Latham Triumphs With Two European Awards

LONDON, 18 March 2005. At the annual IFLR European Awards, Latham & Watkins scooped two awards: Debt and Equity-Linked Deal of the Year for the market leading Cognis deal; and Restructuring Deal of the Year for British Energy, the largest restructuring in the UK in 2004.

At the awards ceremony, the Cognis deal was singled out as "the first US-style second lien financing by a European borrower" and the Latham team was acclaimed as "the dominant force in European high yield bonds in 2004" and "at the heart of key developments such as crossover bonds and second lien financing." The British Energy transaction was recognised as "one of the largest and most complex of any in UK corporate history."

"We are delighted that our capabilities in Leveraged Finance and Restructuring in London and across continental Europe have been recognised in this way," commented David Miles, London Office Managing Partner. "These awards, coupled with our market leading year-end rankings for 2004, are testimony to the quality of the client work conducted by our lawyers. We have been committed to building a strong corporate platform from which we can continue to grow in the European market."

Bryant Edwards, Local Chair of the firm's Corporate Department and lead partner on the Cognis matter, said: "Winning the Debt and Equity Linked Deal of the Year award reinforces the results achieved by the firm in IFLR's 24th annual bond survey where we were number one in the European high yield category."

John Houghton, Restructuring partner and lead on the British Energy deal commented: "One of the most complex restructurings ever, was made even more challenging by certain elements in the equity trying to derail the entire process. This meant that it was a deal watched closely by the restructuring world."

The firm was also shortlisted for the Project Finance Deal of the Year for QatarGas II and Debt and Equity-Linked Team of the Year.

Latham & Watkins is a global law firm with more than 1,600 attorneys in 21 offices, including Boston, Brussels, Chicago, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, Milan, Moscow, New Jersey, New York, Northern Virginia, Orange County, Paris, San Diego, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Singapore, Tokyo und Washington, D.C. For more information on Latham & Watkins, please visit the Web site at www.lw.com.