Multinational law firm DLA Piper has offices in over 40 countries across all continents. The firm has an office in Luxembourg which offers comprehensive advice to clients across several financial and corporate areas.
Focusses / specialisms
In banking the firm has a comprehensive offering across a wide variety of lending work such as acquisition finance, real estate finance, structured finance, securitisation and restructuring. The firm is also active in regulatory work and advises financial sector actors and investment managers on MAR, EMIR, MIFID and PSD.
The capital markets team has strong experience in the issuance of debt and equity securities, including high-yield bond issues and IPOs.
In funds work the firm advises initiators and managers, banks and other actors on international projects, with a special focus on real estate, private equity debt, infrastructure and venture capital.
The firm has a capable M&A team which not only works on international transactions, but also substantial local investments in Luxembourg.
Key clients
Key clients include Aareal Bank, ING Bank, AXA Asset Management, Axalta Coating Systems, Signature Capital, Herbalife, Danaher, Infrastructure Partners, Medtronic Global Holdings, Generali, Heitman International, Harrison Street, Claret Capital Partners, Middleland FA Capital, Tioga Capital Partners, STG Partners, FFF Real Estate, Prologis, Landesbank Hessen-Thüringen Girozentrale, Prime Capital, Carlyle Group, EIG Global Energy Partners, PRA Group Holdings, Société Générale and MiddleGame Ventures.
Research period review: 32nd edition (2022/2023)
In banking the firm was involved in the full spectrum of financing transactions for both lenders and borrowers including real estate, asset, acquisition and project finance, as well as financial restructuring work.
The investment funds practice was primarily involved in supporting fund formation and structuring mandates across a variety of fund types in Luxembourg. The firm also worked on financial services regulatory work for investment companies.
The restructuring and insolvency practice of the firm was also active during the research period with the team advising notable clients in banking, financial services and entertainment industries on restructuring matters.
The M&A team advised on a diverse set of transactions for a range of buy and sell side clients including cross-border acquisitions, investment, joint venture and restructuring mandates. The team was particularly active in the real estate sector.
The firm recruited many counsels to the M&A practice during the research cycle including Senior associate Guillaume Schaefer while Counsel Ambroise Foerster and Associate Natalia Goormans departed the firm.
Deal highlights: 32nd edition (2022/2023)
Arrow Global Group €125 million acquisition of Vilamoura World
DIC Asset €635 million acquisition of office properties
EIG Global Energy Partners $10.8 billion acquisition financing
Enad Global 7 €109 million acquisition of 100% share capital of Innova intellectual properties
Suning Sports International €275 million 12% notes financing
Client feedback: 32nd edition (2022/2023)
Financial restructuring
"Proactivity, good knowledge."
Financial services regulatory
"Very pragmatic and solution-oriented team. "
Investment funds : Private equity funds
"A lot of experience in the field and good network in the company to cover various topics, independent of jurisdiction."
"The firm provided very good advice on the structuring of our fund platform, taking into account our institutional constraints and peculiarities. They were able to introduce us to some high-quality service providers and were also instrumental in registering the fund on very short notice. The team is very easy to work with and is solutions-oriented."
M&A
"Highly proactive, fast responses, great understanding of the industry of the client."
"Extremely responsive and well organised, extremely proactive, great communication, very sophisticated."
Private equity
"DLA Piper provide timely solutions for complex issues with extensive clarifications."
"Very flexible, professional team."
Bahya Bouharati
"She is very competent, hard-working and easy to deal with. "
Pignon Celine
"Really reactive person, knows her file very well."
Gertjan Dewilde
"His responsiveness and 'flexible but still professional' attitude."
Catherine Pogorzelski
"Excellent listener, very pragmatic, makes practical solutions emerge."
Guillaume Schaefer
"Incredible understanding of the business, great with meeting deadlines, responsive and proactive, looking for solutions and pointing out necessary steps."
"Very responsive, he has everything under control, very sophisticated lawyer. He gives us the impression we are his only clients, even though this is not the case. He takes over responsibility, documents are very well prepared, chasing is not required as he always is on time and well prepared."
Roxana Stefanca
"Available at all times, flexible and professional."
Lindsay Tulloch
"Flexible when it comes to meeting times. Good knowledge of the industry."
