Simpson Thacher & Bartlett was named Americas firm of the year at IFLR’s 14th annual awards on May 16. The firm picked up four awards off the back of 20 shortlist appearances in what was one of the tightest award races for several years.
The ceremony, held at Essex House in New York, brought together the best legal talent from Canada to Argentina to recognise the most legally innovative transactions closed in the continent during 2018, and the teams and individuals that worked on them.
There were impressive performances from Milbank, Davis Polk, Cleary Gottlieb and Skadden, all of which came away with several awards. Sullivan & Cromwell won M&A team of the year, while Paul Hastings picked up debt and equity-linked, Cadwalader won structured finance and securitisation, and White & Case came away with restructuring team of the year.
Machado Meyer was named Brazil’s firm of the year and took home four awards. Other notable winners included Chile’s firm of the year Carey, winner for Mexico Creel and Canadian firm of the year Osler Hoskin & Harcourt.
Sandie O’Connor, former chief regulatory officer of JP Morgan and chair of the Alternative Reference Rates Committee was presented the contribution to regulatory reform award for her work on Libor replacement SOFR [secured overnight financing rate]. Richard Truesdell Jr, of Davis Polk, received the prestigious outstanding achievement award.
The ceremony also recognised six rising stars from across the region, including Brittany Ruiz from Latham & Watkins, William Allen of Simpson Thacher, and Angela Libby of Davis Polk.
Full details on the nominated deals and teams can be found in the Book of the Night (Deals - Teams) and all the photos are here.
Individual awards
Contribution to regulatory reform
Sandie O’Connor
Outstanding achievement award
Richard Truesdell Jr, Davis Polk & Wardwell
Rising stars of the year
Brittany Ruiz – Latham & Watkins
William Allen – Simpson Thacher & Bartlett
Angela Libby – Davis Polk & Wardwell
Giovanna Pantaleão Del Re – Padis Advogados
Renzo Luna – Estudio Echecopar
Marcus Vinicius Pimentel da Fonseca – TozziniFreire Advogados
Deals of the year
Debt and equity-linked
MEXCAT tender offers and consent solicitations
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton
Hogan Lovells
Paul Hastings
Equity
Spotify Technology direct listing
Davis Polk & Wardwell
Latham & Watkins
High yield
Tervita
Blake Cassels & Graydon
Norton Rose Fulbright
Norton Rose Fulbright Canada
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett
Loans
Carlyle Group and GIC / AkzoNobel Specialty Chemicals
Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg
De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek
Latham & Watkins
Mattos Filho Veiga Filho Marrey Jr e Quiroga Advogados
Milbank
Pinheiro Neto Advogados
Stikeman Elliot
M&A
Bayer / Monsanto
Arnold & Porter
Carey
Debevoise & Plimpton
Jara del Favero Abogados
L&L Partners
Paul Hastings
Paul Weiss
Philippi Prietocarrizosa Ferrero DU & Uría
Shearman & Sterling
Sullivan & Cromwell
Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz
Wilmer Hale
Private equity
Brookfield Business Partners / Westinghouse Electric Company
Milbank
Paul Weiss
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman
Proskauer Rose
Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom
Weil Gotshal & Manges
Willkie Farr & Gallagher
Project finance
Porto de Sergipe I Thermoelectric Complex
Demarest Advogados
Hinckley Allen
Machado Meyer Sendacz Opice Advogados
Mayer Brown
Milbank
Pinheiro Neto Advogados
Stocche Forbes Advogados
Tauil & Chequer Advogados
Shearman & Sterling
White & Case
Restructuring
Oi Group
Andrade Fichtner Advogados
Barbosa Müssnich Aragão
Basilio Advogados
CMS
Cescon Barrieu Flesch & Barreto Advogados
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton
Clifford Chance
Davis Polk & Wardwell
Dechert
Dias Carneiro Advogados
E Munhoz Advogados
Felsberg & Associados
Galdino Coelho Mendes Advogados
Jones Day
Lefosse Advogados
Lollato Lopes Rangel R Advogados
Machado Meyer Sendacz Opice Advogados
Mattos Filho Veiga Filho Marrey Jr e Quiroga Advogados
Milbank
Padis Advogados
Pinheiro Guimarães Advogados
Pinheiro Neto Advogados
Rosman Penalva Souza Leão Franco Avogados
Sergio Bermudes Advogados
Stocche Forbes Advogados
Tauil & Chequer Advogados
Wal & Associados Advogados
White & Case
Structured finance and securitisation
Marathon Asset Management CRE-CLO
Clifford Chance
Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft
Teams of the year
Debt and equity-linked
Paul Hastings
Equity
Davis Polk & Wardwell
Financial services regulatory
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton
High yield
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett
Loans
Milbank
M&A
Sullivan & Cromwell
Private equity
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett
Project finance
Milbank
Restructuring
White & Case
Structured finance and securitisation
Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft
National firms of the year
Argentina
Bruchou Fernández Madero & Lombardi
Brazil
Machado Meyer Sendacz Opice Advogados
Canada
Osler Hoskin & Harcourt
Central America
Consortium Legal
Chile
Carey
Colombia
Brigard Urrutia
Costa Rica
Consortium Legal
Dominican Republic
Pellerano & Herrera
Ecuador
Ferrere
El Salvador
Consortium Legal
Guatemala
Consortium Legal
Honduras
Consortium Legal
Mexico
Creel García-Cuéllar Aiza y Enriquez
Nicaragua
Consortium Legal
Panama
Arias Fábrega & Fábrega
Peru
Garrigues
Uruguay
Guyer & Regules
National firm category winners
National banking and finance firm of the year
Andean states: Brigard Urrutia
Brazil: Stocche Forbes Advogados
Canada: Goodmans
Central America: Consortium Legal
Mexico: Mijares Angoitia Cortés & Fuentes
Southern Cone: Barros & Errázuriz
National capital markets firm of the year
Andean states: Garrigues
Brazil: Machado Meyer Sendacz Opice Advogados
Canada: Blake Cassels & Graydon
Central America: Aleman Cordero Galindo & Lee
Mexico: Creel García-Cuéllar Aiza y Enriquez
Southern Cone: Carey
National corporate firm of the year
Andean States: Posse Herrera Ruiz
Brazil: Cescon Barrieu Flesch & Barreto Advogados
Canada: Torys
Central America: BLP
Mexico: Galicia Abogados
Southern Cone: Carey
Bank and firm awards
In-house debt team
JP Morgan
In-house equity team
Morgan Stanley
Americas firm of the year
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett