Riccardo Celli
Blue Tower
Avenue Louise 326
1050 Brussels
Phone: +32-2-642-4134
Fax: +32-2-642-4190
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John Daghlian
Warwick Court
5 Paternoster Square
London, EC4M 7DX
Phone: +44-20-7558-4862
Fax: +44-20-7088-0001
PROFESSIONALS
- Related Practices
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Actis Capital LLP
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
Apollo Management L.P.
Bank of America
Bluecrest Capital
CCMP Capital Advisors LLC
CDC Group Plc
Coller Capital
Deutsche Bank AG
DFJ Esprit
Ethemba
Firma Léon van Parys NV
Francisco Partners LP
Goldman Sachs
Government of Singapore Investment Corp. Pte Ltd.
Hermes Private Equity
Honeywell International Inc.
Icap plc
IDeA Capital
Impax Asset Management
Ingenious Media Active Capital Ltd
ISIS Equity Partners
J.P. Morgan Partners, LLC
Marriott International, Inc.
MatlinPatterson Global Advisors, LLC
Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.
Northwest Airlines Corporation
Norsk Hydro ASA
Parish Capital
Precision Castparts Corp.
Symantec Corporation
Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.
TUI AG
UBS Capital
Vivendi
Western Digital Corporation
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Europe
With the interdependence of world markets, a global perspective is essential for doing business in Europe. Success requires the ability to assess the latest political, legal, and economic developments in the European Union (EU) and neighboring non-member states, as well as a broad and nuanced understanding of how international concerns impact regional business strategies.
O’Melveny’s team in Europe works closely with colleagues in the Firm’s US and Asia offices on complex cross-border deals and disputes. Operating at the EU’s political and legislative center, the Brussels office focuses on EU and national competition law, as well as trade and sector regulation. Our lawyers are qualified in key member states, have in-depth experience and knowledge of national laws and procedures, speak local languages, know the national authorities, and are accustomed to coordinating complex cross-border projects in the EU and beyond.
The London office does substantial corporate M&A, tax, and arbitration work, and is recognized as a leading advisor to private equity firms. Our team in London is at the forefront of recent market trends such as the growth of emerging markets, increased prominence of sovereign wealth funds, and investment in green technology, and is experienced in complex international arbitration with an emphasis on large, cross-border commercial disputes in the financial services sector.
Our teams in Brussels and London collaborate closely, for example, representing GIC Special Investments Pte, the private equity arm of the government of Singapore, as a consortium member in the US$19 billion (£10.3 billion) takeover of BAA plc, the world's leading airport company. On the litigation front, an international O’Melveny team represents Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. in its global antitrust battle with Intel. In 2009, we secured a landmark result for AMD when the European Commission concluded that Intel had violated European antitrust laws by abusing its dominant position, ordered Intel to discontinue its illegal practices, and imposed a record fine of €1.06 billion (US$1.44 billion).
Key Facts
- International Financial Law Review 1000 2010 recommends our European Antitrust and Competition Practice, quoting one client who makes reference to the "very bright people" at O'Melveny and commenting, "Their service is excellent and they are very knowledgeable. Nothing but praise for their competition practice." Partner Riccardo Celli is recognized by IFLR as a "leading lawyer" and partner Christian Riis-Madsen is commended by peers as "a rising star in the antitrust community."
- Chambers UK 2010 comments on our London team’s range of mandates and quotes a number of the Firm's clients, who report that O'Melveny is "[a] genuine competitor," "[i]t's ability to offer seamless US/UK advice as well as a wide Asian network is appealing," and "[t]he team remains cool and calm under considerable time pressures." Chambers UK has recommended our practice for the last several years, commenting on our London team’s mandates from a range of European clients and lauds our “superb international network” allowing our lawyers to draw on global resources.
- Chambers Europe 2009 commends our Competition/European law practice, stating that our Brussels office “has the strength and resources to advise clients on big-ticket international mergers and other multi-jurisdictional competition proceedings.” Sources are cited as saying, “The service is brilliant – it’s rigorous but practical.”
- Chambers Global 2009 states that the quality of our International Trade lawyers is evident: “They are businesspeople, not just lawyers. They can get questions answered and doors opened.”
- Global Arbitration Review, a prestigious arbitration publication, has ranked O’Melveny as one of the world’s leading arbitration practices in its 2008 survey of the top specialist arbitration firms.
- Legal 500 Europe 2009 comments on the “technically complex matters” handled by our Brussels team; praising partner Riccardo Celli as impressive, calling his work “excellent;” and cites Christian Riis-Madsen―promoted to partner in February 2009―as “excellent- partner quality.”
- Chambers Global 2009 notes the close relationship between our New York and London investment funds teams, saying that clients get “consistent and up-to-the minute advice” as a result.
- Global Competition Review (GCR) lists O’Melveny among Brussels’ "recommended" antitrust firms in its annual, "Brussels Competition Bar Survey" (August/September 2009). In GCR’s 2009 edition of “Global 100”―its guide to the world’s leading competition practices―O’Melveny was listed in the “Global Elite” section―GCR’s list of the top 20 antitrust firms worldwide. In addition, GCR’s “Who’s Who Legal 70” (2008) notes that our competition practice is “among the largest and most respected anywhere.”
- We were awarded “Competition Team of the Year” at the European Legal Business Awards (2008) for our representation of TUI AG in its acquisition of First Choice Holidays PLC, forming the leading travel group worldwide.
