Alternative/hedge funds Tier 1

Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP remains a top name in traditional fund formation work, and also has a strong track record in emerging market funds, hybrids, and investor-side work. The firm counts some of the financial sector’s largest names among its client base, with regular engagements from BlackRock, Goldman, and JPMorgan, among others. Lawrence Barshay heads the team, and specializes in fund structuring and formation, as do Lisa Schneider and Jonathan Adler. In the Washington DC office, Walid Khuri focuses on fund-of-funds work, acting for several large managers in both the structuring and transactional work undertaken by such funds. Jessica Forbes is a name to note for regulatory matters. All lawyers are based in New York unless otherwise stated. Special counsel Daniel Daneshrad and counsel David Selden left the firm for Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP and PwC, respectively; while special counsels Marc Palumbo and Rachel Perez arrived from Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP and BlackRock, respectively.

Land use/zoning Tier 1

A leading name among land use practices in New York City, the team at Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP is headed by development expert Melanie Meyers and overseen by the firm’s chairman of real estate, Jonathan Mechanic. The group sees developments through their full life-cycles and has built a strong reputation for handling the planning of a number of iconic buildings on the New York City skyline. Current projects include major office developments, mixed-use urban regeneration and hospitals, with a recent matter being Meyers’ advice to Northwell Health on the zoning and land use for its proposed multibillion-dollar redevelopment of the entire Lenox Hill Hospital campus—a site that has played a critical role in the city’s Covid-19 response. Also recommended are David Karnovsky, who is involved in acquisition, joint venture development, and land use matters for large mixed-use buildings in the city centre; and Carol Rosenthal, another of the group’s go-to names for matters with complex land use components. At the non-partner level, of counsel Stephen Lefkowitz has over 50 years of experience in land use and development in New York; special counsel Wesley O’Brien is heavily involved in land use and environmental review; and associate Nicholas Williams is a frequent advisor on rezonings and special permit matters.

Private equity funds (including venture capital) Tier 1

Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP handles a wide range of work for both private equity firms and financial institutions, with a client list that includes BlackRock and Bain Capital on the sponsor side, and Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley on the institutional front. A key area of recent work for the firm is in the field of opportunistic funds, particularly following the disruption to the economy caused by Covid-19, with Goldman Sachs recently engaging the firm in relation to its West Street Strategic Solutions I, a global opportunistic fund targeting $14bn in commitments. Secondaries work is another key area of the firm's offering, where recent high-value work included the formation of StepStone Secondary Opportunities Fund IV, which closed at $2.1bn and is StepStone’s flagship secondaries fund. Kenneth Rosh leads the funds group, and is highly active in fund formation and secondaries work. Other key figures within the team include Lawrence Barshay, who is recommended for hybrid fund work and matters which deal with less traditional fund structures. Contacts in Washington DC include Rebecca Zelenka, who frequently handles complex fund formation matters and recently advised HPS in connection with its $11bn mezzanine fund; and Richard Ansbacher, who deals with a wide range of fund formation matters including Euro funds. Jeremy Berry is one to watch at the junior partner level, with a practice that covers both sponsor and investor-side issues. All lawyers are based in New York unless otherwise stated.

Real estate Tier 1

Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP has ‘an exceptional breadth and depth of knowledge in all aspects of real estate transactions’. The group leverages a pre-eminent position within New York's real estate market where it is ‘frequently involved in the City’s most significant transactions’, namely the leasing, acquisition, financing and disposition of high-value hotel, retail and office assets, as well as large portfolios. Its lawyers also thrive in respect of development projects across all asset classes, including residential and mixed-use, with true strength in schemes demanding public-private, land use and environmental considerations. Department chair Jonathan Mechanic is ‘well connected with most, if not all, the major players in New York’ having previously served as managing director of HRO international, a real estate developer with a sizeable footprint in Manhattan’s office market. Elsewhere, the ‘technically skilled’ Valerie Kelly is a star name at the Washington DC office where she is recommended for her work on large commercial leasing, acting on behalf of both landlords and tenants. At the more junior end, associate Alexander Sutherland is carving out a solid reputation for complex development projects.

