Established over 30 years ago, Akerman LLP’s corporate and M&A practice is principally located in Miami though is frequently active on matters of national and international significance. The workload chiefly consists of deals within the $50m-$500m range and encompasses everything from M&A, buyouts and spin-offs through to joint ventures, SPACs and distressed company transactions. Fort Lauderdale-based David Birke was appointed as co-chair of the practice in November 2021 and leads it alongside Jonathan Awner who has forged a prominent reputation for deals relating to major car dealerships. Former practice co-lead  Carl Roston remains an active member of the group, providing considerable expertise in the energy, aviation and aerospace fields. The team routinely supports clients on their affairs in throughout the Americas and the Caribbean and is bolstered by dedicated investment management, franchise and licensing and corporate finance departments. Up-and-coming partner Kenneth Wiggins is a specialist in both transactional and general corporate affairs, operating across the retail, plumbing, industrial, IT and transportation sectors.

Arnold & Porter is a go-to for mergers, stock asset and whole business acquisitions, SPACs, tender offers and leveraged buyouts, among other corporate transactions. Its team hones its focus on deals spanning the $100m-$2bn bracket and is likewise highly reputed for its private equity and corporate governance activities. Kevin Lavin commands an authoritative presence within the government contracting, IT services, telecoms and software sectors, co-heading the practice jointly with New York-based Derek Stoldt, a life science and medical technology expert, and Denver-based corporate and finance chair Ronald Levine. The group is active in a number of additional regulated industries including financial services, national security, FDA and export control and is also home to Matthew Owens, a healthcare sector specialist who handles transactions pertaining to physician practices, surgery centers and diagnostic image providers, among other assets. Lavin and Owens are based in Washington DC and the team is also present in San Francisco where Edward Deibert handles numerous transactions in the semiconductor, technology, consumer product and hospitality industries. Other key locations include Chicago and  also Denver, an office which was recently bolstered by the arrival of Michele Rowland from Ballard Spahr LLP.

Home to over 70 attorneys, Choate, Hall & Stewart’s business department delivers representation to acquirers, investment bankers, financing sources and targets on an array of corporate transactions. In Boston, Brian Goldstein  co-chairs the practice alongside John Pitfield who, in addition to M&A, also supports companies on disclosure, governance and board level mandates, directing particular attention to the TMT, life sciences and health services industries. A key point of differentiation for the group is its proficiency in cross-border transactions, a forte which often sees it instructed as US counsel to Canadian, Israeli, British, Irish and European entities.

Transatlantic firm Eversheds Sutherland, which is able to draw on a far-reaching international network of offices , is ‘extremely experienced’ in a wealth of corporate affairs, namely M&A, joint ventures, PE investments, general advice, restructurings and governance mandates. The team places a high degree of emphasis on sector knowledge and fields dedicated industry practice groups for energy, insurance, TMT, industrials and financial services. Robert Pile disperses distinguished expertise in payments-related technologies industry, jointly fronting the practice alongside Robert Copps, a New York lawyer with a track record in stock and asset transactions, strategic alliances and mergers. Pile operates from Atlanta where Rob Ellis is cited as ‘the best of the best‘ and Hill Jeffries caters to a number of technology, food manufacturing, natural resource and TIMO companies. The team significantly expanded its client roster throughout 2021, adding in excess of 130 new names, and also leverages a presence in Chicago, Houston and Washington DC.

Loeb & Loeb LLP is a long-established player in the field of media, entertainment and technology transactions and is likewise formidable in digital content, advertising, financial service, energy and healthcare-related deals. Mitchell Nussbaum runs a broad workload which encompasses M&A, going-private transactions, tender offers and reverse mergers in addition to a wealth of capital markets matters; he co-chairs the practice alongside LA-based Arash Khalili who provides the group with an intimate understanding of the sports, fashion, wellbeing and fitness industries. Ronelle Porter operates from New York alongside Nussbaum and is a star name for cross-border transactions, joint ventures, general matters and corporate governance. The rest of the workload encompasses reorganisation, business start-up, disposition, exit strategy and operational change mandates and often encompasses deals with a cross-border element, particularly those pertaining to Asia, Israel and Western Europe.

