Paul Hastings LLP > Chicago, United States > Firm Profile

Paul Hastings LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings

Finance > Fintech

Lauded by clients for its ‘deep knowledge of fintech-related laws’, M&A, joint ventures, and private equity matters remain a key component of the practice at Paul Hastings LLP. The team is also geared to handle regulatory compliance for token launches and is knowledgeable of money laundering and sanctions. The group is jointly chaired by Atlanta-based Chris Daniel, who often advises private equity and venture capital firms on FinTech investments. Also co-lead of the department, Eric Sibbitt in San Francisco is a key contact for trading platforms and prominent investors on regulatory blockchain and financial technology matters. In New York, Dana Syracuse is well-versed in The Bank Secrecy Act and consumer protection, while Molly Swartz works out of San Francisco and assists financial technology companies and internet marketplaces on transactional mandates. Operating out of Atlanta, Meagan Griffin is informed in federal and state laws pertaining to electronic payments, mobile payments, and digital assets.

Labor and employment > Labor and employment disputes (including collective actions) Tier 1

The ‘world-class’ practice at Paul Hastings LLP is well-placed to handle contentious employment mandates including complex wage and hour claims, discrimination and harassment claims, government investigations, and sensitive labor disputes and negotiations. The group has additional experience in arbitration, trade secret cases, and government agency investigations. Elena Baca steers the practice from Los Angeles and specializes in class action defense, arbitration, and advisory mandates affecting C-Suite executives. Also in Los Angeles, ‘outstanding advocate’ Felicia Davis specializes in pay equity litigation. Over in New York, Patrick Shea litigates cases involving employee benefits, discrimination, wage and hour claims, and wrongful dismissal. Additional names to note include San Francisco-based Jeffrey Wohl, who has a track record in defeating high-stakes class action claims; and the ‘very skilled’ Carson Sullivan, who is based in Washington DC and majors on the defense of pay equity class actions. Sarah Besnoff, lauded by one client as ‘highly dedicated’, is the key senior associate-level contact. New York-based Sara Tomezsko was promoted to the partnership in February 2023.

Real estate Tier 1

Boasting an ‘outstanding understanding of the market, crucial expertise in the relevant law, and a team that is focused on customer service excellence’, the team at Paul Hastings LLP is highly regarded for its skill advising on complex high-value debt work covering areas such as restructuring, refinancing, mortgage and construction loans, in addition to its deep experience in joint ventures and transactions. In doing so, the firm represents a wide breadth of clients on the borrower and lender, developer and investor sides. The team is headed by New York-based trio Eric Landau, the global chair of real estate, Peter Olsen, the global chair of the real estate development group, and Rick Allendorf, head of the real estate finance practice group. Derek Roth leads the Los Angeles real estate department and is also the co-chair of the firm’s leisure and hospitality practice group which possesses substantial expertise in the hotel and resort sectors in particular. In the Washington DC office, Michael Berman is noted for his advise to private equity giants including Oaktree and Angelo Gordon’s Net Lease Fund, while Gerd Alexander is an active name on transactions in New York. In 2023, the firm added Pablo Clarke to their Century City office, formerly at Latham & Watkins LLP.

Dispute resolution > Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense

With its extensive experience in handling FCPA matters, Paul Hastings LLP continues to be a go-to firm for global companies needing assistance with securing declinations or settlements. The firm has a strong team located in Washington DC, which includes Kwame Manley, Allyson Baker, Brad Bondi, and Robert Luskin. Manley is highly experienced in advising clients before various regulatory authorities such as the DOJ, SEC, and OFAC. Bondi and Baker both focus on litigation and investigations concerning financial institutions, while Luskin represents clients in cases relating to corruption, money laundering, and sanction violations. Located in San Francisco, Kenneth Herzinger is especially skilled at handling investigations and enforcement proceedings for a range of clients, including broker-dealers, government officials, and investment advisors. Having joined from Milbank in August 2023, Adam Fee practices in Los Angeles, and is well versed in advising on matters involving cryptocurrency and fraud.

Finance > Capital markets: global offerings

Paul Hastings LLP has continued to build out its capital markets practice in New York with a further degree of success in cross-border investment grade debt offerings. The firm also added to its Latin America capital markets expertise with the hire of Grissel Mercado and of counsel Maria Larsen from A&O Shearman in 2023. Green, social and sustainability-linked bonds are another growing part of the international practice. It continues to represent a large number of Latin American and Caribbean issuers, including sovereign governments, along with many of the leading investment banks in global offerings. Alex Herman is another key member of the Latin America capital markets team. Michael Fitzgerald, Joy Gallup and Arturo Carrillo have left the firm and Cathleen McLaughlin  has retired.

Finance > Commercial lending

The global finance team at Paul Hastings LLP has a highly regarded lender-side practice, housing leading investment banks and private credit funds in its client roster. Its expertise encompasses syndicated institutional term loans, direct lending and asset-based transactions to debt capital markets, including high-yield and investment grade offerings. John Cobb and Jennifer Yount jointly lead the practice from the New York office. Cobb focuses his practice on leveraged loan and capital market transactions, while Yount is a key name for multi-tranche and multi-lien transactions, as well as the structuring of cross-border transactions.  Morgan Bale is a key support to the team, specializing in investment-grade finance transactions. Paris Theofanidis focuses on finance, derivatives and structured products from the Houston office. May 2023 saw the addition of Joshua Zelig, Marc Lashbrook and David Barash to the firm from Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP. All lawyers are in New York unless otherwise mentioned.  