Structured finance: derivatives and structured products Tier 1

The derivatives group at Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP is a market leader for advice on transactional and regulatory derivatives and futures issues, with highlights covering the spectrum of asset classes for buy- and sell-side clients. The group is noted for its work on over-the-counter, exchange-traded and cleared products, with additional expertise in repurchase agreements and matters pertaining to equity and foreign exchange prime brokerage agreements. In the New York office, Robert McLaughlin leads the practice group and acts for an impressive variety of financial institutions, while David Mitchell focuses on structured products, derivatives and funds and investment platforms. Also recommended is William Breslin in Washington DC, who is rated for his knowledge of regulatory issues in the commodities space.

US taxes: non-contentious Tier 1

Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP’s tax department enjoys a stellar market reputation, boasting an impressive full-service offering and a track record in high-value transactions and complex fund formations. The tax practice is jointly led by New York-based David Shapiro, a private equity and financing expert, and key corporate transactional tax attorney Alan Kaden, who works from the Washington DC office. The team regularly advises major banks, asset managers, media conglomerates, logistics operators and consumer goods manufacturers on the tax aspects of various corporate and commercial matters. Recent highlights have included high-profile debt transactions, private equity acquisitions, joint ventures and real estate fund structuring mandates. Washington DC-based Michael Alter works extensively on federal income taxation matters, especially the structuring and negotiation of taxable and tax-free acquisitions and dispositions, reorganizations and spin-offs. Also in DC, Michelle Gold is recommended for her expertise in fund formation and Shane Hoffmann is a standout associate. In New York, Robert Cassanos is noted for his broad transactional and private equity experience; Joseph Fox is experienced in the taxation of derivatives and financial products; and Christopher Roman handles the tax aspects of alternative investment funds and fund-related M&A.

Capital markets: equity offerings Tier 2

Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP has an outstanding record in equity offerings. While it continues to land an impressive share of headline IPO engagements, the team also impresses in complex rights offerings, follow-on offerings and other esoteric deals. In a recent example of it's headline work, the acted for T-Mobile in synthetic secondary transactions enabling SoftBank to monetize a portion of its $21bn stockholding in the company; this was the largest non-governmental secondary transaction of all time. The firm has strong links to corporate issuers, private equity sponsors and underwriters. Daniel Bursky is a well-known figure in big-ticket equity and debt offerings, while Andrew Barkan and Mark Hayek have emerged as top talents in the market.

Employee benefits, executive compensation and retirement plans: transactional Tier 2

Based in New York, Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP’s executive compensation team has been increasingly active in work relating to the healthcare sector. Recent highlights included practice head Jeffrey Ross advising CVS Health on the sale of Coventry Workers’ Comp Services to Mitchell | Genex; the group has also been kept busy handling mandates from financial services, technology and private equity spheres. Another key figure in the transactions-focused team is Donald Carleen, who advises on the structuring of severance, executive employment, and equity-based arrangements relating to M&A transactions. Jason Ertel is a key name for advising asset managers on ERISA compliance and fiduciary matters, as well as 409A deferred compensation issues.

M&A litigation: defense Tier 2

The litigators at Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP are recognized by clients, in part, for their 'close collaboration with their corporate colleagues to really get the big picture'. The firm's thriving transactional practice has seen a rise in disputed merger transactions and takeover contests. Global chair of litigation James Wareham in Washington DC, and New York-based partners Scott Luftglass and Peter Simmons lead the practice. Luftglass and Simmons 'provide wise counsel on complex matters and are engaged and available at all times'. Luftglass is active in the Delaware courts and added to his string of successes with numerous victories for Sinclair Broadcast Group, including the defeat of a class action following the termination of its $4bn merger with Tribune Media Company. Simmons is leading the defense of Quality Distribution in a breach of fiduciary duty action filed in Florida state court relating to the 2015 deal to sell the company to a private equity firm.

Real estate finance Tier 2

A ‘practice at the bleeding edge of complex real estate transactions’, Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP acts for ‘well-heeled borrowers and the largest institutional lenders’ in mortgage, preferred equity, construction and mezzanine financings, portfolio loans, workouts, CMBS and restructurings. Michael Barker (‘a super experienced, terrific lawyer’) serves as practice chair, a position he has held since the team's establishment in 2010. Barker is supported by the ‘extremely sharp’ Michael Vines, who focuses on commercial loan origination on behalf of syndicate, balance sheet and capital market lenders. Suzanne deVries Decker is another ‘standout’ name with extensive experience in mortgage, mezzanine and preferred equity financings relating to office, hotel, and multi-family assets. Below the partner level, associate Matthew Bettinger is carving out a strong reputation for handling multi-tiered intercreditor agreements. Named lawyers are based in the New York office.

