Ashurst LLP

Under the stewardship of strong project agreement negotiator Florian Mahler, Clifford Chance is a leading infrastructure financing firm, for which international banks consult it in relation to international projects, as do public sector clients, investors, sponsors and project developers alike. Another core area of activity is advising on renewable energy investments, demonstrated by its advice on the financing of on- and offshore wind parks, solar and biomass plants, including via sustainability-linked debt facilities. Anna Thwaites is a key team member for gas infrastructure projects. Christof Häfner is noted for his expertise in structured finance transactions.

Dentons adopts a cross-disciplinary approach, utilising a spread of sector-specific expertise to provide assistance on complex financings, such as mezzanine financing in the real estate industry. Arne Klüwer is at the helm, the overall head of banking and finance and capital markets practice in Germany, with a wealth of experience in real estate and infrastructure financings. Axel Schlieter is a standout name in the group for acquisition financings and also acts for lenders in structured finance transactions.

Under the leadership of structured finance expert Dirk Trautmann, Norton Rose Fulbright demonstrates a focus on financings in the energy sector for a range of German and international banks. Energy companies also regularly instruct the team, as well as public sector clients and a range of lenders, investors and sponsors. Additionally, the group stands out for its PPP project expertise and adopts a multidisciplinary approach, hosting dedicated banking and finance lawyers such as Veit Sahlfeld, and lawyers with the ability to work on corporate financing and corporate issues related to project financings, in part due to its close cooperation with the firm’s corporate and M&A team.

At Watson Farley & Williams LLP, lawyers are instructed by a varied client roster which includes consortiums of commercial banks and subsidiaries of companies, placing an emphasis on energy transition and transport financing. Thomas Hollenhorst spearheads the group and is a key contact for renewable energy sector mandates, while Florian Kutzbach takes on many of the group’s cross-border mandates due to a strength in international project financing. The latter a strength of the group more broadly, in particular in emerging markets, and the financing of projects involving matters are the intersection of English & Welsh and German law is a further area of focus. Clemens Hillmer departed from the firm to join Clyde & Co LLP in January 2025.