Global Legal Awards, Grand Prize Winner (Corporate): The Cement Deal That Broke the Mold

Honorees: Lafarge S.A.; Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton; Bredin Prat; Lenz & Staehelin; Holcim Ltd.; Homburger; Linklaters; Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer; CRH plc; Arthur Cox; Morgan, Lewis & Bockius

When the CEOs of the world's two leading cement companies, Swiss-based Holcim Ltd. and France's Lafarge S.A., sat down for lunch in the Hilton hotel in Strasbourg, France, in early 2014 to discuss a transformative merger of their companies, they had little idea of the 18-month rollercoaster ride of tense negotiations, myriad antitrust issues and last-minute shareholder revolts that was about to ensue.