Capital Markets

Cleary Gottlieb is an acknowledged leader in U.S. and international capital markets practice. Issuers and market participants throughout the world rely on us for the most current advice on disclosure and corporate governance matters, corporate and securities regulatory issues and transactional structuring. We regularly advise issuers and underwriters throughout the world on company-critical and precedent-setting financings, which span the spectrum of capital markets transactions. The firm was among the first to recognize the importance of the global marketplace, with the opening of its Paris office in 1949. The scope and depth of our international resources are among the firm’s historic strengths and allow us to offer clients seamless advice across markets in their worldwide financing activities.


Read More »


Practice Highlights What Others Say About Our Practice

Petrobras in Record-Setting $11 Billion SEC-Registered Notes Offering

U.S. Treasury in Largest Secondary Equity Offering in U.S. History

U.S. Treasury in Exchange and Public Sale of Final TARP Investment in Citigroup

Felda Global Ventures Holdings Berhad in One of the World’s Largest IPOs in 2012

BPCE in $10 Billion U.S. Medium-Term Note Program

OJSC MegaFon in IPO

Central Bank of Russia in $5.2 Billion Secondary Public Offering of Sberbank Shares

$2 Billion Sale of Chilean and Ecuadorian Pension Businesses by BBVA

ADB in $2.5 Billion 3-Year Global Bond Issuance

Grupo Sanborns in $825 Million Global Equity Offering

Transocean in $1.2 Billion Public Equity Offering and $2.5 Billion Public Note Offering

NationStar Mortgage Holdings in $250 Million IPO

América Móvil in Ps.15 Billion (U.S.$1.2 Billion) Shelf Take Down

GlaxoSmithKline in $5 Billion Notes Offering

Petrobras in $67 Billion Global Equity Offering

Commerzbank in €11 Billion Capital Measures

Samsung Life Insurance in the Largest IPO by a Korean Company

Empresas ICA in $350 Million Notes Offering

Europe Equity Deal of the Year
(MegaFon’s IPO)
International Financial Law Review (2013)

North America Equity Issue
(AIG's $20.7 billion follow on)
International Financing Review (2013)
Emerging EMEA Bond
(Russia's $7 billion three-part offering)
International Financing Review (2013)
South Korea Capital Markets Deal
(Samsung's $1 billion 5-year bond)
International Financing Review (2013)
IPO Deal of the Year
(Felda Global Ventures IPO)
Islamic Finance News (2013)
FIG Capital Markets Deal of the Year
(Credit Suisse's $8 billion contingent capital package)
The Banker (2012)
SSA Bonds Deal of the Year
(Mexico's $1 billion 5.75% century bond reopening)
The Banker (2012)
Best Corporate High-Grade Bond
(Mexichem’s $1.15 billion 2022, 2042)
LatinFinance (2013)
 Best Corporate Liability Management
(CEMEX’s $7 billion debt exchange)
LatinFinance (2013)
Best Local Currency Financing
(Pemex’s MXP10 billion, 10-year GDN)
LatinFinance (2013)
Best Quasi-Sovereign Bond
(Petrobras’ $7 billion 2015, 2017, 2021, 2041)
LatinFinance (2013) 

Best Sovereign Bond
(United Mexican States’ $2 billion 2044)
LatinFinance (2013)
Best Sovereign Liability Management
(Republic of Uruguay’s UYP39.8 billion new issue, tender & exchange)
LatinFinance (2013)
Best Syndicated Loan
(Ternium’s $700 million 5-year loan)
LatinFinance (2013)
Best Trade Financing
(Pemex’s $1.2 billion Ex-Im Bank guaranteed 2022 bonds)
LatinFinance (2013)
Latin American Deal of the Year
(América Móvil's Ps15 billion global peso 10-year bonds)
Euromoney (2012)

Emerging Europe Deal of the Year
(Sberbank's $5.21 billion equity follow-on offering)
Euromoney (2012)

Subordinated Financial Bond of the Year
(Credit Suisse’s Tier 2 Buffer Capital Notes offering)
International Financing Review (2012)

Americas Structured Equity Issue of the Year
(AIG’s sale of $9.5 billion in MetLife securities)
International Financing Review (2012)
EMEA Equity Issue of the Year
(Commerzbank’s €11 billion capital increase)
International Financing Review (2012)
Best Korea Deal of the Year
(Samsung's $1 billion 5-year bond)
FinanceAsia (2012)
Commended Firm for Corporate
(Google's $12.5 billion acquisition of Motorola Mobility)
Financial Times - U.S. Innovative Lawyers Report (2012)
Most Highly Regarded Firms: Capital Markets
Who's Who Legal (2011)

European and Americas Equity Teams of the Year
International Financing Review (2011)
Americas Debt and Equity-Linked Team of the Year
International Financing Review (2011)

