Merritt Johnson > Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP > New York, United States > Lawyer Profile

Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP has achieved steady deal flow with particular growth in underwriter engagements. It is now a major player in both investment grade and high-yield debt, notably advising the underwriters on the $3.6bn senior unsecured notes offering by Parker-Hannifin Corporation. The capital markets team also frequently works on investment grade bond offerings in relation to acquisition financings and is also noted for its expertise in convertible debt. Corey Chivers and Frank Adams are established names in the market, along with Merritt Johnson and Michael Hickey who are helping to further build the firm’s standing in debt offerings, including underwriter-side engagements.

Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP remained active in IPOs, secondary and follow-on equity offerings, and SPAC IPOs and de-SPAC transactions in 2022. It remains a wide variety of corporates and financial institutions on equity offerings, along with private equity houses and their portfolio companies, and top investment banks as underwriters. Alexander Lynch leads the capital markets group, has an outstanding record in equity offerings, and has impressed in a series of SPAC IPOs and de-SPACs in recent times. Corey Chivers is an experienced figure in debt and equity offerings, and Michael Hickey continues to build the firm’s standing amongst underwriters; he also advised TPG, the private equity firm, on its $1.1bn IPO. Heather Emmel and Merritt Johnson are other key partners. Faiza Rahman has left the firm.

Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP has a formidable background in high-yield debt, notably in relation to leveraged financings and liability management transactions. While closely associated with issuers, it continues to build its presence with financial institutions as underwriters and initial purchasers. Corey Chivers and Frank Adams are senior members of the practice, along with Merritt Johnson and Michael Hickey, the latter of whom continue to build the firm’s standing amongst financial institutions.