Firm
173 results173 results
Firm Name Jurisdiction Total Deals Deals (Last 12 Months)
A&O Shearman
Germany
20
0
A&O Shearman - Germany
Germany
32
0
Addleshaw Goddard
1
0
AKD
Belgium
2
0
Alexander Koelle
Germany
1
0
AllBright Law Offices
1
0
Alston & Bird
1
0
ALTENBURG
Germany
6
0
Anderson Mori & Tomotsune
Japan
1
0
Arqis
Germany
27
0
Arthur Cox
Ireland
1
0
Ashurst Perkins Coie
Germany
11
0
Baker & Hostetler
1
0
Baker McKenzie
Germany
22
0
BarentsKrans
Netherlands
1
0
Barnes & Thornburg
1
0
Bech-Bruun
Denmark
1
0
Binder Grösswang
Austria
1
0
Bird & Bird
Germany
10
0
Blake Cassels & Graydon
1
0
1
of
9

Insights editorial only

From Germany to California, we round up key partner moves across private equity, secondaries, finance and venture capital
From UK private capital to Italian consolidation, tier changes demonstrate a more competitive regional cycle
The 2027 edition recognises 3,524 practices across 24 jurisdictions, with France, Germany and the UK driving much of the growth following the introduction of new tables
Eric Romba explains why digital finance regulation has become a live business priority – and why Fieldfisher is using it as a foundation in Berlin
We round up this week’s top moves in the finance, corporate, M&A and PE practices in the UK, France, the US and Germany
We round up this week’s lateral hires at leading firms across Germany, the US, UK and Brazil
New hires made in regulatory, corporate, M&A and finance practices at leading firms across the US and the UK, while German Hengeler Mueller elected two new managing partners
The finalists for the 28th annual Europe awards have been revealed, with the winners to be announced in London on June 11
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Insights editorial only cont'd