Sullivan & Cromwell has worked on many of the largest, most complex and highest-profile deals in Europe. The team advises on English, French, German, European Union and U.S. law, including on European competition matters.
The Firm’s Brussels, Frankfurt, London and Paris offices are home to more than 120 Europe-based lawyers. Together, they offer a premier choice of counsel in their respective jurisdictions and in cross-border transactions in Europe or on international transactions involving European parties. S&C’s European, U.S. and Asia Pacific lawyers form seamless teams on international matters and in transactions with multijurisdictional elements.
Firm of Choice for M&A
S&C represents major international corporations in Europe’s largest and most noteworthy M&A transactions and also represents smaller corporations whose transactions, while modest in monetary value, involve enormous strategic significance for them. Our Europe-based M&A and Private Equity teams combine excellence with timely and pragmatic advice to achieve a successful outcome in the most complex cross-border transactions.
Distinguished Capital Markets Group
S&C’s European team has a long history of advising on many of the most significant capital markets transactions in Europe, providing English, French, German and U.S. advice. Our European team advises on a full spectrum of equity, debt and hybrid capital market products and across all different industry sectors.
Innovative Restructuring Practice
S&C brings its strengths in restructuring matters, which require an understanding of both corporate and litigation disciplines and a pragmatic approach to find creative and highly tailored solutions to complex reorganizations. Our recognised expertise covers a wide range of cross-border transactions including debt restructuring and rescheduling, rescue finance, equity capital refinancing, and refinancings through consent solicitations and schemes of arrangement.
Unique Credit and Leverage Finance Practice
We are versed in the full complement of financial products in today’s market and have efficiently and effectively developed solutions for unique transaction objectives and have extensive experience working with financial institutions, corporate borrowers and financial sponsors on credit and leveraged finance transactions.
Preeminent Project Development and Finance Practice
The practice brings complex and challenging projects to a successful financial close in novel and unprecedented circumstances. S&C has a well-earned reputation for skill and innovation, forged during decades of work in emerging and developed markets. The Firm has shepherded many first-of-their-kind projects, mitigating and managing risk for sponsors and lenders even under difficult market and political conditions.
Premier Competition Law Practice
S&C’s European competition law practice advises on the full range of EU, U.K., and German competition law with a particular focus on complex merger control reviews, cartel and single conduct matters. The team regularly represents clients before the European Commission and the European courts as well as national authorities and courts.
Extensive Tax Offerings
The Firm prides itself on developing solutions to tax problems that are both tax-efficient and practical, meeting the real constraints under which its clients operate. Colleagues in other practice areas work seamlessly with the Tax Group to advise on U.S., U.K. and French tax issues related to a wide variety of transactions and tax controversies, and the Firm deftly handles follow-on matters even after the deal has closed.
Corporate Governance Practice
Corporate governance represents an increasingly complex and critical area of focus for clients as boards of directors and management teams consider governance policies. In addition to our preeminent corporate and corporate governance practice under English, French and German law, S&C’s European team works closely with S&C teams globally – which include lawyers from our preeminent M&A, Capital Markets, Executive Compensation, takeover defense and activism, Shareholder Litigation, Cybersecurity and Corporate Investigations practice areas and offer the experience and insight to assist clients in effectively addressing these goals.
Market-Leading ESG Practice
S&C are at the forefront of the evolving ESG space and our multidisciplinary approach enables our European lawyers to advise clients across all aspects of their ESG matters. Our European ESG practice includes advising boards on fiduciary duties and best governance practices for overseeing corporate purpose, sustainability and ESG matters, ESG-related reporting and ESG-focused investing in addition to sustainable and green finance advice across all capital markets products.
More than half of S&C's client base comprises non-U.S. commercial enterprises and government entities, and a substantial proportion of these non-U.S. clients are located in Europe. Deals are staffed from the location that best serves the client's needs, and S&C works to provide uniform quality of advice throughout the Firm.
Leading Investigations and Litigation Practices
S&C has handled some of the largest investigations in recent years, including significant U.S. and European investigations for European clients. We have resolved multijurisdictional investigations and secured declinations on behalf of a number of major European clients. With 13 offices in financial capitals around the world, including in Brussels, Frankfurt, London and Paris, our lawyers are able to collaborate efficiently with clients and regulators across borders and practices.
Our FCPA & Anti-Corruption Group advises clients on issues arising under the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practice Act (FCPA) and related international laws. In addition to representing clients in government investigations, lawyers in the Group conduct robust internal investigations into possible FCPA violations around the world and advise on the implementation of compliance programs and responding to alleged compliance breaches.
Crisis Management
In advising boards and companies dealing with complex, high-profile problems, S&C draws on its unparalleled experience from across its practices, providing comprehensive advice to help clients anticipate, manage and resolve corporate crises in all of their dimensions. Potential crisis situations, investigations and litigation with potentially devastating consequences routinely implicate legal issues beyond the initial subject matter and require multidisciplinary expertise to resolve effectively and efficiently. S&C lawyers' business acumen, expertise in developing transactional and litigation strategies and history of working effectively with the full range of government authorities have made S&C the pre-eminent law firm for companies facing franchise-threatening crises.
Litigation
S&C’s litigators have extensive experience representing European clients in U.S. litigation and arbitrations. Our Securities Litigation Group has particular expertise representing European clients in multijurisdictional matters and advising foreign issuers on claims arising from their U.S. securities offerings.
