Justin Hamill > Latham & Watkins LLP > New York, United States > Lawyer Profile

Latham & Watkins LLP continues to be a preeminent firm in the private equity space, consistently active in multi-billion dollar bulge-bracket and middle market deals, spanning the entire PE life-cycle from cross-border carve-outs and SPAC mergers to structuring global tax-efficient investment vehicles. The firm’s standing in the market is reflected in the caliber of clients, representing the world’s largest publicly traded PE firms including KKR and The Carlyle Group. Global chair of private capital Paul Sheridan leads the practice from Washington DC, having particular expertise in leveraged buyouts and the acquiring and divesting of corporate divisions. Another key name in DC is the firm’s global corporate head Daniel Lennon, adept regarding PE investment transactions and related financing. In New York, Howard Sobel is extremely well-regarded in the market and a trusted advisor to clients such as Odyssey and Leonard Green. David Allinson and Justin Hamill also bolster the offering from New York, Allinson handles take-private transactions and PIPE investments, while Hamill led on Authentic Brands Group’s $2.5bn acquisition of Reebok. Alexandra Kelly has a particular focus on the financial, infrastructure and retail sectors; Boston-based Kristen Grannis is renowned for her work in the middle market space. David Beller continues to build a solid reputation in the market, especially regarding leveraged buyouts.

Global powerhouse Latham & Watkins LLP houses an elite M&A practice in the US that attracts instructions from several Fortune 500 companies in relation to their largest and most critical domestic and cross-border transactions. With extensive experience in the full spectrum of corporate and transactional matters, the team is often engaged in big-ticket public and private M&A, either negotiated or contested, representing both principal entities and financial advisors. Global chair of the firm’s M&A practice Justin Hamill focuses on large-scale transactions, including mergers, acquisitions and divestitures in the media, technology, financial services, healthcare and consumer products sectors; Hamill, who sits in New York, is also experienced in governance and emerging companies matters. Charles Ruck, who splits his time between Orange County and New York, serves as primary outside counsel to top public and privately-held companies in the context of hostile takeovers, strategic acquisitions, take-private deals and mergers. Global vice chair Mark Bekheit, who works out of Silicon Valley, has a thriving transactional practice in the Bay Area advising on transformative, multibillion-dollar technology deals. This is also a notable area of strength for Tad Freese. In the same office, Josh Dubofsky stands out for his experience in tech and healthcare-related transactions on behalf of corporate clients and private equity firms. Andrew Elken joined the New York office in August 2023.