Firms To Watch: Private equity buyouts: large deals ($500m+)

From formation and portfolio management to disposition and exit strategies, K&L Gates’ private equity practice guides clients through every stage of the fund life-cycle. Based in Charlotte and led by Rick Giovannelli, the team has specialist expertise in a broad range of sectors including technology, healthcare, and financial services.
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP has an expanding private equity offering which continues to assist buyers and sellers on public and private M&A, leveraged buyouts, growth capital investments, and other complex cross-border transactions. Stephen Amdur and Jeffrey Delaney lead the team from New York.

Private equity buyouts: large deals ($500m+) in United States

Kirkland & Ellis LLP

Kirkland & Ellis LLP maintains its dominant presence in the private equity space, involved in the most high-value and market defining transactions in both the bulge-bracket and middle-market, regularly representing giant funds and sponsors including the likes of Blackstone, Carlyle, Ares, and Warburg Pincus. A defining strength of the practice is the seamless synergy between the PE transactional and investment funds practice’s, with the firm establishing itself as a critical advisor to sponsors considering consolidation, minority investments or change-of-control transactions. Global chairman Jon Ballis is a key figure in Chicago, widely recognized as one the leading PE M&A attorneys in the US, while Peter Martelli is highly regarded for his skill handling significant leveraged buyouts, strategic mergers and other cross-border transactions. Eunu Chun is adept regarding a wide range of transactions, primarily buyouts, recapitalizations, and growth equity investments. Jennifer Perkins represented KKR-backed C.H.I. Overhead Doors in its $3bn sale to Nucor Corp., while Jonathan Benloulou is a key contact for Ares, splitting his time between Los Angeles and Dallas. Also in LA, Damon Fisher brings specialist knowledge of SPAC transactions across a broad range of industries including manufacturing, tech, and healthcare. All lawyers are New York-based unless otherwise stated.

Practice head(s):

Jon Ballis; Peter Martelli; Eunu Chun; Jennifer Perkins; Jonathan Benloulou; Damon Fisher


Testimonials

‘The Salt Lake City office is comprised of helpful and knowledgeable lawyers who understand private equity. They are able to effectively scale up and down as needed by tapping specialists from the firm’s deep bench.’

‘The team is very smart and engaging with clients.’

‘They have the most recognized team in Los Angeles!’

Key clients

ABRY Partners


Apax Partners


Ares Management Corporation


Bain Capital Private Equity


Blackstone Inc.


The Carlyle Group


Clearlake Capital


EQT


Francisco Partners


GTCR


KKR


Madison Dearborn Partners


Oaktree Capital


Summit Partners


TA Associates


Thoma Bravo


Thomas H. Lee Partners


TPG Capital


Vista Equity Partners


Warburg Pincus


Work highlights


Latham & Watkins LLP

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.

Practice head(s):

Paul Sheridan


Other key lawyers:

Daniel Lennon; Howard Sobel; David Allinson; Justin Hamill; Alexandra Kelly; Kristen Grannis; David Beller


Testimonials

‘Great teamwork, they show impressive collaboration with other practice groups.’

‘Very responsive, thoughtful and careful in every assignment.’

‘High quality lawyers, both senior and junior. The practice is commercially-minded and efficient, they do not waste your time.’

‘They are always available, very commercial, efficient, and particularly strong in the healthcare market.’

Work highlights


Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP

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.


Practice head(s):

Matthew W. Abbott; Taurie M. Zeitzer


Other key lawyers:

Ellen Ching; Brian Lavin; Neil Goldman; Brian Scrivani; Sarah Stasny; Angelo Bonvino; Ted Ackerman


Key clients

Blackstone


Ares


Oak Hill Capital


General Atlantic


Apollo


Intrado Corporation


Kohlberg & Co.


Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP continues to operate at the apex of the private equity market, a consistent advisor to major firms and their portfolio companies across the gamut of PE areas from fund formation, acquisition and liquidity strategies, to exit transactions including sales and IPOs. In recent times the practice has handled a number of ultra-high-value transactions for blue-chip clients, advising KKR in its acquisition of Barracuda Networks Inc and representing Blackstone on the acquisition of PS Business Parks for approximately $7.6bn. Marni Lerner co-heads the practice and has a strong track record when it comes to complex M&A, divestitures, strategic investments and securities matters. Co-head Elizabeth Cooper specializes in M&A and boasts an impressive client list of the likes of Carlyle, Oaktree and New Mountain. In Palo Alto, Atif Azher represented Silver Lake Partners in connection with Broadcom’s acquisition of VMware, with a total value around $61bn. Anthony Vernace has developed a stellar reputation among PE firms for joint ventures and other corporate transactions, while New York-based Michael Holick represents EQT in high-value transactions. Veteran Gary Horowitz has recently left the firm, while former co-head of M&A Katie Sudol departed in July 2022. All lawyers are New York-based unless otherwise specified.

Practice head(s):

Marni Lerner; Elizabeth Cooper


Other key lawyers:

Anthony Vernace; Atif Azher; Michael Holick


Key clients

AEA Investors


Alinda Capital Partners


Angeles Equity


Apax Partners


Apollo Global Management


Barings Private Equity Asia


BC Partners, Inc.


BlackRock LTPC


The Blackstone Group


Calera Capital


The Carlyle Group


Centerbridge Partners, L.P.


Coatue Management, L.L.C.


Corsair Capital


CVC Capital Partners


EQT Partners


Genstar


Global Infrastructure Partners


Hellman & Friedman


Integrum Holdings L.P.


Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P.


KSL Capital Partners


Lexington Partners


Lindsay Goldberg LLC


New Mountain Capital


Oaktree Capital Group


Patricia Industries


Platinum Equity Capital Partners


Primavera Capital Group


Riverstone Holdings LLC


Silver Lake Partners


Snow Phipps Group


Sterling Partners


Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners


Stone Point Capital LLC


Technology Crossover Ventures


True Wind Capital


Warburg Pincus


Work highlights


  • Represented Silver Lake as the second largest shareholder of VMware, Inc. in connection with the acquisition of VMware by Broadcom Inc. for $61 billion.
  • Represented Blackstone Core+ perpetual capital vehicles, primarily comprised of Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust, alongside Blackstone Property Partners, in their acquisition of American Campus Communities for approximately $12.8 billion.
  • Representing Stonepeak in connection with its definitive agreement to acquire Intrado Corporation’s Safety business for $2.4 billion.

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton represents a wide range of sponsor, sovereign wealth fund and prominent investor clients across multiple industries, assisting them in every stage of the fund’s lifecycle from formation and investments to strategic initiatives and exits. The practice works in close collaboration with key departments including tax, private funds, M&A and capital markets, both in the US and globally, to provide a multidisciplinary full-service offering. New York-based David Leinwand leads the team and has long standing relationships with some of the biggest players in the market, and with James Langston represented Duravant in a $5bn investment from funds led by Carlyle and Warburg Pincus. Matthew Salerno and Paul Imperatore represented Summit Health-CityMD, a Warburg portfolio company, in a cash and equity sale to VillageMD valued at $8.9bn. Paul Shim has a stellar reputation in the market for complex PE M&A transactions, advising Temasek in its $1.2bn acquisition of a minority ownership stake in Horizon Media Holdings. John Kupiec is highly active across a spectrum of areas including leveraged buyouts, growth equity investments and take-private transactions. All lawyers are based in New York.

Practice head(s):

David Leinwand


Other key lawyers:

Matthew Salerno; Paul Imperatore; James Langston; Paul Shim; John Kupiec


Testimonials

‘The team has great client service and responsiveness, offering strong lawyers across a variety of practice areas.’

