AWARDS & RANKINGS / PRESS RELEASE
McDermott Ranked Among Top 25 Most Innovative Law Firms in Europe by Financial Times
September 25, 2023
Read time: 4 min
International law firm McDermott Will & Emery is proud to announce that it has been recognized as a Top 25 Most Innovative Law Firm as part of the Financial Times Innovative Lawyers Awards Europe 2023.
In addition, the Firm was recognized as a standout firm for Practice of Law: Impact and Environmental, Social and Governance and highly commended for Business of Law: Digital Solutions.
- Standout | Practice of Law: McDermott’s Impact Finance team, led by Ranajoy Basu and supported by Priya Taneja and Siddhartha Sivaramakrishnan, acted as lead counsel to the United Nations in launching a landmark Global Fund for Refugees – an innovative, first-of-its-kind USD 500,000,000 Shariah-compliant global fund, established to address the developmental and humanitarian needs of millions of forcibly displaced people.
- Highly Commended | Business of Law: Spearheaded by McDermott’s German Legal Tech team and led by Dr. Thomas Hauss, the Firm’s Check of Regulatory Authorizations (CORA) tool was launched to help navigate the highly complex landscape of German and European financial regulatory laws.
“We function seamlessly within the Firm’s extensive international network to deliver innovative strategies and solutions tailored to our client’s needs,” says Hamid Yunis, McDermott’s London office managing partner. “The work led by our Impact Finance team is a wonderful example of how we combine personal passions with industry and legal prowess to positively impact millions of people.”
“Innovation is a mindset that exists throughout McDermott, guiding the way our professionals think about delivering services, and informing how we seek opportunities to expand our offerings,” says Dr. Jens Ortmanns, managing partner of McDermott’s Germany offices. “I’m incredibly proud of our German Legal Tech team for embracing the Firm’s vision and introducing tools that help our clients navigate both local and European laws.”
The 2023 Innovative Lawyers Europe report highlights the firms and in-house teams that are digitally advanced and using innovative approaches to deliver exceptional value to business and society. You can read the Innovative Lawyers Europe report.
McDermott Will & Emery partners with leaders around the world to fuel missions, knock down barriers and shape markets. Our team works seamlessly across practices and industries to deliver highly effective solutions that propel success. More than 1,400 lawyers strong, we bring our personal passion and legal prowess to bear in every matter for our clients and the people they serve.
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McDermott advised CE Capital Partners
DEAL ANNOUNCEMENT / PRESS RELEASE
McDermott advised CE Capital Partners
25. September, 2023
Read time: 3 min
Munich, September 25, 2023 – McDermott Will & Emery has advised the Hamburg-based investment company CE Capital Partners (CE Capital) on the sale of its remaining minority stake in FWH Stahlguss GmbH (FWH) to the defence contractor Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW). CE Capital had already been advised by McDermott Will & Emery last year on the sale of an 80% majority stake in FWH Stahlguss GmbH (FWH) and CE Mühlheim Verwaltungs-GmbH, which is responsible for services and administration, to KMW.
FWH Stahlguss GmbH (FWH) operates Friedrich Wilhelms-Hütte, a traditional manufacturer of high-quality cast steel products from Mülheim an der Ruhr.
McDermott Will & Emery: Dr. Björn Biehl (Lead Partner, Corporate/M&A, Munich), Marcus Fischer (Counsel, Tax, Frankfurt), Dr. Sandra Urban-Crell (Partner, Employment, Düsseldorf) and Dr. Fabian Appadoo (Associate, Corporate/M&A, Munich).
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McDermott Represents Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. in its Acquisition of Eastern Insurance Group, LLC
DEAL ANNOUNCEMENT / PRESS RELEASE
McDermott Represents Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. in its Acquisition of Eastern Insurance Group, LLC
September 22, 2023
Read time: 3 min
McDermott Will & Emery represented Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (Gallagher) in its acquisition of Eastern Insurance Group, LLC (Eastern Insurance), a subsidiary of Eastern Bank. Eastern Insurance offers comprehensive commercial property/casualty and personal lines products as well as employee benefits consulting to clients throughout the Northeast US.
Gallagher is a global insurance brokerage, risk management and consulting services firm providing services in approximately 130 countries around the world through its owned operations and a network of correspondent brokers and consultants. Under the agreement, Gallagher will acquire the assets of Eastern Insurance for consideration of $510 million net of agreed seller funded expenses.
