‘Robert Flanigan is our first reference for equity capital markets in Spain and we reach out to him whenever we are involved in a cross-border transaction. His fluency in Spanish, and understanding of both the Spanish and international issues arising in these deals always allows for an efficient and positive result for our clients. He’s a safe pair of hands for complex transactions.’

Legal 500

Overview

Robert Flanigan is a Banking & Finance partner who regularly represents issuers and underwriters on Rule 144A/Regulation S private placements and SEC-registered offerings of a wide range of debt and equity securities. He has advised on some of the largest capital markets transactions in Europe, including the €4.3 billion IPO of Aena, the €2.4 billion IPO of Inditex; over €3.3 billion in offerings of high yield notes by Rhodia; and Barclays Bank plc in the creation and operation of its $20 billion Global Collateralised Medium Term Note Programme.

A sampling of the deals on which Robert has advised underwriters and issuers includes:

  • IPOs – Lunglife AI, Seraphine
  • Exchange offers – BMO, Islandsbanki
  • IPOs – Soltec Power Holdings, Metrovacesa, Euskaltel, Talgo, Naturhouse Health, Aena, Fadesa Inmobiliaria, Fluidra, General de Alquiler de Maquinaria, Snecma, Inditex
  • Rights offerings – Millennium Socimi, Grupo Prisa, Liberbank, Entertainment One, NH Hoteles, St. Modwen, Rhodia, Lafarge
  • Infrastructure finance - Atlantica Sustainable Infrastructure, Ausol, Autovía de la Plata (A66)
  • Accelerated bookbuilt offerings – JD Sports, Trebol/Abertis Infraestructuras, Liberbank, Banco de España/Bolsas y Mercados Españoles, Mutua Madrileña/Sacyr Vallehermoso, Grupo Rayet/Eiffage, Natixis/Gecina, Dana Gas/MOL
  • Debt programmes – Santander Consumer Bank A/S, Islandsbanki, Barclays Bank plc, Fincantieri and The Dow Chemical Company
  • Exchange offers – Altice NV/SFR Group
  • Liability management - Novagalicia Banco, Caixa Económica Montepio Geral, Rhodia
  • Equity-linked offerings - Covivio, Grupo Prisa, Aasystem, GFI Informatique, Rhodia, Thomson multimedia
  • High yield – Rhodia, Eutelsat, Grifols PIK preferred
  • Sovereign debt – Kingdom of Morocco, Republic of Congo

Rob also represents foreign private issuers in connection with ongoing compliance with SEC and NYSE reporting obligations and advises clients regarding public disclosure obligations and corporate governance issues. He has advised private and public companies in M&A transactions in a variety of business sectors.

Rob joined Mayer Brown in 2008 and speaks French and Spanish, in addition to his native English.

Spoken Languages

  • English
  • French
  • Spanish
Highlights
Of Interest
Initial Public Offerings - An Issuer's Guide (European Edition)
Convertible Bonds - An Issuer's Guide (European Edition)

Experience

Rob has recently advised:

  • Investec and Peel Hunt as joint bookrunners of JD Sports Fashion plc’s £465 million accelerated bookbuild placing.
  • Barclays Bank plc on the establishment and ongoing operation of its $30 billion Global Collateralised Medium Term Note programme.
  • Banco Santander and CaixaBank as joint global coordinators of the €150 million IPO of Soltec Power Holdings on the Spanish stock exchanges.
  • Millennium Socimi in its €150 million rights offering.
  • Westbourne Credit Management Limited in its purchase of €140 million of notes issued by Atlantica Sustainable Infrastructure plc.
  • Barclays Bank PLC as arranger on the 2020 renewal of Santander Consumer Bank A/S's €2,500 million programme for the issue of senior preferred, senior non-preferred and subordinated notes that form part of the issuer's MREL requirements.
  • Promotora de Informaciones, a leading Spanish media company, in its €200 million rights offering.
  • Westbourne Credit Management Limited in its purchase of $300 million of notes issued by Atlantica Yield plc.
  • Metrovacesa in its €645 million IPO on the Spanish stock exchanges.
  • Promotora de Informaciones, a leading Spanish media company, in its €563 million rights offering.
  • Liberbank in its €499 million rights offering.
  • Liberbank in its €300 million offering of Fixed Rate Reset Subordinated Notes due 2027.
  • Altice NV and SFR Group in Altice NV’s public tender offer for the shares of SFR Group held by the public.
  • Adriatic Slovenica in its €50 million offering of Solvency II compliant floating rate subordinated notes due 2026.
  • Autopista del Sol, Concesionaria Española, S.A. (“Ausol”), a Cintra subsidiary, in its €557 million highway refinancing through the issuance of €507 million of project bonds and the entering into of a €50.8 million subordinated junior facility.
  • Euskaltel in its €255 million accelerated share offering.
  • Trebol International BV, an investment fund managed by CVC Capital Partners, in placements of shares of Abertis Infraestructuras, S.A., in accelerated bookbuilt offerings.
  • Entertainment One in its £201 million rights offering to fund the acquisition of the majority of Astley Baker Davies Limited.
  • JP Morgan and UBS as joint global coordinators of the €840 million IPO of Euskaltel, S.A. on the Spanish stock exchanges.
  • Sociedad Concesionaria Autovía de la Plata in its offering of €184.5 million of project bonds to refinance a 49km stretch of the A66 motorway northwest of Madrid.
  • JP Morgan, Nomura and Santander as joint global coordinators of the €570 million IPO of Talgo, S.A., the Spanish high-speed train manufacturer, on the Spanish stock exchanges.
  • Naturhouse Health, S.A. in its €72 million IPO on the Spanish stock exchanges.
  • Aena, S.A., the world’s largest airport operator, and Enaire, a Spanish government entity and the selling shareholder, in Aena’s €4.3 billion IPO (named "Privatisation of the Year" in the 2015 GlobalCapital Equity Capital Markets Awards).
  • Liberbank, S.A. on its combined €317 million accelerated bookbuilt offering and €475 million rights offering of shares.

Education

Cornell Law School, JD
Editor, Cornell Law Review

Yale University, BA

Admissions

  • New York
  • England and Wales
  • Paris

Activities

  • Lecturer at the Université Paris Descartes Faculté de Droit
  • Listed as a key lawyer for Equity Capital Markets, ‘Robert Flanigan is our first reference for equity capital markets in Spain and we reach out to him whenever we are involved in a cross-border transaction. His fluency in Spanish, and understanding of both the Spanish and international issues arising in these deals always allows for an efficient and positive result for our clients. He’s a safe pair of hands for complex transactions.’ Legal 500 2024.
  • Capital Markets - Spain. Robert Flanigan of Mayer Brown is a London-based partner with in-depth expertise in Spanish debt and equity transactions including IPOs, private placements and high-yield bond issuances. He also assist with larger debt programmes. “He is technically extraordinary and always has a business approach,” observes an interviewee. - Chambers UK 2023/24
  • Listed for Corporate and Commercial, Equity Capital Markets, small-mid cap; mid-large cap. "I rely on his experience to resolve complicated cross-border issues" says a client of Robert Flanigan who mainly handles European transactions. Legal 500.
  • Robert Flanigan is a London-based partner with in-depth expertise in Spanish debt and equity transactions including IPOs, private placements and high-yield bond issuances. He also assists with larger debt programmes. "He is technically extraordinary and always has a business approach" observes an interviewee - Chambers Global 2022.
  • ‘In our experience, the Mayer Brown capital markets practice for Spanish matters in Europe is exclusively associated with and handled by Robert Flanigan. He has a deep understanding of the Spanish market and a real appreciation of Spanish law issues. I rely on his experience to resolve complicated cross-border issues. He is my first choice for US and English advice on capital markets deals. In addition, he is fluent in Spanish unlike some other US peers, which Spanish clients really appreciate.’ - Legal 500 2022 - Debt Capital Markets and Equity Capital Markets.
  • Robert Flanigan is a London-based Mayer Brown LLP partner with standout experience in Spanish debt and equity capital markets transactions. "He is able to work in Spanish and to establish good and close relationships with Spanish lawyers and clients," states one interviewee. "He always solves clients' doubts promptly and efficiently," reports another source. Chambers Global 2021 – Spain – Capital Markets (Expertise Based Abroad in Spain).
  • Another key figure is Robert Flanigan, who is triple-qualified in England, New York and France – Legal 500 2021 – Debt Capital Markets.
  • Highly Regarded – Debt Capital Markets, Equity Capital Markets – IFLR 1000, 2017-present.