‘John Kupiec is a very commercial accessible lawyer.’

‘Paul Imperatore brings a lot of enthusiasm and is client focused.’

Key clients

The Carlyle Group


Warburg Pincus


TPG Capital


Brookfield Asset Management


Sixth Street


Wafra, Inc.


Viking Global Investors


Sequoia Capital


Temasek Holdings Ltd


Altaris Capital


Anchorage Capital


Cascade Asset Management Company


Duravant


Internet Brands


Summit Health CityMD


Allied Universal


GTCR


Paradigm


American Express Company


Fresenius Medical Care North America


Work highlights


  • Represented Summit Health-CityMD, a Warburg Pincus portfolio company, in a cash and equity sale to VillageMD that is valued at approximately $8.9 billion.
  • Representing Sequoia in their $1.15 billion minority investment in Citadel Securities.

Debevoise & Plimpton LLP

Debevoise & Plimpton LLP clients have ‘immense trust’ in the private equity group’s capacity to handle the most diverse range of complex transactions, spanning public and private buyouts, PIPEs, multi-asset acquisitions, continuation funds, and other bespoke investments. In addition to a broad scope of expertise, the firm is able to offer clients a wealth of industry-specific experience to navigate convoluted regulatory landscapes, including such areas as healthcare, insurance, technology, and renewables. The highly respected Kevin Schmidt leads the team, who is adept at handling high-value M&A and fosters strong working relationships with market giants such as Blackstone, Brookfield and Carlyle. Healthcare and life sciences specialist Kevin Rinker , as well as Uri Herzberg who is vastly experienced across the gamut of transactional matters, led with Schmidt in CD&R’s $3.7bn acquisition of a majority stake in Roper Technologies. Paul Bird has a particularly diverse practice, renowned for his cross-border capabilities and significant corporate matters such as leveraged buyouts, spin-offs and takeover defense. Jennifer Chu continues to establish her reputation in the market for advising PE firms on M&A and joint ventures, while Christopher Anthony practice focuses on acquisitions, divestitures and joint ventures. All lawyers are based in New York.


Practice head(s):

Kevin Schmidt


Other key lawyers:

Kevin Rinker; Uri Herzberg; Paul Bird; Jennifer Chu; Christopher Anthony


Testimonials

‘Debevoise has invested significantly in building a team that can serve clients needs whenever they arise. This allows us to build immense trust with the team and allows them to be more efficient in negotiations as they know what our tolerances are for various items.’

‘Paul Bird and Chris Anthony are terrific attorneys and people to trust and respect. They are extremely knowledgeable about the law, market standards and clients own internal precedents which leads to highly efficient discussions / decision making with us.’

‘They approach each situation in a very commercial way, they are skilled at getting the protections and rights that clients need while not going overboard.

Key clients

The Blackstone Group


Canada Pension Plan Investment Board


The Carlyle Group


Cerberus Capital Management


Clayton, Dubilier & Rice


Elliott Management Corporation


First Reserve


Kelso & Company


Morgan Stanley Investment Management


Providence Equity Partners


Stone Point Capital


Temasek Holdings (Private) Limited


TPG


Work highlights


  • Advised Clayton Dubilier & Rice and TPG Capital on acquisition of all outstanding shares of Covetrus, a global leader in animal-health technology and services, representing an enterprise value of approximately $4 billion.
  • Advised Clayton Dubilier & Rice on acquisition of majority stake in the industrial businesses of Roper Technologies, which operates market-leading businesses that design and develop vertical software and application-specific products, in a transaction valued at $3.7 billion.
  • Advised Clayton, Dubilier & Rice in its acquisition of a 60% interest in Humana’s Kindred at Home Hospice and Personal Care divisions, valued at $3.4 billion.

Ropes & Gray LLP

Ropes & Gray LLP offers a fully integrated private equity practice, combining a commanding presence both across the US and globally, with a deeply experienced bench capable of handling the most complex and high-value transactions. The outstanding breadth of work is reflected in the scale of headline deals concerning regulatory-heavy situations, complex structurings and and unique financing terms, as well as a particular strength in middle-market transactions. David Blittner leads the team, following the departure of former co-head Amanda Morrison in August 2022. Blittner regularly steers clients through complex leveraged buyouts, minority investments and public recapitalizations, which has led to him becoming a trusted advisor to major market players such as Avista Capital. Carolyn Vardi has advised on numerous large acquisitions across a broad range of industries including financial services, software and health care. In Chicago, Neill Jakobe ’s practice focuses on PE buyouts and strategic M&A, while San Francisco-based Minh-Chau Le represented Genstar Capital in the sale of a majority stake in Advarra to Blackstone and CPPIB. Attorneys located in New York unless otherwise stated.

Practice head(s):

David Blittner


Other key lawyers:

Carolyn Vardi; Neill Jakobe; Minh-Chau Le


Testimonials

‘The team shows a fine touch, is very responsive and commercially minded.’

Key clients

Advent International


Altamont Capital


Audax Group


American Industrial Partners


Audax


Avista Capital Partners


Bain Capital


Baring Private Equity Asia


Berkshire Partners


Blackstone Group


CCMP Capital Advisors


Charlesbank Capital Partners


Cinven


Cressey & Company


Evergreen Coast Capital


Gauge Capital


Genstar Capital


GHO Capital Partners


GI Partners


Golden Gate Capital


Harvest Partners


H.I.G. Capital


Kohlberg & Company


New Mountain Capital


Partners Group


Silver Lake


Thomas H Lee Partners


TPG Capital


TSG Consumer Partners


Vistria Group


Welsh Carson Anderson & Stowe


Work highlights


  • Represented TPG Capital-backed McAfee Corp, a global cyber security software company, in its take-private sale to an investor group, in an all-cash transaction valued at over $14 billion on an enterprise value basis.
  • Represented New Mountain Capital portfolio company Signify Health, in its agreement to be acquired by CVS Health, in a total transaction value of approximately $8 billion.
  • Represented Partners Group in its sale of a nearly 50% stake in United States Infrastructure Corporation to an investor consortium led by Kohlberg & Company, in a transaction with an enterprise value of $4.1 billion.

Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP

A highly influential firm in the private equity market, Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP offers a deep bench of highly experienced practitioners across multiple offices in the US including New York, Boston, Dallas, Houston and Silicon Valley. With a client roster that epitomizes their reputation, the practice regularly represents some of the largest asset management and sovereign wealth funds, investment banks and other financial firms, including the likes of Warburg Pincus, Blackstone, and Softbank Vision Fund. Doug Warner is a key figure in New York, vastly experienced in leveraged buyouts and dispositions, of both private and public US and European companies, as well as minority investments. Co-heading the practice is Christopher Machera, a trusted advisor to the likes of Aterian, Oak Hill, Goldman Sachs, and CVC Partners, representing the latter in its $1.85bn acquisition of a minority stake in CFGI from The Carlyle Group. Ramona Nee also co-heads the team from Boston, having established a strong reputation among PE funds and their portfolio companies, such as Advent International and their portfolios Culligan International and Cobham Limited. Silicon Valley-based Kyle Krpata has represented The Gores Group in numerous complex transactions, while Brian Parness is a trusted advisor to Goldman Sachs. All attorneys are located in New York unless stated otherwise.


