Morrison & Foerster has appointed Christopher Kandel as a partner in the firm’s Finance practice in London.
Kandel brings to the firm a wealth of experience in leveraged finance and complex international acquisition finance, and restructuring transactions. He comes to Morrison & Foerster from Latham & Watkins, where he served as co-chair of the global banking practice.
Kandel is the third partner to join the firm’s London Finance Department in less than a year, following the noteworthy additions of Caroline Jury, who joined from Clifford Chance, and Benoit Lavigne, who joined from Ropes & Gray, as the firm accelerates the growth of its Finance practice in London.
“Chris is a market-leader with more than 20 years of experience in the London finance market,” says Larren Nashelsky, chair of Morrison & Foerster. “He has extensive experience leading leveraged finance and restructuring matters under both English and US law, setting him apart in the market and further building our ability to support our clients with their most complex cross-border financial transactions. We are delighted that Chris has decided to join our growing London team, and we are certain he will contribute greatly to our increasingly robust global Finance practice.”
“Chris’s addition underscores the momentum of our London office, as we continue our transformation following two years of exceptional growth,” said Paul Friedman, Morrison & Foerster’s managing partner for Europe. “Given his tremendous reputation in the market, I am delighted that our continued progress enables us to continue to attract new partners of Chris’s calibre.”
Kandel’s practice spans an extremely broad spectrum, including European and US senior, second lien and mezzanine financings, high yield securities, structured loans, capital markets and restructurings. Over the course of his career, he has advised on many landmark matters, including numerous European acquisition financings, the largest LBO financing in Asia, the second-ever high yield issue in Japan, the first international syndicated loan to a corporate in Turkey, the first super-senior revolver in Europe, the first pari passu secured bank/bond issue in Europe, and the first western-sponsor style leveraged buyout financing in Russia.
Kandel’s recent notable transactions include the take private financings for Ladbrokes Coral Group plc (UK – offer by GVC), Lavendon plc (UK – purchased by Loxam S.A.), Merus Pharma (Canada – purchased by Norgine B.V.), and Nets A/S (Denmark – offer by Hellman & Friedman); the EUR6.8 billion financing for China National Chemical Corporation’s purchase of shares in Pirelli from Camfin S.p.A and the subsequent tender offer for the remaining shares in Pirelli; the USD1.2 billion debt financing for Nokia’s purchase of the balance of its joint venture with Siemens; the USD3.29 billion bond offering by SoftBank Corp, the largest high yield bond offering in Asia; and the USD1.685 billion debt financing for Vista’s take private acquisition of Misys PLC.
“I believe the acquisition finance market is looking for more choice,” says Kandel. “Morrison & Foerster has all the right elements in London to make an impact – great M&A, real estate, funds and competition lawyers, a growing finance team and, for deals that run into problems afterwards, a standout US/London restructuring practice. The vision here is compelling.”
Kandel’s joining closely follows the addition of a group of 23 finance attorneys, including eight partners, earlier this month, who joined Morrison & Foerster as part of the firm’s Boston office opening.
Kandel earned his BA from Yale University (magna cum laude with distinction) and his JD from Cornell Law School (cum laude). He is qualified as a solicitor in England and Wales, and is admitted to the bar in California, the District of Columbia and Maryland.
