Enhanced by a spate of recent hires, King & Spalding LLP's London offering is an increasingly credible proposition for lenders and borrowers engaged in cross-border leveraged finance mandates, particularly those involving a combination of US and UK debt products (where it can call on the firm’s long-established US platform). Richard Kitchen, who joined alongside the ‘brilliant’ Amin Doulai from Paul Hastings LLP in August 2022, was one of the most notable of these in light of his private credit expertise. Kitchen now co-heads the team alongside Benoit Lavigne , who himself has considerable leveraged and private credit expertise on both lender and borrower fronts.
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
'When transaction timelines are tight, I always turn to the King & Spalding team because I know they can meet deadlines despite leaving no stone unturned in their review. I can be confident that things won't be overlooked.’
‘The team is very capable and highly responsive.’
‘Richard Kitchen's ability to draw on experience having worked both lender side and sponsor side is rare in the UK market. It helps us as clients really take an objective view during negotiations and easily identify what we should be most concerned about.'
'Amin Doulai and Alon Blitz are both extremely thorough and quick to pick out the key issues and flag these to us.'
‘Amin Doulai is a brilliant lawyer. Thoroughly commercial and great to work with.'
Key clients
- Antares Capital
- Ares
- Bain Capital Credit
- Barings
- Blue Torch Capital
- CPPIB Credit Investments III Inc.
- Circular Resources SARL
- MGG Investment Group
- Prudential Private Capital
- Thoma Bravo Credit Fund II, L.P.
- Tree Line Capital Partners
- Utmost Group
Work highlights
- Advised Circular Resources SARL on a revolving and term facilities agreement including an initial term loan commitment made available for its acquisition of Duales Systems Holding GmbH & Co. KG.
- Advised Blackstone Alternative Credit Advisors LP, Thoma Bravo Credit Fund II, L.P. and CPPIB Credit Investments III Inc. as lenders of a first lien credit facility to Nightvision Bidco Limited (UK borrower) and Nintex USA, Inc. (US borrower), and their holding entities and subsidiaries.
- Advised the lender on a $12.15m revolving credit facility for the borrower, Hercules Technologies BidCo Limited (a portfolio company of STG Partners). The proceeds of which were partially used to fund a portion of Hercules Technologies BidCo Limited’s acquisition of Brady Trading Limited and Brady Switzerland SA.
Lawyers
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Richard Kitchen, Benoit Lavigne