Firm Profile > Paul Hastings LLP > San Francisco, United States
Paul Hastings LLP Offices
55 SECOND STREET, 24TH FLOOR
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94105
United States
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Paul Hastings LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings
M&A/corporate and commercial > M&A: middle-market ($500m-999m) Tier 1
Paul Hastings LLP is adept at handling large cross-border M&A, venture capital transactions and private equity-related investments, with a particular focus on the media, entertainment, technology and life sciences sectors. The team has also been carving out a niche in the cannabis industry, where it has handled high-value transactions for clients such as Tilray and Canopy Growth Corporation. Carl Sanchez in San Diego and Thaddeus Malik in Chicago jointly head the global M&A practice. Also in Chicago, Amit Mehta co-heads the global corporate practice alongside Atlanta-based Elizabeth Noe, who advises on securities and corporate governance matters, in addition to M&A.Practice head(s):
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Testimonials
‘They have a close relationship with the client’
‘Great strategic thinking from the partners’
‘Creative and hard-working’
‘When working with Paul Hastings I feel like the team cares about my issues as much as I do’
‘The team is fully engaged and looks for solutions rather than road blocks in negotiations’
‘Given the added complexities of the cannabis space, the M&A team at Paul Hastings and in particular Samuel Waxman, are pragmatic and thoughtful as to how best to navigate’
‘Samuel Waxman always seeks pragmatic solutions to get us to the outcome we desire’
‘Deep understanding of the client’s objectives and needs’
‘Highly responsive and available’
‘Strong relationships with counterparty firms in the market’
Key clients
Intel Corporation
The Boeing Company
Eli Lilly & Co.
Merck & Co.
General Electric Company
Goldman Sachs
Viacom
The Greenbrier Companies
Canopy Growth Corporation
Volcom
Javelin Global Commodities (UK)
Tilray
Qatalyst Partners
Francisco Partners
Spectrum Pharmaceuticals
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions
Teleperformance
Cortec Group
Atos
Lexington Realty Trust
Media, technology and telecoms > Fintech Tier 1
Particularly strong in the areas of the payments, blockchain and cryptocurrency, Paul Hastings LLP's fintech group acts for some of the markets leading players, such as Samsung, Gemini, Coinbase and Circle. The group combines a strong nationwide multi-disciplinary team with the ability to work with the firm's international network in cross-border matters. Atlanta-based practice head Chris Daniel has a strong reputation in the payments space and represents a diverse group of clients, including non-bank and bank financial institutions and other companies active in banking and payment systems. Key contacts in the Washington DC office include of counsel Lawrence Kaplan, and privacy and cybersecurity-expert Behnam Dayanim, who has particular expertise in the gaming sector. Other names to note include San Francisco-based competition and antitrust partner Thomas Brown and of counsels Erica Brennan and Sara Weed, both of whom are based in Atlanta and advise on a range of regulatory and corporate matters.
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Key clients
MoneyGram
Paysafe Group
Airbnb
Warburg Pincus
Ebury
Gemini
Coinbase
Wells Fargo
GTCR
Silicon Valley Bank
Goldman Sachs
Stone Point Capital
Lightyear Capital
Circle
Uber
Paya
NewSpring
Skrill USA
Community Federal Savings Bank
Cross River Bank
Uphold
Forte
OST.com
Volkswagen Credit
Fiverr International
Finxera
Maker DAO
Liquid Financial
Invoice Cloud
Join Honey
Ixaris
Real estate > Real estate Tier 1
‘One of the preeminent practices’ in the real estate space, Paul Hastings LLP is a go-to name for development mandate, real estate finance and other transactional matters, with complementary expertise in areas such as environmental law, licensing and zoning and land use. In New York, ‘all-star partner’ Eric Landau jointly oversees the practice with Peter Olsen and John Cahill. The group stands out in particular for its specialized strength in leisure and hospitality work, and its strong focus on cross-border deals, which have recently involved assets in France, Japan and Australia, among other jurisdictions. The practice group is also known for its top-notch developer clients. In a standout example of its activity in the development space the team represented Five Point Holdings in its role as master developer of Candlestick Point and Phase 2 of the Hunters Point Shipyard project in San Francisco. In California, Philip Feder is a standout name for finance, loan workouts, transactions and restructurings.
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Testimonials
‘They are solution oriented rather than providing descriptions of the issues only. They are practical And help evaluate risk of imperfect situations.’
‘Passionate and practical. They don’t try to win points to make themselves feel better. They know what issues are important and have a plan to get those issues resolved in the most favorable outcome.’
‘Paul Hastings not only has great real estate attorneys but they have a lot of them. They have a very deep bench and they can handle many complicated deals simultaneously. Most other firms that we use we would only give them one large deal at a time, for fear that we would be overloading them.’
‘Alan Weakland is fantastic lawyer, sees the big picture, fair, deal maker and practical.’
‘Phil Feder is a senior lawyer, great on complicated deals. Derek Roth is great on hotels, joint ventures, very responsive.’
‘Lauren Giovannone is the best lawyer in the country for hotel management agreements. Rick Kirkbride is the best connected hotel attorney in the world.’
‘David Viklund, simply put, has sacrificed more and worked harder and smarter for his clients than any lawyer I have worked with during the past 14 years (which includes closing 535 transactions totaling north or $62 billion.’
‘This firm has the capabilities to cover all aspects of real estate and data center real estate, including leasing, buying, and dispositions. They have a team of very talented individuals that know how to get deals done and do, in a very efficient manner. They are heads and shoulders above other firms in the terms of their competency and methodology— minimal egos, just true support the client with the best possible outcome as quickly as possible.’
‘We work primarily with tow individuals: Steve Berkman and Mitch Menzer. Steve oversee the real estate practice; Mitch focuses on more land use issues. Steve is one of the best real estate attorneys in the world. He certainly understands the law, but more importantly, he understands how to get deals done with totally successful outcomes for the client. Mitch Menzer has many of the same qualities. He is thorough and has a way to bring diverse opinions together, quickly.’
‘I view this practice as one of the preeminent in New York City. They work with many of the top developers (as well as having a lending practice) and deal with all types of transactions from purchases and sales, to financings, ground leases, complex multi-step transactions, etc. The partners are excellent and appropriately involved on our matters.’
‘Eric Landau and Bruce DePaola are all-star partners with deep experience in a myriad of real estate transactions. They are a go-to group for us on large and complicated matters.’
Key clients
54 Madison Partners
Citibank
Fosun
IBM
KKR
Millennium Partners
Morgan Stanley
Nordstrom
Oaktree Capital Management
Qatar Investment Authority
Salesforce.com
Sino-Ocean Holding
The Lightstone Group
TIAA-CREFF
Witkoff Group
Dispute resolution > Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense
Lawyers at Paul Hastings LLP are well equipped to handle government investigations, litigation and corporate compliance, taking on instructions from a variety of multinationals and individual clients. Matters involving financial crime are particular areas of expertise for the group, which is knowledgeable in anti-corruption and FCPA, alongside sanctions investigations and enforcement, cybercrime, life sciences criminal regulatory issues and consumer protection. Kenneth Breen chairs the team from New York and has extensive trial experience. Also in New York, Gary Giampetruzzi is noted for his compliance and investigations work. For individual representations, Washington DC's 'incredibly valuable lawyer' Robert Luskin is 'second-to-none in court' and has experience before the DOJ, OFAC, and state, federal, and foreign regulators; and Kwame Manley has developed an active financial crime- and sanctions-related practice. Matthew Herrington, who joined the Washington DC office from Steptoe & Johnson LLP in April 2019, is noted for his 'thoughtful, highly intelligent, practical, and sound counsel'.
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Testimonials
‘Strong understanding of FCPA and anti-corruption law. Strong background dealing with both DOJ and SEC. Practical and sensible legal advice targeted at business realities and appropriate management of compliance risk.‘
‘Matthew Herrington provides thoughtful, highly intelligent, practical, and sound counsel in considering difficult issues. His advice is always carefully tailored to the specific problem and is prompt and efficient, and appropriately delegated to more junior staff where it makes sense to do so.‘
‘Robert Luskin is an incredibly valuable lawyer, who has second-to-none experience in court and also a very good understanding of the enforcement agencies’ expectations. He is an amazing trusted advisor.‘
‘The firm gathers high-level experts in their fields of practice. Their deep knowledge of global laws and practice is outstanding.‘
‘I have noticed their deep knowledge of regulations and requirements and their best efforts to keep their clients’ interests in mind while complying with the different authorities’ requirements.‘
Key clients
SAP
TechnipFMC
Matthew Connolly, the former supervisor of the Money Market Desk at Deutsche Bank
David Gibson, the former CFO of Wilmington Trust Company
David Pecker, CEO of American Media, Inc.
