Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP > New York, United States > Firm Profile

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings

Antitrust > Civil litigation/class actions: defense Tier 1

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP has a comprehensive defense offering, allowing the team to advise in high-stakes and multi-district litigation concerning allegations of monopolization, price fixing and exclusive dealing, among other matters. The practice particularly excels in litigation concerning financial institutions, with its client roster also featuring industry leaders across a variety of industries including Amazon and Apple. Based in Washington DC, the highly skilled litigator, Karen Dunn has led in major disputes including competitor litigation and class actions concerning leading corporations. Co-chair of the antitrust practice group, Andrew Finch, is based in New York, has previous experience in the DOJ’s antitrust division and is particularly known for his role in private civil litigation, regulatory advocacy, and enforcement matters. DC-based Ken Gallo co-chairs the litigation department and acts as lead counsel in matters concerning technology companies and banks. Bill Isaacson is a highly renowned litigator in DC and commended for his representation of plaintiffs and defendants in antitrust litigation across a variety of industries. William Michael operates from the New York office and acts in investigations and litigation with particular expertise in the telecommunications and media sectors. The team has grown with the arrivals of former senior government enforcement lawyer Joshua Soven from Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati in the DC office in February 2022, Robert Sperling and Staci Yablon in the New York hub from Winston & Strawn LLP in August 2022, and Eyitayo St. Matthew-Daniel in October 2022, who also joined the New York office and was the former assistant chief of the DOJ’s antitrust division. Another arrival to note is that of Katherine Forrest in New York in January 2023, who was previously at Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP.

Dispute resolution > Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense

With a deep bench that includes many former federal prosecutors, DOJ and SEC lawyers, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP deals with all facets of white-collar and regulatory enforcement cases. Parallel regulatory and civil proceedings form part of the practice’s portfolio alongside internal and governmental investigations, with matters pertaining to allegations including insider trading, financial fraud, and violations of the Bank Secrecy Act. Hailed as ‘extremely experienced in both government agency and in house practice realities‘, the team excels at representing corporations and individuals in cross-border and domestic contexts. Key names in the team include Brad Karp, who is a popular choice for Fortune 500 clients; financial services specialist Jessica Carey; seasoned Washington DC-based trial lawyer Kenneth Gallo; and Theodore Wells, whose strengths lie in matters such as SEC investigations, environmental issues and healthcare fraud. Lorin Reisner and San Francisco’s Melinda Haag are also noted for their experience in white-collar criminal matters and litigation. All named attorneys are based in New York unless otherwise stated.

Dispute resolution > Financial services litigation Tier 1

With a ‘sophisticated understanding of the financial markets’, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP is prominent in high-stakes financial services litigation, with particular emphasis on securities and antitrust matters. The firm is also active in the regulatory enforcement defense space, advising a broad selection of banks, investment management firms, payment services, fintechs and emerging crypto-focused firms. Among its client base are major financial institutions including Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Citigroup and Blackstone, involved in a range of matters relating to securities and antitrust class actions, derivates claims, regulatory investigations. The practice is led by chair of the firm, Brad Karp, based in New York, who is recognized for his expertise in regulatory investigations and enforcement defense as well as class actions. The litigation practice is co-chaired by Jessica Carey, also in New York, and Ken Gallo, in Washington DC. Carey concentrates on white collar and regulatory investigations into financial institutions and Gallo specializes in antitrust, patent and trade secret disputes. Meanwhile the firm’s securities litigation group in New York is co-chaired by Susanna Buergel, Andrew Ehrlich and Audra Soloway. Daniel Kramer is another key name to note for the firm’s securities expertise, particularly regarding class action defense.