Securities litigation: defense Tier 2

Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP is recognized for its 'outstanding service and advocacy, high levels of engagement, and strong business acumen and problem-solving skills'. The service group has broad expertise, acting for corporate issuers, financial institutions, special committees and officers and directors in cases filed in state and federal courts throughout the US. Scott Luftglass and Peter Simmons are co-chairs of the securities and shareholder litigation practice, which is overseen by 'smart, hardworking' global chair of litigation James Wareham in Washington DC. Wareham is currently representing sports apparel company Under Armour in a consolidated securities class action alleging that the company concealed a host of sales problems caused by supposedly declining consumer demand. Robin Henry and Motty Shulman in New York, who are recent partner hires from Boies Schiller Flexner LLP, combine general commercial and securities litigation skills; the duo also have expertise in disputes involving complex financial instruments.

Capital markets: debt offerings Tier 3

Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP has a hugely impressive track record in DCM, and enjoys an especially strong standing in investment grade debt for both issuers and underwriters. Healthcare and telecoms are key sectors for the group. In a banner 2020, the firm advised on a series of headline and high-value deals, including representing the underwriters in Procter & Gamble’s $7.44bn offerings of investment grade notes; this was one of the first high-value investment grade deals to close after the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. It also advised Merck on its $4.5bn registered public offering of US dollar-denominated senior notes. Daniel Bursky heads up the capital markets group and takes the lead on many of the firm's top engagements. Andrew Barkan and Mark Hayek are also key figures in the team.

Capital markets: high-yield debt offerings Tier 3

Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP had a strong 2020 in the high-yield debt space, advising on a string of headline deals on both the issuer and underwriter sides. The firm represents some of the biggest private equity sponsors in the market, along with their portfolio companies, and also has tight connections to a range of corporate issuers and key investment banks. The core capital markets team has excellent pedigree in big-ticket equity and debt transactions, including a series of high-yield debt offerings in excess of $500m; it recently advised Citigroup Global Markets, as the representative of the initial purchasers, on a $1bn senior notes offering by Allison Transmission. Daniel Bursky leads the capital markets group and is the go-to name for a range of regular corporate issuers and private equity sponsors; he leads many of the team's headline engagements. Andrew Barkan and Mark Hayek are also key members of the team, and Joshua Coleman is developing a strong reputation.

Government contracts Tier 3

Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP is active in all phases of the procurement process, advising on a range of litigation and counseling matters. The team is particularly skilled at handling transactions involving government contracts due diligence, where it acts on behalf of companies and private equity firms engaged in transactions involving defense, aerospace, intelligence, and government services contractor entities. Contacts in the Washington DC office include practice head James McCullough, who has significant experience in bid protests and contract formation issues, and special counsel Michael Anstett, an expert practitioner in FCA qui tam litigation and fraud investigations.

M&A: large deals ($1bn+) Tier 3

Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP stands out for its client-focused approach, working with a number of key relationship clients on a steady flow of high-value deals, with notable expertise in the healthcare, technology, and life sciences spaces, among others. The practice is complemented by the firm's strong private equity and capital markets teams, allowing it to handle all aspects of complex transactions. The team is led by the vastly experienced Robert Schwenkel, a go-to deal adviser for the likes of Goldman Sachs and a highly respected figure within the M&A sector. He is supported by Steven Epstein, who has a diverse practice, handling transactions and corporate issues for private and public companies, investment banking firms, and financial sponsors; and Philip Richter, who primarily advises public companies, and also works with financial advisers on issues such as fairness options. Matthew Soran is noted for his capabilities in investment-related matters, including carve-outs, joint ventures, and recapitalizations, as well as corporate governance issues. All named lawyers are in New York.

