Debevoise & Plimpton LLP
Drawing on ‘a deep understanding about the needs of private equity firms and their portfolio companies’, the ’brilliant’ team at Debevoise & Plimpton LLP is a popular choice among borrowers by virtue of its ‘incredible knowledgeable of both bespoke finance arrangements and also the industry’. This manifests itself in the context of the team’s ability to provide a holistic offering to clients, drawing not only from core leveraged finance strength (including on New York and London-law governed products) but also its strong capability handling fund level financings. Alan Davies and Pierre Maugüé both regularly handle work for marquee client, Clayton Dubilier & Rice, and co-head the team alongside fund finance expert Thomas Smith .
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'Sophisticated and commercial advisers with a deep understanding about the needs of private equity firms and their portfolio companies.'
- 'It is a fantastic team full of brilliant talent. They are incredibly knowledgeable about both bespoke finance arrangements and also the industry.'
- 'The lawyers are incredibly smart and also down to earth.'
- 'Tom Smith and Almas Daud in particular are outstanding - experienced and pragmatic'
- 'Alan Davies - deep knowledge of the loan markets and current leading edge technology available to sponsors in documents'
- 'Pierre is rock solid'
- 'Almas Daud -provides sensitive, risk-focused advice always with one eye to the bigger picture. Detail-oriented as needed without losing sight of the broader commercial narrative.'
Key clients
- Clayton Dubilier & Rice
- WMG Acquisition Corp.
- Charles Taylor Limited / Lovell Minnick Partners LLC
- Pret a Manger
- Resolution
- B&M Retail
- Morrisons
Work highlights
- Advised Clayton Dubilier & Rice (CD&R) on the financing to facilitate its acquisition of Morrisons.
- Advised CD&R on its leveraged acquisitions of the OCS group and certain UK and APAC entities of the Atalian group to create a global facilities management platform.
- Acted as borrower counsel and represented Pret in a refinancing of their existing Senior Facilities.
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Alan Davies, Pierre Maugüé, Thomas Smith