Robert Hayward > Kirkland & Ellis LLP > Chicago, United States > Lawyer Profile

Kirkland & Ellis LLP is at the forefront of US IPOs for issuers. Its deal pipeline is fuelled by its client base of private equity houses and their portfolio companies, along with a multitude of other major corporates. Chicago partner Robert Hayward is a leader in equity offerings, particularly those involving issuers based in the Midwest. Christian Nagler is at the forefront of SPAC-related offerings, notably advising Ares Acquisition Corp II on its $500m upsized IPO in 2023. Joshua Korff and Sophia Hudson are also highly-rated partners that cover both debt and equity offerings. Named individuals are based in New York unless stated otherwise.

Kirkland & Ellis LLP is best known for representing sponsor-backed companies in high-yield debt offerings, though it has a much broader practice for public companies and underwriters. The capital markets team is also noted for liability management and restructuring exercises, including Chapter 11 processes; this was an active area of practice for the team in 2023. New York partners Joshua Korff, Sophia Hudson and Christian Nagler are prominent names in debt offerings, along with Chicago partner Robert Hayward. Rachel Sheridan has joined the Washington DC office from Latham & Watkins LLP.