Credit: PwC Legal
PwC Legal, an independent law firm in Luxembourg, has announced that it is celebrating its fifth anniversary.
PwC Legal noted that it is looking back on a journey characterised by expansion, collaboration and shared successes. Reflecting on the past five years, the firm embarked on its journey with PwC, remaining an independent law firm, holding membership in the Luxembourg Bar, and adhering to the professional ethics of Luxembourg lawyers.
By harnessing the synergies between its own legal offering and the diverse suite of offering provided by the PwC network, PwC Legal offers a "holistic and coordinated approach" addressing clients' legal needs along with their broader tax, financial and business requirements. This strategic alignment position provides clients with a one-stop-shop covering a spectrum beyond pure legal challenges.
With the aim of increasing these synergies and complementing the core service portfolio provided by the Corporate, Employment and Technologies & IP departments, Mathieu Scodellaro joined PwC Legal in 2019 to launch and develop the Investment Funds department. PwC Legal reported that Mathieu's wealth of expertise "perfectly positioned" the firm to meet the demands of its ever-expanding market and assist international asset managers setting up their funds and operations in Luxembourg and guide them through the life cycle of their products.
This event was followed by another milestone in PwC Legal's recent journey: the appointment of Catherine Baflast as Managing Partner, effective 1 October 2021. In her new capacity, Catherine, who also co-leads the Corporate practice with Jean-Yves Lhommel, has been entrusted with implementing the PwC Legal 2025 strategy. This strategy is encapsulated by the motto "Leading clients from complexity to execution" where the objective is to deliver innovative solutions seamlessly providing a 360-degree vision to clients in line with the broader PwC network strategy: increased added value through stronger collaboration across offices and disciplines.
In her role as Managing Partner, Catherine "ushered in a fresh vision" structured around three pivotal challenges: directing PwC Legal services towards areas integral to clients' success, encompassing enterprise, finance and new technologies; cultivating the skills of the firm's staff by advocating for the concept of "lawyer-entrepreneur", encouraging active involvement in clients' growth projects; resetting the digitalisation of the firm as a central focus point, aimed at enhancing efficiency and fostering collaborative client service.
To support these endeavours, Audrey Rustichelli, head of the Technologies & IP department, was appointed Deputy Managing Partner, leveraging on her substantial experience, notably in the Luxembourg market. Audrey provides dedicated support to Catherine, particularly in matters of business development, branding and marketing.
In a continuous strategic move to enrich its service offerings, PwC Legal welcomed Cédric Raffoul as a Partner on 1 February 2022, placing him at the forefront of the Banking & Capital Markets department. Cédric’s advisory prowess encompasses a wide spectrum of financing transactions, ranging from secured and unsecured bank lending to acquisitions and asset finance. With extensive expertise in securities law and capital markets regulation, Cédric regularly advises both Luxembourg and foreign corporate clients, as well as financial institutions, on a wide range of capital markets and financing transactions.
Similarly, since March 2022, PwC Legal has benefited from the expertise of Serge Hoffmann, a "highly esteemed" practitioner in the Luxembourg market. Serge took the lead of the Real Estate practice within the firm, leveraging his 20-year experience in advising on real estate transactions, conducting due diligence investigations and negotiating contracts. His advisory scope spans all aspects of real estate investment projects, including asset acquisitions and disposals, choice of vehicle, financing, complex lease negotiations, urban planning, authorisation requirements and environmental considerations.
According to PwC Legal, these areas of expertise, strategic insights and collaborative synergies have enhanced the overall legal capabilities of the firm, consolidating its position as a leader in providing comprehensive and specialised legal services.
Today, PwC Legal holds "a strong market position, poised to sustain", adding that it remains "committed to delivering the high-level services our clients have come to expect, ensuring continued excellence and satisfaction."
PwC Legal expressed its gratitude to its customers for their loyalty and support, "which has been instrumental in bringing us to this significant position today". The firm also thanked its team "whose dedication makes everything we do possible and is at the heart of it all".
