Americas Tax Awards 2018

October 15, 2018

International Tax Review honoured the best firms across the Americas at a ceremony in New York on September 13 2018.

The region's leading firms and advisers congregated at the Pierre Hotel in New York for the 13th annual Americas Tax Awards.

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom claimed the crown for the Americas tax firm of the year, which recognises outstanding work across a number of tax areas. Deloitte, meanwhile, successfully defended its title as the leading transfer pricing firm in the Americas, being recognised for its innovative practice. These two firms also won a string of awards across North, South and Central America in a number of awards categories.

Uber LatAM retained the title as the Americas In-House Tax Team of the year. In Latin America, Baker McKenzie was awarded as the Latin America Tax Firm of the Year, while BaseFirma clinched the title for Latin Americas Transfer Pricing Firm of the Year.

Mayer Brown, Pinheiro Neto Advogados, and Lefosse Advogados also won regional awards for their excellence.

It was a big night for Mattos Filho Veiga Filho Marrey Jr e Quiroga Advogados, which swept up several awards including Brazil Tax Firm of the Year and Brazil Tax Court Firm of the Year. Mattos Filho's Renata Correia Cubas also retained the award for Americas Indirect Tax Practice Leader of the Year.

The award for Americas Tax Litigation & Disputes Practice Leader of the Year went to Al Meghji of Osler Hoskin & Harcourt, while Scott Wilkie of Blake Cassels & Graydon won Americas Transfer Pricing Leader of the Year. The Americas Tax Practice Leader of the Year award went to Juan Manuel Albacete of Guyer & Regules.

These were just some of the many awards given out on the night. Read on to see the rest. On the following pages, winners are listed first, followed by a list of nominees.

Methodology

Between April and June 2018, International Tax Review invited law firms, accountancy and other tax advisory firms to submit examples of their best work in tax transactions, tax disputes, indirect tax, restructuring and transfer pricing, and for best tax innovation and tax technology. We also invited submissions for outstanding practice leaders from across the region.

International Tax Review's editorial staff considered these submissions and the information obtained through interviews with tax directors, as well as peer interviews, for World Tax 2019 and World Transfer Pricing 2019, to compile shortlists and choose winners for each of the country and regional awards.

The US city areas include tax professionals based in the surrounding area within a 150-mile radius. These awards represent the opinions of the market on the leading tax advisers in the Americas based on their work between January 1 2017 and March 31 2018.

Awards criteria

Size: Not critical, but it indicates what a team is capable of taking on.

Innovation: Did the solution the adviser employed show something more than the straightforward answer that is commonly used?

Complexity: Did the matter address tax issues that were out of the ordinary?

Impact: What impact did the tax advice have on the client's business? E.g., did it save money? How much? Did it allow them to acquire a larger rival/ biggest competitor? Was it the first time particular issues were litigated in court? Was it the company's first debt or equity issuance in a particular jurisdiction? Was it the company's first advance pricing agreement in that jurisdiction?

Argentina Tax Firm of the Year

Marval O’Farrell & Mairal

> Baker McKenzie

> Bruchou Fernández Madero & Lombardi

> Deloitte

> Estudio O’Farrell

> Grupo GNP

> Laiún Fernández Sabella & Smudt

> Rosso Alba Francia & Asociados

Argentina Transfer Pricing Firm of the Year

Rosso Alba Francia & Asociados

> Baker McKenzie

> BaseFirma

> Deloitte

> Estudio O’Farrell

> Grupo GNP

> Laiún Fernández Sabella & Smudt

> Pérez Alati Grondona Benites & Arntsen

Brazil Tax Firm of the Year

Mattos Filho Veiga Filho Marrey Jr e Quiroga Advogados

> BMA Advogados – Barbosa Müssnich Aragão

> Deloitte

> Fraga Bekierman & Cristiano Advogados

> Gaia Silva Gaede Advogados

> Lefosse Advogados

> Machado Meyer Sendacz e Opice Advogados

> Trench Rossi Watanabe

Brazil Transfer Pricing Firm of the Year

Lacaz Martins Pereira Neto Gurevich & Schoueri Advogados

> BaseFirma

> BRATAX – Brazuna Ruschmann e Soriano Sociedade de Advogados

> Deloitte

> Gaia Silva Gaede Advogados

> Mattos Filho Veiga Filho Marrey Jr e Quiroga Advogados

> Pinheiro Neto Advogados

> Trench Rossi Watanabe

Central America Tax Firm of the Year

Arias

> BDO Panama (GIINTAX services)