Latin America Equity Issue of the Year, Best Follow-On Equity Deal of the Year, Corporate Finance Deal of the Year, Deal of the Year
(Petrobras’ $67 billion follow-on offering) 
International Financing Review (2011), LatinFinance (2011), Latin Lawyer (2011), Asian-MENA Counsel (2011) 
Americas Equity Deal of the Year
(Bank of America’s preferred share sale of Banco Itaú)
International Financial Law Review (2011)

Asia Equity Deal of the Year
(Vale’s listing of Hong Kong Depositary Receipts)
International Financial Law Review (2011)

Investment-Grade Corporate Bond of the Year
(América Movil’s €2.5 billion bond) 
International Financing Review (2011)

Financial Bond-Subordinated Debt of the Year
(HSBC’s $3.8 billion $25 par capital securities)
International Financing Review (2011)
Latin America Loan of the Year
(Americas Mining Corporation’s $1.5 billion loan)
International Financing Review (2011)

Capital Markets Deal of the Year
(Tata Steel’s follow-on public offering)
India Business Law Journal (2011)

#1 Global Equity & Equity-Related Managers’ Counsel
Thomson Reuters, 2012 Rankings (Value)
#1 U.S. Equity & Equity-Related Managers’ Counsel
Thomson Reuters, 2012 Rankings (Value)

#1 EMEA Equity & Equity-Linked Issuers’ Counsel
Bloomberg, 2012 Rankings (Volume, deal count)

#2 Global Straight Debt
Thomson Reuters, 2012 Rankings (Deal count)

#2 U.S. Straight Debt Issuers’ Counsel
Thomson Reuters, 2012 Rankings (Value) 

 #3 Global Bond Issuers’ Counsel
Bloomberg, 2012 Rankings (Deal count)

#3 U.S. Corporates Issuers’ Counsel
Bloomberg, 2012 Rankings (Volume)
“This US-heavyweight has stellar offerings in debt, equity and structured finance across an impressive range of jurisdictions with its most notable strength being in the USA, London and Latin America. ‘This is a top-notch firm. They know capital markets...’”

"This firm as a whole is renowned for its capital markets practice and solid Latin American presence, and the two areas overlap to make it a leader in the market. The group is strong in all areas of capital markets...‘A group of hard-working, talented people with amazing capital markets skills.’”
Chambers Global (2013)
“This team maintains its outstanding reputation for advising both issuers and underwriters on key transactions including IPOs, equity offerings, and convertible and secured debt offerings. ‘The sheer brain power of their practice is impressive.’ ‘They are consistently good no matter who the partner is and their associates are also very good.’”
Chambers USA (2013)
“Universally acknowledged as a leader in equity work, the capitals markets practice at this firm is often involved in some of the market's largest transactions. It enjoys an impressive client portfolio … Clients and peers recognise and appreciate the international capabilities of the firm."
Chambers Europe (2013)
“This impressive US group is a strong competitor in the debt and equity markets in the region, primarily known for its high-quality work in South Korea together with notable activity in China and India...Sources say: ‘This firm is proactive and is always trying to protect client’s interests while at the same time being reasonable to other professional parties.’”
Chambers Asia (2013)
“Cleary Gottlieb as a whole is renowned for its capital markets practice and solid Latin American presence, and the two areas overlap to make it a leader in the market. … ‘A group of hard-working, talented people with amazing capital markets skills.’”
Chambers Latin America (2013)

“This firm’s international profile in debt, equity and structured finance is formidable, especially in New York, London, Latin America and Russia. It also has a strong presence in the Asia-Pacific region and a well-regarded Middle East practice. ‘Consistently excellent lawyers.’”
Chambers Global (2012)

“This firm has an enviable reputation for its SEC expertise and its international work, acting for Latin American and European clients on a wide range of US debt and equity offerings. The team has been working closely with clients on their recovery from the global economic crisis. … ‘Very robust for international work.’”
Chambers USA (2012)
“This U.S. powerhouse has a notable presence in several major European locations and clearly maintains its position as a leading capital markets adviser.”
Chambers Europe (2012)
Sources say: ‘Cleary’s U.S. practice is very strong; one of the highest-quality U.S. firms.’”
Chambers Asia (2012)

“Cleary Gottlieb continues to invest in its European capability, housing a market-leading liability management team, and a number of experts on the Russian market… The firm is also noted for its high-yield practice, which advised on some of the first high-yield offerings by European companies.”
Chambers UK (2012)

“At ‘top-tier firm’ Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, the ‘excellent and intelligent’ team continues to provide market-leading advice on debt capital market transactions to issuer and manager clients. Lauded for its ‘cost-effectiveness’ and ‘superlative industry knowledge and responsiveness,’ the group has widely admired capabilities across all securities matters, and is highly regarded for its depth of experience in advising both U.S. and non-U.S. clients. It is particularly rated for its ‘superb underwriter advice.’”
The Legal 500 U.S. (2012)

“The ‘very strong’ firm is ‘very efficient’ and provides an ‘excellent service.’ Clients say that it is ‘unique’ in the sense that its lawyers are ‘extremely collaborative,’ and is ‘by far the best’ in Latin America.’”
The Legal 500 Latin America (2012)