Clifford Chance

Clifford Chance named European Infrastructure Law Firm of the Year for the 5th consecutive year, and Global Infrastructure Law Firm of the Year

The capabilities of Clifford Chance's Infrastructure sector group were recognised at the Infrastructure Investor Awards 2015 earlier this month. The firm was named 'European Infrastructure Law Firm of the Year' and 'Global Infrastructure Law Firm of the Year', the former for the 5th year in a row.

These awards follow several other recent prestigious wins: 6 pieces of client work were recognised by the Infrastructure Journal and 3 at the Project Finance International Awards – both revealed in February.                          

James Boswell, London finance partner and infrastructure specialist, comments: "These awards demonstrate the strength and depth of our infrastructure practice globally across Corporate M&A, Projects, Finance, Capital Markets, Construction and Investment Funds, and our proven ability to provide high quality, commercial advice and get transactions done in a very pragmatic way."

Recent client work highlights from the infrastructure sector include:

• Advised Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec and Hermes Infrastructure on their successful bid for 40% of Eurostar.
• Advised Antin Infrastructure Partners on its acquisition of Roadchef from Delek Group.
• Advised lenders on a PIK facility provided as part of the innovative refinancing of Budapest Airport.
• Advised lenders on the innovative financing for the acquisition of E.ON's Spanish electricity business, combining Term Loan B leveraged financing with infrastructure financing in a first deal of its kind.
• Since 2010, we have been assisting the European Commission in developing the Commission's 2020 Project Bond Initiative, through the structuring and development of European Investment Bank's (EIB) Project Bond Credit Enhancement (PBCE) product, to its first implementations in the market. 
• Advised AVR-Afvalverwerking B.V (AVR) on the establishment of a Structured Secured Corporate Debt Issuance Platform for the energy-from-waste and water treatment businesses of AVR-Afvalverwerking B.V. in the Netherlands - the first structured secured corporate debt issuance platform executed for a Continental European business.
• Advised GIP on its acquisition of a 15% equity stake in Compañía Logística de Hidrocarburos CLH, S.A. ("CLH") from Global Salamina, Global Kamala and Global Noray– indirectly iCON Infrastructure.