Clients of Clifford Chance LLP appreciate its ‘responsiveness, diverse experience, cultural sensitivity, and problem-solving mindset’. A standout adviser on commodities and trade financing, margin lending, LPNs, sovereign loans, commercial loans, and EC- and MLI-backed financing, Leonard Cleland oversees the emerging markets group in London, which is active in the CIS, Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The firm also has a strong India practice. Across all emerging markets it provides support in corporate matters, capital markets, project finance, banking, structured finance and international arbitration. Among the many standout practitioners are infrastructure finance partners Simon Williams, Kayode Oladipo and Olamide Oladosu, who are heavily involved in projects in Africa; capital markets specialist Deborah Zandstra; and co-head of the energy transition group Russell Wells. Zandstra acted for a major global bank on a $656m Galápagos marine conservation-linked bond, used to finance a debt conversion for Ecuador. This innovative debt-for-nature swap is the third of its kind for the firm, following similar deals for the Seychelles and Barbados.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘The assigned team from Clifford Chance is always great. When working with Clifford Chance, you know you not only have the UK team, but also the firm's resources all over the world.’
‘The Clifford Chance team members' knowledge, availability and solution-guided approach cannot be overstated. Also, the team members always seem to love their work, which is so greatly appreciated by both us as client but also our counterparties.’
'Responsiveness, diverse experience, cultural sensitivity, problem-solving mindset.'
Key clients
- AFC
- Luminar Capital
- EBRD
- ICBC
- KBC
- Africell Holding Limited
- Gemcorp Capital LLP
- Standard Chartered Bank
- Standard Bank
- Morgan Stanley
- Emirates NBD Capital
- Samba Capital
- Mashreqbank psc
Work highlights
- Advised Credit Suisse on a $656 million Galápagos marine conservation-linked bond, structured by Credit Suisse and also involving the Republic of Ecuador, U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), and the Pew Bertarelli Ocean Legacy.
- Advised Sun King on a first-of-its-kind, bank-led and entirely Kenyan-Shilling-denominated $130 million sustainable securitisation transaction.
- Advising the arranger on an English law US$300 million facility agreement for a BVI borrower which operates within the financial services, telecommunications, television, radio, construction, catering, trading, and distribution sectors.
Lawyers
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
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.
Leonard Cleland