Sally Donnelly, former Senior Advisor to Secretary of Defense James Mattis, and her company, Pallas Advisors
Earnin
Altisource
Finance > Structured finance: securitization Tier 2
Paul Hastings LLP has a particularly strong CLO practice, which handles a range of work for collateral managers and investment banks, as well as issuer clients. Key figures in the team include Eugene Ferrer and DC-based practice head Scott Faga, both of whom have extensive experience advising arrangers and issuers on structured credit and CLO deals. Another contact in Washington DC is Rich Davis, who has been active in matters involving the securitization of microfinance and fintech-originated debt. Nicole Skalla is also recommended in the CLO and structured credit space.
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Key clients
Morgan Stanley
Bank of America Merrill Lynch
JP Morgan
Credit Suisse
BNP Paribas
Wells Fargo
MUFG
Neuberger Berman
ArrowMark
Pinebridge Investments
Symphony Asset Management
Natixis Securities
GreensLedge Capital Markets
TCW Asset Management Company
Citigroup
responsAbility Investments
Natixis
Tala
Intellectual property > Patents: litigation (full coverage) Tier 2
Paul Hastings LLP is particularly well versed in extensive patent disputes, often featuring cross-border issues. Life sciences and pharmaceutical litigation is at the heart of the practice, including biotech disputes, but the group also counts many major technology, telecommunications and financial services companies among its clients. With the practice's additional strength in post-grant proceedings before the PTAB, including inter partes reviews, post-grant reviews and covered business method reviews, and the group's growing ITC practice, the firm is well equipped to assist with high-stakes matters. In the US, the key offices are in Palo Alto, where Yar Chaikovsky is based; New York with Bruce Wexler; Washington DC, where Naveen Modi is based; Chicago, the home turf of Robert Unikel; San Diego and San Francisco. Chaikovsky, Wexler, Modi, and Eric Dittmann share the lead of the practice. Thanks to the firm's international footprint, the group can form cross-border teams, for example with colleagues from the Tokyo office. Palo Alto's Philip Ou made partner in February 2019.Practice head(s):
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Testimonials
‘The IP litigation team at Paul Hastings is very practical and focused on strategies that are useful to win cases. It typically will not waste time and money chasing every possible angle. Rather it is more strategic and focused.‘
‘Attention to the client, business focus, outstanding legal expertise.‘
‘Deep bench of experienced trial lawyers. The team coordinates seamlessly between offices and work well with each other. They also have excellent insight into the PTAB, providing sound advice regarding IPR and PGR proceedings.‘
‘The IP Litigation is very strong. In particular, they are extremely knowledgeable regarding life sciences litigation They have excellent judgment, knowing when and what battles to fight. They work as partners to achieve the best outcome for the client. They are judicious in building their teams, including attorneys of different levels so that the work can be done by the appropriate level and managing cost. They are more savvy regarding the nuances of life science litigation than other firms.‘
‘I would recommend this firm for high-exposure or complicated cases.‘
‘Highly recommended when it comes to Hatch-Waxman cases. They know the trends, judges, attorneys’ of the counterparts. Excellent at building litigation strategy. They formed an impressive team by combining experienced lead counsel, supporting mid-/junior- associates, supervised and guided by senior of counsel.‘
‘Bruce Wexler is a consummate first chair trial attorney. He is very personable, intelligent and a seasoned veteran when it comes to trial preparation and presentation. Preston Ratliff is an up-and-coming IP trial attorney.‘
‘Joseph O’Malley and Eric Dittmann have been able to establish a long-term exceptionally strong relationship with us as the client but also as individuals within the company, always delivering high-quality advice, showing deep knowledge of all matters at stake.‘
‘The attorneys at Paul Hastings are superb. Across the board, from partner to associate, they are excellent strategic thinkers, who are easy to work with and masters at complex pharmaceutical litigation. Naveen Modi is at the very top when it comes to PTAB proceedings. His insight and strategic advice is excellent. Joseph O’Malley is a brilliant legal mind who digs into the science to provide top notch representation. Bruce Wexler has extensive experience with pharmaceutical matters, is a superb writer and really has the complete arsenal of skills.‘
‘Philip Ou is particularly exceptional.‘
‘Melanie Rupert is great to work with. She is very creative in her thinking and insightful. She has an excellent manner and way with working with experts and with her team of attorneys, both senior and junior members of the team. Bruce Wexler is one of the most knowledgeable attorneys in the life sciences area and is very thoughtful in devising a case strategy. He thinks things through and explains his strategy well so that options can be readily evaluated. Young Park is great to work with and very knowledgeable. Eric Dittman is very knowledgeable and great to work with. He is very thoughtful and works tirelessly for his clients. He understands the relevant case law and is great at thinking through and explaining strategy.‘
‘Yar Chaikovsky is their 1st chair partner who is one of the best on patent litigation strategy. He treats in-house counsel with respect but is not afraid to provide strong opinions on strategy and tactics.’
‘Working with Preston Ratliff gives me a lot of comfort, confidence, and positive motivation. Preston is always forward-looking, knows the situations and rules of the road, has insights, and listens/senses carefully what the client’s priority and client’s perception is. In addition, he is responsive.’
Intellectual property > Trade secrets (litigation and non-contentious matters) Tier 2
Paul Hastings LLP's trade secrets team is especially strong in trade secrets litigation involving both civil and criminal aspects. The team also advises on multi-jurisdictional disputes, and acts for international clients, such as Samsung, in US courts. Victoria Cundiff chairs the global trade secrets group in New York, while Jennifer Baldocchi leads the employee mobility and trade secrets practice from the Los Angeles office.Practice head(s):
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Testimonials
‘The team is professional, client-oriented and provided a good-quality service.’
‘We dealt primarily with Jeff Pade. He is an excellent team leader. Jeff has a strong focus on intellectual property disputes, but he also has experience of conducting internal investigations at pre-litigation stages. He is very good at handling complex issues. We would mention associates Anand Patel and Tad Richman. They were very responsive and both have considerable experience in IP matters. Anand gets involved in every detail of the matter, and he was very practical in the legal advice. Tad is a strategic thinker.’
Key clients
Samsung
L’Oreal
Robert Bosch
Becton Dickinson
Opus Bank
Fiber Systems International
Genoptix
Labor and employment > Labor and employment disputes (including collective actions): defense Tier 2
Paul Hastings LLP has a highly regarded practice in class actions, in which especially the California-team is highly active. The group regularly acts for multinational clients in labor disputes, in connection with wage-and-hour claims, in discrimination matters and in government agency investigations. Elena Baca in Los Angeles heads up the practice and has considerable experience defending C-Suite members against a variety of claims. Nancy Abell, based in the same office, is an expert in discrimination law. San Francisco's Jeffrey Wohl is noted for his class action expertise. Barbara Brown in Washington DC is regularly involved in disputes arising out of personnel decisions. Patrick Shea is a key contact in New York. Other prominent practitioners include Paul Cane and Zach Hutton in San Francisco, Neal Mollen, Carson Sullivan and Kenneth Willner in Washington DC, as well as New York-based Marc Bernstein, Emily Pidot and Kenneth Gage. Palo Alto's Bradford Newman advises on trade secrets and employee mobility. Donna Melby and Felicia Davis in Los Angeles are also noted. Jeffrey Webb, who specialises in wage-and-hour collective actions and class actions, joined from Ropes & Gray LLP.Practice head(s):
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Testimonials
‘Paul Hastings has specialists in complex areas who can be selected to work as needed alongside the labor and employment defense attorneys who are familiar with the client’s business. This strategy is cost effective and very efficient as the Paul Hastings culture encourages attorneys to work well together as colleagues across the entire firm.’
‘Exceptional litigators – strategic and very aggressive.‘
‘Nancy Abell is a top flight class action litigator.’
