Full-service international firm Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom was founded in New York in 1948 and this branch remains its headquarters and largest office. It has since expanded to 22 offices across three continents. In the United States, the firm has offices in Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Palo Alto, Washington DC and Wilmington.
Focusses / specialisms
The firm’s New York, Washington DC, California, Illinois and Massachusetts offices are market leaders in their regions across financial and corporate practices. It also has standout offices in Texas and Delaware.
The banking team acts on the lender and borrower side in acquisition finance, multicurrency finance, DIP finance, project finance and refinancing.
In financial services regulatory work the team advises banking and financial institutions in compliance matters related to investments and acquisitions.
The capital markets practice works on debt, equity and securitization matters on both the issuer and underwriter side. In debt capital markets work the firm acts on investment grade and high yield bond offerings. The equity capital markets side works on IPOs, tender offers, common and preferred share offerings, follow on offerings and recapitalizations. In securitizations the team works on commercial paper programs, receivables backed securitizations, ABS’, CLOs and mortgage backed securitizations.
The investment funds practice works with asset management and private equity firms in fund formations, fund IPOs, and fund investments.
The M&A team acts on the buy and sell side in high value private equity and strategic acquisitions, mergers and joint ventures.
The firm also has a private equity practice that assists with private equity buyout related acquisitions.
The project development team represents developers and financiers in projects in the oil and gas, infrastructure and energy industries.
The restructuring and insolvency team acts on behalf of debtors and creditors in out of court restructurings and Chapter 11 and 15 proceedings.
Though the firm is active across all industries, it is particularly active in technology, real estate, banking and financial services and pharmaceuticals.
Key clients
Key clients for the firm include First BanCorp, Crédit Agricole, Banco Azteca, Centene, Zillow, Bank of America, Scotia Capital, Citigroup, CEMEX, Pfizer, Morgan Stanley, PayPal, Barclays, Eaton Vance, Fair Oaks Capital, AES, BlackRock, Tennenbaum Capital Partners, Caesars Entertainment Corporation, NextEra Energy Partners, Exact Sciences, Array BioPharma, DowDuPont, The Blackstone Group, Aflac, Irish Bank Resolution Corporation, UBS, Synergy Pharmaceuticals and Stearns Holdings.
Research period review: 30th edition (2019/2020)
Over the research period the financial services regulatory team advised banks and financial institutions in compliance matters stemming from high value acquisitions and investments. Much of the work that the banking team participated in was related to acquisition financing on the borrower side. It also did a significant amount of lender side work in DIP financing.
The investment funds team largely worked on fund formations, but also advised clients on fund maintenance matters including investments and regulatory compliance.
The M&A team acted on the buy and sell side in many of the country’s largest strategic acquisitions and mergers. It also worked on a significant number of important private equity acquisitions, with the assistance of the private equity practice.
The project development team was particularly active in the renewable energy and transportation infrastructure industries.
The restructuring and insolvency team largely represented debtors in out of court restructurings and Chapter 11 proceedings.
Firm wide, banking and financial services, pharmaceuticals, real estate and technology were big industries of deal acticity.
In 2019, New York based investment funds partner Lawrence Frishman retired. The Palo Alto office added M&A partner Michael Ringler, who came from Wilson Sonsini.
Deal highlights: 30th edition (2019/2020)
BA Credit Card Trust $1.25 billion Class A 2019-1 ABS
Centene $7 billion triple tranche 4.750%, 4.250% and 4.625% bond issue
Fidelity National Information Services / WorldPay merger
Further Global Capital Management / Stone Point Capital $4.2 billion acquisition of Duff & Phelps
Irish Bank Resolution Corporation Chapter 15 bankruptcy
Newark Liberty International Airport ConRAC facility
Pinterest NYSE IPO
Zillow $1.5 billion financing
