Alerts

• Financial institutions in the future - global financial recoveryWelcome to the fifth in our series of surveys tracking market sentiment in relation to the global financial crisis.
• UK Bribery Act: Ten things you should knowKey points that all corporates should be aware of in relation to the enactment of the Bribery Bill.
• Russia's withdrawal from the Energy Charter TreatyRussian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin issued a decree on 30 July 2009 declaring Russia's rejection of the Energy Charter Treaty (“ECT” or the “Treaty”).
• Videocast - Notes from a CEO briefingThis is an edited summary of addresses given by London-based economists from leading financial and research organisations at the CEO Briefing seminar at Norton Rose LLP on 20 January 2009.
• CEO briefing 2009: Sector summariesExecutive summaries by sector cover key issues around business confidence, risk, cost control, M&A opportunities for cash-rich companies, and investment strategies.
• Update briefing: Sovereign Wealth Funds and the Global Private Equity LandscapeA set of voluntary principles, which were recently published by the International Working Group of Sovereign Wealth Funds, have been designed to ensure an understanding of the framework, governance and operations of Sovereign Wealth Funds (SWFs).

Strength in financial institutions

The future of global financial institutions

Financial institutions across the globe are going through significant change. Our research has underlined the need to support our clients in three key areas: restructuring; regulatory systems; and risk management. We are on the panels of more than 40 major players in the global markets. The world’s leading banks, finance providers and market participants are among our clients, as well as corporate and sovereign borrowers. We operate at a policy-making and strategic level, at a corporate level and on high-profile, complex cross-border transactions.

We deliver

• world-class asset finance specialists
• a market-leading insurance and reinsurance service, including innovators in Islamic finance
• expertise in debt restructuring, merger control, cartel investigations and market and sector inquiries
• a dedicated business ethics, reputational and risk management programme
• a global private equity team
• a 200-year pedigree in banking and finance
• the Future Policy Forum
• an established global financial crisis working group
• incisive market research.

Top tier

Asset finance
Banking & finance: Islamic finance
Insurance: non-contentious
Chambers UK 2010

No.1

Takaful law firm of the year
International Takaful Summit 2009

top of league table
greatest increase in
FTSE 100 clients
2004 - 2009
Chambers FTSE survey

Public procurement law firm of the year
ACQ Finance 2009

Financial institutions track record

In the last 12 months we have advised

• HSBC Holdings Plc on its £12.5bn 5 for 12 fully underwritten rights issue - the largest UK rights issue to date, involving cross-border advice from London, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Riyadh, Dubai, Frankfurt, Paris, Amsterdam and Athens
• on a number of FSA investigations relating to alleged market abuse and insider dealing, non-disclosure of information and mis-marketing
• a group of financial institutions in a potential multibillion ICSID claim against the Icelandic government involving international arbitration
• a lender on the politically sensitive €50bn rescue package to Hypo Real Estate Holding AG by a number of German financial institutions, the German Government and the Deutsche Bundesbank
• China Development Bank on a US$100m loan facility to Banco de Chile and a separate agreement on mutual investment support - the first of its kind signed by a Chinese bank with a Chilean financial institution
• HSBC, Calyon and Rabobank on an award-winning US$60m prepayment facility to Duferco SA, setting a precedent for pre-export finance deals in South Africa
• ADCB Macquarie on the establishment of the ADCB Macquarie Infrastructure Fund
• HSBC on a high-profile action to claim back tax charged on the acquisition of HSBC France - the first stamp duty reserve tax dispute to reach the European Court of Justice
• the UK Government on the feasibility of issuing a sterling-denominated sovereign Sukuk
• Emaar Properties on a US$2bn Shariah-compliant Trust Certificates programme and a US$2bn EMTN programme
• Royal London on its £1.2bn acquisition from Pearl Group of Scottish Provident’s new business capabilities and of Phoenix Life Assurance Limited
• a consortium of Islamic financial institutions on a $100m acquisition of a controlling stake in Industrial Development Bank of Jordan.

“We value the team’s ability to align itself to our culture and approach, and the accessibility and responsiveness demonstrated particularly at partner level” (Client comments) Chambers UK 2010