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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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Deal Highlights
1,539 results1,539 results
Deal Name Deal Date Firm Name Jurisdiction Deal Type Lawyer Names Client Names Client Role
Swift Conjoy GmbH - M&A
2022-06-30
Heuking Kühn Lüer Wojtek
Germany
M&A
Bernd Weller, Cedric Vornholt, Christoph Gerhard, Daniel Froesch, Finn-Michael Liebscher, Georg Streit, Jorg Michelsen, Kai Buchler, Oscar Weller, Thomas Nickel
Swift Conjoy GmbH
Buyer
Flughafen Frankfurt-Hahn GmbH - M&A
2022-06-30
Taylor Wessing
Germany
M&A
Hendrik Boss
Flughafen Frankfurt-Hahn GmbH
Target
KANSAI HELIOS - M&A
2022-11-30
CMS
Germany
M&A
Aleksandra Nowakowska-Raszka, Angela Emmert, Anna Mikolajewska-Jelitto, Arne Burmester, Arne Schmieke, Bjorn Herbers, Blazej Zagorski, Carmen Hubner, Christian Scherer, Christoph Grenz, Dirk Schmidbauer, Dirk Smielick, Jakub Rykowski, Klaus Jager, Laura Johnsson, Lennard Lurwer, Lidia Dziurzynska-Leipert, Magdalena Zmyslowska, Marta Osowska-Buba, Martin Friedberg, Matthias Engelen, Michal Serwa, Moritz Pottek, Moritz Ziegler, Nadine Herda, Philipp Schonnenbeck, Richard Mayer-Uellner, Thorsten Hemme, Yves Steingruber
KANSAI HELIOS
Buyer
KANSAI HELIOS - M&A
2022-11-30
Gorrissen Federspiel
Germany
M&A
Afshan Sairafianpour, Anders Peter Christoffersen, Kasper Berg, Nicklas Pedersen, Sofie van Hauen
KANSAI HELIOS
Buyer
Allgaier Werke GmbH - M&A
2022-07-01
A&O Shearman - Germany
Germany
M&A
Winfried Carli
Allgaier Werke GmbH
Target
Trumpf SE + Co. KG - M&A
2023-02-06
Barnes & Thornburg
Germany
M&A
Timo Rehbock
Trumpf SE + Co. KG
Buyer
Peter Jäckel Kommunikationssysteme GmbH - M&A
2022-12-23
CMS
Germany
M&A
Carmen Hubner, Fabian Vieregge, Jonas Singraven, Jonathan Simon, Laura Stein, Malte Bruhns, Martin Friedberg, Thomas Sonnenberg
Peter Jäckel Kommunikationssysteme GmbH
Target
Bruker Corp. - M&A
2023-01-05
CMS
Germany
M&A
Berrit Roth-Mingram, Christian Linseisen, Hendrik Hirsch, Jörg Schrade, Lisa Dietrich, Lisa Stiller, Maximilian Stark, Moritz Pottek, Stefan Lehr, Sven Krause, Thomas Hirse, Till Komma
Bruker Corp.
Buyer
Kapital 1852 Beratungs GmbH - M&A
2023-01-12
CMS
Germany
M&A
Christoph Schroer, Dirk Smielick, Dorothee Janzen, Fabian Vieregge, Kai Neuhaus, Klaus Jager, Laura Stein, Lennard Lurwer, Marcel Heinen, Mario Brungs, Martin Friedberg, Moritz Pottek, Tanja Graue, Thorsten Hemme
Kapital 1852 Beratungs GmbH
Buyer
Trumpf SE + Co. KG - M&A
2023-02-06
CMS
Germany
M&A
Andreas Lohbeck, Heiko Wiechers, Katharina Ivic, Martin Cholewa, Martin Mohr, Rolf Hempel, Ulrike Glueck
Trumpf SE + Co. KG
Buyer
Allgaier Werke GmbH - M&A
2022-07-01
CMS
Germany
M&A
Alexandra Schluck-Amend, Kai Wallisch, Militsa Petrova, Rolf Hempel, Simon Kirchner, Stephen Wu, Tobias Grau, Ulrike Glueck
Allgaier Werke GmbH
Target
IHO Holding GmbH & Co. KG - M&A
2022-07-04
Sullivan & Cromwell
Germany
M&A
Abigail Yevnin, Carsten Berrar, Daniel Kornack, Frederic Dreher, John Horsfield-Bradbury, Saul Brander, Stephan Rauch
IHO Holding GmbH & Co. KG
Buyer
Huma Therapeutics Ltd. - M&A
2023-01-09
Goodwin Procter
Germany
M&A
Huma Therapeutics Ltd.
Buyer
Wipro Ltd. - M&A
2022-07-11
Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe
Germany
M&A
Oliver Duys
Wipro Ltd.
Buyer
Seller Group - multiple shareholders - M&A
2023-02-23
CMS
Germany
M&A
Andre Frischemeier, Annika Lindemann, Benedikt Forschner, Christian Seeburger, Christoph Ceelen, Christoph Kuster, Eduard Kosavtsev, Felix Glocker, Hatice Akyel, Jacob Siebert, Jessica Mohaupt, Jörg Schrade, Katharina Hirzle, Marielouise Emmer, Markus Kaulartz, Matthias Unger, Sarah Schafer, Sebastian Hummel, Stefan Hoss, Stefan Lehr, Stefan Luft, Stefan-Ulrich Muller, Tobias Kalski
Seller Group - multiple shareholders
Seller
Armira Investment Holding - M&A
2023-02-23
White & Case
Germany
M&A
Adnan Bekdur, Andreas Lischka, Emma Foster, Gareth Eagles, Hugo Schwarz Leite, Jacob Heath, Marcus Booth, Markus Fischer, Matthias Kiesewetter, Moritz Muller-Buttmann, Moritz Schneider, Nico Frehse, Oliver Trotman, Philip Vavalidis, Thomas Jacques, Thorsten Eggert, Tigran Saakyan
Armira Investment Holding
Buyer
Salesfive GmbH - M&A
2023-02-28
Norton Rose Fulbright
Germany
M&A
Bernd Dreier, Christina Wiesel, Ingemar Kartheuser, Isabella Schmidt, Nils Kruse, Sarah Heufelder, Tino Duttine, Wenzel Richter
Salesfive GmbH
Buyer
Salesfive GmbH - M&A
2023-02-28
Goodwin Procter
Germany
M&A
Daniel Wagner, Winfried Carli
Salesfive GmbH
Buyer
GK Software SE - M&A
2023-03-01
Freshfields
Germany
M&A
Alexander Harrer, Alexander Schwahn, Arne Krawinkel, Boris Dzida, Christoph Seibt, Felix Abetz, Jan-Willem Koldehofe, Jean Mohamed, Judith Romer, Julia Langner, Katrin Gassner, Lukas Pomaroli, Uwe Salaschek
GK Software SE
Target
Horn & Co. GmbH - M&A
2023-03-02
Bär & Karrer
Germany
M&A
Anke Stumm, Christine Schweikard, Christoph Neeracher, Dominique Nguyen, Julian Hodel, Laura Widmer, Li Wei Dutler, Ollin Sollner, Philippe Seiler, Rehana Harasgama, Sandra Schaffner, Susanne Schreiber
Horn & Co. GmbH
Buyer
57
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
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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