02/05/23

Clifford Chance appoints one Senior Counsel and three Counsel in Luxembourg

Leading international law firm Clifford Chance has appointed Sébastien Schmitz Senior Counsel and Peter Audesirk, Lauren Harris and Severina Käppeli Counsel in Luxembourg. 

Katia Gauzès, Managing Partner of Clifford Chance in Luxembourg comments: "The appointments of our Senior Counsel and Counsel demonstrate our commitment to invest in our talented people, and their contribution to providing outstanding services and solutions to our clients". 

Sébastien Schmitz, Senior Counsel, Real Estate: Sébastien advises our clients on all areas of real estate law, including property acquisitions and sales, office and commercial lease contracts, town planning, construction law and environment law. He handles the real estate and environment aspects of corporate transactions for major international companies in the real estate, financial and industrial sectors. Sébastien provides legal support to major real estate developers and real estate investors operating in Luxembourg, as well as to public bodies. His practice also includes administrative law, legislation on business licences and dispute resolutions. 

Peter Audesirk, Counsel, Investment Funds: Peter advises investment funds and leading asset managers on the setting-up and structuring of regulated and unregulated investment vehicles including SIFs, RAIFs and AIFs with a particular focus on real estate, real estate debt and private equity funds. He has extensive experience in the marketing of AIFs under the EU marketing passport and deals on a regular basis with local and foreign authorities. 

Lauren Harris, Counsel, Corporate: Lauren specialises in private equity and equity capital markets. She advises major international clients on a wide variety of corporate and equity capital markets matters, including M&A, restructurings, joint ventures, management incentive programmes, IPOs, SPACs and de-SPACs, takeovers, P2P transactions, ESG and general corporate law. She has extensive experience in advising large private equity houses, corporates and financial institutions on their cross-border operations. 

Severina Käppeli, Counsel, Investment Funds: Severina specialises in Luxembourg fund structures, both regulated and unregulated, investing in diverse asset classes such as real estate, private equity and debt. With her vast experience, she guides fund initiators in the structuring, setting-up and negotiation of funds, and advises investors on investments into funds. Severina is also a key driving force for innovation in the legal sector and leads the development and adoption of smart, client-focused solutions in the funds practice. 

In total, Clifford Chance appointed 12 Senior Counsel and 39 Counsel across Continental Europe. 

Steve Jacoby, Regional Managing Partner for Continental Europe adds: "By appointing these Senior Counsel and Counsel, we continue to invest in having the best team across the region to serve our clients wherever they operate”. 

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