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The comprehensive guide to the world's leading tax firms

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton's tax practice is led by Anne-Sophie Coustel and comprises three practitioners. Pascal Coudin, who works as a consultant, is highlighted by his peers for his cross-border structuring and corporate tax work. He is described ... [more]

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton's tax practice is led by Anne-Sophie Coustel and comprises three practitioners. Pascal Coudin, who works as a consultant, is highlighted by his peers for his cross-border structuring and corporate tax work. He is described as a "key player in his field". Arnaud de Brosses left the firm to launch Anthera Partners in January 2011.

Coustel advised Sodiaal, the French dairy cooperative group, on the acquisition and subsequent debt restructuring of Entremont Alliance. This deal involved negotiations under the umbrella of the Comite Interministériel de Restructuration Industrielle (CIRI) and the Mediation du Credit, two governmentbodies responsible for facilitating industrial deals.

Other work this year includes advising Lafarge on the contemplated sale of its $1 billion European and South American gypsum operations, and advising Bridgepoint and Eurazeo on the acquisition of Foncia from BPCE. Other clients they have worked for this year include Veolia Environnement, GE Capital France, Total, BNP Paribas, HSBC and Société Générale.

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton's tax practice is headed by Daniel Weyde, who is highly regarded for his capital markets and financial products work. The practice comprises five fee earners, an increase of one from the previous year.The practice benefits ... [more]

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton's tax practice is headed by Daniel Weyde, who is highly regarded for his capital markets and financial products work. The practice comprises five fee earners, an increase of one from the previous year.

The practice benefits from the strength of the firm's network, often working side-by-side with other offices throughout the world on international tax assignments. The group is particularly strong in transactional work, including corporate restructurings, M&A and capital marketactivities, an important source of work this year.

The team advised Deutsche Bank on its €10.2 billion rights offering which was the largest share issue in Germany in more than a decade. In M&A Weyde and Volker Junge advised American Express on its $685 million acquisition of Loyalty Partner, a marketing services company, from Palamon Capital Partners.

Other clients include ASM Pacific Technology, BHF-Bank, Elster Group, the Republic of Argentina, Bâloise Holding, Northrop Grumman and Goldman Sachs.

Vania Petrella leads a team of three at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton. The tax practice has a larger market presence than its size would suggest and advises on a range of Italian and cross-border tax matters including M&A, capital markets, financial ... [more]

Vania Petrella leads a team of three at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton. The tax practice has a larger market presence than its size would suggest and advises on a range of Italian and cross-border tax matters including M&A, capital markets, financial products and tax disputes.

This year the practice served as counsel to WIND Telecom on its $6.5 billion combination with VimpelCom. The group also served as tax counsel to the Italian subsidiary, WIND Telecomunicazioni, in a series of financing transactions related to the combination including a €2.7 billion dual currency senior secured notes offering.

Other work this year includes advising Fiat Industrial on its first notes issuance on the international capital markets after its spin-off from the Fiat Group, and also advising the Republic of Argentina on its exchange offering relating to defaulted Argentinean bonds held by Italian bondholders.

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton's tax practice is said by competitors to have been more visible in the market this year than in previous years. The firm is highly capable and well renowned in M&A matters in particular. This year, it represented fund ... [more]

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton's tax practice is said by competitors to have been more visible in the market this year than in previous years. The firm is highly capable and well renowned in M&A matters in particular. This year, it represented fund manager Hellman & Friedman as sellers when fund manager Henderson proposed to buy Gartmore Group. As the bid is to be structured by way of a share-for-share exchange and the target is based in the Cayman Islands, cross border tax issues are an important consideration in the transaction. Department head Richard Sultman specialises in M&A, corporate finance and capital markets matters, reflecting the strengths of the firm generally. Sultman has experience working in New York and so the firm is doubly well equipped to advise on outbound UK investment in the US and inbound US investment.