Dispute resolution > General commercial disputes Tier 1

The highly regarded commercial disputes practice at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP is chaired by industry leader Brad Karp, and regularly handles commercial litigation, trials, appeals, and arbitration, serving high-profile clients such as Apple, Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, and the NFL. Karp brings long-standing experience to key clients Blackstone and General Electric, while Theodore Wells continues to represent ExxonMobil on a diverse docket. Jaren Janghorbani specializes in M&A litigation and large-scale torts, including environmental disputes, while Karen Dunn is experienced in commercial and antitrust cases. Andrew Gordon and Bill Isaacson are also notable members of the team, as is associate Tiana Voegelin, who plays a key role across commercial disputes and internal investigations.  Though headquartered in New York, the firm is also active in Washington DC and San Francisco.

Dispute resolution > Leading trial lawyers Tier 1

Karen Dunn – Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP. A highly celebrated and accomplished litigator nationwide, Karen Dunn is renowned for handling the most complex and high-value cases on behalf of major global powerhouses including the likes of Apple, Uber, Oracle and Amazon. Dunn recently won a major victory for Amazon regarding a challenge to the company’s fair-pricing policy, when the DC Superior Court dismissed the case in March 2022. Located in DC, she will be in court again in the Spring of 2023 for a pro bono representation of children abused at the Washington Hebrew Congregation. Theodore Wells – Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP. A highly revered trial litigator across the US, Theodore Wells’ reputation was only strengthened by his success in one of the largest environmental disputes ever tried, achieving a favorable settlement for ExxonMobil against an unprecedented $9 billion natural resource damage claim brought by the State of New Jersey. The high-stakes cases look set to continue into 2023 as Wells is a sought after first-chair in a number of major trials, including defending Steven E. Schwartz in a high-profile criminal and civil action brought by the DOJ and SEC respectively, concerning an alleged violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. His practice operates out of New York. Brad S. Karp – Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP. Firm chairman and New York-based Brad S. Karp represents the world’s most important global banks, PE firms, corporations, and sports leagues in high-stakes business disputes. In a significant case for future litigations concerning SPAC transactions, Karp is representing former directors of Churchill Capital Corp. in connection with a stockholder class action regarding Churchill’s $1 billion merger with MultiPlan Corp. William Isaacson – Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP. A trial strategist whose practice is characterized by the impact and complexity of his cases, DC-based William Isaacson handles a steady stream of commercial, IP, pro bono, and antitrust matters. Isaacson has represented giant clients such as Amazon and Uber in a number of significant antitrust cases, recently recording a significant win for the former when the DC Superior Court dismissed the Attorney General’s lawsuit regarding pricing policies. Additionally, Isaacson secured a $124 million victory for Oracle regarding a complex copyright infringement claim. Jay Cohen – Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP. As well as expertise in commercial and antitrust litigation, New York-based Jay Cohen brings more than two decades of experience first-chairing precedent-setting media and entertainment disputes, especially in the cable and music industries. Cohen has been a trusted representative to several significant organizations in the music industry throughout the years, regularly acting as lead counsel and securing favorable outcomes for the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) and the National Musical Publishers’ Association (NMPA). Melinda Haag – Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP

Dispute resolution > M&A litigation: defense Tier 1

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP continues to win landmark decisions in business-critical cases, frequently prevailing at trial, as well as in preliminary injunction hearings and all other phases of litigation. The partners are ‘exceptionally smart and sophisticated and just plain nice folks‘, remarks a client, adding that they provide ‘the highest quality legal work, demonstrated by respect for the firm in the industry both among defense firms and the plaintiffs bar‘. New York-based partners Andrew Gordon and Jaren Janghorbani , along with former Chancellor of the Delaware Court of Chancery Andre Bouchard in Wilmington, lead the practice, and the team also includes Lewis Clayton, Geoff Chepiga and Alexia Korberg in New York who also play a pivotal role in the practice.