Practice head(s):

Doug Warner; Christopher Machera; Ramona Nee


Other key lawyers:

Kyle Krpata; Brian Parness


Key clients

Advent International


American Securities


Ardian


Berkshire Partners and Permira Advisers


Blackstone


CPP Investments


CVC Capital Partners / CVC Growth Partners


EQT


Genstar Capital


Goldman Sachs


ICG Strategic Equity


J.C. Flowers


Northleaf Capital


OMERS Private Equity


Providence Equity Partners


PSG


PSP


SoftBank Vision Fund


Susquehanna Growth Equity


TCV


The Gores Group


TPG


Warburg Pincus


Work highlights


  • Advised Genstar Capital in its acquisition of Arrowhead Engineered Products, Inc., a global provider of non-discretionary, proprietary branded, aftermarket replacement parts for motorized vehicles and equipment, from The Riverside Company, Investcorp and certain other investors.
  • Advised Advent International in its approximately $1.5 billion acquisition of Encora Digital Inc., a provider of product engineering, including outsourced software product development, from Warburg Pincus.
  • Advised Blackstone in its sale of Aqua Finance, Inc., a specialist lending platform that originates and services consumer loans, primarily for home improvement and water treatment, to Athene Holding, under an arrangement whereby Blackstone will maintain a minority stake in Aqua and Aqua will be managed by Apollo Management on behalf of Athene.

Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP

Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP enjoys a formidable reputation for its capacity to handle both high-end and middle market deals, remaining one of the most active firms for PE-backed buyout deals. The scope of the firm’s reach is a considerable strength, with offices in key domestic and international business hubs such as New York, the Bay Area, LA, Chicago, Paris, Frankfurt and London. Additionally, the depth of practice is another particular asset, with a broad range of sector expertise spanning the likes of tech, healthcare, insurance and retail. Co-head Jeffrey Poss is vastly experienced in high-value PE and M&A transactions, with a particular industry focus on financial services, fintech and TMT. Neil Townsend also heads the team from New York, adept at handling complex leveraged buyouts, PIPE and distressed transactions. Morgan Elwyn played a lead role representing Insight Partners in its acquisition of Inovalon, in a deal valued at around $7.3bn Another lawyer with a reputation for high-value M&A is Rosalind Fahey Kruse , who also regularly advises PE sponsors on strategic and governance matters. Matthew Rizzo has noteworthy knowledge of the healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors, while Los Angeles-based Ray LaSoya joined from Cooley LLP in February 2022. All other lawyers mentioned are located in New York.

Practice head(s):

Jeffrey Poss; Neil Townsend


Other key lawyers:

Morgan Elwyn; Rosalind Fahey Kruse; Matthew Rizzo; Ray LaSoya


Testimonials

‘The WFG team has no flaws.’

‘They provide amazing insight and service from senior practitioners.’

‘Jeffrey Poss is a really good lawyer. He gives timely and pragmatic advice, mobilizes specialized WFG resources when needed and always prioritizes our work.’

‘They really understand their clients. They are good at building longterm relationships, working with them is seamless.’

‘Jeffrey Poss is a deeply trusted partner. He is thoughtful, responsive and the ideal lawyer for sorting out complex issues.’

‘The team is very experienced, efficient, commercial and reasonable in their approach.’

Key clients

Aquiline Capital Partners and Aquiline Technology Growth


Calvert Street Capital Partners


The Capstreet Group


Centerbridge Partners


CIP Capital


Court Square


FFL Partners


Genstar Capital


Insight Partners


PAI Partners


Shamrock Capital Advisors


TowerBrook


Warburg Pincus


Work highlights


  • Represented Insight Partners portfolio companyKaseya, a premier provider of unified IT management and security software for managed service providers (MSPs) and small to medium-sized businesses, in its $6.2 billion acquisition of Datto, a leading global provider of security and cloud-based software solutions purpose-built for MSPs.
  • Represented Centerbridge Partners as a DentaQuest shareholder, in DentaQuest’s acquisition by Sun Life Financial Inc. for approximately $2.475 billion.
  • Represented Genstar Capital in its investment in Cerity Partners, a leading independent wealth management firm.

Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP

The practice at Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP has cultivated lasting relationships with some of the largest sponsors in the market, including the likes of Bain Capital, Brookfield, KPS and Warburg Pincus. The PE team is closely integrated with other departments, including M&A, tax, and finance. John Amorosi is one of those leading the team from New York, whose client roster boasts Goldman Sachs, Advent and General Atlantic. Co-head William Chudd is highly active across the gamut of PE areas such as acquisitions, dispositions, recapitalizations and minority investments. Corporate lawyer Leonard Kreynin has an impressive PE practice, leading on Brookfield’s $16bn acquisition of media giant Nielsen, while Michael Davis advised Lightyear Capital on its $1.6bn investment in Cerity Partners. Marc Williams has particular expertise in asset management, natural resources and TMT, and Evan Rosen has a solid reputation for leveraged buyouts. All lawyers are based in New York.


Practice head(s):

John Amorosi; William Chudd


Other key lawyers:

Leonard Kreynin; Marc Williams; Evan Rosen


Key clients

American Industrial Partners


Astorg


Atairos Group


Bain Capital


Bansk Group


BDT Capital Group


Bridgepoint Capital


Brookfield Business Partners


CDPQ


Cornell Capital


Corsair Capital


Crestview Partners


GHK Capital


Goldman Sachs Merchant Banking Division (Principal Investment Area)


GrowthCurve Capital


Lightyear Capital


Metalmark Capital


Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan


Tailwind Capital


TruArc Partners


Work highlights


Dechert LLP

Dechert LLP has a longstanding and well-established presence in the private equity market, representing a diverse range of PE and private investment firms at every phase of the investment life-cycle. A hallmark of the firm’s practice is its cross-border capabilities, utilizing offices in the US, Europe, Asia and the Middle East to advise on complex inbound and outbound transactions. Mark Thierfelder is global chair of the firm’s PE practice and recently led in a significant deal in the healthcare and TMT space, advising GIC in connection with its $17bn acquisition of Athenahealth. Jonathan Kim continues to grow his reputation for high-value M&A and PE buyouts, retaining clients such as Centre Partners, Further Global and PPC. Derek M Winokur and Sarah Kupferman regularly represent an impressive roster of strategic buyers, sellers and sponsors, including the likes of One Equity, Bruckmann and Rosser. Pennsylvania-based Kenneth E. Young brings a broad industry focus to the table, covering such areas as technology, energy and banking. Unless specified, attorneys are based in New York.

Practice head(s):

Mark Thierfelder


Other key lawyers:

Jonathan Kim; Derek M Winokur; Sarah Kupferman; Kenneth E. Young


Key clients

GIC


Cerberus Capital Management


One Equity Partners


Graham Partners


Quilvest Private Equity


Ridgemont Equity Partners


Bregal Partners


Court Square Capital Partners


Certares


Blackstone Tactical Opportunities


SEMCAP


Work highlights


  • Represented funds affiliated with Cerberus Capital Management, L.P., shareholders in Alberstons, in relation to Albertsons’ and Kroger’s definitive agreement to merge.
  • Advised GIC Private Limited, the sovereign wealth fund of Singapore, on its investor consortium participation for the proposed all-cash $10.2 billion take private acquisition of Zendesk, led by global investment firms Permira and Hellman & Friedman.
  • Advised GIC, the sovereign wealth fund of Singapore, in connection with the $17 billion acquisition of Athenahealth, a leading provider of cloud-based enterprise software solutions for medical groups and health systems nationwide.

Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP

Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP handles a steady stream of mandates from both mega-fund and middle-market sponsors, with considerable depth of experience handling sophisticated cross-border acquisitions. The practice has recently been called to advise on a major public-to-private takeover of the year and a significant deal in the IT/tech space, with Amber Banks counselling Permira and a buyer consortium in the $14bn acquisition of McAfee. One of those leading the New York-based team is Christopher Ewan , who is regularly engaged to advise clients on investments and dispositions of interests in hedge and PE fund managers. Co-head Steven Steinman has a stellar reputation in the market and has become a trusted advisor to high-profile firms including AEA investment and CVC Capital. Randi Lally and veteran Robert Schwenkel counseled Redball Acquisition Corporation in its definitive business combination agreement with SeatGeek, valued at $1.35bn. Mark Lucas has extensive transaction experience across a broad range of sectors including industrials, tech and financial services, while Andrea Gede-Lange has adept at handling complex divestitures, carve-outs, and recapitalizations.

Practice head(s):

Christopher Ewan; Steven Steinman


Other key lawyers:

Amber Banks; Randi Lally; Mark Lucas; Robert Schwenkel; Andrea Gede-Lange


Testimonials

‘The Fried Frank’s team is very strong. They have a great understanding of market conditions and provide clear concise advice.’

‘They are very thorough, excellent at identifying issues and are very responsive. They are also very strong at executing transactions and taking care of all deal related item, both big and small.’

‘The team’s expertise, sense of urgency and client service are second to none.’

Key clients

Advent International Corporation


AEA Investors


Becton, Dickinson and Co.


Canada Pension Plan Investment Group


Catalent


CVC Capital Partners


Crosspoint Capital Partners


GIC


Hellman & Friedman


New Mountain Capital


Onex Corporation


Permira


Redball Acquisition Company


Redbird Capital Partners


The Cranemere Group


Wafra, Inc.


Work highlights


  • Acted as counsel to Permira and a buyer consortium including Advent International Corporation, Crosspoint Capital Partners, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, GIC (Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund), and a subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, in the $14 billion acquisition of McAfee Corporation, a global leader in online protection.
  • Acted as counsel to a consortium of investors that included Permira and Hellman & Friedman, in the $10.2 billion all-cash take private of Zendesk. Zendesk provides software-as-a-service products related to customer support, sales, and other customer communications. This is one of the largest private equity transactions of the year and will help build on Zendesk’s existing market share as a private company.

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP

Highly active on both the buyer and seller side of transactions, the team at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP represents a diverse range of funds, portfolio companies, financial sponsors, and sovereign wealth funds including KKR, Platinum Equity and Aurora Capital. The firm has recently bolstered the depth of their expertise with some significant lateral hires in Houston from Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP between March and May 2022, including partners Michael De Voe Piazza and Jess Myers, as well as of counsel Adam Whitehouse. De Voe Piazza joins as co-chair of PE in Houston, who brings extensive experience advising in GP stakes transactions, leveraged buyouts, and portfolio investment and fund formation projects. Richard Birns and Ari Lanin also lead the team from New York and Los Angeles respectively, both highly skilled handling high-value acquisitions including Evergreen Coast Capital’s $16.5 billion acquisition of Citrix Systems and Platinum Equity’s $6.5bn acquisition of Solenis. New York-based Steven Shoemate handles a steady stream of club deals and recapitalizations, while in Century City Candice Choh counsels sponsors on firm structuring and internal governance. Sean Griffiths has a solid reputation for complex carve out and spin-off transactions in New York.


Practice head(s):

Richard Birns; Ari Lanin; Michael De Voe Piazza


Other key lawyers:

Steven Shoemate; Candice Choh; Sean Griffiths; Jess Myers; Adam Whitehouse


Key clients

Evergreen Coast Capital


Platinum Equity


Veritas Capital


KKR


The Chernin Group


ATL Partners


RedBird Capital Partners


Juniper Capital


Littlejohn


Aurora Capital Partners


CenterOak


Work highlights


Jones Day

Jones Day is reputable among both bulge-bracket and middle-market clients, such as Blackstone, Morgan Stanley and KKR, for its capacity to handle large sophisticated transactions at both the national and international level. Andrew Levine leads the team from New York and has an outstanding reputation for leading on global transactions for both sponsors and strategic partners, representing the likes of Brookfield, Omnicom Group and Verizon. Levine, with the support of associate Emily Cai, represented J.F Lehman in several notable transactions, including advising on the acquisition of Atlas Air Worldwide in a consortium with Apollo, valued at $5.2bn. Lisa Lathrop and Denise Carkhuff , based in Chicago and Cleveland respectively, represent funds through the full life-cycle of their portfolio investments, from acquisition to disposition, while DC-based Daniel Michaels represented American Industrial Partners in a $2.1bn stock-for-stock merger of portfolio Vertex Aerospace with Vectrus.

Practice head(s):

Andrew Levine


Other key lawyers:

Lisa Lathrop; Denise Carkhuff; Daniel Michaels; Emily Cai


Key clients

The Riverside Company


EagleTree Capital


J.F. Lehman & Company


Koch Equity Development


American Industrial Partners


Morgan Stanley Capital Partners


Arsenal Capital Partners


Cortec Group


Centre Lane Partners


Norwest Equity Partners


American Pacific Group


AGIC Capital


Blue Sea Capital


Goode Partners


Dorilton Capital


Brookfield Asset Management


Blackstone Inc.


Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co.


Work highlights


  • Advised EagleTree Capital on the acquisition and financing of Lignetics, Inc. from Taglich Private Equity and Mill Road Capital.
  • Advising J.F. Lehman & Company and Hill City Capital in their participation in a consortium with Apollo to acquire Atlas Air Worldwide in an all cash transaction with an enterprise value of approximately $5.2 billion.
  • Representing The Riverside Company in the sale of Lexipol, a leader in policy management and training platforms for state and local governments, to GTCR.

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP regularly represents significant private equity firms including Apollo, Kohlberg, Oaktree and Ares, working closely with the firm’s tax, regulatory and antitrust practices’ to provide a multidisciplinary offering. The practice focuses on the middle market and specializes in a broad range of industry sectors including retail, healthcare, fintech and energy. One of those leading the team from New York is Christina Melendi, who is active across the spectrum of transactions including M&A, minority investments and divestitures. Orange County-based Todd Hentges is another leading figure, vastly experienced in a broad variety of industries from technology and healthcare to sports and entertainment. In Philadelphia, Kevin Schmelzer handles SPAC, corporate carve out, and distressed transactions. Jonathan Morris and Allison Gargano add to the depth in New York, both having represented Varsity Healthcare Partners in the sale of its portfolio company Probo Medical to Avista Capital Partners.


Practice head(s):

Christina Melendi; Todd Hentges; Kevin Shmelzer


Other key lawyers:

Jonathan Morris; Allison Gargano


Testimonials

This team provides excellent service, supports and responsiveness on a par with any other market-leading law firm in our space. What sets them apart in my view is the use they make of their experience, vertical market knowledge and contact network.

Key clients

Apollo Global Management


Ares Capital


Blitz Capital


Corridor Capital


Freeman Spogli


Guardian Capital


Kohlberg & Co.


LLR Partners


Lovell Minnick Partners


New Mountain Capital


New State Capital Partners


Palladin Consumer Partners


Platinum Equity


StoneCalibre


Sun Capital


Work highlights


  • Represented Ingram Micro, a portfolio company of Platinum Equity, in the $3 billion sale of its Commerce and Lifecycle Services activities, including Shipwire and the company’s technology forward logistics businesses in North America, Europe, Latin America and Asia-Pacific, to CMA CGM Group
  • Represented Freeman Spogli and its portfolio company, US Med-Equip, LLC, in its acquisition of Freedom Medical, Inc., a provider of rental medical equipment and related outsourced support services.
  • Represented Spire Orthopedic Partners, a portfolio of Kohlberg and Company, in its acquisition of Sports Medicine North, a company that offers comprehensive orthopedic and spine care, and its affiliated Orthopedic Surgical Center of the North Shore.