The McDermott team was led by Robert Clagg and included Heather Bethancourt, Betty Miguelina Brito, Michael Byrne, Brian Casillas, Margaret Cremin, Jonathan Ende, Matt Evola, Edward (Jed) Gordon, Daniel Zucker, Michael Halsband, Jeffrey Holdvogt, Jacob Hollinger, Brian Long, Alison Mackenzie, Brian Mead, Nick Paul, Wendy Phinny, Maxwell Preston, Brandon Sarkauskas, Marisa Young, David Saunders, Leigh Solomon and Ofir Tzoubari.
McDermott Will & Emery partners with leaders around the world to fuel missions, knock down barriers and shape markets. Our team works seamlessly across practices and industries to deliver highly effective solutions that propel success. More than 1,400 lawyers strong, we bring our personal passion and legal prowess to bear in every matter for our clients and the people they serve.
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McDermott Represents Speyside Equity in Continuation Vehicle Transaction with Opta Group
DEAL ANNOUNCEMENT / PRESS RELEASE
McDermott Represents Speyside Equity in Continuation Vehicle Transaction with Opta Group
September 22, 2023
Read time: 3 min
International law firm McDermott Will & Emery represented Speyside Equity Fund I LP and Speyside Equity Opportunity Fund LP in a single-asset continuation vehicle transaction to support future growth initiatives at portfolio company Opta Group LLC. The transaction was led by Elliott Investment Management L.P.
Opta is a leading global supplier of performance materials and solutions in the molten metal, infrastructure, and specialty chemical industries.
The McDermott cross-border team included: M&A: Tom Sauermilch, Meir Lewittes, Nicole Yoon, Ana Koff; Investment Funds: Ian Schwartz, Prem Amarnani, Alissa Cardillo, Rafa Calatrava; Tax: Alex Ruiz, Michael Bruno, Kevin Hall, Andrew Granek, Rich Call, Jonathan Hague; Finance: Sam Koplik, Haley Caradonna; Executive Compensation: Jeff Holdvogt, Nick Paul; Environmental: Daphne Trotter; RWI: Heidi Steele; International Trade: David Levine, Raymond Paretzky, Raminta Dereskeviciute, Ludovica Rabitti; Merger Control and FDI: Greg Heltzer, Ty Carson, Deniz Tschammler, Alexandra-Sophie Heberle, Elisabeth Vanden Kerchove, Stéphane Dionnet; Tax, Corporate, Labor, France: Antoine Vergnat, Nicolas Lafont, Jilali Maazouz, Abdel Abdellah, Naré Arshakyan; Corporate, Germany: Thomas Ammermann and Uwe Goetker.
McDermott Will & Emery partners with leaders around the world to fuel missions, knock down barriers and shape markets. Our team works seamlessly across practices and industries to deliver highly effective solutions that propel success. More than 1,400 lawyers strong, we bring our personal passion and legal prowess to bear in every matter for our clients and the people they serve.
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McDermott Highly Commended for Finance Team of the Year at Legal Business Awards
AWARDS & RANKINGS / PRESS RELEASE
McDermott Highly Commended for Finance Team of the Year at Legal Business Awards
Read time: 3 min
LONDON – SEPTEMBER, 2023 – International law firm McDermott Will & Emery is pleased to announce that it has been highly commended in the Finance Team of the Year category as part of the Legal Business Awards 2023. Additionally, McDermott was shortlisted for Private Client Team of the Year.
McDermott’s Impact Finance team, led by Ranajoy Basu and supported by Priya Taneja and Siddhartha Sivaramakrishnan, advises clients on the most innovative cross-border ESG-related impact finance structures, many of which target the UN Sustainable Development Goals and address significant global issues.
Legal Business is a market-leading monthly magazine for the UK and global legal market. The magazine reaches thousands of readers across the UK and key financial centres in Europe, Asia and the US.
McDermott Will & Emery partners with leaders around the world to fuel missions, knock down barriers and shape markets. Our team works seamlessly across practices and industries to deliver highly effective solutions that propel success. More than 1,400 lawyers strong, we bring our personal passion and legal prowess to bear in every matter for our clients and the people they serve.
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McDermott Comment | Prime Minister Rishi Sunak Potentially Watering Down Some Of The UK Government’s Green Policies
PRESS RELEASE
McDermott Comment | Prime Minister Rishi Sunak Potentially Watering Down Some Of The UK Government’s Green Policies
September 20, 2023
Read time: 2 min
Shah Jahan Khandokar, a partner at law firm McDermott Will & Emery, said:
“At the moment it is unclear whether the Government has carefully considered the impact of watering down green commitments vi-a-vis investments it is directly and indirectly already supporting, the Ford Halewood Plant transition being one. There is a risk of investment treaty and change-in-law type of claims, but there is also a wider risk of deterring future investment because of what will be perceived to be, once again, an uncertain regulatory environment, or what some may call, a “flip-flop environment.”