Dispute resolution > Securities litigation: defense Tier 1

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP in New York has a strong bench of experienced securities litigators who are frequently involved in the most high-profile matters in the market. Firm chair Brad Karp is one of many standout partners, and his work in defeating an attempt to assert derivative claims on behalf of public pension funds against asset managers hired by those funds, following a landmark victory in Kentucky State Court, will have significant repercussions. Co-chairs of securities litigation Susanna Buergel, Andrew Ehrlich and Audra Soloway are also among the most sought-after counsel for securities matters. Soloway and standout partner Daniel Kramer are representing Amazon.com, Inc., and various executives in a putative class action alleging false and misleading statements or omissions were made regarding the company’s interactions with third-party sellers in its marketplace. Buergel is Morgan Stanley’s lead counsel in private and regulatory securities matters. The list of key practitioners is extensive and includes Ken Gallo and Jane O’Brien, who are both involved in high-stakes matters for Citigroup; Theodore Wells, who is advising ExxonMobil on a securities case concerning climate change; and Gregory Laufer, who is a key advisor to Goldman Sachs. Richard Rosen retired from the practice.

Finance > Restructuring (including bankruptcy): corporate Tier 1

Paul Basta and Andrew Rosenberg are among the co-chairs at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP‘s restructuring practice, which represents a wide range of clients, including debtors and distressed companies, fulcrum creditor groups, equity sponsors, and distressed asset investors, across a broad spectrum of industries in relation to major restructurings both in and out of court. Alan Kornberg continues to lead on high-profile matters, while co-chair Brian Hermann played a key role in the prepackaged chapter 11 case of Salem Harbor Power Development. Deputy chair Alice Eaton specializes in postpetition and exit financings and stands out for her contribution in the Revlon, Mallinckrodt, and Talen Energy Supply reorganizations. Andrew Parlen represents public and private companies, ad hoc groups of creditors, and investors in a variety of distressed situations, while Elizabeth McColm has played a key role in the recapitalization of CHC Group LLC as well as in the practice’s representation of Lion Capital, as secured lender and equity sponsor, in the chapter 11 case of jewelry company Alex and Ani. Kyle Kimpler handles bankruptcy-related litigation and insolvency issues involving structured finance and derivative transactions. All lawyers are based in New York.

Investment fund formation and management > Alternative/hedge funds Tier 1

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP fields an investment funds practice that has experience assisting with every type of hedge fund and hybrid fund in the marketplace. Its offering to seed investors is of particular note, Blackstone, JP Morgan and Reservoir all being clients in that respect, and several practitioners are experts in seed and stake transactions. The team is also strong in the range of other transactional matters, as well as having robust practices on the regulatory side, and on fund formation and structuring. Udi Grofman ‘possesses a very rare commercial sensibility‘ and coordinates the practice from the New York office. Lindsey Wiersma has broad fund formation expertise, as well as advising on regulatory elements. Conrad van Loggerenberg has brought to market a variety of hedge funds and is regularly the counsel of choice for global investment firms on transactional matters. At the counsel level, Allison Muth and Marian Shin are names to note. All named lawyers work at the New York office.

Labor and employment > Employee benefits, executive compensation and retirement plans: transactional Tier 1

The team at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP is an integral part of the firm’s wider transactional team, providing comprehensive advice to domestic and international companies in complex M&A and spin-offs. The department represents a wide range of clients, including IBM, MGM, and Chevron, often handling transactions involving highly technical aspects of executive compensation law. Jean McLoughlin co-chairs the group, consistently playing a central role in high-profile M&A and capital market transactions, along with handling issues involving CEO and senior leadership succession and compensation. The other co-chair, Lawrence Witdorchic, regularly advises public companies and private equity firms on all aspects of employee benefits and executive compensation aspects, while Jarrett Hoffman counsels boards of directors and compensation committees. In the Washington DC office, Rebecca Coccaro has vast experience of structuring and negotiating employment compensation arrangements, such as equity incentive and management incentive plans. The highly regarded Andrea Wahlquist Brown joined the practice in mid-2023. All named attorneys are based in New York, unless otherwise stated.