White & Case LLP

The private equity practice at White & Case LLP is a globally integrated full-service offering, assisting clients through all stages of their investments by working closely with the firm’s specialist groups in regulatory compliance, antitrust, and tax. The team is renowned for complex cross-border PE and M&A capabilities, advising corporates on multi-billion take private transactions, particularly in the infrastructure space. Oliver Brahmst co-heads the team from New York, having recently represented key client CVC Capital Partners in a $3.5bn investment of a minority stake in Authentic Brands Group LLC. Also leading the team is John Reiss , who is a trusted advisor to major clients including Harvest Partners, Roark Capital and Cobeqa. Luke Laumann is the global relationship partner to infrastructure giant Macquarie, having led on the $4.75bn sale of its Atlantic Aviation business to KKR. In Chicago, Gary Silverman’s broad sector focus encompasses industries such as manufacturing, life sciences, and media, while Adam Cieply is the firm’s global relationship partner to Brookfield. Daniel Kozin is noted for his skill representing sponsors in sophisticated acquisitions, divestitures and equity investments. All lawyers are New York based unless stated. Germaine Nicole Gurr departed the firm in February 2023.


Practice head(s):

Oliver Brahmst; John Reiss


Other key lawyers:

Luke Laumann; Gary Silverman; Adam Cieply; Daniel Kozin


Key clients

CVC Capital Partners


Brookfield Asset Management & Brookfield Infrastructure Partners


Macquarie Infrastructure Partners and Macquarie Infrastructure Holdings


Sole Source Capital LLC


Harvest Partners LP


Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Inc.


Ara Partners


Quad-C Management Inc.


Certares LP


Cobepa SA


Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (“CDPQ”)


Investcorp


Dominus Capital


Mill Rock Capital


Advent International


DIF Capital


Ares Management


AlphaStruxure


Apollo Capital Management LP


Schneider Electric Foundries


Work highlights


  • Representation of CVC Capital Partners in its investment of a 22.55% stake in Authentic Brands Group LLC, a brand management company and owner of a portfolio of brand name companies, including Forever 21, Brooks Brothers, Barneys New York, Lucky Brand and Juicy Couture, valuing the company at $12.7 billion in enterprise value.
  • Representation of Macquarie Infrastructure Partners in its $4.475 billion sale of its Atlantic Aviation business, one of the largest portfolios of fixed base operations in the world to KKR.
  • Representation of Brookfield Infrastructure in connection with its $5.04 billion recommended offer for HomeServe plc, a home repairs and emergency services group with businesses across the UK, US, Europe and Asia.

DLA Piper LLP (US)

DLA Piper LLP (US) continues to expand its presence in the private equity market, adding a group of around 30 PE attorneys from Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP in April 2022, including five partners. The practice focuses on the middle-market, combining considerable strength in complex cross-border transactions with a sector based approach across key industries including technology and healthcare. The team is headed from Atlanta by Joseph Silver , vastly experienced representing PE firms on M&A, leveraged buyouts, and equity investments. Gerry Williams is also a key contact it Atlanta, while in New York, James Kelly is a trusted advisor to several major funds. The Chicago office has been bolstered by the addition of Joydeep Dasmunshi from Perkins Coie LLP in August 2022, who is highly experienced in the technology sector, while in the same month, New York-based Oliver Olah joined from Greenberg Traurig, LLP to strengthen the team’s international transactional offering.

Practice head(s):

Joseph Silver


Other key lawyers:

James Kelly; Gerry Williams; Joydeep Dasmunshi; Oliver Olah


Testimonials

‘The practice is large and diverse, meaning they can bring to bear expertise in many different areas needed for complex transactions.’

‘Excellent understanding of M&A dynamics. James Kelly is able to keep focus on the big picture and important strategic considerations.’

‘Deep and varied amount of attorneys with a broad background.’

Key clients

Abry Partners LLC


Accel-KKR


Baird Capital Partners


Columbia Capital, L.P.


ICV Partners, LLC


LLR Partners, Inc.


MSouth Equity Partners


Renovus Capital Partners, L.P.


Resurgens Technology Partners, L.P.


The Wicks Group of Companies, L.L.C.


Triton Pacific Capital Partners


Frontenac Company, LLC


Shore Capital Partners


Fortune International


Milton Street


Prairie Capital


Keystone Capital


Work highlights


  • Represented ICV Partners, LLC, a leading private equity firm focused on lower middle market companies in business services, consumer goods & services, food & beverage, and healthcare, in the acquisition of Urgent Care Group (UCG) and its combination with portfolio company Total Access Urgent Care (TAUC).

Goodwin

Goodwin has established its reputation for providing high-quality advice to mid-market PE firms and blue-chip clients, covering the full spectrum of areas such as growth equity, acquisitions, dividend recaps, leveraged buyouts and exits. While being particularly strong in the technology sector, the firm’s clients benefit from a broad industry focus which includes life sciences, real estate, and financial industries. In Boston, PE co-chair John LeClaire has extensive experience of leveraged recapitalizations, buyouts and minority investments. Santa Monica-based co-chair Andrew Weidhaas is a trusted advisor to major clients such as Behrman Capital, Great Hill, and Primus, while in Boston, co-chair Michael Kendall has specialist expertise of the software, telecoms and healthcare industries. Stuart Rosenthal is a key member of the team in New York, who assists both early stage growth companies and later stage private companies on a diverse range of transactions.

Practice head(s):

Andrew Weidhaas; John LeClaire; Michael Kendall


Other key lawyers:

Stuart Rosenthal


Testimonials

Full commitment to our ecosystem, willingness to be thought leaders and participate in community activities to refine approaches to common issues that we face.

Key clients

TA Associates Management, L.P.


Webster Equity Partners


Primus Capital


Bregal Sagemount


Behrman Capital


Ampersand Capital Partners


JMI Equity


Frazier Healthcare


InTandem Capital


Charlesbank


Work highlights


  • Advised long-time client TA Associates and its portfolio company Power Line Systems on the definitive agreement for Bentley Systems, Incorporated to acquire Power Line Systems for approximately $700 million.
  • Advised InTandem Capital, LLC in its acquisition of Multispecialty Physician Partners, LLC.

Morrison Foerster

With a major private equity presence in the business hubs of New York and California, the team at Morrison Foerster is noted for its specialist knowledge across key industries including technology, food and agriculture, healthcare, and ADG. The practice also boasts standout experience in SPAC and de-SPAC transactions, PIPEs, and other creative investment models. In New York, Mitchell Presser leads the team and is a trusted advisor to MGG Investment Group, Freedom 3 capital, and Pain Schwartz partners. Also leading the team in San Francisco is Patrick Huard, who represents PE firms and their portfolio companies in public and private acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, and divestitures. Omar Pringle continues to develop his impressive practice in representing SoftBank Group, with the assistance of San Francisco-based ESG specialist Susan Mac Cormac , in a $9bn SPAC investment in WeWork’s merger with BowX. Aly El Hamamsy brings extensive experience in cross-border M&A and joint ventures, while Dario Avram advised Alpine Investors in its acquisition of Wilson Language Training. Joseph Sulzbach is a key up-and-coming name. Lawyers are located in New York unless stated otherwise.



