Meet Sweden’s market leading Banking and Finance practice group

Cederquist’s Banking & Finance practice group was established in the late 90s and Cederquist was one of the first business law firms to establish a dedicated banking and finance practice and to offer high-end financing legal advice in Sweden. The quality of the firm’s banking & finance practice and the breadth of its client base are second to none in the Swedish legal market and puts the practice in a number one market leading position in the Nordics. Today the team represent all of the major Nordic banks.

The team consists of close to 15 associates, led by partners Svante Hultqvist and Johan Lundberg, and is recognized as one of Sweden’s most highly respected Banking and Finance teams. This of course, creates many opportunities. One of the many benefits of working at Cederquist, Johan says, is the opportunity to build long-lasting relationships with clients such as banks and lenders in Europe and the Nordic countries. – Working with complex financing matters can be very exciting and challenging as well as being a part of a modern full-service law firm. As financial markets are undergoing constant change we strive to deliver commercially focused advice considering current and precedent changes in the market, custom made for the business of each specific client.

A diverse team with a broad market experience

The team is known for advising on high-end traditional financing mandates with cross-border elements, such as leveraged financing, real estate financing and asset financing. They also handle restructurings, and offer experience in high-yield bond financings within the private equity sector.
– The quality of our work and dedication to client service has earned us recognition worldwide and a top tier position in Sweden, Johan says. Another extraordinary aspect of the team, Johan explains, is its composition of personalities and our ability to build strong relationships with colleagues, peers and clients. – We have a close-knit and simultaneously diverse team, as it consists of colleagues originating from and having practiced law in other jurisdictions within Scandinavia. This gives us a broad legal expertise and local understanding when assisting clients on the Nordic market, and provides for knowledge sharing within the group. As a deal team most often consists of several members of the team, this forms a solid basis for working collaboratively in order to achieve the best results while developing innovative solutions for our.

With a constant focus on finding new and modern methods of working

Elin works as an associate in the group, and she agrees with Johan. – While the nature of the transactions vary dependent on different factors of the financing which guarantee exciting deals, our clients are regularly recurring. Even as a junior associate you will be given the opportunity to build long-term relationships with clients as you will be involved at an early stage of the process, particularly as such involvement often includes project management elements, Elin says. To work with people you appreciate, colleagues as well as clients and counterparties is something both Elin and Johan enjoy.

Another great aspect of working at Cederquist Johan says, is that we are constantly looking for new innovative solutions. – Cederquist is a modern workplace with only one office, located in the very heart of Stockholm. The one office approach allows for short decision paths and a chance to implement rapid change while creating an informal working environment. Cederquist is also experimenting with new digital solutions and is excited to be a part of the digital development.

Stockholm is a premier hub for capital market activities in Scandinavia

Elin also points out the benefits of working at a Stockholm based firm. – Stockholm is a premier hub for capital market activities in Scandinavia and a leading Nordic financial center with headquarters of major Nordic banks.

The fact that the major Nordic banks are situated locally facilitates close relationships and smooth and effective co-operation. it’s not only important to retain good relationships with clients, Johan says. – Cederquist’s Banking & Finance practice group has very close collaborations with other market leading Scandinavian law firms, which provides for good opportunities to build long-lasting relationships with “colleagues” abroad. On an individual level, our associates are given the possibility to spend time abroad at foreign law firms or on secondment to the business of a client.

Innovative thinking is an important characteristic of being a legal business partner

Johan explains that the team is constantly growing and developing, and he notes that it is challenging to be a business lawyer today due to the many qualities required. – We are always looking for new colleagues who are excellent lawyers and at the same time business oriented. Qualities like excellent attention to detail, innovative thinking, the ability to deliver pragmatic and commercially focused advice, build and maintain strong relationships and work collaboratively to meet deadlines, among other things, are very important. It is also important that we always strive to develop as a team and as individuals, in order to maintain our market leading position. – We strive to maintain our international profile, and it is therefore important to diversify the group composition. Therefore, we hope to extend the team with lawyers with an international or Scandinavian background. With the right mindset and even without a Swedish LL.M, new colleagues will most definitely find it developing and easy to join one of Europe’s most highly regarded banking and finance team.

Check out our career site for more information about us and our job opportunities, or send an email to our HR-Specialist Deirdre Net at deirdre.net@cederquist.se, to find out more.

About Cederquist