Financial Times Names Latham Among Top 10 Most Innovative Law Firms in Europe

Latham & Watkins has been recognised as one of the Top 10 Most Innovative Law Firms in Europe in the Financial Times Innovative Lawyers Report 2019, an annual ranking of innovative law firms, legal service providers, and lawyers.

Latham garnered praise across a number of categories, including ranking #1 for “Collaboration” in recognition of its work with with the Environmental Law Institute (ELI) and the Chinese Policy Research Center for Environment and Economy (PRCEE) to create the China International Business Dialogue on Environmental Governance (CIBDEG), a working group facilitating engagement between multinational companies (MNCs) and Chinese authorities regarding best practices in environmental regulation.

London partner Paul Davies was also named among Europe’s “Top 10 Innovative Individuals” for being “at the forefront for environmental law in Europe and Asia” and actively collaborating with environmental consultancies to “promote knowledge sharing” and to develop innovative products.

The report recognised Latham in a number of Legal Expertise and Business of Law categories, including:

Collaboration

• “Standout” for collaborating with ELI and PRCEE to found CIBDEG, a platform facilitating dialogue between MNCs and regulatory authorities in China on environmental policies affecting business. The working group aids multinationals to understand Chinese environmental regulation and provides the Chinese government with best practices for achieving high levels of environmental performance

Accessing New Markets and Capital

• “Highly Commended” for assisting FinTech startup Nivaura in the successful issuance of its tokenized equity blockchain technology, the first ever tokenization of real equity in a UK company
• “Commended” for creating a legal framework for Room2Run, enabling multinational banks to access a US$1 billion synthetic securitisation on a portfolio of pan-African loans for the first time
• “Commended” for supporting Henkel in creating Germany’s first green loan, a financing structure that reduces interest rates based on the project’s environmental impact

Diversity & Inclusion

• “Commended” for developing a comprehensive programme supporting the advancement and success of first generation professionals in the workplace

Managing and Developing Talent

• “Commended” for implementing a flexible and mobile training programme in Germany providing associates with greater control over their legal and commercial development

Creating a New Standard

• “Commended” for advising Bain Capital on a successful investment in distressed private investment firm Giuseppe Bottiglieri, preventing Bottiglieri from entering insolvency proceedings

Published in conjunction with research partner RSG Consulting, the Financial Times Innovative Lawyers Report 2019 received 750 nominations from 163 law firms and other organisations.