Recently enhanced by the arrival of market-leading leveraged finance lawyer Luke McDougall from Paul Hastings LLP in May 2024, Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP has greater resources with which to service its strong roster of lender and borrower clients. McDougall is particularly adept at handling big-ticket bank and bond deals for investment banks, enhancing and adding further synergies to a lean team that is already well-versed at handling large transatlantic deals deploying New York and London law financing techniques. Team head Nick Benham has a strong reputation for lenders (banks and credit funds) and also has niche expertise in handling public bid finance, where he often works alongside the firm’s strong M&A team.

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Key clients

  • Natura &Co
  • Ford Bank
  • Visa
  • PT Freeport Indonesia
  • Cornell Capital
  • Goldman Sachs
  • Lightyear Capital
  • Wren Sterling
  • Photon Interactive UK
  • Comcast
  • Sky
  • Hayfin Capital Management
  • Citigroup
  • J.P. Morgan
  • Credit Agricole
  • Credit Suisse
  • Morgan Stanley
  • Temenos

Work highlights

  • Advised the initial lenders on the $28.5bn financing for Amgen’s takeover of Horizon Therapeutics.
  • Advised the private credit lenders on the $5.32bn refinancing of Finastra Group.
  • Advised the private credit lenders on a $461m financing for Providence/Searchlight’s acquisition of Hyve Group.

Lawyers

Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Nick Benham

Other key lawyers

Luke McDougall, Aaron Ferner