> Deloitte

Central America Transfer Pricing Firm of the Year

Deloitte

> EY

Canada Tax Firm of the Year

Osler Hoskin & Harcourt

> Blake Cassels & Graydon

> Borden Ladner Gervais, Taxand Canada

> Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg

> Deloitte

> Grant Thornton

> McCarthy Tétrault

> Torys

Canada Transfer Pricing Firm of the Year

Grant Thornton

> Baker McKenzie

> Blake Cassels & Graydon

> Deloitte

> McCarthy Tétrault

> Osler Hoskin & Harcourt

> Torys

Chile Tax Firm of the Year

Carey

> Baker McKenzie

> Deloitte

> Garrigues

> KPMG

> Philippi Prietocarrizosa Ferrero DU & Uría

> PwC

Chile Transfer Pricing Firm of the Year

PwC

> Baker McKenzie

> BaseFirma

> Carey

> Deloitte

> KPMG

Colombia Tax Firm of the Year

Brigard Urrutia

> Baker McKenzie

> Deloitte

> EY

> Garrigues

> Godoy & Hoyos

> Philippi Prietocarrizosa Ferrero DU & Uría

Colombia Transfer Pricing Firm of the Year

Deloitte

> Baker McKenzie

> BaseFirma

> Brigard Urrutia

> EY

> Philippi Prietocarrizosa Ferrero DU & Uría

> PwC

Mexico Tax Firm of the Year

Creel García-Cuéllar Aiza y Enríquez

> Baker McKenzie

> Deloitte

> Garrigues

> Escalante y Asociados

> Mijares Angoitia Cortes y Fuentes, Taxand Mexico

> Ritch Mueller Heather y Nicolau

> SMPS Legal

Mexico Transfer Pricing Firm of the Year

Baker McKenzie

> BaseFirma

> Creel García-Cuéllar Aiza y Enríquez

> Deloitte

> Élan Zaak

> Garrigues

> Salles Sainz Grant Thornton

Peru Tax Firm of the Year

Rodrigo Elías & Medrano

> Estudio Echecopar

> Estudio Olaechea

> EY

> Garrigues

> Muñiz Ramírez Pérez-Taiman & Olaya

> Payet Rey Cauvi Pérez Abogados

> Philippi Prietocarrizosa Ferrero DU & Uría

Peru Transfer Pricing Firm of the Year

Deloitte

> BaseFirma

> Estudio Echecopar

> Estudio Olaechea

> EY

> Rodrigo Elías & Medrano

Uruguay Tax Firm of the Year

Guyer & Regules

> Bergstein Abogados

> Deloitte

> Ferrere

> Fischer & Schickendantz

> Grant Thornton

> Innovation Tax & Trust

> KPMG

Uruguay Transfer Pricing Firm of the Year

Grant Thornton

> Bergstein Abogados

> Deloitte

> Ferrere

> Guyer & Regules

> KPMG

US: Houston/Dallas Tax Firm of the Year

Vinson & Elkins

> Kirkland & Ellis

> Mayer Brown

> Norton Rose Fulbright

US: San Francisco and Silicon Valley Tax Firm of the Year

Morgan Lewis & Bockius

> Baker McKenzie

> Fenwick & West

> Kirkland & Ellis

> Mayer Brown

US: Los Angeles Tax Firm of the Year

Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom

> DLA Piper

US: Washington DC Tax Firm of the Year

Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom

> Baker McKenzie

> Dentons

> Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

> Mayer Brown

> Miller & Chevalier Chartered

> Morgan Lewis & Bockius

> Vinson & Elkins

US: Chicago Tax Firm of the Year

Kirkland & Ellis

> Baker McKenzie

> Mayer Brown

> Morgan Lewis & Bockius

> Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom

US: New York Tax Firm of the Year

Mayer Brown

> Baker McKenzie

> Debevoise & Plimpton

> Kirkland & Ellis

> Norton Rose Fulbright

> Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom

> Sullivan & Cromwell

> Vinson & Elkins

US Tax Firm of the Year

Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom

> Baker McKenzie

> Fenwick & West

> Kirkland & Ellis

> Mayer Brown

> Morgan Lewis & Bockius

> Norton Rose Fulbright

> Vinson & Elkins

US Transfer Pricing Firm of the Year

Deloitte

> Baker McKenzie

> Dentons

> Epsilon Economics

> Fenwick & West

> Mayer Brown