  • Recommended – Legal 500 UK-Debt Capital Markets and Equity Capital Markets, 2015-present.
  • Recommended – Legal 500 UK-High Yield, 2019-present.
  • Recommended – Legal 500 UK-Infrastructure, 2018-present.
  • London-based Robert Flanigan of Mayer Brown LLP is adept at handling a wide array of capital markets mandates, spanning IPOs and share deals as well as MTN programmes. A source praises his fluency in Spanish, further adding: "He is very reliable and provides timely and commercially sensible advice." Chambers Global 2020 – Spain – Capital Markets (Expertise Based Abroad in Spain).
  • Robert Flanigan of Mayer Brown International LLP is based in London and adept at handling US law aspects of ECM transactions including IPOs. Spanish interviewees report: "He is our go-to partner for international capital markets transactions due to his deep experience in Spain and ability to lead deals to successful conclusions." Chambers Global 2019 – Spain – Capital Markets (Foreign Expert Based in UK).
  • Clients can rely on Robert Flanigan for capital markets mandates – Legal 500 2018.
  • Together [with Bernd Bohr], they form a "knowledgeable and hardworking" practice that provides "high-quality service and is always willing to help" – Legal 500 2018, High Yield.
  • He is widely recognised in Spain for his expertise in advising on the US law aspects of both ECM and DCM issues. Clients appreciate his “deep understanding of the idiosyncrasies of the Spanish legal system and market.” – Chambers Global 2018 – Spain – Capital Markets (Foreign Expert Based in UK).
  • The skills of US- and France-qualified Robert Flanigan "always allow for an efficient and positive result for clients; he is a safe pair of hands for complex transactions". – Legal 500-Debt Capital Markets, 2017.
  • London-based partner Robert Flanigan of Mayer Brown International LLP has a superb reputation among peers in Spain owing to his work on the US law aspects of high-profile equity and debt capital markets deals. "He speaks perfect Spanish and is able to understand Spanish business culture and to manage deals very well." – Chambers Global 2017 – Spain – Capital Markets (Foreign Expert Based in UK).
  • Robert Flanigan is “excellent in leading the project of issuing a high-yield bond. His work and the work of his team was always performed on time. Mayer Brown are a firm one can rely on 100%”. – IFLR 1000, 2017.
  • "Mayer Brown International LLP combines strength in US and European debt transactions. Clients praise the 'experience, knowledge, dedication and negotiation skills' of dual France and US qualified Robert Flanigan; he acted for Autopista del Sol, Concesionaria Española on the €570m Ausol project bond." – Legal 500 UK-Debt Capital Markets, 2016.
  • "Mayer Brown International LLP’s 'commercial and flexible' team 'understands the nuances of working in different jurisdictions'. The highly regarded Robert Flanigan advised the underwriters on Euskaltel’s €764m IPO." – Legal 500 UK-Equity Capital Markets, 2016.
  • Rising Star – Debt Capital Markets, Equity Capital Markets – IFLR 1000, 2016.
  • "The French and American lawyer Robert Flanigan is recommended" – Legal 500 Paris, 2014.