The 'prompt and attentive' debt capital markets practice at Slaughter and May is best known for advising blue-chip corporate issuers on regulatory capital and liability management transactions, equity-linked deals, EMTN programmes, US private placements, green and sustainably-linked bonds, and more. Nevertheless, the firm increasingly acts for financial institutions including major banks and insurance companies, as well as trustees. Practice head Caroline Phillips and key partner Guy O'Keefe are 'great problem solvers and solutions providers'. Phillips has a strong financial institution issuer client base, and she recently assisted a Chinese bank with its $300m offering of green notes. Matthew Tobin is 'readily accessible, providing prompt, clear and commercial advice'. He leads the broader finance practice, and is also head of sustainable finance. Ed Fife, who acted for an energy company in the update of its $10bn EMTN programme, Robert Byk, and up-an-coming partners Kevin Howes and Charlie McGarel-Groves are also active in the DCM arena.
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Slaughter and May has supported us over a number of years on unsecured debt issuance across a number of product types, senior bonds, EMTN programme updates and bonds and capital transactions. They are prompt and attentive in coming back on emails or calls and their work is always done to a high standard. They are interested in our business and use their knowledge from other areas they advise on to inform their advice and drafting on the DCM side. Execution of deals runs smoothly and this is driven by strong partner and senior counsel involvement.’
‘Matthew Tobin is our main partner point of contact and is readily accessible, providing prompt, clear and commercial advice. He has a good team working for him and James Costi is our day to day contact for transactions. We value this level of engagement and they are also good at resourcing our transactions appropriately. It is clear who is on the team and there are consistent points of contact.’
‘Caroline Phillips is excellent and very responsive.’
'Slaughter and May's USP in terms of its DCM practice is that the client ethos is all-pervasive. So, from a corporate client perspective advice and transactions management are underpinned by the team having a deep understanding of the broader corporate DNA and that shapes how transactions are successfully executed. The team is also commercially very sound and great problem solvers/solutions providers.'
'Depth of understanding of our company. Nothing about the relationship ever feels transactional. Great problem solvers and solutions providers. Guy O'Keefe, Caroline Phillips and Teddy Sasada embody these qualities and attributes.'
Key clients
- Agricultural Bank of China Limited
- Aviva Plc
- BHP Group Plc
- BUPA Finance Plc
- Centrica Plc
- Close Brothers Group Plc
- Diageo
- DS Smith
- International Distributions Services plc (Royal Mail)
- International Personal Finance
- Lonza Finance International NV
- OSB Group
- Pension Insurance Corporation Plc
- Reckitt Benckiser Group Plc
- Santander UK Plc
- Shell International Limited
- United Utilities Plc
- Westpac Banking Corporation
Work highlights
- Advised Agricultural Bank of China Limited London Branch on its issuance of US$300,000,000 Floating Rate Green Notes due 2026. The issuance marks Agricultural Bank of China Limited London Branch’s inaugural issuance of green notes.
- Advised Close Brothers on its issuance of £250,000,000 7.750% senior unsecured notes due June 2028 and its inaugural issuance of Additional Tier One (AT1) capital in the form of contingent convertible securities.
- Advised International Distributions Services in relation to the standalone issuances of €500,000,000 5.250 per cent. notes due 2028 and £250,000,000 7.375 per cent. notes due 2030, and on a related tender offer for €500,000,000 2.375% guaranteed notes due 2024.
Lawyers
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Caroline Phillips