‘Marc Bernstein is one of the most talented attorneys in his field. To say that he’s smart and knowledgeable doesn’t begin to convey how good he is, both for client advice and dispute resolution. He stays current on cutting edge issues. He’s creative, and his negotiating skills are second to none.’
‘Cameron Fox is a great litigator.‘
Key clients
Alphabet/Google, Inc.
General Electric
IBM
Goldman, Sachs & Co.
Barclays Capital
The Walt Disney Company
Viacom/Paramount
SalesForce
Toyota (North America)
Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.
Qualcomm Incorporated
American International Group (AIG)
AT&T (BellSouth Telecommunications)
Labor and employment > Workplace and employment counseling Tier 2
Paul Hastings LLP has a strong footprint in the labor and employment area in its Los Angeles, Washington DC and New York offices. While a strong focus of the practice is on contentious work, the team also counsels multi-national clients on a wide range of employment and workplace matters, such as internal investigations, terminations and compliance systems. Los Angeles' Elena Baca leads the practice, which also includes Nancy Abell and government investigations expert Leslie Abbott. In the New York office, Patrick Shea is a go-to specialist for employment discrimination and wrongful discharge, while Kenneth Gage is well versed in reviewing employment processes and pay equity studies. Carson Sullivan in Washington DC is noted for her expertise in the trade secrets and restrictive covenant field. Bradford Newman is the key contact in Palo Alto for employee mobility matters.
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Testimonials
‘They are exceptional expert advisors in all areas of employment law. ‘
Media, technology and telecoms > Telecoms and broadcast: regulatory Tier 2
Led by Sherrese Smith, a former chief counsel to the FCC Chairman, Paul Hastings LLP is noted for representing broadcasters and content-focused tech companies regarding emerging technologies. Other key areas of strength include spectrum auction, channel-sharing and national security issues. Associate Andrew Erber, who assists Smith on the most significant matters in this space, is experienced in the regulatory aspects of broadcast transactions. Cyber security expert Behnam Dayanim is another name to note. Smith and Dayanim continue to assist Cox Media with regulatory advice in developing new content and advertising channels as it expands into new content delivery areas. Former department head Eric Greenberg departed the firm for Perkins Coie LLP.
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Key clients
TEGNA
National Association of Broadcasters
Twenty-First Century Fox
ION Media
Univision Communications
Bank of America
Lebara Group
Cox Media
AT&T (BellSouth Telecommunications)
Novacap Technologies III, L.P
Real estate > Land use/zoning Tier 2
With solid bases in Northern and Southern California, Paul Hastings LLP's land use practice at operates as an integrated part of the firm's real estate group, providing legal assistance to private and public clients throughout every stage of large land and real estate projects, from early-stage planning to financing to litigation. Based in Los Angeles, practice co-head Jeffrey Haber is an expert in entitlement law, and has a strong track record in obtaining government approvals for heavily contended development projects. Joint practice head Mitchell Menzer is also based in the Los Angeles office. Also recommended is Gordon Hart in San Francisco, a name to note for complex permitting and issues pertaining to the California Environmental Quality Act.
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Testimonials
‘The team is very proactive and responsive to our requests.’
‘Outstanding local experience, knowledge of city, state and federal rules and regulation – blended with local politics.’
‘We relied on Jeff Haber and Michael Nytzen on strategies on many levels – from researching on history of development on the properties to confirm parking requirements, to resolving issues related to entitlement, community outreach and presentation to City on our behalf.’
‘Individuals are very experienced, approachable, down to earth with a lot of common sense.’
Key clients
Cedars Sinai Medical Center
A Community of Friends
Marina Del Rey Hospital
Plenitude Holdings
Los Angeles Philharmonic Association
Mack Urban Development
Related Santa Clara
Shen Zhen New World I
Associate Capital
Five Point Holdings
Tax > US taxes: non-contentious Tier 2
With on-the-ground tax specialists on both coasts and in the energy capital of the US, Paul Hastings LLP is well placed to provide nationwide tax advice on corporate restructurings, real estate funds and cross-border and domestic M&A. The department is headed by New York-based Joseph Opich, who is recognized for his expertise in the tax aspects of M&A, financial products and structured finance transactions. Similarly, in Orange County Douglas Schaaf advises on a wide range of complex business transactions, and on the taxation of financial products. Greg Nelson in Houston specializes in taxation in the energy sector and tax issues relating to energy partnerships. The tax group also plays a key role in the firm's private equity practice.
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Key clients
Samsung Electronics
Wells Fargo
Bank of America
Uber
Morgan Stanley
Ford Motor Company
Citigroup
JP Morgan Chase & Co.
Mitsubishi Corporation
Herbalife
Targa Resources Corp.
National Investment Corporation of the National Bank of Kazakhstan
Live Nation Entertainment
Government of Jamaica Ministry of Finance & Planning
Haim Saban (Power Rangers)
Royal Bank of Canada
Antitrust > Merger control Tier 3
Paul Hastings LLP guides clients through HSR filings and multi-jurisdictional reviews, with the option to defend merger-related investigation processes and handle second requests. The department regularly covers an array of sectors such as healthcare, telecoms, financial services and transportation. A key figure in the firm's Washington DC office is counsel Michael Wise regularly leads antitrust transaction advice within the US. Associate Noah Pinegar adds to the team in Washington DC with specific know-how of medical devices and pharmaceuticals industries. Tom Brown heads up the practice group. Scott Hataway left the firm in July 2020.Practice head(s):
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Testimonials
‘Good sense of how the process is going to play out in practice, manage client expectations well.’
‘Thorough understanding of med tech space from an antitrust perspective.’
‘Mike Wise and Noah Pinegar were very responsive and were able to fully grasp the issues and how to resolve them.’
‘Strong legal know-how and capacity in crucial sectors. Well experienced partners and trial experience from the DOJ.’
Key clients
Samsung Electronics
Francisco Partners
CDH Investment Partners and a strategic partner
Canopy Growth
Symphony Technology Group
Netsmart
GI Partners
Teleperformance Group
LG Chem
Mitsubishi Corp.
Madison Industries
Barclays
Boehringer Ingelheim
Maersk Line
Dispute resolution > General commercial disputes Tier 3
Continuing to attract high-stakes work for major pharmaceutical and financial services companies, the litigation department at Paul Hastings LLP is regularly seen in courts up to appellate level. In one example, global department chair Barry Sher and Anthony Antonelli defended Barclays in the Southern District of New York against claims it fixed prices on the SSA bond market. A key lawyer is Kurt Hansson, who remains heavily involved in long-running litigation for Plaza Construction against more than 10,000 personal injuries arising from the clean-up effort at the World Trade Center post-9/11. Manufacturing clients are also a source of complex and mission-critical work; a team including Hansson, Sheila Sundvall and James Worthington is representing General Electric in litigation arising from the emergency landing of Southwest Airlines flight 1380 in April 2018 following the failure of a fan blade in the engine. High-profile departures included noted securities expert Douglas Flaum, who left for Goodwin in March 2019, and Shahzeb Lari, who departed for Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP in May 2019.
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Testimonials
‘Aside from his quality litigation skills, John Phillips has vast knowledge of the domestic commercial nuclear industry and the science crucial to defending these types of cases.‘
Key clients
GlaxoSmithKline
General Electric
FIM Advisors
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions
Goldman Sachs
Barclays
Royal Bank of Canada
Lehman Brothers Holdings
GE Asset Management
Plaza Construction
Enbridge Energy Partner
Lippo China
862 Second Avenue
Philadelphia Hospitality Partners
Amgen
Dispute resolution > Securities litigation: defense Tier 3
Paul Hastings LLP has a strong securities litigation offering on both the West and East Coasts, as well as having experienced practitioners in key cities such as Washington DC, Chicago and Houston. From these key centres, the firm handles the full range of securities litigation for financial institutions, investors and corporate clients. Its recent work includes traditional 10b5 securities class actions and Section 11 IPO-related cases. Among its blue-chip clients are Goldman Sachs, Barclays, Royal Bank of Canada, Pfizer and Samsung. Peter Stone Palo Alto leads the practice, in which the key practitioners include New York-based global chair of litigation Barry Sher, Wiliam Sullivan in Los Angeles, Palo Alto-based Edward Han and Christopher McGrath in Orange County.