McGuireWoods LLP demonstrates a tenacity for multi-billion-dollar transactions though is predominantly active in the middle-market space, acting on deals valued between $50 – $500m. Based in Richmond, Michael Woodward disperses distinct expertise in the field of energy transactions including wind, battery storage, solar, fuel cell and landfill gas assets, serving as practice co-head alongside Thomas Zahn, a Pittsburgh lawyer. The workload encompasses a wealth of deal types including M&A, stock and asset purchases and joint venture, in addition to general corporate matters, and spans a broad geographical footprint, recently reaching 40 different US states and numerous international jurisdictions. Other sectors of particular expertise include industrials, consumer discretionary, IT, materials, real estate, financial services and healthcare.

Seyfarth Shaw LLP serves a roster of public and privately held companies, family-owned businesses and private equity firm on the full spectrum of corporate transactions, including M&A, joint ventures, investments and divestitures. Key points of distinction for its team include its prowess in distressed M&A, antitrust matters and M&A-related disputes, as well as its dedicated teams for privacy and security and representations and insurance. Operating from Chicago, Suzanne Saxman leverages her vast experience to support clients at every phase of growth, serving as counsel to start-ups and large corporates alike; she co-leads the practice alongside New York-based Andrew Lucano , acclaimed for his ‘significant expertise in M&A’. Healthcare is a particularly fruitful sector of activity for the practice though its workload spans a number of sectors including business services, technology, food and beverage, life sciences, manufacturing and telecommunications.

Squire Patton Boggs, an international firm with 45 offices throughout 20 countries, is engaged by significant players in industries as diverse as aviation, automotive, finance, business services, chemicals and diversified industrials. During 2021 Cipriano Beredo was appointed as chair of the Americas practice, a position garnered through 20 years’ worth of experience in M&A, securities, corporate governance and divestiture transactions; he succeeds Daniel G Berick who remains an integral cog within the team, complimenting his prowess in M&A with significant private equity, fund formation, venture capital and general corporate law expertise; the duo are based in Cleveland where Jonathon Whittlesey often leads and coordinates on international transactions spanning multiple jurisdictions. Elsewhere, over at the Phoenix office, Jaime Daddona is an up-and-coming partner with significant exposure to business and finance transactions, stockholder relation affairs, securities offerings and restructurings.

Hailed as ‘the absolute best in class for Maryland law‘, Venable LLP is instructed on M&A transactions by a national client base of both public and privately held companies. Charles Morton routinely appears on both buy- and sell-side transactions, boasting particular expertise of the consumer products, healthcare and technology sectors; he co-leads the practice alongside Bryan Rakes , an M&A, joint venture and financing transaction specialist, as well as Patricia McGowan  who frequently advises REITs, financial institutions and healthcare entities on local corporate law.

Ballard Spahr LLP is especially accomplished within the Arizona, Colorado, Maryland, Minnesota, Utah and Pennsylvania markets, fielding 80 attorneys across 12 national offices. In Philadelphia, Gregory Seltzer holds distinct expertise within the music, restaurant and sports sectors; meanwhile, Brian Doerner delivers an abundance of experience in M&A, restructuring, cross-border deal and corporate governance matters, particularly those within the technology, manufacturing and life sciences fields. Elsewhere, over in Minneapolis, Maggie Tatton serves as Doerner’s co-chair and is instructed for business transactions, joint ventures, carve-outs and roll-ups; she places particular emphasis on the food distribution, personal services, personal products and engineering sectors. The team caters to major corporates, start-ups and private equity clients alike and is also adept in the aerospace, gaming telecommunication, healthcare and energy industries.

Active across the country, from Los Angeles to New York, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP is acclaimed for its work on strategic M&A, spin- and split-offs, divestitures, joint ventures, commercial contracts, reorganizations and securities mandates. At the St. Louis office, department lead John Welge is particularly well-versed in cross-border transactions, frequently acting in tangent with his international colleagues in Europe, Asia and the Middle East; he is especially accomplished in the healthcare, food manufacturing, network power and process control industries and the wider team is also adept in consumer products, industrial manufacturing, financial services, technology, insurance and pharmaceuticals sectors.

Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP’s M&A practice has witnessed significant growth over recent years, honing its focus on middle-market M&A, strategic transactions and related financings. Helene Banks  is now the key point of contact in the team. Since publication, Kimberly Petillo-Décossard , Ross Sturman and Joseph Rosati have left the firm as of March 2023.

Operating across eight US offices, including Chicago, New York and Dallas, Katten runs a workload spread across M&A, LBOs, add-on acquisitions, divestitures and leveraged dividends. Kimberly Smith  heads the practice and is particularly reputed for her work within the distribution, manufacturing, healthcare, business services, consumer, technology and financial services industries; she operates from the Chicago office alongside Mark Grossmann who is likewise active in a broad variety of sectors such as real estate, retail, pharmaceutical and security.

Magic circle firm Linklaters LLP is active on domestic and cross-border matters alike, directing particular attention to deals in the financial services, pharmaceutical, healthcare, energy, automotive and chemicals sectors. The corporate practice is supplemented by considerable tax, antirust, capital markets and employment expertise, and has strengths in public and private M&A, LBOs, tender and exchange offers, asset sales and recapitalizations. Scott Sonnenblick leads the team from New York and demonstrates a particular tenacity for multijurisdictional transaction and joint venture mandates. Peter Cohen-Millstein  left the firm in February 2022.

Fielding a team with a presence in New York, Washington DC, Orange Country, LA and San Francisco, the practice at Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP is led by Thomas Poletti; he is principally active within the technology, manufacturing, financial services and biotechnology sectors. The wider team is also accomplished within the media and entertainment, retail and healthcare fields. Found among the workload are M&A, joint venture, contract negotiation, divestiture, restructurings, buyout transactions and SPACs, among other mandates.

Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg LLP, a Chicago-based outfit, is instructed on an array of M&A mandates in addition to securities, rights and debt offerings. The practice, which is especially active in the metals and mining space, is led by John Koenigsknecht, a lawyer who frequently serves as US counsel for international clients; he and his team are also adept in licensing matters, commercial agreements and executive compensation agreements, among other mandates.

Nixon Peabody LLP operates across M&A, private equity, venture capital financing, joint venture and leveraged buyout transactions. Over in Albany, practice head Todd Tidgewell is especially well-regarded by emerging technology companies; his team includes David Martland, a Boston lawyer with a tenacity in representing not-for-profit players within the healthcare industry, as well as Chicago-based Brian Krob who counts the food, beverage and agribusiness sector as a keystone of his practice. The group is also active in the manufacturing, energy, software, consumer product and life science industries and runs a caseload which includes a mixture of both national and international deals.

A firm with offices in New York and Washington DC, Seward & Kissel LLP directs its attention to middle-market M&A deals, both domestic and multijurisdictional. The team, which is noted for its ‘broad capabilities in investment management’, is also active in the shipping, finance, media, veterinary and private equity fields and is headed by ‘superstar’ lawyer Craig A Sklar alongside the ‘excellent’ James E Abbott. The team also includes Nick Katsanos, a go-to for premerger notification requirements as governed by the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act, as well as counsel Danielle Lemberg whose key strengths include joint venture, venture capital and seed investment deals.

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP operates across the aerospace, entertainment, healthcare, technology, software, fashion and financial services sectors, providing both buy- and sell-side representation. Working from the Century City office, practice co-head Linda Michaelson  caters to a client roster of motion picture studios, digital media companies and television networks, among others, providing acquisition, divestiture, merger, corporate finance and strategic alliance expertise.

Thompson Hine LLP leads major M&A transactions from eight of its domestic offices including New York, Atlanta, Washington DC and Chicago, home office of practice head Frank Chaiken; he caters to both European and US-based clients, leveraging his German language skills, and is adept in M&A, start-up affairs, joint ventures and commercial agreements. At the more junior end of the partnership spectrum, Cleveland-based William Henry provides clients with considerable acquisition, exit, joint venture, corporate organization and general governance expertise; meanwhile, at the Cincinnati office, Emma Off is acclaimed as ‘amazing in all areas of law’.

