Clifford Chance

Clifford Chance scoops inaugural Financial Regulation Team of the Year trophy at the IFLR Europe Awards 2013

Clifford Chance scooped a series of prestigious awards at the IFLR Europe Awards dinner in London on 10 April 2013, including the inaugural financial regulation team of the year trophy. IFLR introduced the new award to recognise outstanding regulatory advice and services offered to local and foreign financial institutions, and firms that take a lead role on policy input and reforms.

The Firm also secured the Debt and Equity-linked Team of the Year award and a number of Deals of the Year, including the Debt and Equity-linked Deal of the Year (Greek PSI); the Equity Deal of the Year (Megafon IPO); and Restructuring Deal of the Year (Seat Pagine Gialle).

The Debt and equity-linked award recognises Clifford Chance's work on Barclays’ Tier 2 convertible bonds, the Greek PSI, Turkey’s US$1.5 billion sukuk, and Volkswagen's convertible notes. The Financial regulation Team of the Year award is for Clifford Chance's work on the various permutations of the European stability mechanisms, and reflects general market feedback on the Firm's regulatory capabilities.

Commenting on winning the first Financial Regulation Team of the Year award, lead partner of the Firm's financial regulatory practice, Chris Bates said: "This award is recognition of the first class work of our regulatory teams across Europe in helping clients to adjust to the sea of change facing the financial sector in particular. We are delighted to have been recognised for the contribution we are making both to clients' success and the wider policy debate at this critical time."

IFLR said: "A stalwart in financial services league table for many years, the post-crisis period has seen Clifford Chance perform at the top of its game. Over the past year the magic circle firm has completed numerous transactions of strategic importance to the survival of the Eurozone, including advice to the European Financial Stability Facility, European Stability Mechanism and the European sovereign bond protection facility launched last year. The region's biggest financial institutions consistently rank Clifford Chance among their most trusted advisers."

Clifford Chance was also shortlisted for the Private Equity Team of the Year, Restructuring Team of the Year and Structured finance and Securitisation Team of the Year awards.

The success follows Clifford Chance's award for International Law Firm of the Year at the IFLR Asia Awards in Hong Kong earlier this year. On that occasion the Firm was also involved on two winning deals: the Debt and equity-linked Deal of the Year for Axiata sukuk multi-currency programme, and the Project finance Deal of the Year for Tanjung Bin coal-fired IPP. Underlining the Firm's strength in Asia Pacific, Clifford Chance was recently named International Law Firm of the Year, for the second year running, at the Asian Legal Business China Awards. Clifford Chance was also recognised as the International Law Firm of the Year at the most recent IFLR Middle East Awards, held in October 2012.