Clifford Chance is a Magic Circle law firm headquartered in the UK, with Chinwe Odima-Chapman serving as the Office Managing Partner in London. The firm is distinguished by its depth of eminent practitioners, including Simon Thomas, Adrian Cartwright, Christopher Roe, Jill Concannon, and Spencer Baylin. The team is known for its technical excellence, cross-border capability and ability to deliver innovative solutions across the full spectrum of corporate M&A, finance, capital markets and investment management work. Clifford Chance has a particularly strong reputation across equity and debt capital markets, banking, private equity, funds, restructuring and derivatives, earning top-tier status across these practices and winning International Firm of the Year at the IFLR Europe Awards 2026.

Key clients
3i, Apollo, BentallGreenOak, Blackstone, BNP Paribas, Bridgepoint, Çimko, Citigroup Global Markets, CVC Capital Partners, Czechoslovak Group, Davidson Kempner Research (DRC), DL Invest, EQT, Eroski, Five Arrows, Goldman Sachs, Harbour Energy, IFM Investors, JPMorgan, Legal & General, M&G, Metlen Energy & Metals, Morgan Stanley, NatWest, Octopus Energy Generation, Permira, Rothschild & Co, Savills Investment Management, True Potential.

Highlights
Clifford Chance advised on several high profile capital markets deals including representing CSG on the issuance of $1 billion and €1 billion dual-tranche Senior Secured Notes due 2031, advising the underwriters on the high-profile Princes Group IPO as well as Metlen on its £6 billion London listing; the largest London primary listing of the year.

Clifford Chance also has a market-leading private equity practice. The team led by Spencer Baylin and Bruce Embley, advised Permira on the proposed takeover bid of JTC; among the largest UK take-private deals of 2025.

The restructuring team, led by John MacLennan advised the RCF SteerCo Group on all aspects of Intrum's balance sheet restructuring, one of the most significant in the European financial services sector. The mandate won “Restructuring Deal of the Year” at the IFLR Europe Awards 2026.

In financial services regulatory, the London and Paris teams advised LCH SA in connection with elaboration of the the clearing rules governing DigitalAssetClear, regulatory approvals and the issuance of related legal opinions for France, the Netherlands and UK, creating a new regulatory framework for the clearing of crypto derivatives.

Testimonials
“The firm's expertise is second to none. The team is highly capable and consistently responsive.” – Asset finance

“The firm’s global capabilities and expertise are of the highest quality. Its professionalism and thoughtful approach to legal risk management distinguish it from peers.” – Asset finance

“The team is technically excellent, with impressive depth of knowledge. They respond quickly to difficult questions and provide clear, well-reasoned views.” – Bank lending

“The team demonstrates strong commercial understanding and an appreciation of the wider business context.” – Bank lending

“The team is highly professional, operating seamlessly across multiple jurisdictions including Croatia, Slovenia, Poland, Luxembourg and the UK. They consistently deliver agreed work on time, communicate transparently and support clients in finding practical solutions to disputed issues.” – Bank lending

“The team is proactive, highly engaged and has a deep understanding of our documentation. They identify opportunities for improvement, provide practical advice and demonstrate excellent legal skills.” – Bank lending
“The team combines deep market expertise with a thorough understanding of our organisation, capital structure and business priorities, particularly during periods of significant change. Their extensive resources enable fast and effective execution.” – Bank lending

“The team is very responsive and consistently identifies the key issues while anticipating potential challenges before they arise.” – Capital markets

“I find Clifford Chance to be incredibly reliable and responsive, always ready to answer questions and address concerns in a constructive and friendly manner. Regardless of geography, the firm provides consistently strong representation across a wide range of products and is able to move quickly to execute transactions. The team has an excellent command of high-yield structures, legal documentation and current market terms. They also take the time to understand our business and risk appetite, enabling them to provide tailored and practical advice.” – Capital markets

“The Clifford Chance debt capital markets team comprises highly knowledgeable lawyers with extensive market experience. They are approachable and consistently provide clear, commercial and practical advice. The team is also proactive in sharing know-how and anticipating market trends and regulatory developments relevant to clients. In addition, they offer reliable and competitive pricing across the full spectrum of debt capital markets transactions.” – Capital markets

“I know the team very well but continue to appreciate how clearly they explain issues and find sensible ways to achieve our objectives. Simon Thomas brings considerable expertise which is invaluable on transactions. The team is also genuinely enjoyable to work with and demonstrates a strong commitment to its clients.” – Capital markets

“The team combines great expertise with a strong bench of lawyers. Their advice is considered, pragmatic and commercial, and they are flexible in their approach to fee arrangements.” – Capital markets

“The team stands out for its availability, cross-jurisdictional reach and strong understanding of transaction execution and syndication processes.” – Capital markets

“The firm's expertise is second to none. The team is highly capable and consistently responsive.” – Investment funds

“The team is highly knowledgeable and consistently adopts a solution-oriented approach.” – Financial services regulatory