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McDermott Advises AbolerIS Pharma on its Series A Financing Round
DEAL ANNOUNCEMENT / PRESS RELEASE
McDermott Advises AbolerIS Pharma on its Series A Financing Round
September 19, 2023
Read time: 3 min
McDermott Will & Emery advised AbolerIS Pharma (AbolerIS), a biopharmaceutical company developing an entirely novel approach to the treatment of chronic autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, on its Series A financing.
The round was led by Caixa Capital Risc and co-led by Sound Bioventures and existing investor Newton Biocapital, with participation from SFPI-FPIM, WE (Wallonie Entreprendre), Sambrinvest, Investsud Tech, and Relyens Innovation Santé/Turenne Capital.
This funding will enable AbolerIS to accelerate the development of its lead program in clinical trials and to explore its effectiveness in additional autoimmune diseases.
The McDermott team that advised AbolerIS comprised:
- Anthony Paronneau, partner, and Lucie Martin, associate, on corporate aspects
- Sabine Naugès, partner, and Benoit Feroldi, associate, on regulatory aspects
- Côme de Saint-Vincent, counsel, on tax issues
McDermott Will & Emery partners with leaders around the world to fuel missions, knock down barriers and shape markets. Our team works seamlessly across practices and industries to deliver highly effective solutions that propel success. More than 1,400 lawyers strong, we bring our personal passion and legal prowess to bear in every matter for our clients and the people they serve.
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Leading Private Equity Executive Compensation Partner Joins McDermott in New York
PRESS RELEASE
Leading Private Equity Executive Compensation Partner Joins McDermott in New York
September 15, 2023
Read time: 4 min
International law firm McDermott Will & Emery welcomes Kate Vera as a partner in New York. Joining the Firm from Kirkland & Ellis where she was a share partner, Kate is a leading executive compensation lawyer who represents some of the world’s most prestigious private equity firms and their portfolio companies. She will head McDermott’s employee benefits and executive compensation practice in New York.
“Kate is a client-first, business-oriented lawyer with firsthand insights into the needs of private equity firms and their portfolio companies,” said Harris Siskind, head of McDermott’s Transactions Practice Group. “She will play a critical role in helping our clients address complex executive compensation and tax issues.”
“I’m pleased to welcome Kate to McDermott,” said Andrew Liazos, head of McDermott’s Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Group. “Her sophisticated understanding of executive compensation matters, paired with her energy and commitment to client service, strengthens our capabilities and makes her well suited to collaborate across teams.”
Kate has extensive experience handling executive compensation matters related to mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, restructuring plans, initial public offerings, carve-outs and other business transactions. Her practice also includes advising clients on securities law matters as they relate to executive compensation. Client representative matters include:
- Bristol-Myers Squibb in its $13.1 billion acquisition of MyoKardia
- GLP in the $18.7 billion sale of its US logistics business to Blackstone
- Sycamore Partners in its $6.9 billion acquisition of Staples Inc.
- Intelsat in its confirmation of a plan of reorganization. Intelsat had approximately $14.7 billion in funded debt as of its Chapter 11 filing
“McDermott is an outstanding law firm that has grown exponentially over the last several years,” said Kate. “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to join forces with this team of superb lawyers, and I look forward to further expanding the private equity and executive compensation practices.”
McDermott Will & Emery partners with leaders around the world to fuel missions, knock down barriers and shape markets. Our team works seamlessly across practices and industries to deliver highly effective solutions that propel success. More than 1,400 lawyers strong, we bring our personal passion and legal prowess to bear in every matter for our clients and the people they serve.
McDermott’s Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Group comprises 25 lawyers across the United States. They help clients maximize the value of and return on their investments in human capital while avoiding exposure to liability. The team, which includes recognized leaders within the American Bar Association and members of the American College of Employee Benefits Counsel, regularly advocates for clients before the US Department of Treasury, Internal Revenue Service and the US Department of Labor. McDermott received top practice rankings in all major directories, including Chambers USA, Legal 500 US, U.S. News – Best Lawyers and Law360.
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McDermott Recognized as a Leading Tax Law Firm in International Tax Review’s 2024 World Tax Guide
AWARDS & RANKINGS / PRESS RELEASE
McDermott Recognized as a Leading Tax Law Firm in International Tax Review’s 2024 World Tax Guide
September 15, 2023
Read time: 4 min
CHICAGO – SEPTEMBER 15, 2023 – International law firm McDermott Will & Emery’s Tax Practice Group has once again been recognized in The International Tax Review’s (ITR) World Tax Guide 2024. The Firm received 23 practice rankings in Europe and the United States. In total, McDermott received 12 top rankings (in Tier 1 and Tier 2), as well as 17 lawyer rankings, 13 of which were listed as “Highly Regarded,” and four as “Notable Practitioners.” In addition, five female McDermott lawyers, Catherine Battin, Jane Wells May, Kristen Hazel, Mary Kay Martire and Sandra McGill, were named ‘Women in Tax Leaders,’ a recognition bestowed on outstanding individuals for excellence in their respective fields.
