Maryland

Since its founding in 1919, Ballard Spahr has grown to 15 offices nationwide. The firm launched in Philadelphia and this remains its largest office, closely followed in scale by Baltimore and Washington DC. Ballard Spahr is experienced in many practice areas across its offices, including M&A, banking, capital markets, project development and real estate. The banking team represents borrowers in credit facilities, loan agreements, project financing and acquisition financing. 

Founded in 1928, Cole Schotz is a notable law firm in restructuring and insolvency that has expanded nationwide and grown to over 180 attorneys. The restructuring and insolvency team firmwide represents sponsors, debtors and creditors in Chapter 11 and Chapter 7 insolvency cases. It also represents debtors in out of court financial restructurings. 

Business firm DLA Piper was born in 2005 from the largest ever merger in the legal industry between Gray Cary Ware & Freidenrich, Piper Rudnick and DLA. The international law firm has offices in almost every region in the world. In the United States, the firm has 28 offices in every region of the country.

Focusses / specialisms

The firm has a plethora of teams spread out across the country. Its Baltimore, Maryland offices particularly have a top tier M&A practice.

Firm wide it has a notable projects practice. The projects team is especially focused on project financing, where it represents lenders in financing projects in the mining, power, energy and infrastructure industries. Most of its projects are cross border internatioanlly.

Key clients

Key clients for the firm include CIT Bank, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Coöperatieve Rabobank, ING Capital, Natixis, OPIC, IDB, Export-Import Bank of the United States, Central American Bank for Economic Integration, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Citibank and Japan Bank for International Cooperation.

Research period review: 30th edition (2019/2020)

During the research period the projects team represented multinational lenders in financing projects chiefly in the renewable energy and infrastructure industries. Solar and wind energy comprised most of the renewable energy projects. Most of the projects are based outside of the United States. 

Deal highlights: 30th edition (2019/2020)

Amman East 400MW combined cycle power plant restructuring

Ruta del Cacao toll road

Zaporizhia 500MW wind farm

Full-service firm Duane Morris got its start in Philadelphia but has since expanded to more than 29 offices over three continents. In the United States, the firm is headquartered in Philadelphia, the New York offices are among the firm’s largest. The teams at Duane Morris are particularly active in the banking, capital markets, M&A and restructuring and insolvency practices. The banking team represents borrowers and lenders in credit facilities and term loan agreements for general working capital financing, acquisition financing, construction financing and real estate financing. The restructuring team represent debtors, trustees, receivers and creditors in Chapter 11 bankruptcy and restructuring proceedings. 

Founded in 1933, Whiteford Taylor & Preston is a highly recognized firm in the mid-Atlantic. Despite being most recognized in Maryland, Virginia and Delaware, the firm also has offices in Michigan Kentucky, New York, Pennsylvania and Washington DC. In total it has 16 offices east of the Mississippi River. 

The firm is best known in the mid-Atlantic, especially in Maryland, Virginia and Delaware. It is highly regarded for its work in restructuring and insolvency and M&A. The Maryland restructuring teams are market leaders in the region.

In M&A the firm acts largely in the mid-market space, representing firms on the buy and sell side in strategic acquisitions and joint ventures. The acquisitions are largely private, but the firm does handle public acquisitions as well.