M&A/corporate and commercial > M&A: large deals ($1bn+) Tier 1

Primarily based in New York, the M&A practice at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP is seen with great regularity advising an enviable roster of strategic clients on industry-defining transactions, which often take on multi-billion dollar values. In addition to their proficiency in high-value M&A deals across an array of sectors, ranging from life sciences to TMT, practitioners are also adept at handling complex corporate governance matters, proxy fights and activist campaigns. Corporate chair Scott Barshay‘s comprehensive sector focus sees him handling public and private M&A work for elite companies from the worlds of energy, infrastructure, tech, and pharma, among other sectors; his tremendous experience in the activist defense space is also noteworthy. Robert Schumer is a sought-after advisor on the most challenging and high-profile public company transactions, and continues to be trusted by several public companies and their boards in responding to share accumulations by activist investors. Jeffrey Marell – a key contact for private and public M&A matters, as well as intricate SPAC transactions – co-heads the global M&A practice. Deputy chair of the firm’s corporate department Steven Williams represents a worldwide client base on both domestic and cross-border deals, ranging from public company transactions to merger-of-equals, leveraged buyouts, joint ventures and contested matters. Krishna Veeraraghavan,deputy head of the M&A group, and Kyle Seifried have recently played a key role in several high-profile public and private deals.

M&A/corporate and commercial > Private equity buyouts: large deals ($500m+) Tier 1

The market leading private equity practice at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP boasts a particularly impressive and diverse selection of clients, representing some of the largest institutional asset managers and most prominent middle market and growth equity firms encompassing the likes of Blackstone, Ares, and Oak Hill Capital. Handling a steady stream of complex and bespoke mandates, the firm covers the full range of investment and exit transactions including leveraged buyouts, recapitalizations, PIPE transactions, and venture capital deals. Practice co-head Matthew W. Abbott  leads the firm’s relationship with powerhouse General Atlantic and is the go-to lawyer for domestic and cross-border transactions such as leveraged acquisitions, minority investments and divestitures. Co-head Taurie M. Zeitzer is a highly visible figure in the market, having advised Apollo on its $5bn acquisition of Verizon Media. Ellen Ching and Neil Goldman are highly accomplished in the PE M&A space, while Brian Lavin has developed a distinguished reputation for his work with leading middle-market firms and their portfolio companies. Brian Scrivani is noted for his critical role representing Intrado Corporation in the $2.4bn sale of its safety business to Stonepeak. Sarah Stasny and Angelo Bonvino bring vast experience advising on high-value acquisitions and investments, both trusted advisors to Kohlberg & Co. Justin Rosenberg has an established track record when it comes to the spectrum of investment matters including complex cross-border transactions, while Ted Ackerman offers a particularly wide range of industry expertise from retail and hospitality to manufacturing and technology. All attorneys are located in New York.

Tax > US taxes: non-contentious Tier 1

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP handles blockbuster public M&A, private equity matters for large alternative asset managers, SPACs, securitizations, IPOs, and restructurings on behalf of debtors, linchpin creditor groups and asset acquirers. Recent notable highlights include advising on Qualcomm’s $4.6bn acquisition of Veoneer, and a slew of multi-billion dollar deals for private equity firms like Apollo Global Management, Clearlake Capital and General Atlantic. Brad Okun focuses his practice on the complex tax aspects of M&A, restructurings, and corporate finance, while Scott Sontag’s expertise further spans the formation and acquisition of REITs. Okun and Sontag head the group alongside Jeffrey Samuels, renowned for his public company tax practice, and Lindsay Parks, who regularly counsels investment funds and strategic clients. Among other key individuals are Brian Grieve, Robert Holo, Brian Krause and David Mayo. All named lawyers are based in New York.

Antitrust > Cartel Tier 2

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP‘s ‘very diligent and highly capable‘ cartel practice has a deep and experienced bench with past agency experience, including several former senior DOJ antitrust officials and trial lawyers. The New York-based team is especially adept in representing clients in the financial services industries, counting major banks, financial service providers, and financial institutions among its key roster of clients. Litigation, both criminal and civil, is a major strength of the firm, which also handles high-profile government investigations concerning bid-rigging and price-fixing. The team is jointly led by former DOJ official Andrew C. Finch, Brette Tannenbaum, and Aidan Synnott, who regularly act on complex multijurisdictional regulatory investigations and litigation. Other senior names in the team include Joe Bial, an acclaimed litigator who acts on high-stakes international cartels and monopolization cases, and Ken Gallo, a seasoned trial lawyer with particular expertise in antitrust and intellectual property disputes.