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Finance > Capital markets: equity offerings
The ‘decisive and action-oriented’ group at Paul Hastings LLP represents a diverse mix of corporate issuers, private equity funds, selling shareholders and underwriters in US and cross-border offerings. Best known for its prominent record in Latin America-related deals, the group had a particularly impressive showing in the region’s REIT space of late. Practice co-chair Michael Zuppone is ‘creative and solution-oriented’ and is well versed in both transactional and regulatory securities matters. Yariv Katz advises both issuers and underwriters on equity offerings and is highlighted for his background as a general counsel, which ensures he ‘understands needs from an in-house perspective’. Michael Fitzgerald heads the Latin America practice group and is recommended for his track record in cross-border transactions. The firm sent out a strong statement of intent during 2019, with the hire of several high-profile names into its capital markets group. Among the key arrivals, new group co-head Frank Lopez arrived from Proskauer Rose LLP, Jonathan Ko joined in Los Angeles from Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, while New York and Sao Paulo-based David Flechner joined from Shearman & Sterling LLP. Named partners are based in New York, unless otherwise stated.Practice head(s):
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Testimonials
‘Paul Hasting’s team has a proven track record of being the best in the industry, while also helping clients to capitalize on new opportunities.’
‘Provides practical and pragmatic advice at all times.’
‘Decisive and action-oriented. Solution-oriented and creative.’
‘Michael Zuppone is practical, decisive, and brings great depth of experience. Creative and solution-oriented.’
‘Yariv Katz is incredibly responsive, quick-thinking, decisive and practical. He has spent time in-house as a GC, so he understands needs from an in-house perspective as well as a service provider. He is the person I call in a crisis.’
‘Partners Michael Fitzgerald and Arturo Carrillo clearly know the industry better than the rest. From the beginning of any deal, and through it, their counsel and expertise simplifies things.’
Key clients
Barclays
BofA Merrill Lynch
Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
Credit Suisse
Deutsche Bank Securities
Goldman, Sachs & Co.
J.P. Morgan
Kayne Anderson Income Strategies Fund
Mohawk Group Holdings, Inc.,
Morgan Stanley
Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc.
Stifel
Raymond James
RBC Capital Markets
Finance > Capital markets: global offerings
Paul Hastings LLP is recognized for the strength of its Latin America offering, which has a strong profile for Mexico-related deals. The firm’s broad network of offices in Europe and Asia also translates into significant activity in those jurisdictions. Equally proficient in issuer and underwriter-side representations, the mainly New York-based team acts for a range of sovereign and corporate issuers as well as major US and international banks. Michael Fitzgerald chairs the Latin America practice and is widely acknowledged as a market leader due to his deep experience in the region. The ‘concise and clear’ Cathleen McLaughlin focuses on cross border financings in Latin America and Europe and had a strong recent showing in sovereign debt matters. Joy Gallup is another key contact for Latin American corporate finance transactions and is highlighted, together with Fitzgerald, for her ‘constant involvement and innovation in the field’. Other recommended senior names include Latin America specialist Arturo Carrillo and capital markets co-chairs Michael Zuppone and Frank Lopez. Talented Washington DC-based associate Alex Herman is noted by sources as a rising star. In 2019, the team was boosted by the arrival of Latin America specialist David Flechner, who joined from Shearman & Sterling LLP — he is based between New York and Sao Paulo.
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Testimonials
‘Paul Hastings’ team stands out because of its unique personalized approach; it always looks out for the client’s best interests while not compromising the deal.’
‘Partners Michael Fitzgerald and Joy Gallup are widely recognized as industry leaders. Their constant involvement and innovation in the field prove the added value they bring to the table.’
‘The exposure that team leader Michael Fitzgerald, Arturo Carrillo and Joy Gallup have to high-yield Latin american markets is exceptional. These guys “have seen it all” and are therefore very capable of handling any transaction thrown at them and making it look like a walk in the park.’
‘Michael Fitzgerald’s experience, together with Arturo’s work structure and Joy’s technical capabilities, combine with their great communication to make this team hard to compete with and almost impossible to replicate in the current market.’
‘I would like to specifically highlight Cathleen McLaughlin. She promotes team work, focuses on client satisfaction and is always willing to get her team to go the extra mile.’
‘Cathleen McLaughlin’s breadth of knowledge is quite wide and she was able to interact with members of staff at all levels. Her explanations were concise and clear and was always reachable. She was known for “keeping us on target” for the different phases of the transaction which allowed us to not go off track and deliver on a very tight project.’
Key clients
Alpek, S.A.B. de C.V.
Bank of America Merrill Lynch
Bradesco BBI
Braskem Idesa
BTG Pactual
BBVA
Citigroup
CPFL Energia S.A.
Credit Suisse
Credivalores – Crediservicios S.A.S.
Cyrela Commercial Properties
Goldman Sachs
Government of Jamaica
Grupo IUSA, S.A. de C.V.
HSBC
Itaú BBA
J.P. Morgan Securities
Line One Peru Metro Expansion Company Limited
Log-In Logística Intermodal S.A.
Metalsa, S.A. de C.V.
Maxcom Telecomunicaciones, S.A.B. de C.V.
Minera México, S.A. de C.V.
PagSeguro
Trinidad Petroleum Holdings Limited
Finance > Commercial lending
Paul Hastings LLP is well regarded for its strong expertise in representing banks on major leveraged buyouts, refinancings, and syndicated loans. The firm is a popular choice among private equity houses for sponsor-designated mandates, and has a reputation for commerciality. New York hosts most of the team, including Jennifer Yount who leads the global finance and restructuring group, and highly respected leveraged finance co-chairs Michael Baker and John Cobb. Other key centers for the firm include Los Angeles, where Katherine Bell is a lead partner, and Chicago, where Maureen Sweeney has a strong debt finance practice. The firm also represents direct lenders and has a strong offering on the borrower side, advising both corporates and private equity funds.
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Testimonials
‘The team has great knowledge not only of our credit agreements but the market in general and they work well with counsel for our lenders. It finds ways to accomplish our goals in a manner acceptable to lenders’ counsel even after the agent and/or counsel have pushed back on a given change. And they are easy to work with. In short, they are very sharp, incredibly nice, and very effective’
‘Very active and understand what the prevailing terms are in the market. Good experience with all counter-parties to understand key issues throughout the negotiation process based on the lender’
Key clients
JP Morgan
Bank of America
Wells Fargo Bank
Citigroup Global Markets Inc. / Citibank, N.A.
Barclays Bank
Credit Suisse
Morgan Stanley
Royal Bank of Canada
TD Securities (USA)
Société Générale
Antares
Owl Rock Capital Corporation
Goldman Sachs Lending Partners
Apollo Global Management
KKR
Guggenheim
TPG
AXA Global
White Oak Global Advisors
The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ
Finance > Project finance
Paul Hastings LLP has an experienced team of energy and infrastructure lawyers led by the highly respected Robert Kartheiser out of the firm's New York office. The team is especially experienced in major Latin American projects where it represents both sponsors and lenders. Among the partners, several key individuals standout, including New York's Cathleen McLaughlin and Elicia Ling. Other names of note include William DeGrandis in Washington DC and Peter Weiner in San Francisco, who is active on the renewables side.
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Industry focus > Energy regulation: conventional power Tier 3
Paul Hastings LLP is rated for its regulatory expertise associated with large-scale power projects and battery storage programs. The group also has extensive experience before FERC, including handling transmission rate cases and enforcement proceedings. Washington DC-based William DeGrandis heads up the energy regulatory team and has substantial experience in energy regulatory, litigation and transactional mandates. San Francisco partner Peter Weiner leads the California energy team and regularly advises on the regulatory aspects of large-scale projects. Washington DC's Michael Spafford is highly rated for enforcement matters.
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Testimonials
‘FERC knowledge and experience is the best in the industry. They are able to efficiently work through issues with their client and weigh both sides of any issue we present.’
‘Strong knowledge of energy industry and regulatory matters; federal and regional.’
‘William DeGrandis has the ability to work with a variety of team professionals on technical, commercial and regulatory matters.’
