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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
Marcolin SpA - M&A
2023-12-08
Latham & Watkins
Germany
M&A
Burc Hesse, Jan Gocha, Julia Schofer, Julian Zimara, Maximilian Kuchernig, Stefano Sciolla, Stephan Hufnagel, Susan Kempe-Muller, Tobias Leder, Ulf Kieker
Marcolin SpA
Buyer
ArchiMed SAS - M&A
2023-11-16
White & Case
Germany
M&A
ArchiMed SAS
Buyer
Nayak-LM GmbH - M&A
2023-11-27
Milbank
Germany
M&A
Nayak-LM GmbH
Target
Deutsche Invest Capital Partners GmbH - M&A
2023-12-08
Goodwin Procter
Germany
M&A
Andreas Breu, Daniel Wagner, Jakob Lutzenberger, Winfried Carli
Deutsche Invest Capital Partners GmbH
Buyer
Vonovia SE - M&A
2023-04-27
Freshfields
Germany
M&A
Carolin Compes, Christian Schmidt, David Leuthold, Dennis Chinnow, Gregor von Bonin, Julia Haas, Julia Mink, Kai Hasselbach, Katrin Gassner, Lea Faltmann, Malte Symann, Mario Huther, Martin Schiessl, Max Alles, Rick van Aerssen, Sebastian Breder, Sebastian Jung, Timo Piller
Vonovia SE
Seller
Top Box Self-Storage - M&A
2023-10-10
Dentons
Germany
M&A
Andrej Latinovic, Clemens Maschke, Dominik Thomer, Ferdinand Scheik, Holger Holkemeier, Johannes Fischer, Julia Pfeil, Lieor Koblenz, Philipp Becker, Philipp Seimel
Top Box Self-Storage
Target
CloudRail GmbH - M&A
2023-09-11
Dentons
Germany
M&A
Adela Kujovic, Andreas Berberich, Constantin Rehaag, Gesine von der Groeben, Hilke Schmitt, Lieor Koblenz, Philipp Seimel, Wiebke Schulz
CloudRail GmbH
Target
Saubermacher Dienstleistungs AG - M&A
2023-09-27
K&L Gates
Germany
M&A
Saubermacher Dienstleistungs AG
Seller
AURELIUS Growth Capital - M&A
2023-10-23
Gibson Dunn & Crutcher
Germany
M&A
Sebastian Schoon
AURELIUS Growth Capital
Buyer
Vonovia SE - M&A
2023-04-27
Dentons
Germany
M&A
Alexander Muehleisen, Birgit Gansel, Christoph Blotenberg, Elisa Kluge, Jessica Vorster, Johanna Flor-Ohleyer, Laura Appell, Lena von Schickfus und Neudorff, Niklas Gustorff, Paul Sieminski, Rene Dubois, Tim Schinkel, Tobias Bunten
Vonovia SE
Seller
Apollo Global Management LLC - M&A
2023-04-27
Latham & Watkins
Germany
M&A
Anna-Maria Kuckerz, Annika Bilics, Axel Krohn, Bora Bozkurt, Carsten Loll, Dominik Waldvogel, Eike Christian Schmidt-Röh, Frank Grell, Gary Boss, Hendrik Hauke, Henriette Hosemann, Jana Maue, Julia Braeuer, Julia Wenzel, Katharina Wolf, Marie-Christine Welp, Martina Hoelzer, Michael Haas, Otto-Philipp von Gruben, Sam Steinman, Sebastian von Hornung, Sven Nickel, Thomas Grutzner, Tobias Klass, Torsten Volkholz, Verena Seevers, Yucai Yu
Apollo Global Management LLC
Buyer
Seller Group - multiple shareholders - M&A
2023-12-08
Reed Smith
Germany
M&A
Germar Enders, Martin Bunning, Matthias Weingut, Michaela Westrup, Nikolas Koutsos, Nikolaus von Jacobs, Oliver Hahnelt, Robert Werzlau
Seller Group - multiple shareholders
Seller
Stille AB - M&A
2023-11-29
Kellerhals Carrard
Germany
M&A
Stille AB
Buyer
Agile Robots AG - M&A
2023-11-02
Arqis
Germany
M&A
Anja Mehrtens, Benjamin Bandur, Bernhard Grohe, Christoph Einem, Dennis Ratschkowski, Diana Puchowezki, Friedrich Gebert, Hendrik Volkerding, Johannes Landry, Marcus Nothhelfer, Mauritz von Einem, Nora Meyer-Stratmann, Rolf Tichy, Sabine Muller, Thomas Lipsky, Ulrich Lienhard
Agile Robots AG
Buyer
Stille AB - M&A
2023-11-29
Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton
Germany
M&A
Stille AB
Buyer
Stille AB - M&A
2023-11-29
SSW
Germany
M&A
Stille AB
Buyer
Stille AB - M&A
2023-11-29
Stephenson Harwood
Germany
M&A
Stille AB
Buyer
Stille AB - M&A
2023-11-29
Heuking Kühn Lüer Wojtek
Germany
M&A
Alexander Bork, Ann-Kathrin Jungen, Astrid Luedtke, Beatrice Stange, Catarina Seemann, Christoph Schork, Henrik Lay, Katharina Prasuhn, Kim Schwick, Kristina Schneider, Lutz Keppeler, Manuel Poncza, Marcel Maybaum, Markus Lennartz, Mathis Dick, Meike Daniels, Michael Kompel, Michael Kreisler, Ruben Schneider, Tim Petermann, Wolfram Meven
Stille AB
Buyer
Frasers Group plc - M&A
2023-10-17
Gleiss Lutz
Germany
M&A
Frasers Group plc
Buyer
Ad Pepper Media International NV - M&A
2023-11-03
Heuking Kühn Lüer Wojtek
Germany
M&A
Alexander Schott, Sven Radke, Thorsten Kuthe
Ad Pepper Media International NV
Buyer
74
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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