Antitrust > Merger control Tier 2

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP combines high-stakes merger clearance expertise with strong capabilities in regulatory investigations and merger-related litigation thanks to deep agency experience, bolstering its contentious antitrust expertise with the arrival of New York-based Katherine Forrest, an experienced litigator and former judge, from Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP in late 2022. The team acts for major public companies in a variety of industries, as well as bulge-bracket private equity clients, combining a solid deal flow from the firm’s active transactional practices with regular destination instructions for business-critical strategic deals. Antitrust co-chair and former Acting Assistant Attorney General Andrew Finch is a key figure in the team, regularly advising the likes of Apollo and Mastercard on merger clearances, while Joshua Soven arrived from Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati in February 2022 and is noted for his expertise in regulated industry antitrust issues, particularly in the healthcare and tech fields. Aidan Synnott also co-chairs the antitrust team, and notably advised Continental Grain on the acquisition of Sanderson Farms. Kenneth Gallo is a key name, focusing on antitrust litigation, while Brette Tannenbaum continues to bolster her reputation in contentious mandates.  Lawyers are in Washington DC unless otherwise stated.

Dispute resolution > Appellate: courts of appeals / Appellate: supreme courts (states and federal)

The appellate group at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP has the ‘talent and resources to handle any case’, according to sources. Certainly, the thriving practice is recognized for its representation of corporations, prominent individuals and pro bono clients in major appeals with nationwide implications. A prominent SCOTUS record–it secured five Supreme Court wins over the past two years alone–is complemented by strong activity in federal and state courts of appeals nationwide and it argued before almost all of the federal courts of appeal over the past year. Go-to department head Kannon K. Shanmugam, based in Washington DC, ranks among the leading appellate lawyers in the country and one source asserts, ‘you won’t find a more talented, sophisticated, compelling lawyer‘. Among Shanmugam’s recent cases, he is spearheading the defense of ExxonMobil Corporation in novel litigation filed by state and local governments concerning climate change liability. The group also draws on the experience of San Francisco’s Meredith Dearborn, who is particularly noted for technology-related disputes, New York-based Robert A. Atkins, who has an emphasis on antitrust and corporate litigation, and associate William Marks. Associate Aimee Brown left to become Assistant to the Solicitor General.

Finance > Capital markets: high-yield debt offerings Tier 2

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP has an impressive background in LBO-driven high-yield debt offerings. The firm is also highly rated for refinancing and restructurings. Along with its impressive private equity client base, it is noted for specific sectors such as telecoms, hospitality and leisure, real estate, consumer products, healthcare and energy. It continues to advise long-term client Carnival Corporation on a series of debt offerings, as well as representing anchor private equity client Apollo Global Management in offerings linked to acquisitions, including sustainability-linked note offerings. John Kennedy is rated for corporate recovery-related deals, while  Gregory Ezring and Brian Janson are also senior figures in the team.

Finance > Commercial lending Tier 2

The New York-based borrower-side practice at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP excels at representing private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies in acquisition and leveraged financings, while also regularly conducting standout work for its public corporation clients in the refinancing space. The team’s close relationship with clients such as Apollo Global Management and KPS Capital Partners provides a regular flow of high-value transaction finance deals. Practice chair Gregory Ezring leads on much of the firm’s private equity work alongside co-heads Brian Kim and Thomas de la Bastide, who is also a key representative of the firm’s prolific work in the distressed financing and restructuring spaces. Monica Thurmond is also highly recommended for her experience advising on leveraged buyouts. Eric Wedel bolstered the team in August 2023, arriving from Kirkland & Ellis LLP.