Merger control Tier 3

Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP boosted its Washington DC antitrust team with the eye-catching hire of Barry Nigro, who had previously served as Principal Assistant Attorney General at the DOJ’s Antitrust Division. Nigro arrives with extensive experience of high-profile and complex merger clearances. Elsewhere, the team advises on an array of public company and private equity-backed merger clearances, handling Hart-Scott-Rodino filings, agency investigations, and merger-related litigation. New York’s Nathaniel Asker is another key figure in the team, regularly representing clients before the DOJ and FTC. He also has expertise in deals in the technology, defense, aerospace, and consumer products sectors. The practice group also regularly handles cross-border filings and clearance proceedings, working in close collaboration with its London office. New York-based special counsel Aleksandr Livshits is also noted for his capabilities in multi-jurisdictional clearance proceedings.

Private equity buyouts Tier 3

Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP remains highly active in bulge-bracket private equity transactions, advising major repeat clients such as Permira, Fortress Investment Group, and Goldman Sachs on a variety of buyouts, exits, and investments. The team has seen an increase in tech-related transactions, and has maintained its market-leading seed-and-stake practice. Leaders of the team include Robert Schwenkel, an influential private equity name and regular adviser to RedBird and Permira; Christopher Ewan, who advised Aleris on its standout $2.8bn sale to Novelis; and Steven Steinman, who is a key relationship partner for AEA Investors, and also advises a bevy of major buyout funds and management teams of target companies. Mark Lucas is noted for his strong relationships with Goldman Sachs, Blackstone, and RedBird; and Randi Lally is recommended for advising funds on buyouts, exits, and minority investments, as well as working with investment management clients on GP stake transactions. In Washington DC, Brian Mangino has closed a number of notable tech transactions during 2020 in areas including machine vision, analytics, and AI; and Andrea Gede-Lange handled a variety of complex transactions for key clients such as Permira and New Mountain Capital. Named lawyers are based in New York unless stated otherwise.

Real estate investment trusts (REITs) Tier 3

Rated by clients for its 'practical and economical advice', the team at Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP has exceptional experience representing issuers and underwriters in REIT IPOs and public and private securities offerings. The firm has additional expertise in federal income tax matters and strategic corporate governance, and handles the full range of transactional matters, spanning M&A, joint ventures and spin-offs. Contacts in the team include practice head Stuart Barr, who focuses on M&A and capital markets transactions, and Cameron Cosby, a name to note for tax matters and real estate and partnership transactions. Both named lawyers are based in Washington DC.

Capital markets: global offerings Tier 4

Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP gains a steady pipeline of international offering mandates from its solid base in New York. The US team remains actively involved in deals originating from Europe and Latin America, including Brazil. Headed by Daniel Bursky, the global capital markets group has core strengths in the healthcare, telecoms, shipping and insurance sectors.

Restructuring (including bankruptcy): corporate Tier 5

Brad Eric Scheler is the key name in Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP's New York office, leading teams from both the US and London, which advise clients on the investment in and the financial restructuring and rehabilitation of, distressed businesses, both out-of-court and in connection with formal restructuring and insolvency proceedings. The firm has experience representing both debtors and creditors in any troubled-company situation.

Commercial lending

Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP has one of the most active practices in the debt finance market, and has an excellent reputation among peers for advising private equity sponsors, investment banks, private companies and funds on transactions of numerous types. The group has a particular strength in direct lending, having acted as counsel to market-leading clients such as BlackRock and KKR. The team has a number of standout practitioners, including William Reindel, who specializes in fund financings. Daniel Bursky is another key name; in addition to leading the capital markets practice, Bursky works with investment banks, private equity firms and corporate borrowers on matters ranging from mezzanine financing and high-yield debt. Christian Nahr leads the leveraged finance group, which also includes Brian Murphy, Emil Buchman and Adam Summers.

Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense

Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP advises both corporations and individuals on high-profile investigations and prosecutions, bringing together the expertise of seasoned trial lawyers and experienced former federal prosecutors. The firm counts Fortune 500 companies and large international banks among its clients, regularly advising on issues arising from investigations brought by regulators and enforcement agencies around the globe. In December 2020, the firm welcomed the high-profile arrival of Geoffrey Berman, the former US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, who now heads up the practice group. Also recommended are James Wareham and Washington DC’s Stephen Juris, both noted for their record in white-collar crime matters. Also in 2020, Robin Henry and Motty Shulman joined the team from Boies Schiller Flexner LLP, though Lawrence Gerschwer left for Barnes & Thornburg LLP, and Una Dean left for an in-house role at IBM. All named partners are based in New York unless otherwise stated.