Banks, private equity sponsors and corporates rely on Clifford Chance for assistance in arranging novel acquisition and corporate facilities, in addition to assisting with amendments to existing lines of credit. The team works with its finance colleagues across the firm’s network to oversee the provision of cross-border facilities. The team is headed by Bettina Steinhauer, an acquisition finance expert who also assists her clients in the fields of infrastructure and real estate financing and oversees restructuring efforts. Simon Reitz is instructed by PE sponsors and debt funds requiring financing for public-to-private deals and other syndicated facilities, while Christoph Nensa is particularly well versed in structured finance, including high yield facilities.

Hengeler Mueller‘s finance team is instructed by private equity houses and corporates requiring financing for their acquisitions, and is also called upon by clients requiring bridging loans and other forms of corporate finance. Alongside its borrowing work, the practice is also adept at overseeing the restructuring of existing lines of credit, frequently advising alongside the firm’s dedicated restructuring group. Daniela Böning is a key contact for clients seeking corporate finance, and her and Henning Hilke are both sought after for their expertise in acquisition finance, with the latter also advising on Schuldschein and other debt facilities. Further acquisition finance expertise comes in the form of Nikolaus Vieten and Johannes Tieves, with the latter also assisting with the regearing of existing loans.

Latham & Watkins LLP‘s banking team is equally adept as both borrower and lender-side counsel, supporting private equity and corporate borrowers as well as syndicates of banks across the spectrum of financing arrangements. Taking the lead on acquisition and infrastructure facilities is Alexandra Hagelüken, while Christian Jahn is particularly well versed in acting for borrowers and syndicated lenders engaged in cross-border M&A, while also overseeing the restructuring of existing credit lines. Sibylle Münch‘s wide-ranging practice spans infrastructure and asset financing deals, with noted expertise in handling senior facilities. Thomas Weitkamp is also active in these areas, while further offering assistance with direct lending mandates.

Milbank assists clients requiring or providing financing on the structuring of facilities under German, English & Welsh and New York law, including senior facilities, various term loans for use as acquisition, infrastructure and asset financing facilities. In addition to handling the structuring of new money facilities, the practice is frequently tasked with the restructuring of existing financing arrangements. Barbara Mayer-Trautmann is an expert in leveraged finance and asset-based facilities, with experience in setting up term loan B and other syndicated facilities for both corporates, sponsors and lenders. She heads the team alongside Thomas Ingenhoven, who oversees acquisition financing facilities in both the mid and large-cap markets in addition to assisting on restructuring mandates.

Integrating German, English and New York legal advice into its German offering, White & Case LLP is well positioned to advise clients on both new money facilities and the refinancing of pre-existing credit arrangements, acting for bank syndicates and corporate borrowers alike. Vanessa Schürmann takes the lead on debt financing transactions, with expertise in leveraged facilities, in addition to advising on corporate and acquisition credit lines. Andreas Lischka adds further expertise on the debt financing front, while Florian Degenhardt is the lead partner on project finance deals, specialising in setting up syndicated facilities intended for use in the development of energy and other infrastructure projects.

Ashurst LLP‘s finance team is called upon by debt and private equity funds for support on the structuring of acquisition and leveraged facilities, in addition to acting for syndicates of lenders on the provision and restatement of revolving facilities. Germany co-managing partner Anne Grewlich advises on financing for LBOs, in addition to assisting PE houses with the arrangement of mezzanine and senior loans. She leads the team alongside Derk Opitz, whose expertise lies in asset and infrastructure financing, spanning rail and road, data centre and renewable energy projects.

Maintaining a broad approach to its finance work, Linklaters acts for banks, private equity sponsors and corporate borrowers across a variety of credit structures, notably acquisition financing and revolving facilities. The team is headed by Marc Trinkaus, noted for his expertise in lender-side mandates, in particular the arrangement of leveraged credit facilities and acquisition finance. Michal Hlásek is tasked with the structuring of corporate financing, acquisition and trade facilities, while Przemyslaw Lipin stands out for his expertise in structuring leveraged facilities for both public and private acquisitions.

Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP‘s financing capabilities are augmented by the firm’s expertise in the restructuring field, and the team is often called upon by clients requiring assistance with bridging facilities and the restructuring of existing lines of credit. The group is headed by Jasmin Dettmar, whose practice spans both financial restructuring mandates and acquisition finance matters, notably acting for a number of PE sponsors.

Astera Legal Egbers Hitzer Partnerschaft von Rechtsanwälten mbB is a finance-focused boutique that handles borrower-side mandates for several European private equity houses, assisting them in securing acquisition facilities for target companies. Spearheading the firm’s efforts is Bernd Egbers, who assists PE and debt funds with acquisition financing and leveraged buyouts, while Isabell Hitzer adds expertise in direct lending. February 2025 saw the firm enter the restructuring field, heralded by the arrival of Till Buschmann from Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, who is based in the firm’s newly opened Frankfurt office.

Acting for both corporate and private equity borrowers and bank lenders, Baker McKenzie is adept at overseeing the structuring of acquisition finance facilities, infrastructure credit and places an increased focus on export financing. Oliver Socher oversees new money syndicated loans and is also able to assist his clients with the restructuring of their lines of credit. He leads the team alongside Sandra Wittinghofer, a specialist in structured finance and associated questions of banking regulation.

K&L Gates LLP continued to grow its German finance practice in late 2024, with Norton Rose Fulbright‘s Andrea Spellerberg joining in September, handling both new money real estate, corporate and acquisition facilities and restructuring existing ones. The practice is further adept at structuring receivables financing arrangements, for which Torsten Limberg is the key contact. Heading the team are Matthias Grund, whose focus lies in structuring multi-jurisdictional syndicated facilities, and Frank Thomas, a specialist in rolling stock and aircraft financing.

Norton Rose Fulbright‘s German banking team works closely with its counterparts across the firm’s network to handle cross-border bilateral and syndicated debt-based facilities, acquisition financing and with particular strength in transport asset financing deals. Team lead Bernhard Fiedler places particular emphasis on real estate financing as part of a broader debt-based practice, while Oliver Sutter works on corporate and acquisition loans.