> Morgan Lewis & Bockius

> Norton Rose Fulbright

Venezuela Tax Firm of the Year

Deloitte

> Baker McKenzie

> D’Empaire Reyna Abogados

> Planincorp Consultores

> PwC

Venezuela Transfer Pricing Firm of the Year

D’Empaire Reyna Abogados

> BaseFirma

> Deloitte

> EY

> Mendoza Delgado Labrador & Asociados

> PwC

Tax Court Firms of the Year

Brazil Tax Court Firm of the Year

Mattos Filho Veiga Filho Marrey Jr e Quiroga Advogados

> Bichara Advogados

> BRATAX – Brazuna Ruschmann e Soriano Sociedade de Advogados

> Lacaz Martins Pereira Neto Gurevich & Schoueri Advogados

> Lefosse Advogados

> Veirano Advogados

Canada Tax Court Firm of the Year

Osler Hoskin & Harcourt

> Baker McKenzie

> Blake Cassels & Graydon

> McCarthy Tétrault

US Tax Court Firm of the Year

Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom

> Baker McKenzie

> Dentons

> Fenwick & West

> Mayer Brown

> Morgan Lewis & Bockius

REGIONAL, INDIVIDUAL AND DEAL AWARDS

Best Newcomer in the Americas

VCG Partners

> Aptis Global

> Escalante & Asociados

Americas Tax Pro Bono Award

Bichara Advogados

> Guyer & Regules

> Mattos Filho Veiga Filho Marrey Jr e Quiroga Advogados

Americas Tax Innovator Award

Mannrich e Vasconcelos Advogados

> Baker McKenzie Argentina

> Deloitte US

> Machado Meyer Sendacz e Opice Advogados

> Philippi Prietocarrizosa Ferrero DU & Uría

Americas Tax Technology Firm of the Year

Deloitte

> McMillan

> Wolters Kluwer

International Firm in the Americas

Matheson

> Arthur Cox

Americas Transfer Pricing Practice Leader of the Year

Scott Wilkie, Blake Cassels & Graydon

> Luciana Rosanova Galhardo, Pinheiro Neto Advogados

> Samira Haddad, BaseFirma

> George Hani, Miller & Chevalier Chartered

> Kathrine Kimball, Aptis Global

> Lucas Moreno, Brigard Urrutia

> José Andrés Romero, Brigard Urrutia

> Luís Eduardo Schoueri, Lacaz Martins Pereira Neto Gurevich & Schoueri Advogados

Americas Tax Compliance & Reporting Firm of the Year

Deloitte

> Baker McKenzie Colombia

> BDO Panama (GIINTAX services)

Americas Tax Litigation & Disputes Practice Leader of the Year

Al Meghji, Osler Hoskin & Harcourt

> Juan Manuel Albacete, Guyer & Regules

> Luiz Gustavo AS Bichara, Bichara Advogados

> César Camilo Cermeño Cristancho, Garrigues Colombia

> Roberto Quiroga Mosquera, Mattos Filho Veiga Filho Marrey Jr e Quiroga Advogados

> Paulo Rogério Garcia Ribeiro, Machado Associados

> Alejandro Gómez Rutmann, Gómez Rutmann y Asociados, Deloitte Venezuela

> Dante Sanguinetti, Philippi Prietocarrizosa Ferrero DU & Uría

Americas Tax Practice Leader of the Year

Juan Manuel Albacete, Guyer & Regules

> George Hani, Miller & Chevalier Chartered

> Camilo Zarama Martínez, Garrigues Colombia

> Roberto Quiroga Mosquera, Mattos Filho Veiga Filho Marrey Jr e Quiroga

> Júlio de Oliveira, Machado Associados

> Jose Andres Romero-Angrisano, BDO Panama (GIINTAX services)

> Fernando Tonanni, Machado Meyer Advogados

> Jeffrey Trossman, Blake Cassels & Graydon

Americas Tax Policy Team of the Year

Garrigues Colombia

> Baker McKenzie US

> Brigard Urrutia

> Deloitte Canada

> Guyer & Regules

> MJ Alves e Burle

Americas Indirect Tax Practice Leader of the Year

Renata Correia Cubas, Mattos Filho Veiga Filho Marrey Jr e Quiroga Advogados

> Juan Manuel Albacete, Guyer & Regules

> Fernanda Sá Freire, Machado Meyer Sendacz e Opice Advogados

> Camila Galvão, Machado Meyer Sendacz e Opice Advogados

> Sandro Machado dos Reis, Bichara Advogados

> Ignacio Rodriguez, Lara Marambio y Asociados (Deloitte Venezuela)

