London / Frankfurt, August 10, 2006 LAWFUEL Law News Network White & Case has strengthened its already significant finance capabilities in Europe with the addition of partners Alan Rockwell and Tom Schorling in the Firm’s London Banking & Capital Markets practice and Frankfurt Finance practice respectively. Both will add experience to the Firm’s strong leveraged finance and acquisition finance capabilities across Europe.
“We’ve taken market share by responding to client needs and our new arrivals are the latest example of this. Demand continues to grow in both leveraged and acquisition finance across Europe, as has been the case for the last 18 months,” commented Maurice Allen, co-head of White & Case’s Global Bank Finance Group and its London Banking & Capital Markets practice. “Alan’s skills fit perfectly with our client base in London and his arrival, along with others we are planning for the future, mean that we will be able to continue to meet our clients’ expectations.”
White & Case’s London leveraged finance team acted on announced leveraged finance deals in the first two quarters of 2006 with a value of €44 billion. In 2005 the team closed 19 leveraged finance transactions valued at approximately €24 billion. In the last 12 months White & Case’s London Banking & Capital Markets practice has added three partners (not including Rockwell) and five counsel. The practice has 65 fee-earners in London dedicated to leveraged finance and high yield transactions.
Commenting on Schorling’s appointment, Frankfurt-based Finance partner Annica Lindegren said, “As a German qualified lawyer, Tom’s arrival complements our existing German law capabilities and adds to a finance team offering German, UK and US legal advice. His extensive experience in acquisition finance, recapitalisations, structured finance and distressed debt transactions makes him an immediate asset to the team and its clients.”
With two partner hires (not including Schorling) and three associate hires since the beginning of 2006, the Finance group’s lawyer count in Frankfurt stands at 12 partners and counsel and 16 associates.
