Following the recent retirement from the partnership of John Markland, Dechert LLP‘s work for its fund-focused client base focuses almost entirely on their role as lenders on acquisition finance mandates. In this context, practice co-heads David Miles and Philip Butler have a ’great depth of knowledge’, having been involved from the earliest days of the growth of the product, with both capable of handling a range of deals across sectors and quantum for key clients including Ares and Barings. Clients are also appreciative of the overarching ‘team dynamic’, as well as the ’ability to bring in resources and expertise from other areas of the firm as needed during the course of a transaction’. Smridhi Gulati joined Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP in April 2023.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

‘We trust the Dechert team with our most complex transactions. Their ability to bring in resources and expertise from other areas of the firm as needed during the course of a transaction is invaluable.'
‘The depth of knowledge of the partners and their ability to foresee potential issues and tackle them up front are key.'
'The team dynamic is excellent and we are routinely impressed by how capable and knowledgeable the senior associates and associates are.'
'When we work with Philip Butler or David Miles, we can rest assured that there is no safer pair of hands to guide us through any transaction from the most straightforward to the most complex.'

Key clients

Ares Management Limited
Baring Asset Management
CVC Credit Partners
Blackstone Credit
BlackRock
Kartesia
Tikehau
Alcentra
Apollo Asset Management
Permira Credit
LGT Private Debt (UK) Limited
Metric Capital
Cordet Capital

Work highlights

Acted for Ares Management in connection with its provision of debt funding to support the acquisition of Butlins Skyline Limited by Zenit (Bidco) Limited (a newco formed by the Harris family) from Bourne Leisure Limited (a Blackstone portfolio company).
Represented longstanding client Barings on the funding to support the acquisition of a majority stake in the CitNOW Group by Livingbridge.
Advised Kartesia on their provision of debt facilities to a newly incorporated entity (SPV) wholly owned by HIG P.E. to finance the SPV’s acquisition of CPS Building Services.