> Ricardo Marletti Debatin da Silveira, Machado Associados

> Walker Villanueva, Philippi Prietocarrizosa Ferrero DU & Uría

DEAL AWARDS

Americas Capital Markets Tax Deal of the Year

Mexico City Airport Group Fibra E placement: Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton; Creel García-Cuéllar Aiza y Enríquez; Jones Day; Muñoz Manzo y Ocampo; Paul Hastings

> Altice USA IPO: Mayer Brown; Ropes & Gray; Shearman & Sterling

> IBRD's joint multi-country floating rate earthquake-linked capital-at-risk notes: Creel García-Cuéllar Aiza y Enríquez; Linklaters; Sullivan & Cromwell

> Bank of Nova Scotia's Additional Tier 1 Capital notes: Morrison & Foerster; Osler Hoskin & Harcourt; Shearman & Sterling

> TD Bank Group's USD green bond: McCarthy Tétrault

> IENova global debut senior notes offering: Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton; Creel García-Cuéllar Aiza y Enríquez; Galaz Yamazaki Ruiz Urquiza (Deloitte) (auditors); Latham & Watkins; Mijares Angoitia Cortés y Fuentes, Taxand Mexico; Shipman & Goodwin

> Uruguay's first global bond in nominal pesos in the international market to BBVA Securities, Merrill Lynch and Morgan Stanley: Guyer & Regules

> Vista Oil & Gas SPAC IPO: Bruchou Fernández Madero & Lombardi; Creel García-Cuéllar Aiza y Enríquez; Latham & Watkins; Ritch Mueller Heather y Nicolau; Shearman & Sterling

Americas Consumer Products Tax Deal of the Year

Amazon.com acquisition of Whole Foods Market: Covington & Burling; Latham & Watkins; Paul Hastings; Sullivan & Cromwell; Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz; Weil Gotshal & Manges

> Diageo acquisition Casamigos Tequila from founders George Clooney, Rande Gerber and Mike Meldman: Sullivan & Cromwell; Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker

> JAB Holding's acquisition of Panera Bread Company: Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom; Sullivan & Cromwell

> Nestlé acquisition of Atrium Innovations: EY; Mayer Brown; McCarthy Tétrault; Stikeman Elliott

> Refresco Group acquisition of Cott Beverages: Allen & Overy; CMS Netherlands; Drinker Biddle & Reath; Goodmans; McMillan; Nixon Peabody; Squire Patton Boggs

> Restaurant Brands International acquisition of Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen: Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg; King & Spalding; Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison; Stikeman Elliott

> Roark Capital's acquisition of Buffalo Wild Wings: DLA Piper; King & Spalding; White & Case

> Toromont Industries acquisition of Hewitt Group: McCarthy Tétrault; Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg

Americas Energy Tax Deal of the Year

Merger of Enbridge and Spectra Energy: Goodmans; McCarthy Tétrault; Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom; Sullivan & Cromwell

> Acquisition of Calpine Corporation by an affiliate of Energy Capital Partners and a consortium of investors: Debevoise & Plimpton; Latham & Watkins; Shearman & Sterling; Sullivan & Cromwell; Torys; White & Case

> BlackRock acquisition of First Reserve Energy Infrastructure Funds: Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom

> Blackstone Group's joint venture with Sanchez Energy Corporation: Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld; Kirkland & Ellis

> CFE and its wholly-owned subsidiary, CFE Transmission, in its public global offering of energy and infrastructure trust certificates: Clifford Chance; Creel García-Cuéllar Aiza y Enríquez; White & Case

> GE's sale to SUEZ of the shares owned by GE Mexico in GE Water & Process: Baker McKenzie; Creel García-Cuéllar Aiza y Enríquez; Davis Polk & Wardwell; Weil Gotshal & Manges

> Saudi Aramco acquisition of Motiva Enterprises from Shell: Vinson & Elkins

> Sempra Energy all-cash acquisition of Energy Future Holdings and its subsidiary, Energy Future Intermediate Holding: Cravath Swaine & Moore; Jones Day; Kirkland & Ellis; Sidley Austin; White & Case