Practice head(s):

Mitchell Presser; Patrick Huard


Other key lawyers:

Susan Mac Cormac; Aly El Hamamsy; Dario Avram; Joseph Sulzbach; Omar Pringle


Key clients

Aliment (formerly Pontifax Agtech)


Alpine Investors


Altamont Capital Partners


Antarctica Capital


Anzu Partners


Aqua Capital


Crescent Cove Advisors LP


DigiCert, Inc.


Doxim, Inc.


Emerson Collective


Fidelio Capital AB


Freedom 3 Capital, LLC


Generate Capital Inc


Generation Investment Management


GI Partners


Gryphon Investors


Huck Capital/Ventures


Macanta Investments


Main Post Partners


MGG Investment Group LP


Paine Schwartz Partners


Palladium Equity Partners


Presidio Investors


Pivotal Investment Corporation III


Pulse Agri Investments Ltd.


San Francisco Equity Partners


SoftBank Group Corp.


SoftBank Vision Fund


Silver Crest Acquisition Corporation


Tinicum L.P.


Tene Capital


Vector Capital


Verdane Capital Advisors


Vimian Group AB


Virgo Investment Group


Work highlights


  • Advised SoftBank Group Corp. and SoftBank Vision Fund in the proposed $65 billion sale of UK-headquartered multinational semiconductor and software design company Arm Limited to leading U.S. chip company NVIDIA.
  • Advised Main Post Partners in connection with the acquisitions of Total Label USA, LLC, provider of complex pressure sensitive, extended content and booklet labels utilizing flexographic, letterpress, digital and hybrid printing technologies.
  • Advised private equity firm Tinicum and its portfolio company TSL Engineered Products in connection with the sale of Advantek, a leading provider of highly engineered carrier tape and associated protective packaging products, to Cornell Capital.

Paul Hastings LLP

Representing a broad range of private equity sponsor clients, Paul Hastings LLP offers a deep bench of expertise across the US, with particular strengths in Texas, Illinois, and California. The practice covers the entire PE life-cycle, from investment strategy, transactions, and negotiations, to fund management, and exit and disposition. Leading the team from Chicago is the vastly experienced Brian Richards , who holds long standing relationships with key sponsors such as Cortec Group and Platinum Equity. Also in Chicago is Amit Mehta, the firm’s relationship partner for H.I.G Capital Management and skilled in M&A, private securities offerings, and SPAC-related transactions. San Francisco-based Mike Kennedy has specific expertise in the technology and healthcare sectors, while in Chicago, Christopher Sheaffer’s practice focuses on leveraged buyouts, minority investments, and add-on acquisitions. In San Francisco, Steve Camahort represented STG Partners in its $4bn acquisition of McAfee Corporation, while Kelly Padgett regularly handles cross-border transactions in the oil and gas, technology, and manufacturing industries.

Practice head(s):

Brian Richards


Other key lawyers:

Amit Mehta; Mike Kennedy; Christopher Sheaffer; Steve Camahort; Kelly Padgett


Testimonials

‘The team are really easy to work with them. They are very commercial with all of their work and don’t get wrapped around legal points just to fight for something; if they bring up a point, it is important.’

‘They typically have a very good sense on where the document is going to shake out from at a very early point. They are always engaged and available and clients feel like they can always get ahold of them.’

Key clients

Cortec Group


Symphony Technology Group


Francisco Partners


Pfingsten Partners


HIG Capital Management


Oak Hill Advisors


Beecken Petty O’Keefe & Company (“BPOC”)


Vector Capital


Industrial Growth Partners


Madison Industries


Vance Street Capital


The Riverside Company


Wynnchurch Capital


DW Healthcare Partners


Platinum Equity


Work highlights


  • Advising Francisco Partners in the acquisition of Boomi, a provider of cloud-based integration platform as a service from Dell Technologies, valued at $4 billion.

Proskauer Rose LLP

Proskauer Rose LLP’s practice holds venture capital, growth equity and mid-market private equity as core focus areas, handling a steady stream of complex transactions for major PE firms and their portfolio companies including Ares, KKR, and Pacific Lake Partners. The team is highly experienced across a broad range of transactions, most notably buyouts, financings, secondary purchases and sales, and restructurings. The team is led by Boston-based Steven Peck , whose buyout and M&A experience ranges from middle-market to multi-billion dollar transactions across multiple sectors, including healthcare, software and financial services. He is supported from New York by Daniel Ganitsky and Lauren Boglivi , both regularly advising private and public companies, sponsors and family offices in cutting-edge deals.

Practice head(s):

Daniel Ganitsky; Lauren Boglivi; Steven Peck


Key clients

AB Private Credit Investors LLC


Ares Capital Corporation


Core Capital Partners


Falcon Investment Advisors


Five Points Capital


KKR Credit Advisors


New Mountain Capital


Owl Rock Capital Corporation


Pacific Lake Partners


W Capital


Work highlights


  • Advised Falcon Investment Advisors in its sale to Onex Corporation.

Reed Smith LLP

Reed Smith LLP operates at the forefront of the middle-market, advising a broad range of clients encompassing private equity funds, institutional investors, alternative asset managers, and their portfolio companies. Noted for considerable breadth of practice, the team advises clients across the spectrum of areas including fund formation, leveraged buyouts and recapitalizations, and dispositions and exits. Mark Pedretti and Christopher Sheaffer lead the team from New York, the former having extensive fund formation experience for both GPs and LPs, the latter bringing broad sector expertise spanning industrials, TMT, and financial services. In Chicago, Bradley Schmarak also leads and regularly handles complex domestic and cross-border transactions, while global M&A chair Michael Lee receives a steady stream of debt and equity financing mandates. Matthew Mohn is a key figure in Pittsburg, leading PE sponsored and strategic mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures.

Practice head(s):

Mark Pedretti; Bradley Schmarak; Christopher Sheaffer


Other key lawyers:

Michael Lee; Matthew Mohn


Work highlights


Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP represents private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies across the spectrum of transactions and investments such as fund formation and financing, recapitalizations, corporate restructurings and exits. The firm also supports portfolio companies on issues that typically arise under PE ownership and leveraged structures, including those related to real estate, intellectual property, employment and litigation. The team is jointly led from New York by Kenneth Wolff, who regularly handles cross-border transactions concerning leveraged buyouts, strategic investments and spin-offs, and Allison Schneirov, who represented Blackstone in its $2.2bn acquisition of a minority stake in American International Group. Blair Thetford bolsters the offering from New York, advising a number of major clients including KKR and HPS.

Practice head(s):

Kenneth Wolff; Allison Schneirov


Other key lawyers:

Blair Thetford


Key clients

Blackstone


Work highlights


Vinson & Elkins LLP

Vinson & Elkins LLP is notable for both the value and volume of mandates it handles, representing the world’s largest and most sophisticated private equity investors including Blackstone, Carlyle and Vista on cutting-edge transactions. The practice is particularly renowned for its specialist expertise in the energy and renewable sectors, while also maintaining considerable breadth across various industries from consumer products and digital commerce to software and sports. The team is jointly led from Houston by Stephen Gill and Sarah Morgan , while John Grand  is also a leading presence in Dallas. In New York, Jim Fox has a wealth of experience in the energy, industrials and tech industries, while Gabriel Silva represented Swiss Life Asset Management in its $1.2bn minority investment in DataBank. Also in Houston, Keith Fullenweider is active in high-value investments, financings and exit transactions, while Matthew Strock and Lande Spottswood are key contacts.