- We were awarded “Private Equity Deal of the Year” in 2007 by the International Financial Law Review for our participation in the consortium bid of US$18.5 billion for BAA Plc, the world’s largest airport operator.
- ACQ Finance Magazine awarded our Brussels team the title of “Competition Law Firm of the Year” (2008).
Practice Strengths
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Antitrust and Competition
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Our European antitrust practice covers all of the EU's main jurisdictions, with experienced antitrust lawyers from Denmark, Italy, France, Germany, and the UK comprising a diverse team of EU practitioners. We have an excellent track record in cartel investigations, and in several cases, including some where the Commission already issued a Statement of Objections, we have succeeded in getting the investigation closed without the adoption of any sanctions against our clients. Our team also regularly assists clients with the legal assessment, structuring and clearance of mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures and other significant investments, including assisting in preparing and negotiating possible commitments with regulators. We manage and coordinate multiple filings for clients, not only in Europe but worldwide, and interact with competition authorities in multiple countries for a single transaction.
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Business Tax
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Our tax lawyers in London are fully integrated into our transactional practice and the tax practice across the firm advising on the UK and international tax aspects of corporate finance/M&A transactions, the tax structuring of investment funds and of related and stand-alone finance transactions. The London team has significant experience on the tax aspects of upstream (fundraising) as well as downstream (buyout and secondaries) private equity business, including the structuring of management incentive arrangements for the funds and investee companies.
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Corporate Finance
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Our clients engage us regularly to structure and negotiate complex financings in both Europe and the US. Our experience includes senior secured, second lien, mezzanine and subordinated loans, cross border and offshore transactions, high-yield bridges and bond offerings, asset-based financings, structured finance transactions, project financings, Sharia-compliant financings, investment grade transactions and DIP and other financial restructuring transactions. Our corporate finance lawyers represent a wide range of borrowers as well as lending institutions and investors in some of the largest and most sophisticated financing transactions across the globe.
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Dispute Resolution
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Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA)
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O’Melveny lawyers’ extensive involvement with FCPA and related legal issues extends to serving on boards of directors and holding key positions at various government agencies. This depth of experience enables us to represent and advise clients effectively in enforcement proceedings before various regulatory bodies, including the DOJ, SEC, and enforcement agencies in other foreign jurisdictions.
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Foreign Investments in Technology Companies
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Foreign acquisitions of, or investments in, US advanced technology companies increasingly raise public policy concerns and result in close regulatory review on national security grounds. We regularly advise on such regulatory reviews and associated public outreach efforts. For example, we handled all aspects of the sale of a leading provider of semiconductor design and manufacturing optimization solutions to a European entity, including the resolution of a CFIUS matter that arose just prior to closing. We also represented a major European software company in its acquisition of a Silicon Valley search-software company, including the CFIUS review that focused on the target company’s US government clients.
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International Arbitration
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O’Melveny’s London Arbitration practice focuses on international arbitration with an emphasis on large, complex, cross-border commercial disputes in the financial services sector. We have extensive experience in investment treaty work, and our lawyers have handled some of the world’s most significant arbitration cases, including in the offshore, power, and energy sectors.
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Investment Funds
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O’Melveny’s global Investment Funds practice advises clients on fund formation, carried interest and co-investment structures, spinout of private equity managers, fund and asset securities, fund and asset secondaries, buyouts, international venture capital, as well as portfolio company M&A and IPOs. Recent deals place the London office at the forefront of market trends including the investment in climate change technology and the growth of the emerging markets. For example, we advised Actis on its successful US$2.9 billion fund raise for Actis Emerging Markets 3―one of the largest private equity funds raised for the emerging markets.
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London High Court Litigation
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O’Melveny’s London Litigation practice handles a broad range of high-value, complex commercial disputes in the High Court in London. Our lawyers have extensive experience dealing with cases covering a wide range of industries, with particular experience in the financial services, oil and gas, and energy sectors. Prestigious and well-known corporations often rely on us to handle substantial, multimillion-pound cases. Many of our cases are international in nature, giving our lawyers exceptional practical experience in litigation involving complex issues of jurisdiction, governing law, and conflicts of law. We excel at solving the practical problems raised by enforcement of English judgments in difference jurisdictions, within Europe and around the world.
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Mergers and Acquisitions and Private Equity
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Our London team represents private equity funds, investment banks, and public and private companies in acquisitions, divestitures, joint venture transactions, and related corporate governance matters and is experienced in private and public transactions, including consortium deals and hybrid financing structures. For example, we recently represented a syndicate including Coller Capital, HarbourVest, and DFJ Esprit LLP, in the acquisition of the healthcare and technology venture capital portfolio owned by 3i Group Plc and its subsidiary and affiliate entities.
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Regulation of Cross-Border Trade and Investment
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O’Melveny’s lawyers and consultants in Europe, as well as the US and Asia, offer accessible global counsel from key geographic focal points of cross-border regulation of trade and investment. We have represented clients in matters involving locations such as the EU, the Middle East, China, Russia, Kazakhstan, and West Africa, and have successfully advised clients before many national administering agencies, including various venues within the US Departments of Commerce, State, and Treasury, and global venues in Europe, Asia, and the Americas.
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ACE Group - UK and ICC Arbitration
Advanced Micro Devices
Coller Capital
Léon van Parys
Norsk Hydro ASA
TCW Energy and Infrastructure Group
TUI AG
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