Americas Financial Services Tax Deal of the Year

Janus Capital Group merger-of-equals with Henderson Group to form Janus Henderson Global Investors: Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer; Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom

> CF Corporation and The Blackstone Group's acquisition of Fidelity & Guaranty Life: Davis Polk & Wardwell; Debevoise & Plimpton; Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom; Winston & Strawn

> The Bank of Nova Scotia issuance of a new form of Additional Tier 1 Capital: Osler Hoskin & Harcourt; Torys; Shearman & Sterling; Morrison & Foerster

> TD Bank Group acquisition of Scottrade Bank: Simpson Thacher & Bartlett; Sullivan & Cromwell; Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz

> Vista Equity Partners combines Misys and D+H as Finastra: Cravath Swaine & Moore; Goodmans; Kirkland & Ellis; Stikeman Elliott

Americas Joint Venture Tax Deal of the Year

Carlyle Group's joint venture with Hilcorp Energy: Andrews Kurth Kenyon; Baker Botts

> Blackstone Group's joint venture with Sanchez Energy Corporation: Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld; Kirkland & Ellis

> Canada Pension Plan Investment Board / Cyrela Commercial Properties joint venture: Mattos Filho Veiga Filho Marrey Jr e Quiroga Advogados; Shearman & Sterling; Tauil & Chequer in association with Mayer Brown

> Joint venture between Federal-Mogul and FRAS-LE: Demarest Advogados; Feijó Lopes Advogados; Philippi Prietocarrizosa & Uría; TozziniFreire Advogados

> SNC-Lavalin' new infrastructure investment vehicle: McMillan; Norton Rose Fulbright

Americas M&A Tax Deal of Year

Amazon.com acquisition of Whole Foods Market: Covington & Burling; Latham & Watkins; Paul Hastings; Sullivan & Cromwell; Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz; Weil Gotshal & Manges

> Liberty Interactive Corporation's acquisition of General Communication: Baker Botts; Sherman & Howard; Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom

> CDPQ and SUEZ acquisition of GE Water: Baker McKenzie; Creel García-Cuéllar Aiza y Enríquez; Davis Polk & Wardwell; Demarest Advogados; Weil Gotshal & Manges

> Discovery Communication's acquisition of Scripps Networks Interactive: Debevoise & Plimpton; Kirkland & Ellis; Sullivan & Cromwell; Weil Gotshal & Manges

> Merger of Enbridge and Spectra Energy: Goodmans; McCarthy Tétrault; Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom; Sullivan & Cromwell

> Potash merger with Agrium: Blake Cassels & Graydon; Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg; Felesky Flynn; Jones Day; Stikeman Elliot

> Vantiv acquisition of WorldPay Group: Allen & Overy; Ashurst; Latham & Watkins; Sidley Austin; Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom

Americas Media & Entertainment Tax Deal of the Year

Liberty Interactive Corporation's acquisition of General Communication: Baker Botts; Sherman & Howard; Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom

> Discovery Communication's acquisition of Scripps Networks Interactive: Debevoise & Plimpton; Kirkland & Ellis; Sullivan & Cromwell; Weil Gotshal & Manges

> Liberty Interactive's acquisition of HSN: Baker Botts; Davis Polk & Wardwell

> Scientific Games Corporation's acquisition of NYX Gaming Group: Carey Olsen; Cravath Swaine & Moore; Latham & Watkins; McMillan; Stikeman Elliott

Americas Private Equity Tax Deal of the Year

Acquisition of Calpine Corporation by an affiliate of Energy Capital Partners and a consortium of investors: Debevoise & Plimpton; Latham & Watkins; Shearman & Sterling; Sullivan & Cromwell; Torys; White & Case

> Bain Capital Private Equity carve out acquisition from Sealed Air: Kirkland & Ellis; Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom

> Blackstone acquisition of Aon Hewitt's benefits and administration and HR business process outsourcing platform: Davies Ward Phillips and Vineberg; Kirkland & Ellis; Sidley Austin; Torys

> BlackRock acquisition of First Reserve Energy Infrastructure Funds: Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom

> Carlyle Group's joint venture with Hilcorp Energy: Andrews Kurth Kenyon; Baker Botts

> Roark Capital Group's acquisition of Buffalo Wild Wings: DLA Piper; King & Spalding; White & Case

