Linklaters LLP > Washington, D.C., United States > Firm Profile

Linklaters LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings

M&A/corporate and commercial > M&A: middle-market (sub-$500m) Tier 2

Demonstrating extensive experience in buy and sell-side deals, Linklaters LLP acts for a diverse roster of public companies, private equity firms and investment banks in a variety of corporate work, including M&A transactions with cross-border implications. Mid-market M&A is a key pillar of the practice, which also possesses significant capabilities in de-SPAC deals, corporate restructuring and board advisory issues. The New York-based team was recently strengthened by the addition of long-time M&A and private equity practitioner Lev Loukhton, who relocated to the US from Europe where he served as the firm’s marketing and business development partner. Rated for its ‘great technical expertise‘, the practice is led by Scott Sonnenblick, who has a wealth of experience in cross-border deals and complex joint ventures. Pierre-Emmanuel Perais is skilled in SPAC-related matters, equity and asset sales, while Clara Pang is particularly noted for her track record in the financial services, energy and manufacturing industries. The ‘outstanding‘ Josh Feit regularly assists private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies on multijurisdictional deals.

Antitrust > Cartel Tier 3

Linklaters LLP represents clients from a wide variety of industries, including financial services, pharma, and tech. Representing both corporates and individuals, the firm is particularly well-placed to advise on cross-border work and global cartel investigations. Noted for its global reach, the practice benefits from its large global network to advise on multijurisdictional cartel matters. The team is now jointly headed by Antonia Sherman and former DOJ antitrust prosecutor Douglas Tween. Sherman, based in Washington DC, advises on antitrust-related M&A and compliance matters, while New York’s Tween takes point on cartel matters with a particular emphasis on regulatory investigations and criminal and civil parallel litigation. Also in New York, Tom McGrath defends clients in price-fixing investigations and private litigation.

Antitrust > Merger control Tier 3

Linklaters LLP offers broad DOJ and FTC expertise to a wide range of global clients, with a particularly strong focus on strategic merger clearances in regulated industries such as healthcare, pharma, and financial services. Alongside domestic and international approval processes, the team also offers demonstrable expertise in contentious issues including regulatory investigations and litigation relating to contested mergers, and is able to handle emerging issues relating to foreign investment controls. Washington DC’s Antonia Sherman leads the team, and combines an active HSR practice with cross-border M&A experience, particularly in Latin American jurisdictions. Tom McGrath in New York specializes in life sciences and chemicals transactions, while counsel John Eichlin, also New York-based, has worked in Europe and Asia, and contributes standout multijurisdictional merger and foreign investment control capabilities, as well as global consumer protection issues relating to deals in diverse industries.

Dispute resolution > Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense

Business leaders, foreign companies and international companies frequently call upon Linklaters LLP’s expertise in cross-border arbitrations, criminal prosecutions, government investigations, and lawsuits. Adam Lurie leads the team and is adept in a diversity of investigations, including those concerning allegations of FCPA violations and corporate fraud. Doug Davison has deep experience in representing individual and corporate clients in an array of regulatory enforcement and compliance matters, including fraud, insider trading, and securities registration. Richard Smith is thoroughly knowledgeable of civil matters such as breach of contracts, business conspiracy, and tortious interference of business relationships fraud. Senior associate Sean Solomon and associate Meredith Riley are also noted. All mentioned individuals are located in Washington DC.

Energy > Renewable/alternative power Tier 4

Being praised by clients for its ‘exceptional work, especially in the context of providing regulatory support’, Linklaters LLP‘s growing energy and infrastructure team is led in New York by Ron Erlichman alongside Marius Griskonis, who joined from White & Case LLP in March 2023. The practice operates as part of the firm’s global offering to advise on major cross-border transactions and projects in the renewables space, with a particularly strong presence in Latin America. Andrew Compton and Will Kim are both reputed for their ‘exceptional knowledge’ of the industry, with Compton being particularly experienced in offshore wind and energy transitions, and Kim advising clients on a whole array of transactions related to domestic and cross-border energy projects. Among the new team arrivals in March 2023 is also senior counsel Diana Jeschke in Washington DC, previously at Crowell & Moring LLP, who brings expertise in regulatory matters before FERC.