Practice Rankings:
Tier 1:
- Germany: Tax Controversy
- United States: Illinois: General Corporate Tax
Tier 2:
- Italy: Transfer Pricing
- United Kingdom: Transfer Pricing
- United States: National: Transfer Pricing
- United States: District of Columbia: General Corporate Tax
- United States: Illinois: Tax Controversy
- United States: Illinois: Transactional Tax
- United States: New York: General Corporate Tax
- United States: New York: Tax Controversy
- United States: Texas: General Corporate Tax
- United States: Texas: Tax Controversy
Tier 3:
- Germany: General Corporate Tax –
- Italy: General Corporate Tax
- Italy: Tax Controversy
- Italy: Transactional Tax
- United States: California: General Corporate Tax
- United States: California: Tax Controversy
- United States: District of Columbia: Tax Controversy
- United States: Florida: Tax
Tier 4:
- France: General Corporate Tax
- France: Transactional Tax
- United Kingdom: Transactional Tax
Lawyers Ranked:
- Antoine Vergnat – Highly Regarded
- Carlo Maria Paolella – Notable Practitioner
- Catherine Battin – Highly Regarded, Women in Tax Leader
- David Noren – Highly Regarded
- Dirk Pohl – Highly Regarded
- Florian Schiefer – Highly Regarded
- Gero Burwitz – Highly Regarded
- James Riedy – Notable Practitioner
- Jane Wells May – Highly Regarded, Women in Tax Leader
- Kevin Feeley – Notable Practitioner
- Kristen Hazel – Highly Regarded, Women in Tax Leader
- Lowell Yoder – Notable Practitioner
- Mary Kay Martire – Highly Regarded, Women in Tax Leader
- Roger Jones – Highly Regarded
- Sandra McGill – Highly Regarded, Women in Tax Leader
- Stephen Kranz – Highly Regarded
- Timothy Shuman – Highly Regarded
ABOUT ITR WORLD TAX
Covering more than 140 jurisdictions located on every continent, The International Tax Review is a guide to the world’s leading tax advisory practices, including law and accountancy firms. The annual World Tax guide is a key resource in assisting tax professionals locate specialist advice. Each edition rates the tax expertise offered in various jurisdictions, giving tax executives the most comprehensive information about the market for tax advice.
McDermott Will & Emery partners with leaders around the world to fuel missions, knock down barriers and shape markets. Our team works seamlessly across practices and industries to deliver highly effective solutions that propel success. More than 1,400 lawyers strong, we bring our personal passion and legal prowess to bear in every matter for our clients and the people they serve.
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McDermott Advises Corteria Pharmaceuticals on EUR 65 Million Series A Financing Round
DEAL ANNOUNCEMENT / PRESS RELEASE
McDermott Advises Corteria Pharmaceuticals on EUR 65 Million Series A Financing Round
September 15, 2023
Read time: 3 min
McDermott Will & Emery has advised Corteria Pharmaceuticals, a French biotechnology company specialising in the development of therapies for certain forms of heart failure, on the completion of a EUR 65 million Series A financing round led by two new investors, French Jeito Capital and US Orbimed, with the participation of all of the previous investors (Kurma Partners, Fountain Healthcare Partners, V-Bio Ventures, Invivo Capital, Omnes Capital).
This transaction should enable Corteria to advance its cardiovascular pipeline towards the clinical stage. Corteria’s innovative approach focuses on the selection of therapeutic targets involved in acute and worsening forms of human heart failure, as well as a stratification strategy designed to identify the specific sub-groups most likely to benefit from treatment. These forms of heart failure are widespread, life-threatening and not directly managed by current standards of care.
The McDermott team that advised Corteria Pharmaceuticals included :
- Anthony Paronneau, partner, Lucie Martin and Natacha Vasak, associates on Corporate and Life Sciences aspects
- Côme de Saint-Vincent, Counsel, on Tax aspects
McDermott Will & Emery partners with leaders around the world to fuel missions, knock down barriers and shape markets. Our team works seamlessly across practices and industries to deliver highly effective solutions that propel success. More than 1,400 lawyers strong, we bring our personal passion and legal prowess to bear in every matter for our clients and the people they serve.