Practice head(s):

Stephen Gill; Sarah Morgan; John Grand


Other key lawyers:

Jim Fox; Gabriel Silva; Keith Fullenweider; Matthew Strock; Lande Spottswood


Testimonials

The Vinson & Elkins team has a unique approach to client services. They are able to combine excellent technical skills with incredibly agile, dynamic approach to legal services. I have been extremely impressed with their excellence across the board – from junior associates to partners.

I have been working with Gabriel Silva for several years. He has remarkable experience on sophisticated M&A transactions, whether domestic or cross-boarder. Gabriel has a very strong commercial approach to transactions without losing sight to all legal protections his clients require. He is tenacious and fights for the interest of his clients.

V&E consistently delivers high quality, reliable work product. I have worked with various partners and associates across the V&E team and have yet to have a negative experience.’

Key clients

Blackstone


Bloomfire


Clearlake Capital Group


EnCap Investments


Energy Transfer LP


Floworks International


Hartree Partners


Sixth Street


Sunpro Solar


Swiss Life Asset Management AG


The Carlyle Group


Vista Equity Partners


Zilliant, Inc.


Work highlights


Arnold & Porter

Having established a strong reputation in the mid-market, Arnold & Porter represents buyers and sellers across a broad array of complex transactions including M&A, carve-outs, leveraged buyouts, and tender offers. Stephen Koval co-heads the team from New York, having an abundance of experience across key industries from retail and consumer goods to health care and industrials. Washington DC-based Andrew Varner also leads the team and is a specialist in ADG matters, being regularly instructed to advise on complex cross-border transactions. Key figures in New York are Kevin Lavin and Derek Stoldt, both lead the firm’s corporate and finance group and regularly act for PE funds and their portfolio companies, the former being a trusted advisor to DC Capital Partners.

Practice head(s):

Stephen Koval; Andrew Varner


Other key lawyers:

Kevin Lavin; Derek Stoldt


Key clients

Cool Japan Fund


DC Capital Partners and its affiliates


Walker & Dunlop, Inc.


McCormick & Company, Incorporated


RLS Partners LLC


DSPolitical


Three Kings Capital


Work highlights


  • Represented Cool Japan Fund, Inc. in the sale of its controlling interest in Sentai Filmworks, LLC.
  • Represented DC Capital Partners in its acquisition of uAvionix Corporation and its subsidiaries.

Choate, Hall & Stewart

Choate, Hall & Stewart has a strong track-record in mid-market mandates, offering robust cross-border capabilities across a broad range of industries including TMT, manufacturing and financial services. T.J. Murphy leads the Boston-based team, regularly advising clients in growth equity investments, recapitalizations, and M&A, both domestically and internationally. Lee Feldman and Sarah Camougis are also key contacts, while Brian Lenihan has particular expertise in financial technology and IT solutions within the healthcare and financial services industries. Daniel Riley has a solid reputation in the market, advising numerous global mid-market investment funds including Great Hill, BV Investment, and Long Ridge Equity Partners.

Practice head(s):

Sarah Camougis; Lee Feldman; T.J. Murphy


Other key lawyers:

Brian Lenihan; Daniel Riley


Key clients

BV Investment Partners


Century Equity Partners


Great Hill Partners


Cove Hill Partners


Long Ridge Equity Partners


Riverside Partners


Silversmith Capital Partners


Spectrum Equity


Summit Partners


Cobepa


Work highlights


Clifford Chance

Clifford Chance represents major clients in the private equity sphere including the likes of KKR, Carlyle, Blackstone, and Rothschild in a diverse range of complex and high-value transactions, utilizing an extensive network of experienced attorneys across the US, London, Paris and Frankfurt. Following the departure of former practice head Gary Boss  in June 2022, the New York-based team is jointly led by Kevin Lehpamer and Neil Barlow, the pair having represented Cinven in a $2.6bn agreement with life science giant Bayer AG, acquiring its Environmental Science Professional business. The team is bolstered by the ‘high quality’ David Brinton , who has particular expertise in the energy, infrastructure and financial sectors.


Practice head(s):

Kevin Lehpamer; Neil Barlow


Other key lawyers:

David Brinton


Testimonials

‘Clifford Chance is able to provide a global solution on a more comprehensive basis than other firms, with a very consistent level of quality.’

‘David Brinton is very high quality, with a great deal of experience. He is also creative but practical and solution oriented.’

‘This practice is unique as they have a great team of collaborative lawyers who will work tirelessly to ensure the completion of the deal. They have deep knowledge of the market and provide commercial legal advice.’

‘They were responsive, collaborative and there was diversity in the team.’

‘Kevin is detail orientated and identifies key issues for clients to consider.’

Key clients

Sixth Street


Cinven


Capital Dynamics Inc.


DigitalBridge Group, Inc.


Clayton, Dubilier & Rice


AlterDomus


CVC Capital Partners


Fortitude Group Holdings, LLC


3i


Sedgwick


Rothschild & Co


The Blackstone Group


EMK Capital LLP


Permira


Mercer Investments


E&I Engineering Ireland Limited


CK Asset Holdings


The Carlyle Group


KKR


Ardian


Work highlights


  • Advised international private equity firm Cinven on an agreement with Germany-listed Life Sciences giant Bayer AG to acquire its Environmental Science Professional (BESP) business, headquartered in the U.S., for a total enterprise value of $2.6 billion.
  • Advised DigitalBridge Group, Inc., a U.S. private equity real estate company, on its agreement to sell a substantial portion of its Other Equity and Debt (OED) portfolio of real estate assets and associated general partner interests and management rights to global investment manager Fortress Investment Group LLC (Fortress), a U.S. investment firm and private equity manager, for $535 million.
  • Advised Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, the U.S. based private investment firm, on its $4 billion public to private bid for UDG Healthcare plc, a leading player in healthcare medical affairs, marketing and advisory services, and in pharma packaging.

King & Spalding LLP

The private equity practice at King & Spalding LLP is particularly renowned for buyouts in the energy and infrastructure sectors, with New York-based team co-head Jonathan Melmed representing key clients in this sphere such as D.E Shaw, Starwood Energy, and Macquarie Infrastructure. Also leading the team from Atlanta is Rahul Patel , who as well as representing ACON Investments and H.I.G. Capital on complex transactions, advised SPANX founder Sara Blakely on the sale of her company to Blackstone for $1.2bn. In New York, Enrico Granata represents sponsors and hedge funds on acquisitions, minority investments and joint ventures.

Practice head(s):

Rahul Patel; Jonathan Melmed


Other key lawyers:

Enrico Granata


Testimonials

‘Very high level of substantive comments. Unparalleled dedication to client service and meeting deadlines.’

Key clients

Axium Infrastructure


Macquarie Infrastructure / Macquarie Capital


Starwood Energy Group Global, Inc.


Ridgewood Infrastructure


Morguard Corporation


Instar Asset Management


D. E. Shaw Renewable Investments


ACON Investments


Sara Blakely (SPANX)


H.I.G. Capital


Eagle Merchant Partners


Work highlights


  • Advised Axium Infrastructure in the acquisitions of BlueWave, a portfolio of wind projects from BlackRock Renewable Power and contribution agreement with respect to repowering of the Criterion Wind Project.
  • Advised ACON Investments in the acquisitions of Shaw Contract Flooring Services, Inc. and Pro Installations, Inc. and Resource Colorado, Inc.
  • Advised Instar Asset Management in closing on its business combination of Oilfield Water Logistics (Instar’s portfolio company) and Pilot Water Solutions.

Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP

A rapidly burgeoning and expanding practice in the private equity space, Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP represents private equity firms and their portfolio companies with significant mid-market deals; with a particular reputation for buyouts, but also highly active across fund formations, private placements, and growth equity transactions. The team, located in New York, is led by Ernest S. Wechsler and boasts numerous prominent clients including the likes of Stone Point Capital, Sentinel, HPS, and PIMCO. Colin Bumby and Jonathan D. Goodman represent funds and their portfolio companies in complex investments and acquisitions, while Adi Herman has a solid reputation for handling take-privates, carve-outs and minority investments.

Practice head(s):

Ernest S. Wechsler


Other key lawyers:

Colin Bumby; Jonathan D. Goodman; Adi Herman


Key clients

Stone Point Capital


Sentinel Capital Partners


Cornell Capital


PIMCO Bravo Strategies PE Funds


Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp. (sponsored by Capstar Partners and PIMCO)


Paine Schwartz Partners


Atlantic Street Capital


BlackRock (including its Impact Opportunities Fund)


Waterfall Sentinel Fund


Argand Partners


York Capital Special Opportunities Fund


Work highlights


  • Advised Stone Point Capital LLC in connection with the sale of portfolio company SumRidge Partners, LLC, a technology-driven fixed income market maker specializing in investment-grade and high-yield corporate bonds, municipal bonds and institutional preferred securities, to Raymond James Financial.
  • Advised Sentinel Capital Partners on several M&A transactions.
  • Advised Atlantic Street Capital in connection with the sale of Advancing Eyecare, a leading provider of ophthalmic instruments, to Cornell Capital.

McDermott Will & Emery LLP

Leveraging a deep bench of private equity specialists across New York, Boston, California, Washington DC, and other business hubs, the team at McDermott Will & Emery LLP continues to establish its reputation for guiding clients through a variety of complex acquisitions, dispositions, and leveraged recapitalizations. Key clients include a number of significant funds including H.I.G. Capital, AUA, and Convest Partners. In Miami, Harris Siskind has specialist knowledge of the securities and manufacturing sectors, while private equity co-chair Frank Steinherr is renowned for his skill handling complex leveraged buyouts. Also heading the PE practice from Chicago is Gregory Metz, who has broad industry experience encompassing distribution, manufacturing, and retail. New York-based Frederic Levenson is a go-to lawyer for take-privates and carve-outs, while Kristian Werling and Brooks Gruemmer handle a diverse range of acquisitions and investments from Chicago. In Boston, Kevin Sullivan joined from Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP in January 2023.

Other key lawyers:

Brooks Gruemmer; Kevin Sullivan


Testimonials

‘The MWE team is a deep bench strength but also with a strong lead and active engagement from the partners, who are knowledgeable and practical.’

‘All of their partners have provide standout practical and commercial advice on transactions. They fully integrate into the in-house team and drive and lead transactions forward.’

Key clients

CenterGate Capital LP


General Atlantic


Viking Global Investors


Concord USA, a portfolio company of H.I.G. Capital


Milestone Technologies, Inc., a California-based portfolio company of H.I.G. Capital


Nautic Partners, LLC


H.I.G. Capital, LLC and its affiliate H.I.G. Empire, LLC


Gemspring Capital Management, LLC


Verily Life Sciences (an Alphabet company)


Ampersand Capital Partners


Comvest Partners


AUA Private Equity Partners and its portfolio companies


Revelstoke Capital Management LLC


Rainier Partners


Industrial Opportunity Partners, LLC


Belden Inc.


Deerfield Management


Lindsay Goldberg


Work highlights


  • Assisted CenterGate Capital LP, an Austin-based private equity firm focused on lower middle market investments, in its acquisition of Envelope Freedom Holdings, LLC, and its acquisition of Prisma Graphic, LLC.
  • Represented General Atlantic in the US$ 600 million investment in Ultima Genomics, a California-based biotechnology company.

McGuireWoods LLP

McGuireWoods LLP is deeply involved in the middle-market and handles a diverse range of private equity transactions for investors, sponsors, family offices, and portfolio companies. Despite having a particular specialism in healthcare, spearheaded by Chicago-based co-head Geoffrey Cockrell , the practice has a broad industry focus which spans from technology and IP to tax and real estate. Thomas Zahn is also a leading figure in Pittsburgh, regularly representing funds on add-on acquisitions, leveraged buyouts and minority investments. In Dallas, Jon Finger brings extensive knowledge of the pharmaceutical, tech, and financial industries, while Gregory Hawver handles a steady stream of M&A, recapitalizations and joint ventures from Chicago.

Practice head(s):

Thomas Zahn; Geoffrey Cockrell


Other key lawyers:

Jon Finger; Gregory Hawver


Testimonials

‘They offer deep industry strength and practice groups that collaborate extremely well and work together seamlessly.’

‘Highly knowledgeable but extremely strong interpersonal skills and an understanding of transaction dynamics; constructive and creative approaches to solving problems.’

Key clients

Revelstoke Capital Partners


Trinity Hunt Partners


Falfurrias Capital Partners


Summit Park


LLR Partners


Compass Group Equity Partners


Assured Healthcare Partners


Drum Capital


Banner Ventures


Sverica Capital Partners


Work highlights


  • Advised CEI Vision Partners, a portfolio company of Revelstoke Capital Partners, in the $600 million sale of CVP to EyeCare Partners.
  • Advised Vet’s Best Friend Group, a portfolio company of  Revelstoke Capital Partners, in its sale to Rarebreed Veterinary Partners.

Winston & Strawn LLP

The private equity practice at Winston & Strawn LLP has a strong reputation among clients in the mid-market, offering guidance through every stage of the investment life-cycle including deal sourcing, acquisition financing, tax structuring, and portfolio management. Brad Vaiana co-chairs the practice from New York, regularly counseling clients through complex take-privates, PIPEs, and leveraged buyouts. In Dallas, co-chair Matthew Stockstill and David Lange have a broad practice, their experience spanning a wide range of industries from healthcare and technology to real estate and manufacturing. Los Angeles-based Eva Davis is a key member of the team, who has developed a solid reputation among PE funds and their portfolio companies for cross-border transactions, with a particular focus on M&A. Matthew Bergmann maintains strong relationships with Shore Capital and Water Street Healthcare.

Practice head(s):

Brad Vaiana; Matt Stockstill


Other key lawyers:

David Lange; Eva Davis; Matthew Bergmann


Key clients

A&M Capital Advisors


Arbor Investments


Argand Partners


Beach Point Capital Management


Century Park Capital Partners


Charger Investment Partners


CORE Industrial Partners


CSL Capital Management


Diversis Capital


Eos Partners


Frontenac Company


GenNx360 Capital Partners


Highlander Capital Partners


Hudson Hill Capital


Industrial Opportunity Partners


The Jordan Company


Kainos Capital


Norwest Equity Partners


Paceline Equity Partners


Pacific Avenue Capital Partners


Revelstoke Capital Partners


Reverence Capital Partners


Riordan, Lewis & Haden, Inc.


Shamrock Capital Advisors


Shore Capital Partners


Transition Capital Partners


The Vistria Group


VMG Partners


Water Street Healthcare Partners


Windjammer Capital Investors


Work highlights


  • Advised New York-based The Jordan Company, a middle-market private equity firm with original capital commitments in excess of $18B, in its acquisition of Texas-based Five Star Holding and its subsidiaries.
  • Advised Chicago-based Arbor Investments in its acquisition of Oregon Freeze Dry.