Partner

Bernd Bohr

Corporate & Securities, Banking & Finance, Public Companies & Corporate Governance

“The high yield practice at Mayer Brown International LLP focuses on high yield deals in the German market, bringing to bear the English, US and German law expertise housed in its London office. …… Practice head Bernd Bohr and his team are 'very technical, detail-oriented, diligent, fast and pleasant to work with'. Bohr has a long-standing reputation for his work on innovative deals, including market-first high yield transactions in Germany.” 
Legal 500 UK –  High Yield, Leading Individual

Overview

New York, English and German-qualified Bernd Bohr advises his clients on a broad range of capital markets and lending transactions, including investment grade and leveraged finance / sub-investment grade transactions as well as restructurings.

In recent years, his practice has had a particular focus on European high yield bond and leveraged lending transactions, but he also regularly advises on transactions (including benchmark-size transactions) involving investment grade or cross-over issuers / borrowers, including bilateral and syndicated loans as well as SEC-registered bond offerings, Rule 144A offerings and Reg. S offerings.

Experience

Capital Markets and Leveraged Finance

  • Represented a leading European tissue producer in connection with its offering of €250,000,000 5.625% senior secured notes due 2031, among other things, to refinance its €200,000,000 senior secured floating rate notes due 2026 and to finance a portion of the purchase price of an acquisition. The new high yield notes were listed on The International Stock Exchange.
  • Represented global pharmaceuticals company in connection with a U.S.$8,500,000,000 bridge credit agreement and related commitment documentation with Barclays Bank plc to fund a portion of the purchase price for a proposed US public company acquisition and in connection with the proposed bond takeout.
  • Represented a leading, family-owned producer and supplier of containerboard and corrugated board in Central Europe in connection with a €60,000,000 syndicated senior secured term loan facility with DZ Bank AG and IKB Deutsche Industriebank AG, as arrangers and original lenders, and IKB Deutsche Industriebank AG, as agent. The facility was refinanced by KfW under the KfW program “KfW-Umweltprogramm (Programm 240/241)”.
  • Represented a leading generic pharmaceuticals company in connection with a €2,672,000,000 and U.S.$1,750,000,000 multi-currency, multi-borrower syndicated facilities agreement arranged by Bank of America Europe Designated Activity Company, BNP Paribas, Citibank, N.A., London Branch, HSBC Continental Europe, J.P. Morgan Securities plc, Mizuho Bank, Ltd., Société Générale, UBS Switzerland AG and UBS AG London Branch. The facilities agreement was entered into in anticipation of the proposed spin-off of the company from its former parent, and the overall financing package also involved advising the company in relation to various local lines or credit and receivables financing arrangements.
  • Represented a leading, family-owned producer and supplier of containerboard and corrugated board in Central Europe in connection with a €200,000,000 syndicated, sustainability-linked senior secured revolving credit facility with Commerzbank Aktiengesellschaft, Deutsche Bank AG, Landesbank Baden-Württemberg, Erste Group Bank AG and Goldman Sachs Bank Europe SE, as arrangers and original lenders, Commerzbank Aktiengesellschaft, as agent and Landesbank Baden-Württemberg, as Sustainability Coordinator.

Recognition

Consistently listed as a Leading Individual by the directories

  • "London-based Bernd Bohr is very active on UK and New York related transactions and regularly advises German clients on a range of ECM and DCM deals. Clients further profit from his experience in high-yield and investment-grade bond offerings. One client is full of praise for his international capabilities, stating: 'He is always available, has extensive experience of both high-yield bonds and loans and is New York, German and English qualified. He can therefore usually answer any of our questions on the spot and can immediately explain the advantages and disadvantages of different alternatives.'" Chambers Global: Capital Markets – Germany (Expertise Based Abroad).
  • "The US and English law capability in Mayer Brown International LLP's London office sees it acting in some of the most demanding transatlantic debt capital markets transactions for issuers and underwriters, complementing the work of its pan-European and emerging market debt practices. ………. Bernd Bohr, whose main focus is high yield issuance in Germany, also handles investment grade transactions, including SEC-registered offerings, Rule 144A offering and Reg S offerings, exceeding €1bn in value." Legal 500: Debt Capital Markets.
  • “UK, US and German-qualified partner, Bernd Bohr, impresses clients with his 'ability to personally cover the full spectrum of lending products in Europe', including as it relates to bond and loan transactions.” Legal 500: Bank Lending: Investment Grade Debt and Syndicated Loans.
  • London-based practitioner Bernd Bohr often advises issuers on high-yield bonds and revolving credit facilities involving Germany and the UK. Being admitted to the Bar in New York and in England and Wales as well as Germany renders Bernd Bohr an excellent choice for clients seeking multi-jurisdictional support. "He is undoubtedly 100% dedicated to the client's tasks and eager to find the best solution for the client in every situation." "He is always up to date with what is happening and the regulatory developments." "Bernd Bohr is a highly skilled lawyer, who is always accessible, highly client-focused, quick and creative." Chambers UK: Capital Markets.
  • "Bernd Bohr is our main point of contact at Mayer Brown and have been very useful to us over the years either by organising teach-in classes for our juniors, responding to any enquiries on unrelated transactions and acting on transactions. Bernd is very engaging, commercially minded and knowledgeable on recent trends." Legal 500.
  • London-based Bernd Bohr regularly assists with cross-border mandates requiring in-depth expertise in both the German and UK capital markets, especially in relation to senior secured notes and financing facilities. Being admitted to the Bar in the USA, England and Wales as well as Germany makes him an attractive choice for German and international clients. Clients appreciate Bernd Bohr for being "quick and creative. He also recognises and addresses problems quickly and finds solutions." Chambers UK.

Education

  • The University of Chicago Law School, Master of Laws
  • University of Trier, Law School, Juris Doctor

Admissions

  • Frankfurt am Main, Germany
  • England and Wales
  • New York

Languages

  • German
  • French
  • English

Professional & Community Involvement

  • Member of AFME’s High Yield Board.
  • Member of the High Yield Legal and Regulatory Compliance Committee of AFME’s High Yield Division.
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