Key clients
Barclays
GlidePath
Midland Power Cooperative
Yahoo! Energy
Olympus Power
Acciona Energy North America
Clearway Energy
Industry focus > Environment: regulatory Tier 3
The California-based team at Paul Hastings LLP is often involved in matters addressing complex and emerging areas of environmental policies and regulations. The practice group has significant experience in the permitting of solar energy facilities, and has also developed a strong track record in National Environmental Policy Act (CEQA) and California Environmental Quality Act (NEPA)-related matters. Based in San Francisco, practice head Peter Weiner has core strengths in contaminated site clean-up issues and renewable energy. Other key figures include Deborah Schmall, who has experience in multi-jurisdictional enforcement proceedings; Gordon Hart, who advises on a range of permitting and transactional issues; and Jill Yung, a contact for matters involving endangered species, as well as issues relating to NEPA and CEQA. All named attorneys are based in San Francisco.
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Key clients
Barclays
Boeing
Capital One
Credit Suisse
General Electric
JP Morgan
LG
Morgan Stanley
RBC (Royal Bank of Canada)
Samsung
Société Générale
UBS
Wells Fargo
Related Companies / (Related Santa Clara LLC)
Union Pacific Railroad
AT&T Services
San Francisco Giants
Oakland Athletics
Occidental Petroleum
Industry focus > Environment: transactional Tier 3
Paul Hastings LLP's environment and energy practice advises on the environmental considerations associated with complex M&A, major investment transactions and project finance deals, large-scale real estate transactions, and brownfield developments. The practice is well-versed helping international clients navigate US environmental liability concerns in relation to their inbound investments. The practice group is led out of the San Francisco office by Peter Weiner, who specializes in solar power and other renewable energy matters. Another contact in San Francisco is Deborah Schmall, who advises on a huge variety of corporate transactions and brownfield development matter. In Washington DC, Tom Mounteer is a key contact for capital markets transactions, real estate acquisitions and private equity deals, having recently advised on several project financing transactions in Latin America.
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Key clients
Barclays
Boeing
Capital One
Credit Suisse
General Electric
JP Morgan
LG
Morgan Stanley
RBC (Royal Bank of Canada)
Samsung
Société Générale
UBS
Wells Fargo
Related Companies / (Related Santa Clara)
Union Pacific Railroad
AT&T Services
San Francisco Giants
Oakland Athletics
Occidental Petroleum
Industry focus > Healthcare: life sciences Tier 3
To some clients, Paul Hastings LLP is 'one of the top life sciences IP firms for litigation', and indeed, the firm is involved in many of the market’s most high-profile and complex cases. Demonstrating this, IP specialist Bruce Wexler and Eric Dittmann successfully represented Boehringer Ingelheim in the largest-ever Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act (BPCIA) litigation against AbbVie relating to the filing of an application to create a biosimilar version of Humira. Further, Preston Ratliff is acting for Sucampo Pharmaceuticals in a patent infringement dispute against Sun Pharmaceuticals related to Sucampo’s Amitiza. The team hasalso recently been involved in a number of multimillion-dollar corporate, M&A and capital markets transactions, and data privacy and cyber security issues. New York-based Gary Giampietruzzi and Morgan Miller, who splits his time between Washington DC and London, are the names to note for investigations and white-collar defense matters. All individuals mentioned above are based in New York unless stated otherwise.
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Testimonials
‘They are wonderful to work with and achieve great results for their clients‘.
Key clients
Boehringer Ingelheim
Eisai Co.
GlaxoSmithKline
Helsinn Healthcare
Johnson & Johnson
Merck & Co
Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation
Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma
Insys
Actelion Pharmaceuticals
Investment funds > Mutual/registered/exchange-traded funds Tier 3
Paul Hastings LLP acts for mutual funds across the entirety of their life cycles, from initial formation, to fund adoptions, acquisition, and liquidations and de-registrations. Recent highlights saw New York-based practice head Michael Rosella and of counsel Vadim Avdeychik advising Gabelli Funds on an innovative proposal to convert its Comstock Fund to an operating company. David Hearth, based in San Francisco, is active both in transactional and standalone regulatory matters – in 2019 he represented Kayne Anderson in preparing and submitting an exemptive order application for co-investment transactions by its energy closed-end funds and a proposed business development company. The team is also recognized for its work on the formation of Unit Investment Trusts (UITs).
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Testimonials
‘Outstanding regulatory advice combined with practical business sense.’
‘Very knowledgeable, personable, and able to impart the necessary info quickly and in plain English.’
‘David Hearth is our go-to regulatory expert. In addition to his encyclopaedic knowledge of investment company legal and regulatory matters, he is also incredibly responsive, efficient and reasonable.’
‘Both Mike Rosella and his associate, Vadim, have excellent knowledge of their practice area, are approachable, and have good instincts.’
Key clients
Gabelli
Invesco
Reich & Tang
Brookfield Investment Management
TCW Group (TCW Funds and Metropolitan West Funds)
TD Ameritrade
Morgan Stanley
Toqueville Asset Management
Fiduciary Trust Company / Franklin Templeton
Blackstone
The RBB Fund
Matthews Asia Funds
SunAmerica Asset Management
Causeway Capital Management
Kayne Anderson Capital
Allianz Global Investors
PIMCO
Insight Investment
Media, technology and telecoms > Telecoms and broadcast: transactional Tier 3
Paul Hastings LLP’s interdisciplinary team is noted for its work in broadcast transactions for household-name broadcast clients, particularly those involving spectrum issues and channel-sharing. It also handles traditional telecoms work, including representing clients before the FCC. It also provides assistance in areas such as labor and employment, and white collar crime investigations involving foreign providers. Based in Washington DC, Sherrese Smith, a regulatory and transactional expert in the broadcast space, leads the team after its former practice head Eric Greenberg left to join Perkins Coie LLP. Led by Smith, it represented 21st Century Fox in a $1bn acquisition of television stations from Tribune Media and Sinclair Broadcast Group. Associate Andrew Erber, who joined the firm from the FCC, assists Smith on the most significant matters in this space.
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Key clients
TEGNA
National Association of Broadcasters
Twenty-First Century Fox
ION Media
Univision Communications
Bank of America
Lebara Group
Cox Media
AT&T (BellSouth Telecommunications)
Novacap Technologies III, L.P.
Real estate > Real estate investment trusts (REITs) Tier 3
Paul Hastings LLP's client roster includes public and private REITs, underwriters and investors in domestic and international equity and debt securities offerings. In New York, Michael Zuppone and Frank Lopez, a new arrival from Proskauer Rose LLP, jointly chair the practice group, which is rated for its ability to handle corporate governance and disclosure matters, securities compliance, and tax planning, in addition to high-value capital markets offerings, and major corporate and property transactions. The practice group also stand out for its strength in Latin America-facing work.
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Key clients
Citigroup
BofA Merrill Lynch
BBVA
Deutsche Bank Securities
Goldman, Sachs & Co
Credit Suisse
HSBC
Itaú BBA
Carey Watermark Investors
RBC Capital Markets
Barclays
Lexington Realty Trust
Morgan Stanley
JP Morgan
Keefe, Bruyette & Woods
Wells Fargo Securities
BMO Capital Markets Corp.
Altair Commercial Real Estate Lending Fund
GI Partners
Jefferies
Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield
American Homes 4 Rent
Public Storage
PS Business Parks
Tax > International tax Tier 3
Paul Hastings LLP is routinely involved in international financing and corporate transactions, and has a particularly strong track record in cross-border deals involving Latin America, Asia and Europe. Key figures in the practice group include Joseph Opich (New York), who handles CLO issuances for some of the market's largest financial institutions; Greg Nelson (Houston), an energy-sector specialist, who was involved in high-value transactions for CrossAmerica Partners and Lotus Midstream, among others; Douglas Schaaf (Orange County), a contact for private equity-related work; and Thomas Wisialowski (Palo Alto), who specializes in structuring real estate transactions.
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Key clients
Samsung Electronics
Wells Fargo
Bank of America
Uber
Morgan Stanley
Ford Motor Company
Citigroup
JP Morgan Chase & Co.
Mitsubishi Corporation
Herbalife
Targa Resources Corp.