Media, technology and telecoms > Cyber law (including data privacy and data protection) Tier 4

The practice at Linklaters LLP is led by New York-based Ieuan Jolly. With the support of senior associates Kris Ekdahl, in Chicago, and Caitlin Potratz Metcalf, in Washington DC, the team works on global compliance programs and digitalization, optimization and e-commerce expansion strategies for a client roster that includes leading technology, asset management and energy producing companies. The team also regularly collaborates with the London team for matters involving data breaches. Erez Liebermann departed in June 2022.

Tax > US taxes: non-contentious Tier 4

Noted for its representation of leading private equity funds, Linklaters LLP‘s broad tax expertise covers funds, capital raising transactions, asset acquisition and disposition deals, and financing arrangements. M&A, capital markets, and internal restructurings are also core workflows for the group. Washington DC-based David Brockway is at the forefront of the firm’s tax planning offering, placing particular emphasis on matters with a cross-border element, while Max Levine in New York has experience in the taxation of partnerships, REITs, domestic and offshore companies, sovereign wealth funds, and tax-exempt investors. Notable arrivals include New York-based tech expert Gabriel Grossman from Goodwin, and Omer Harel from Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP in August 2022, who focuses on the European and Asian markets from the London office.

Dispute resolution > General commercial disputes Tier 5

Linklaters LLP routinely represents business leaders, foreign governments and international companies in criminal prosecutions, domestic and international lawsuits, and government investigations. Adam Lurie leads the team from Washington DC and can call upon his experience in all three branches of the U.S. government, frequently serving as counsel on arbitration, civil, corporate governance, and regulatory matters. Douglas Tween is experienced in defending individuals and companies in cross-border regulatory and white-collar criminal investigations, while Brenda DiLuigi oversees corporate internal investigations and represents public companies and individuals in investigations from government enforcement agencies. James Warnot is particularly focused on financial services issues, including banking and securities litigation, M&A litigation, and fraud cases. Associate Michael Pilcher and counsel Patrick Ashby are also noted. All mentioned individuals are based in New York, unless stated otherwise.

Finance > Restructuring (including bankruptcy): corporate Tier 5

Margot Schonholtz heads the New York-based practice at Linklaters LLP which leverages its global network to advise a wide range of clients, including ad hoc groups of bondholders, lender syndicates, creditors, and companies, in relation to cross-border restructuring and insolvency matters. Schonholtz specializes in advising financial institutions as well as funds and asset managers on debt restructurings, bankruptcy litigation matters, and asset sale transactions. Robert Trust in New York regularly advises companies and financial institutions on in- and out-of-court restructuring matters, while Penelope Jensen also plays an important role in the team, advising administrative agents, steering committees, individual lenders, and other credit providers.

Investment fund formation and management > Private equity funds (including venture capital) Tier 5

Linklaters LLP has a strong focus on private equity funds, as part of the firm’s substantial global practice across investment funds. The department assists both sponsor and investor parties with structuring, formation, taxation and regulation issues. The ‘knowledgeable, efficient and responsive‘ Jason Behrens has vast experience with various fund types, including private equity, real estate, credit, venture capital, and secondaries. He co-leads the group with David Miller, whose practice is focused on representing asset managers and institutional investors in investments in managed accounts, funds of one and comingled private investment funds. Brad Caswell is the name to note when it comes to regulatory issues, while at counsel level, Mike Dankis‘s practice includes advising investment managers on spin-offs and transfers of management contacts as well as investors on the purchase of minority stakes in fund managers.

Labor and employment > Employee benefits, executive compensation and retirement plans: transactional Tier 5

Counting international life science and technology companies among its key clients, Linklaters LLP offers in-depth expertise in cross-border M&A and compensation agreements and strength in the ERISA compliance and fiduciary matters space, representing corporations such as Oak Hill Advisors and Apollo Global Management. The group’s head, Andrew L. Gaines, joined the firm from Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP in June 2022. He brings extensive expertise in counselling public and private entities on the formation of equity incentive arrangements and severance agreements. The team is based in New York.

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

Energy > Energy transactions: electric power