Under the leadership of UK and New York law-qualified Michael Kazakevich, Ropes & Gray continues to generate much of its acquisition/leveraged finance mandates from its solid roster of borrower clients, among them a leading multinational telecoms behemoth. In addition, the firm remains active for a number of financial sponsors, working on its own as well as alongside international offices on sizeable new money deals and on refinancing matters for portfolio companies. Alex Robb is conversant across a broad array of financing structures including bank/bond, unitranche, first lien/second lien and holdco PIK structures, which he executes effectively on many sponsor-backed deals, while the return of Benoit Lavigne in January 2024 from King & Spalding LLP is a welcome boost to the firm on the creditor front in light of his strong private capital credentials.
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Key clients
- Intermediate Capital Group
- EQT Private Capital Asia (previously BPEA EQT)
- Liberty Global plc
- ACCEL KKR
- TPG Capital
- American Industrial Partners
- Bridgepoint Development Capital
- Avista Capital Partners
- AtlasEdge
- Infrabuild Australia
- BNP Paribas
- Deutsche Bank
Work highlights
- Represented The Rise Fund, TPG’s multi-sector global impact investing strategy, on an agreement with Stirling Square Capital Partners to acquire a majority investment (£830m) in Outcomes First Group, a UK-based provider of best-in-class education to young people and adults with autism, learning disabilities and other complex Special Education Needs.
- Advised Liberty Global on its €1bn acquisition loan financing package to support a public-to-private transaction: a voluntary and conditional public takeover of all the shares of Belgian-listed Telenet Group. The team also advised on the debt pushed down and refinancing arrangements post-closing of the acquisition.
- Advised AccelKKR in connection with the financing of an incremental term facility for the purposes of the acquisition by its portfolio company, Basware Corporation, of the entire issued share capital of Glantus Holdings plc by way of a takeover offer. This followed Accel-KKR’s £673m take-private of Basware Corporation.
Lawyers
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Michael Kazakevich