National Investment Corporation of the National Bank of Kazakhstan
Live Nation Entertainment
Government of Jamaica Ministry of Finance & Planning
Haim Saban (Power Rangers)
Royal Bank of Canada
Antitrust > Civil litigation/class actions: defense Tier 4
Paul Hastings LLP offers the full spectrum of antitrust assistance including defense in follow-on civil litigation, particularly for Korean and Japanese businesses. Healthcare and pharmaceuticals, technology and telecoms as well as banking and financial services are among the well-represented sectors of the team's client list. Michael Spafford in Washington DC has particular focus on the defense of financial institutions at the intersection of antitrust and alleged violations of federal securities, commodities and banking laws. Tom Brown heads the team following the departure of Scott Hataway in July 2020.
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Testimonials
‘Knowledgeable about the law and procedure, and great client relationship management.’
‘Mike Spafford has the knowledge and experience that stands out, and also constantly makes himself available whenever advice is needed.’
‘Mike Spafford is a truly excellent antitrust lawyer, with a particular focus on criminal and civil antitrust matters.’
‘Mike Spafford is a well known lawyer in this area and is universally respected. His attention to detail, analytical skills, sensitivity to clients needs, and responsiveness are outstanding.’
Key clients
Samsung Electronics
Francisco Partners
CDH Investment Partners and a strategic partner
Canopy Growth
Symphony Technology Group
Netsmart
GI Partners
Teleperformance Group
LG Chem
Mitsubishi Corp.
Madison Industries
Barclays
Boehringer Ingelheim
Maersk Line
Dispute resolution > Appellate: courts of appeals / Appellate: supreme courts (states and federal)
Paul Hastings LLP has a core strength in appeals involving constitutional law issues, an area where Stephen Kinnaird is a go-to advisor. Kinnaird leads the appellate group in Washington DC, which is also prominent in the patent litigation space thanks in part to the experience of Naveen Modi and Joseph Palys. Away from the nation's capital, though still in the area of IP, Palo-Alto-based Yar Chaikovsky handles appeals for a mix of tech sector clients. The team on the West Coast is also known for its work in precedent-setting employment appeals. San Francisco-based labor law expert Paul Cane is the key figure in this space.
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Testimonials
‘Collaboration and thorough communication at every step. No time necessary to get up to speed. Ready to go from day one.‘
Key clients
Jacobs Engineering Group
Unsecured Creditors Committee
Trend Micro
Morgan Stanley
The Employers Group / The California Employment Law Council
Helsinn Healthcare S.A.
HTC Corporation / HTC America
Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma / Sunovion Pharmaceuticals
Yahoo / Twitter
E.J. Gallo Winery
Samsung Electronics Co.
CoreLogic
Dispute resolution > Financial services litigation Tier 4
From its offices in New York, Los Angeles, Houston and Chicago, Paul Hastings has represented financial services companies in private litigation and agency investigations throughout the US. New York-based Barry Sher co-chairs the firm's global litigation practice. Anthony Antonelli, also based in New York, is a name to note for white-collar crime investigations and regulatory enforcement proceedings targeting CEOs and other high powered individuals.Dispute resolution > International arbitration Tier 4
The ‘extremely professional, fast, thorough and efficient’ team at Paul Hastings LLP benefits from the firm’s network across Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas. In particular, the team has expertise both in commercial and investor-state arbitration, specifically focusing on disputes arising in relation to IP issues, trade secrets, and trade credit insurance. Indeed, the group has been experiencing a surge in activity in the IP sector. Contacts in Washington DC include Igor Timofeyev and practice head Joseph Profaizer. The department lost some of its firepower in Latin America-related commercial arbitration with the departure of New York-based Camilo Cardozo to Vinson & Elkins LLP in July 2019.
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Testimonials
‘Paul Hastings LLP is extremely professional, fast, thorough, and efficient.‘
‘Joseph Profaizer and Adam Weiss, based in the Washington office, are excellent and very knowledgeable.‘
Key clients
American International Group
Global Gaming Asset Management
Samsung
Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corp.
Dispute resolution > M&A litigation: defense Tier 4
Paul Hastings LLP has significant litigation capability in both New York and California, as well as in other key centres such as Houston and Chicago. It frequently acts for leading financial institutions, including large investment banks, in deal-related litigation. Chair of the securities litigation practice Peter Stone in Palo Alto, Samuel Cooper in Houston and Kevin Broughel in New York are among the firm's notable practitioners.
Finance > Capital markets: debt offerings
Over the past year, Paul Hastings LLP’s capital markets team was augmented through a series of high-profile hires. Most notably, ‘outstanding securities lawyer’ Frank Lopez joined as new department co-head from Proskauer Rose LLP, while Jonathan Ko joined in Los Angeles from Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP. The ‘very professional’ group is arguably best known for its stronghold in Latin America-related deals, where New York-based Michael Fitzgerald enjoys a leading reputation for both issuer and underwriter-side work. Joy Gallup and Arturo Carrillo are also key contacts for Latin America work. John Cobb co-chairs the leveraged financed practice and is well versed across the full scope of banking and securities transactions. Cathleen McLaughlin is ‘always willing to go the extra mile’ and has an emphasis on cross border financing, particularly Latin America and Europe-related transactions. Named partners are based in New York, unless otherwise stated.
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Testimonials
‘The team works seamlessly together, they do a great job of keeping each other in the loop so the transaction process flows smoothly.’
‘The service provided by the team has been excellent. The members of the firm are always willing to work with the our timeline.’
‘The level of professionalism, patience, fast turnaround time for responses to query, and the ability to take care of our needs are some areas to highlight that makes this practice unique.’
‘The team assigned to do the refinancing project were very professional and worked tirelessly to ensure our position was optimized. Their breadth of knowledge in our market was also well articulated and broad.’
‘The team was knowledgeable about other similar types of transactions and players in our space which proved quite useful as we moved forward. They were always available even during their local holidays or vacation periods.’
‘I would like to specifically highlight Cathleen McLaughlin. She promotes team work, focuses on client satisfaction and is always willing to get her team to go the extra mile.’
‘Cathleen McLaughlin’s breadth of knowledge is quite wide and she was able to interact with members of staff at all levels. Her explanations were concise and clear and was always reachable. She was known for “keeping us on target” for the different phases of the transaction which allowed us to not go off track and deliver on a very tight project.’
‘Frank Lopez is an outstanding securities lawyer. He provides great service and is a trusted advisor.’
Key clients
Alpek, S.A.B. de C.V.
Axtel
Bank of America Merrill Lynch
BBVA
BMO Capital Markets
Citigroup
Crédito Real
Credit Suisse
Credivalores – Crediservicios S.A.S.
Dole Food Company, Inc.
Goldman Sachs
HSBC
Jefferies
J.P. Morgan Securities
Metalsa, S.A. de C.V.
Nemak, S.A.B. de C.V.
RBC
Stifel
Vanguard Natural Resources, Inc.
Barclays
GI Partners
Finance > Capital markets: high-yield
Paul Hastings LLP strikes the right note with its ‘exceptional exposure to high-yield Latin American markets’, while its client focus, communication skills and market experience are also recurring themes among sources. Particularly well versed in representing investment banks as underwriters, the group also advises private equity sponsors, corporate issuers and debt funds on high-yield debt transactions. The firm made significant moves to diversify its practice during 2019, with a flurry of high-profile lateral hires. Most notably, Frank Lopez joined in New York from Proskauer Rose LLP as new co-head of global capital markets alongside Teri O’Brien, Jonathan Ko joined in Los Angeles from Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, while of counsel James Shea arrived in New York from Sullivan & Cromwell LLP. Other key names in the team include New York-based leveraged finance specialist John Cobb, who is particularly experienced in advising banks on high-yield deals. Michael Fitzgerald is roundly praised for Latin America-related work and is highlighted together with Arturo Carrillo and Joy Gallup as forming an experienced team that is ‘almost impossible to replicate in the current market’.Practice head(s):
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Testimonials
‘Paul Hastings’ unique team has, time and time again, proven that its deep knowledge and dynamism is up to the challenge of the most complex transactions.’
‘Business-oriented team, with extreme dedication to the client and its needs, high profile individuals with tremendous experience in LatAm.’
‘The team is so well put together that it makes it very easy to work with them.’
‘The firm’s professionals demonstrate a true and genuine interest in succeeding along with its clients.’
‘Client-centered and highly skilled in managing relationships; professionals connect easily with other participants in the transaction and are deeply committed to their clients and their transactions.’
‘Partners Michael Fitzgerald and Joy Gallup are widely recognized as industry leaders. Their constant involvement and innovation in the field prove the added value they bring to the table.’