Finance > Structured finance: securitization Tier 2

The ‘incredible’ structured finance team at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP has an ‘encyclopedic knowledge’ of a broad range of securitizations, counselling clients on innovative and complex transactions that involve a wide array of asset classes, including franchises, trade receivables and patent royalties. Jordan Yarett leads the predominantly New York-based team on whole business and asset-backed securitizations as well as being active advising state utility commission boards on utility stranded bonds and energy recovery bonds. The group shows skill in finance issues relating to the media and entertainment industry, with Robert Zochowski providing a key contact for clients concerned with film, television and sport financing deals. Charles Pesant is a standout figure for his experience in the securitization of diamond assets, recently advising Pluczenik Diamond Company in their inaugural cross-border inventory-based securitization, as well as having a broad knowledge of various esoteric assets. Claudine Meredith-Goujon is intimately familiar with securitizations concerning intellectual property as well as internet law issues, while Lawrence G. Wee focuses on high-debt deals and advising companies on their ongoing securities law and corporate governance matters.

Industry focus > Sport Tier 2

The full-service group at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP has a strong record representing large professional sports teams and leagues, with practice group head Brad Karp, a seasoned trial lawyer, has been a longtime adviser to key clients such as the NFL. Claudia Hammerman also counts the NFL as a longstanding client and the group as a whole continues to represent the NFL in important matters such as a race discrimination putative class action. Other key lawyers include Lynn Bayard and Chris Boehning are also experienced litigators and trial lawyers. The group also offers a wide range of transactional and restructuring advice. A key recent matter for the group is for FIFA, for whom Boehning often acts as outside counsel. Other standout matters for the group include representing sports teams in significant litigation, licensing and other transactional matters. Lawyers mentioned are in New York.

Investment fund formation and management > Private equity funds (including venture capital) Tier 2

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP fields a private funds group that has a strong track record advising on all aspects of the growth and development of private equity managers. The practice group is well-versed in issues across the private equity fund lifecycle and is instructed in both day-to-day decision making and in the most significant business-defining matters. Marco Masotti is co-chair of the firm’s global private funds practice, and leads its private equity fundraising work, drawing on longstanding experience as an adviser to a wide variety of private investment funds. He continues to lead on a high volume of fund launches. Victoria Forrester has led or co-led a number of ground-breaking fund launches, including for Apollo Global Management, Centerbridge, KKR and Värde Partners; and Matthew Goldstein is a further key name, advising on investments in private equity, formation of secondaries platforms, and continuation vehicles. Amran Hussein is an up-and-coming partner who acts across formation, launch and operation matters; Conrad van Loggerenberg has a broad practice in fund formation and operation; and Lindsey Wiersma assists with fund formation issues, regulatory matters, management company arrangements, seeding arrangements and secondary transactions. All above named lawyers are based in New York.

M&A/corporate and commercial > Shareholder activism Tier 2

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP‘s practitioners are adept at defending public companies and their boards against attacks from activist hedge funds. These attacks and proxy fights are often high-profile and significant matters for some of the largest global companies, with the team recently advising McDonald’s in its successful proxy contest against Carl Icahn, which was an extremely large proxy fight victory in terms of market cap. Aside from activist defense, the versatile team’s skillset also includes assisting public companies when activists attempt to contest transactions.  Scott Barshay, chairman of the corporate department, stands out for his work advising public companies and boards on fighting approaches from significant activist investors, while global co-head of the firm’s M&A practice Jeffrey Marell, has a strong track record as an activist defense attorney with a diverse practice defending public companies and their boards against attacks. . All named practitioners are based in New York.