> Sycamore Partners acquisition of Staples: Kirkland & Ellis; WilmerHale

> Vista Equity Partners combines Misys and D+H as Finastra: Cravath Swaine & Moore; Goodmans; Kirkland & Ellis; Stikeman Elliott

Americas Real Estate Tax Deal of the Year

GIC Singapore Sovereign Fund's investment with CCLA (a partnership between CIM Group and Compass Group): Creel García-Cuéllar Aiza y Enríquez; Ritch Mueller Heather y Nicolau

> Brookfield Property Partners privatization of Brookfield Canada Office Properties REIT:

> Goodmans; Torys

> Canada Pension Plan Investment Board joint venture with Cyrela Commercial Properties: Mattos Filho Veiga Filho Marrey Jr e Quiroga Advogados; Shearman & Sterling; Tauil & Chequer Advogados in association with Mayer Brown

> LSF10 Casa Participações acquisition of Apoema Participações: Demarest Advogados; Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson; Pinheiro Neto Advogados

> Mexico City Airport Group Fibra E placement: Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton; Creel García-Cuéllar Aiza y Enríquez; Jones Day; Muñoz Manzo y Ocampo; Paul Hastings

> Milestone Apartments REIT privatisation by Starwood Capital Group: Goodmans; Kirkland & Ellis; Stikeman & Elliott; Vinson & Elkins

> SmartREIT and Strathallen acquisition of OneREIT: Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg; Fasken Martineau DuMoulin; Goodmans; Osler Hoskin & Harcourt; Stikeman Elliott

> Tricon Capital Group's acquisition of Silver Bay Realty Trust: Blake Cassels & Graydon; Goodmans; Goulston & Storrs; McMillan; Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe; Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison

Americas Tax Restructuring Deal of the Year

Toys "R" Us restructuring: Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer; Davis Polk & Wardwell; Kirkland & Ellis; Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel; Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison

> Concesionaria del Sisga restructuring in Colombia: Brigard Urrutia

> Liberty Interactive Corporation's acquisition of General Communication: Baker Botts; Sherman & Howard; Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom

> Natura's restructuring and acquisition of Body Shop: Baker McKenzie; Trench Rossi Watanabe

> Performance Sports Group restructuring: Allen & Overy; Brown Rudnick; McMillan; Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison; Stikeman Elliott; Thornton Grout Finnigan

> Sempra Energy on its $18.8 billion all-cash acquisition of Energy Future Holdings and its subsidiary, Energy Future Intermediate Holding Company: Cravath Swaine & Moore; Jones Day; Kirkland & Ellis; Sidley Austin; White & Case;

> Stelco CCAA proceedings: Bennett Jones; Blake Cassels & Graydon; Cavalluzzo Shilton McIntyre Cornish; Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg; Goldman Sloan Nash & Haber; Goodmans; Inch Hammond Professional Corporation; Koskie Minsky; McCarthy Tétrault; Norton Rose Fulbright Canada; Osler Hoskin & Harcourt; Paliare Roland Rosenberg Rothstein; Stikeman Elliott; Thornton Grout Finnigan; Weil Gotshal & Manges; WeirFoulds; Wildeboer Dellelce

> Thomson Reuters IP cross-border restructuring: Pinheiro Neto Advogados; PwC

Americas Technology and Telecommunications Tax Deal of the Year

Vantiv acquisition of WorldPay Group: Allen & Overy; Ashurst; Latham & Watkins; Sidley Austin; Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom

> Altice USA IPO: Mayer Brown; Ropes & Gray; Shearman & Sterling

> Creative Drive's acquisition of Decora: Barbosa Müssnich Aragão; Hirschler Fleischer; TozziniFreire Advogados

> BCE's acquisition of Manitoba Telecom Services: Aikins MacAulay & Thorvaldson; Blake Cassels & Graydon; McCarthy Tétrault; Stikeman Elliott; Sullivan & Cromwell; Taylor McCaffrey

> Cray acquisition of Seagate: Fenwick & West

> Liberty Interactive Corporation's acquisition of General Communication: Baker Botts; Sherman & Howard; Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom

> SAP acquisition of CallidusCloud: Fenwick & West

> Verizon Communication's acquisition of Yahoo! Inc's operating business: Cravath Swaine & Moore; Covington & Burling; Gibson Dunn & Crutcher; Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom; Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz; Weil Gotshal & Manges; Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati; Winston & Strawn