‘The exposure that team leader Michael Fitzgerald, Arturo Carrillo and Joy Gallup have to high-yield Latin american markets is exceptional. These guys “have seen it all” and are therefore very capable of handling any transaction thrown at them and making it look like a walk in the park.’
‘Michael Fitzgerald’s experience, together with Arturo’s work structure and Joy’s technical capabilities, combine with their great communication to make this team hard to compete with and almost impossible to replicate in the current market.’
Key clients
Alpek, S.A.B. de C.V.
Axtel
Bank of America Merrill Lynch
BBVA
BMO Capital Markets
Citigroup
Crédito Real
Credit Suisse
Credivalores – Crediservicios S.A.S.
Dole Food Company, Inc.
Goldman Sachs
HSBC
Jefferies
J.P. Morgan Securities
Metalsa, S.A. de C.V.
Nemak, S.A.B. de C.V.
RBC
Stifel
Vanguard Natural Resources, Inc.
Barclays
GI Partners
Industry focus > Energy transactions: conventional power Tier 4
Combining 'best in class FERC knowledge and experience' with corporate, capital markets and commercial expertise, Paul Hastings LLP provides a very rounded service to a range of clients, including private equity firms, sovereign wealth funds and public corporations. 'Efficient and knowledgeable' Washington DC-based corporate partner William DeGrandis personifies the firm's strength at the overlap between regulatory and transactional work, and regularly advises clients on regulatory and transactional matters relating to restructuring and open access transmission matters, including Regional Transmission Organization and Exempt Wholesale Generator issues.
Testimonials
The firm has best in class FERC knowledge and experience.
Energy sector experience; strong bench; excellent working relationship.
William DeGrandis is efficient and knowledgeable.
William DeGrandis: knowledge, contacts, experience; ability to site other applicable cases.
Intellectual property > Patents: litigation (International Trade Commission) Tier 4
Paul Hastings LLP is particularly adept at disputes requiring ITC and federal court expertise. The group acts for respondents and complainants, regularly taking on high-stakes competitor matters in a broad range of sectors, including the medical device and technology sectors. Led by the Palo Alto-based Yar Chaikovsky and the New York-based Bruce Wexler as the joint global chairs of IP, the team also includes key ITC practitioners Blair Jacobs and Christina Ondrick in Washington DC as well as Philip Ou, based in Palo Alto and partner since February 2019. In addition to the firm's bi-coastal presence in the US, the firm also offers an international footprint, with the Tokyo office being of particular strategic importance for matters involving Japanese clients.
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Investment funds > Alternative/hedge funds Tier 4
Paul Hastings LLP is particularly experienced in fund restructuring and handling the transactional work of funds-of-funds. Practice head Art Zwickel focuses on structuring and organizing hedge and hybrid funds, as well as counseling investment advisers and broker-dealers on federal and state regulatory issues. Since joining the firm in 2016, Yousuf Dhamee has bolstered the firm’s practice; in addition to representing advisers and managers on fund formation, he has a strong investor-side practice, acting for sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and institutional investors. Also recommended is Ira Kustin in New York, who focuses on fund management, complex restructurings, succession planning, conflict resolution, and consent solicitations. The firm is also recognized for its work with start-up hedge funds. Named lawyers are based in Los Angeles unless stated otherwise.Practice head(s):
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Testimonials
‘Very business-oriented approach. They are cost conscious; they can be innovative, but mainly they effectively apply what has been known to work.’
‘Art Zwickel has been a great asset for us since the very beginning of our firm.’
Key clients
Imperial Capital Asset Management
Hawk Ridge Capital
Glendon Capital Management
Dalton Investments
Investment funds > Private equity funds (including venture capital) Tier 4
Paul Hastings LLP handles fund formation across a variety of asset classes, with particular expertise in private equity real estate funds. In this regard, the team is often working in conjunction with the firm's global real estate group. The firm also represents traditional private equity funds and major institutional investors, including public and private pension plans and international sovereign wealth funds. Moreover, clients benefit from the availability of experts in the firm's tax and regulatory groups, enabling it to provide comprehensive service across the full lifecycle of fund activity. The practice is led by Lawrence Hass, who has unique regulatory insight in the funds space thanks in part to his prior experience working at the SEC. Joshua Sternoff and Los Angeles-based Siobhan McBreen Burke are also recommended. All partners are in New York unless otherwise mentioned.
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Labor and employment > Employee benefits, executive compensation and retirement plans: transactional Tier 4
Recent highlight matters for Paul Hastings LLP’s employee benefits and executive compensation practice involved private equity acquisitions of fully ESOP-owned companies (with asset classes covered under ERISA) and multijurisdictional spin-offs for high-profile public companies. Eric Keller heads the Washington DC office team, where he advises – and often acts as lead benefits counsel to – a global client portfolio consisting of hedge funds, financial institutions and conglomerates. Palo Alto-based Dan Stellenberg assists the team with all tax and securities-related questions concerning deferred compensation and golden parachute negotiations, while Stephen Harris leads the Los Angeles-based team.
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Testimonials
‘We regularly work with the team – especially Eric Keller – on US employee benefits matters and always find them to be very responsive and helpful.‘
‘Eric Keller is technically sound but also commercial and succinct in his advice. He is very responsive and always turns work around quickly.‘
Key clients
Sony Corporation of America
E. & J. Gallo Winery
CFA Institute
Multimodal Engineering Corporation
Securities Institute and Financial Management Association
Ford Motor Company
Sagicor Financial Corporation
Credit Suisse
Lotus Midstream
HC2 Holdings
M&A/corporate and commercial > Private equity buyouts Tier 4
Paul Hastings LLP represents funds, investment banks, and sponsors in life-cycle private equity investments, covering acquisitions, portfolio company advice, divestments and exits. Clients are active in the manufacturing and industrials, life sciences, healthcare, software and technology sectors. In addition, the private equity team is supported by the firm's tax structuring and debt financing practices. Brian Richards and Brandon Howald jointly head the practice from Chicago and Orange County, respectively, with other key individuals spread across offices in California, New York, and Washington DC, and close co-operation with the firm's London office. The nationwide platform was bolstered by the recent hires of Alex Kaufman from Morrison & Foerster LLP in Palo Alto and Adam Brown from Hogan Lovells US LLP in DC.
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Key clients
Symphony Technology Group
Francisco Partners Management
Cortec Group
GI Partners
H.I.G. Capital
Beecken Petty O’Keefe & Company
Vector Capital Group
Pfingsten Partners
May River Capital
DW Healthcare Partners
RedBird Capital Partners
Aurora Capital Group
Wynnchurch Capital
RSE Ventures
Deerfield Management
Insight Venture Partners
Sumeru Equity Partners
OnyxPoint Global Management
Madison Capital
Partners Corporation
Chicago Pacific Founders
Media, technology and telecoms > Cyber law (including data privacy and data protection) Tier 4
The Washington-based privacy and cybersecurity team at Paul Hastings LLP is recognized by clients for providing 'thoughtful, creative solutions to difficult privacy problems'. The group has a breadth of expertise ranging from regulatory compliance to incident response work, with particular experience in the financial services, technology, retail, leisure and health sectors. Behnam Dayanim (a contact for work in the gaming, advertising and marketing, and fintech sectors) jointly heads the team alongside cybersecurity expert Robert Silvers, and 'superstar' Sherrese Smith and Jacqueline Cooney, who are names to note for regulatory compliance advice. Clients also benefit from access to the firm's privacy consultancy service group, PH Privacy and Cybersecurity Solutions Group, which provides practical non-legal privacy advice.