Real estate Tier 2

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP‘s client portfolio ranges from institutional fund managers and public real estate companies, to overseas investors and government entities. The firm routinely acts for borrowers and lenders in securitized and syndicated loan transactions, and for sellers and purchasers of commercial, industrial, hospitality and multifamily residential properties. In New York, practice co-head Peter E. Fisch is a top advisor to developers, REITs and institutional investors. Department chair Harris B. Freidus and fellow partner Salvatore Gogliormella are well recognized for their handling of development and transactional work involving infrastructure, hospitality, healthcare and entertainment nexus, demonstrated through their continuing representation of Metropolitan Transportation Authority on the redevelopment of the Times Square Shuttle station.

Tax > International tax Tier 2

The team Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP represents clients in transactional and advisory matters including M&A and private equity deals for large alternative asset managers in the market, and is also well-versed in whole-business securitization transactions, transformational IPOS and out restructuring transactions. Brad Okun co-heads the New York-based practice and is experienced in advising limited liability companies and partnerships as well as cross-border investing. Scott M. Sontag has expertise in the formation and acquisition of REITs while Jeffrey Samuels covers partnership and joint venture transactions. Lindsay Parks regularly counsels investment funds and strategic clients in restructurings.

Antitrust > Civil litigation/class actions: plaintiff Tier 3

Representing both plaintiffs and defendants, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP assists with litigation concerning claims of price-fixing, restrictive agreements, and other conspiracies such as group boycotts, acting for plaintiffs in the construction, sports and aviation fields. In Washington DC is key attorney William Isaacson who has tried cases on both defense and plaintiff sides. Andrew Finch who splits his time between New York and Washington is co-chair of the Antitrust group and focuses on both criminal and civil antitrust investigations and litigation. Also in New York are William Michael , who offers significant experience in antitrust litigation, appellate matters and investigations, while Jacqueline P. Rubin  handles a range of complex commercial litigation matters.

Environment > Environment: transactional Tier 3

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP’s environmental practice is led in New York by counsel William O’Brien and associate Julia Quigley . It is particularly active in the M&A sphere and also handles environmental and ESG issues pertaining to strategic transactions, joint ventures, restructurings, financings, securities offerings and real estate deals, as well as providing support in regulatory matters and litigation. Clients include buyers, sellers, lenders, borrowers, investors, issuers of securities and underwriters, and the firm advises on both domestic and foreign transactions. O’Brien is a member of the firm’s Climate Change Working Group and advises clients on environmental issues relating to investments in private and public companies and the acquisition of portfolio companies.

Finance > Capital markets: debt offerings Tier 3

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP’s DCM practice is principally driven by issuer engagements. It continues to represent a wide range of private equity portfolio companies in their DCM issuances, along with other corporate issuers; the capital markets team has particularly strong connections to Apollo Global Management and its portfolio companies. The practice has experienced further growth in sustainability-linked bond offerings. Global chair of the finance and capital markets group Gregory Ezring is noted for his advice to Apollo Global Management and its portfolio companies, John Kennedy is also rated for rescue financings, and Brian Janson has longstanding experience in convertible and high-yield debt. All named partners are based in New York.

Finance > Capital markets: equity offerings Tier 3

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP has a lean team focused primarily on representing issuers. Much of the practice is driven by private equity clients and their portfolio companies, along with an impressive array of public company clients. The firm has a fine record in SPAC IPOs and de-SPAC transactions. John Kennedy is the most senior equity offerings specialist in the team, while Brian Janson also handles a high volume of deals and Raphael Russo is noted for SPAC IPOs and de-SPAC transactions. Gregory Ezring leads the finance and capital markets practice.

Finance > Structured finance: derivatives and structured products Tier 3

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP acts for buy-side clients on a range of derivatives instruments and transactions, with expertise across a range of underlying asset classes, including credit, equity, fixed income, distressed debt, commodities and foreign currency exchange. Based in New York, practice leader Manuel Frey focuses on broad-based, cross-border over-the-counter derivatives, structured products and hedge funds, with demonstrable experience advising on the structuring, negotiation and execution of derivative, synthetic and financing products and structures. Frey also regularly assists departments across the firm with the derivatives aspects of acquisitions, financing transactions and corporate restructurings. Counting banks, investment funds and corporate end-users among his key roster of clients, Frey is frequently supported by Matthew Goldstein and Brian Grieve.