Vedder Price operates across a broad variety of corporate transactions, namely M&A, spin-offs, divestitures, going-private deals, leveraged buyouts, asset purchases, tenders and exchange offers. Practce head Michael Nemeroff is highly skilled in respect of corporate governance and executive compensation arrangements, while Shelby Parnes provides the group with investment activity, privatee placement, joint venture and minority investment knowhow. Benjamin O. Williams is an integral member of the group, delivering distinguished proficiency in the healthcare and maritime sectors.

Home to a national practice with a particularly strong presence in Ohio and Michigan, Dickinson Wright PLLC is instructed on a plethora of M&A, joint venture, share transfer, international reorganisation and general contractual affairs. At the Columbus office, Scot Crow is a go-to for a number of clients from the healthcare, metal, education, legal, dental, transportation and manufacturing fields; he co-leads the practice alongside Detroit lawyer Amy Kwiatkowski who, in addition to her transactional work, is also relied upon for corporate governance and general corporate affairs.

Holland & Knight LLP, a firm with an extensive national footprint, is home to Tampa-based Robert Grammig, a practitioner with a track record in international business transactions in Asia, Europe and Latin America; he co-leads the practice alongside Miami-based duo George Mencio and David Barkus, the latter of whom possesses a track record of transactions in industries such as aviation, aerospace, computer software, gaming and restaurants. The practice notably fields a dedicated representation and warranty practice and is also active in a number of other sectors including energy, finance, healthcare, life sciences, real estate, telecommunications, technology and transport.

Hailed for its ‘deep bench of expertise, Husch Blackwell LLP is a Midwest firm with significant exposure to both inbound and outbound M&A, including SPAC and deSPAC transactions. The team is led by Kansas City-based Kirstin Salzman and is particularly accomplished within the electric utility, renewable energy and private equity fields.

Clients of Jones Walker LLP rely on the firm's corporate group for a broad variety of transactions including negotiated stock purchases, asset deals, mergers and tender offers. Curtis Hearn is active in the energy, healthcare, transport, logistics, logistics and manufacturing sectors meanwhile Marshall Page is a go-to for integrated brownfield sites and players in the petrochemical, midstream energy and maritime sectors; the pair co-head the practice from New Orleans alongside Britton Seal.

At Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP, the team demonstrates a capacity for both buy- and sell-side transactions, placing particular emphasis on banking, technology, automotive and healthcare-related deals. Gus Dixon  is one of South Carolina’s most experienced M&A lawyers, having been in practice since the 1980s; he co-leads the group alongside Atlanta-based duo Michael Hollingsworth  and Rhys Wilson , a specialist in tax-efficient deal structuring.

Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle LLP is active on a plethora of mid-market transactions, having developed a particularly prominent reputation for cross-border inbound investments into the US. Lawrence Goodman fronts the offering from New York and is vastly experienced in a number of distinct sectors such as biotechnology, nanotechnology, commodity trading and shipping.

An Atlanta-based team, Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP is especially accomplished on buy- and sell-side technology transactions. The team is co-headed by David Calhoun and Scott Allen and acts for a number of private equity and institutional players in the Southeast of the US, particularly those within the software and SaaS field.

Troutman Pepper fields a team of over 150 dedicated corporate lawyers located across the major US markets. Mason Bayler and Matthew Greenberg co-head the practice from Richmond and Wilmington respectively; their team is able to call upon the firm’s dedicated expertise in renewable energy and health sciences sectors and is also adept in media and entertainment, mining, manufacturing, hospitality, retail and technology, among other fields.

Wiggin and Dana LLP handles mid-market deals on behalf of both national and international clients, notably representing overseas clients from China, Japan, Europe, South America and the Middle East. Mark Kaduboski  and William Perrone co-lead the practice from Connecticut and are routinely instructed on mergers, stock and asset purchase, dispositions, joint ventures and product-line acquisitions, among others. Sector expertise is broad and includes technology, biopharma, chemicals, computer software, financial services and construction.