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Testimonials
‘Paul Hastings is incredibly responsive and creative. They always have thoughtful, creative solutions to difficult privacy problems. We work with them on payment card/financial privacy issues, international employee privacy, contract questions, and CCPA. A good breadth of skills and knowledge.‘
‘The practice has deep practical knowledge and insight into the privacy, cybersecurity, and national security issues facing Fortune 100 Internet companies. The issues I face on a day-to-day basis constantly run up against antiquated laws and frameworks. And rather than offer me academic exercises in how the law may or may not be treated, Paul Hastings’ Cyber law practice offers me practical advice and insights that weight the various risks in taking a particular action.‘
‘Sherrese Smith is a superstar, and a ball of energy. She is a great leader of a strong team, and incredibly responsive.‘
‘The partners I work are highly-regarded who regularly counsels companies on complex transactional and regulatory issues involving privacy, cybersecurity and national security. They have the knowledge, insight, and expertise to regularly navigate clients through data breach and crisis response and associated regulatory investigations and enforcement proceedings, which is invaluable for a company that is always facing regulatory, enforcement, and media scrutiny.‘
‘There is no other attorney I would want to handle my most delicate and sensitive matters. Robert (Rob) Silvers combines experience from his time in the government and private practice to offer the most valuable advice. Because the issues I face often transcend the law where the answer becomes a policy decision, Rob’s insights are invaluable. He understands how to create a path forward that minimizes legal risk while ensuring the company achieves its objectives. I would be lost without his counsel.‘
Key clients
Samsung Electronics America
Barclays
Caesars Entertainment
L’Oreal USA
HanesBrands
Critical Path Institute (“C-PATH”)
Align Technology
Live Nation Entertainment
Real estate > Real estate
Antitrust > Cartel
Price-fixing investigations as well as follow-on class actions are the core of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP's cartel practice. A specific focus lies on the electric components sector as well as energy and telecom industries. Jacob Sorensen and firmwide leader Roxane Polidora share the department lead, with both team heads stationed in San Francisco. Polidora fields additional knowledge of the retail and hospitality business, and Sorensen has experience with international investigations. In Washington DC, William Sullivan brings his corporate investigations expertise to the antitrust group, in particular with regard to internal investigations.
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Testimonials
‘Pillsbury has a great combination of experienced personnel with value. They properly staff all matters so that the bills are noticeably lower than other top tier firms without sacrificing quality of work. Their reporting is pristine.’
‘They have a combination of talented senior people in combination with eager and talented younger personnel which mix helps to educate the new team as it matures and keeps the cost at a reasonable level.’
‘Fusae Nara has been an invaluable resource bridging the gap between U.S. lawyers and the senior Japanese executives who do not think or act the same as their U.S. counterparts.’
‘Roxane Polidora is one of the finest antitrust lawyers I have ever had the privilege of working with.’
Key clients
KEMET Corporation and KEMET Electronics Corporation
TOKIN Corporation and TOKIN America, Inc.
Mikuni Corporation and Mikuni American Corporation
Paul Hastings LLP > Firm Profile
Founded in 1951, Paul Hastings LLP is a leading global law firm with 21 offices throughout Asia, Europe, and the US. Paul Hastings has the global reach and capabilities to provide personalized service, wherever the clients’ needs take it. Through a collaborative approach, entrepreneurial spirit, and firm commitment to client service, the professionals at Paul Hastings deliver innovative solutions to many of the world’s top financial institutions and Fortune 500 companies.
Main areas of practice
Corporate: the Paul Hastings corporate practice is globally recognized in virtually every area of corporate transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, public and private equity and debt financings, formation of investment funds, project finance, securitizations, bankruptcy, corporate restructurings and distressed debt trading, venture capital work, technology licensing, and franchising and distribution arrangements.
Employment: the Paul Hastings labor and employment practice is recognized as one of the largest in its field, with an outstanding record in defending class actions for large multinational companies. The lawyers counsel clients in all areas of employment law, including benefits, discrimination, downsizing, employee mobility, harassment, immigration, traditional labor, and wage and hour.
Litigation: the firm’s litigation practice provides premier litigation services to clients facing complex legal issues in the US, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and Asia. The litigation practice covers every major practice, including securities, sub-prime litigation, intellectual property, class action and employment litigation, international arbitration, global compliance, and white-collar crime.
Real estate: the Paul Hastings global real estate practice covers all areas of real estate finance, sales and acquisitions, private equity, development, hotels and hospitality, leasing, joint ventures, partnerships and limited liability companies, and bankruptcy and restructuring of real estate portfolios. The practice’s environmental, planning, construction and real estate litigation expertise is extensive, as is its experience in debt, equity, and hybrid investment.
Tax: the firm’s global tax practice covers mergers and acquisitions, capital market offerings, investment and joint venture structuring, leasing, structured and project finance, and financial product planning and structuring. It is known internationally as having one of the pre-eminent tax practices in telecommunications, real estate, executive compensation, and tax-exempt and tax-favoured investments.
Main Contacts
Department | Name | Telephone | |
---|---|---|---|
Finance | Jennifer St John Yount | jenniferyount@paulhastings.com | |
Latin America | Michael L Fitzgerald | michaelfitzgerald@paulhastings.com | |
Intellectual property | Joseph O'Malley | josephomalley@paulhastings.com | |
Intellectual property | Yar R Chaikovsky | yarchaikovsky@paulhastings.com | |
Securities litigation | Douglas H Flaum | douglasflaum@paulhastings.com | |
Securities litigation | Peter M Stone | peterstone@paulhastings.com | |
Asia | David S Wang | davidwang@paulhastings.com | |
Asia | Steven Winegar | stevenwinegar@paulhastings.com | |
Asia | Jong Han Kim | jonghankim@paulhastings.com | |
Asia | Toshi Arai | toshiyukiarai@paulhastings.com | |
Real estate | Eric R Landau | ericlandau@paulhastings.com | |
M&A | Carl R Sanchez | carlsanchez@paulhastings.com | |
Securities and capital markets | Michael L Zuppone | michaelzuppone@paulhastings.com | |
Investigations and white-collar defense | Kenneth M Breen | kennethbreen@paulhastings.com | |
Private equity | Brian F Richards | brianrichards@paulhastings.com | |
Employment | Patrick Shea | patrickshea@paulhastings.com | |
Leveraged finance | John Cobb | johncobb@paulhastings.com | |
Leveraged finance | Michael Baker | michaelbaker@paulhastings.com |
Staff Figures
Number of Lawyers : 1,000Other
Chairman: : Seth M Zachary – 212 318 6003, sethzachary@paulhastings.com Managing Partners : Greg Nitzkowski – 213 683 6180, gregnitzkowski@paulhastings.com Managing Partners : Stephen H Harris – 213 683 6217, stephenharris@paulhastings.com Other Offices: US : Atlanta Other Offices: US : Chicago Other Offices: US : Houston Other Offices: US : Los Angeles Other Offices: US : Orange County Other Offices: US : Palo Alto Other Offices: US : San Diego Other Offices: US : San Francisco Other Offices: US : Washington, DC Other Offices: Europe : Brussels Other Offices: Europe : Frankfurt Other Offices: Europe : London Other Offices: Europe : Milan Other Offices: Europe : Paris Other Offices: Asia : Beijing Other Offices: Asia : Hong Kong Other Offices: Asia : Seoul Other Offices: Asia : Shanghai Other Offices: Asia : Tokyo Other Offices: Latin America : São PauloTop Tier Firm Rankings
Firm Rankings
- Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense: advice to corporates
- Structured finance: securitization
- Patents: litigation (full coverage)
- Trade secrets (litigation and non-contentious matters)
- Labor and employment disputes (including collective actions): defense
- Workplace and employment counseling
- Telecoms and broadcast: regulatory
- Land use/zoning
- US taxes: non-contentious
- Merger control
- Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense: advice to individuals
- General commercial disputes
- Securities litigation: defense
- Advice to issuers
- Advice to managers
- Advice to issuers
- Advice to underwriters
- Advice to lenders
- Advice to Lenders
- Energy regulation: conventional power
- Environment: regulatory
- Environment: transactional
- Healthcare: life sciences
- Mutual/registered/exchange-traded funds
- Telecoms and broadcast: transactional
- Real estate investment trusts (REITs)
- International tax
- Civil litigation/class actions: defense
- Appellate: Courts of Appeal
- Appellate: Supreme Courts (States and Federal)
- Financial services litigation
- International arbitration
- M&A litigation: defense
- Advice to issuers
- Advice to underwriters
- Advice to issuers
- Advice to underwriters
- Advice to borrowers
- Advice to Sponsors
- Energy transactions: conventional power
- Patents: litigation (International Trade Commission)
- Alternative/hedge funds
- Private equity funds (including venture capital)
- Employee benefits, executive compensation and retirement plans: transactional
- Private equity buyouts
- Cyber law (including data privacy and data protection)