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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
1
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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
Beacon Energy plc - M&A
2023-04-11
Watson Farley & Williams
Germany
M&A
Chris Kilburn, Clementine Freeth, Eva Reiter, Jamie Tiru, Joe Levin, Jordan Joannides, Julian Kasper, Lara-Katharina Burandt, Marina Scharfenberg, Maximilian Boemke, Richard Stephens, Xiaolei Liu
Beacon Energy plc
Buyer
GeoMobile GmbH - M&A
2023-05-10
Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe
Germany
M&A
Konstantin Heitmann
GeoMobile GmbH
Target
Verisk - M&A
2023-04-26
Freshfields
Germany
M&A
Alexander Schramm, Alexander Schwahn, Antonius Gehringhoff, Frank Schaer, Hendrik Witt, Iaroslava Arakelian, Johanna Hirth, Lars Meyer, Laura Ashoff, Marius Gorski, Maximilian Hobuss, Sarah Kutsche, Theresa Ehlen, Tobias Franz
Verisk
Buyer
Individual Seller(s) - M&A
2023-04-28
CMS
Germany
M&A
Alain Schmid, Berrit Roth-Mingram, Florian Plagemann, Gérard Maitrejean, Miruna Poenaru, Shirley Lau, Simon Kirchner, Sophie Spicker, Stephan Werlen, Susanne Waldhans, Tobias Grau, Tobias Polloczek
Individual Seller(s)
Seller
Pomélo + Co GmbH - M&A
2023-05-11
CMS
Germany
M&A
Annika Lindemann, Benedikt Holl, Christian Linseisen, Christoph Kuster, Felix Glocker, Jessica Mohaupt, Jörg Schrade, Julia Menke, Katharina Hirzle, Maria Kucher, Marielouise Emmer, Marina Bumeder, Markus Kaulartz, Nina Hartmann, Rolf Leithaus, Stefan Luft, Tilman Weicher
Pomélo + Co GmbH
Buyer
Metropolitan Equity Partners - M&A
2023-05-08
CMS
Germany
M&A
Bjorn Herbers, Christopher von Lilien-Waldau, Katharina Franitza, Katharina Kapp, Kirsten Baubkus-Gerard, Laura Stein, Malte Bruhns, Martin Friedberg, Matthias Sethmann, Nina Becker, Nora Zabel
Metropolitan Equity Partners
Seller
Photonis SAS - M&A
2023-04-25
Reed Smith
Germany
M&A
Cecilia Manny, Christian Filippitsch, Christian Leuthner, Christoph Mikyska, Harald Heller, Irmela Dolle, Jonas Weimert, Martin Buenning, Max Seuster, Max von Dohren, Octavio de Sousa, Philipp Bergmann, Vincent Magotsch, Wim Vandenberghe
Photonis SAS
Buyer
Ascend Gene and Cell Therapies Ltd. - M&A
2023-02-10
Cooley
Germany
M&A
Alexandra Mitrea, Bethan Chalmers, Christine Graham, Corina Demeter-Olive, David Bresnick, Eerik Kukebal, Georgina Dietrich, Jan Lang, Joe Sandys, Natasha Kaye, Tom Goodman
Ascend Gene and Cell Therapies Ltd.
Buyer
ServiceNow Inc. - M&A
2023-05-12
Baker McKenzie
Germany
M&A
Derek Liu, Leif King, Tino Marz
ServiceNow Inc.
Buyer
DPE Deutsche Private Equity GmbH - M&A
2023-05-26
Heuking Kühn Lüer Wojtek
Germany
M&A
Lena Wagner, Till Naruisch
DPE Deutsche Private Equity GmbH
Seller
DPE Deutsche Private Equity GmbH - M&A
2023-05-26
Arqis
Germany
M&A
Anja Markworth, Anselm Graf, Christos Choudeloudis, Dennis Reisich, Friedrich Gebert, Jasmin Grunen, Jens Knipping, Jorn-Christian Schulze, Kamil Flak, Katrin Ludwig, Laura Rizzi, Marcus Nothhelfer, Martin Weingartner, Maximilian Backhaus, Nima Hanifi-Atashgah, Nora Meyer-Stratmann, Rolf Tichy, Severin Steffens, Thomas Chwalek, Tim Bresemann, Ulrich Lienhard
DPE Deutsche Private Equity GmbH
Seller
DPE Deutsche Private Equity GmbH - M&A
2023-05-26
Gleiss Lutz
Germany
M&A
Pascal Pitz-Klauser, Petra Linsmeier
DPE Deutsche Private Equity GmbH
Seller
DPE Deutsche Private Equity GmbH - M&A
2023-05-26
Hogan Lovells Cadwalader
Germany
M&A
Kilian Pfahl, Nikolas Zirngibl, Thiemo Woertge
DPE Deutsche Private Equity GmbH
Seller
SGT German Private Equity GmbH & Co. KGaA - M&A
2023-05-30
Willkie Farr & Gallagher
Germany
M&A
Georg Linde, Kamyar Abrar, Ludger Kempf, Michael Ilter
SGT German Private Equity GmbH & Co. KGaA
Buyer
DXC Technology Co. - M&A
2021-11-04
Latham & Watkins
Germany
M&A
Markus Kruger
DXC Technology Co.
Seller
Arkema SA - M&A
2023-05-17
Dentons
Germany
M&A
Ralf Nitschke, Thomas Schubert
Arkema SA
Buyer
Giesecke & Devrient GmbH - M&A
2023-05-17
Dentons
Germany
M&A
Anja Stalter, Bruna Gobbi, Christine Seiz, Jeffrey Nelson, Laurenz Kiefer, Michael Singer, Parsin Walsi, Pedro Gaio, Philipp Becker, Sarah Osipenco, Thomas Strassner
Giesecke & Devrient GmbH
Buyer
FNZ Group - M&A
2021-11-04
Ashurst Perkins Coie
Germany
M&A
Andreas Mauroschat, Astrid Keinath, Cornelius Hille, Detmar Loff, Etay Katz, Fabian Klein, Florian Drinhausen, Francois Heynike, Holger Mlynek, Ilka Breuer, Juditha von der Heydt, Konstantin Filbinger, Maria Held, Martina Rothe, Matthias Weissinger, Maximilian Uibeleisen, Michael Holzhauser, Quynh Anh Le, Thomas Sacher, Tobias Bauerfeind, Volker Germann
FNZ Group
Buyer
Pegasus Digital Mobility Acquisition Corp. - M&A
2023-05-31
Clifford Chance
Germany
M&A
Pegasus Digital Mobility Acquisition Corp.
Buyer
Gebr. SCHMID GmbH - M&A
2023-05-31
Gleiss Lutz
Germany
M&A
Gebr. SCHMID GmbH
Target
62
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