Intellectual property > Copyright Tier 3

Intellectual property > Patents: litigation (full coverage) Tier 3

Labor and employment > ERISA litigation Tier 3

With a practice built on representing plan sponsors, fiduciaries and service providers, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP has experience in class action litigation, with recent work including assisting ExxonMobil with a dismissal of class action claims alleging plan fiduciary liability for the business impacts of climate change, and representing Bank of New York Mellon in the resolution of a putative class action alleging ERISA violations related to the bank’s role as a depositary for American Depositary Receipt. Experienced litigator Lewis Clayton chairs the practice, based in New York, alongside department heads and key partners, Brad Karp, chairman of the firm, Theodore Wells, Jessica Carey, and Ken Gallo.  

Media, technology and telecoms > Media and entertainment: litigation Tier 3

Praised for its work on performing rights and cable television related litigation, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP handles copyright, antitrust and rate-setting disputes for clients including ASCAP and the NMPA. The practice also regularly handles litigation related to the sports industry. Corporate advisor and renowned litigator Brad Karp co-chairs the practice; in a recent highlight he represented Bloomberg in an international broadcast licensing dispute.  Fellow practice co-chair Lynn Bayard is a copyright and trademark specialist who is representing TIME in a copyright and contracts dispute. Commercial and arbitration litigator Jessica Carey co-chairs the practice and is experienced in high-value class action matters. Co-chair Jay Cohen is a music specialist, with particular expertise in digital rights and licensing rates matters. Kenneth Gallo is experienced in patent disputes and co-chairs the practice from the firm’s Washington DC office. High-stakes litigator and co-chair Theodore Wells is noted for his significant civil and corporate litigation expertise. Former federal judge and experienced litigator Katherine Forrest arrived from Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP in an eye-catching January 2023 move. All mentioned attorneys are in New York, unless otherwise stated.

Media, technology and telecoms > Media and entertainment: transactional Tier 3

A key strategic player in the world of media and entertainment, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP handles a range of complex corporate transactions for major cross-platform content providers. Renowned M&A expert Robert Schumer co-heads the practice- in a recent highlight he advised Advance in the high profile merger between WarnerMedia and Discovery. Michael Vogel completes the leadership team, his transactional proficiency was recently showcased in his representation of Bowlero Corp in a business combination with Isos Acquisition Corporation. Further recommended is Robert Zochowski Jr.  who specializes in film and music rights asset securitizations. All lawyers mentioned are based in New York.

Media, technology and telecoms > Telecoms and broadcast: transactions Tier 3

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP combines expertise in private equity and M&A with experience working in the telecoms industry, making it well-equipped to advise on the full range of possible transactions. The firm has a track record working on cutting-edge corporate transactions, and has been retained as counsel by both high-profile telecoms operators as well as some of the most active investors. The practice also has a broad geographic reach, working on major cross-border transactions in Europe alongside a large number of terrestrial clients. Operating from New York, Bruce Gutenplan brings extensive experience in the full range of corporate transactions, with a more specific focus on infrastructure in the telecoms space. Brian Lavin is also notable for his work in a number of major M&A and financings, working with major investors in the telecoms space on their business-critical infrastructure transactions including some novel financing mandates.

Finance > Capital markets: global offerings

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP has a major emphasis on global offerings from Canada; it fields a large team of New York attorneys based in Toronto, along with a number of Canada specialists in New York itself. The group covers a spectrum of capital markets offerings, from IPOs and follow-on offerings to convertible bonds, investment grade debt and high-yield debt. Key names to note include capital markets specialist Christopher Cummings, who splits his time between Toronto and New York, though is primarily based in Toronto. Adam Givertz heads the Canada practice group.

Healthcare > Life sciences Tier 5

Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: consumer products (including tobacco)

Media, technology and telecoms > Cyber law (including data privacy and data protection)

Japan > Capital markets: International firms and joint ventures