Finance > Financial services regulation Tier 2

Paul Hastings LLP is frequently tasked with the representation of banks and other credit lenders in enforcement actions brought by the CFPB, DOJ, FTC, and a variety of state regulators and attorneys general, handling claims falling under fair lending regulations, including ECOA. Mortgage lenders, student loan and credit card providers form the core client base, with the practice assisting them with fair lending and UDAAP compliance. The team is led jointly by Allyson Baker, a trial lawyer who represents consumer finance companies in non-public CFPB hearings, and Jonice Gray, whose practice encompasses both trial representation and compliance advice under, inter alia, the FCRA, ECOA, and TILA. Matthew Previn, based in New York, and Kari Hall are also recommended for their experience in handling enforcement matters. All lawyers are located in Washington DC unless otherwise specified.

Finance > Restructuring (including bankruptcy): corporate Tier 2

Having recently absorbed the restructuring practice of Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP, the New York-based team at Paul Hastings LLP‘s cross-jurisdictional group represents a range of parties including unsecured creditor committees, banks, sponsors and ad hoc groups of creditors. The firm also benefits from its debtor-side practice, while also providing on-the-ground restructuring advice across the globe with lawyers situated across the U.S. Attorneys, such as co-chair Kristopher Hansen , who was noted by one client as a ‘rockstar‘ in the field, and has been involved in a series of bankruptcies including those related to crypto and the pharmaceutical industry. co-chair Jayme Goldstein specializes in representing a range of parties in chapter 11 and out-of-court restructurings, alongside Jonathan Canfield who has led the representation of creditors in complex restructuring matters. Daniel Fliman has a diverse practice on both the debtor and creditor side, whereas Gabe Sasson represents official committees of unsecured creditors and has led on a range of restructuring and bankruptcies.

Finance > Structured finance: securitization Tier 2

Paul Hastings LLP maintains a strong focus on CLO matters for its clients, with a particular strength in CLO issuance-related matters. Its broad clientele includes arrangers, collateral managers, lenders borrowers and investors. Eugene Ferrer supports investment banks, issuers, investors and end-users in a variety of securitized products, especially CLOs, with expertise in middle market and syndicated loan facilities also. CLO expert Nicole Skalla advises many of the firm’s largest client banks, including JPMorgan, Citigroup, Barclays and Morgan Stanley, on matters concerning CLO transactions. Nicole Bright was promoted to partner in February 2023 and has developed a strong CLO specialization in her own right, advising investment banks and collateral managers. Nick Robinson and Tracy Feng joined the firm from A&O Shearman in April 2023. Scott Faga retired in February 2023. All lawyers mentioned practice in New York.

Intellectual property > Patents: litigation (full coverage) Tier 2

With technical expertise in a wide variety of of tech and life sciences fields, Paul Hastings LLP has a full-service intellectual property litigation practice that represents international tech and financial companies in patent disputes. Naveen Modi in Washington DC leads the firm’s patent office and is an IP litigation specialist who assists a large roster of tech clients in all patent litigation venues. In New York, trial lawyer Bruce Wexler has particular expertise in the life sciences litigation space, and Eric Dittmann has a broad intellectual property practice that encompasses Hatch-Waxman cases as well as biotech patent litigation and appeals. Also in New York, Isaac Ashkenazi focuses on IP disputes in the pharmaceutical, chemistry and biotech fields. The group also includes Robert Unikel in Chicago, who has a diverse IP practice, and Phillip Citroën in Washington DC, who is experienced in multiple patent disputes venues. Tech expert Rudy Kim joined the Palo Alto team from Morrison Foerster in May 2023, and Doug Sawyer joined the firm in Chicago from Perkins Coie LLP in March 2023.

Intellectual property > Trade secrets (litigation and non-contentious matters) Tier 2

Paul Hastings LLP‘s trade secrets group is highly regarded for its ‘creativity, intellect and efforts’ in handling complex IP litigation matters. The team has at its helm Naveen Modi who works from the firm’s Washington DC office and is remarked as being an ‘amazing, client-friendly lawyer, with tremendous experience working on complex disputes’. Alongside Modi at the head are New York’s Bruce Wexler and Eric Dittmann. Experienced IP litigator Jeff Pade, also based in DC, is considered ‘a pleasure to work with and a super strategic thinker’ and has strong capabilities handling complex matters in often international contexts. High-stakes, cross-border work is a specialism of the team, with its workload including matters spanning Japan, Switzerland, Brazil, China, Pakistan and the UK. A key example is its successful representation of Mitsubishi in a multi-year international arbitration regarding an MS treatment drug. Victoria Cundiff retired from the team in February 2023, while Paul Genender, formerly of Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, bolstered the Houston practice in September 2023.

Media, technology and telecoms > Media and entertainment: transactional Tier 2

Leveraging its international network, Paul Hastings LLP‘s entertainment and media group caters to a diverse clientele which includes high-profile individuals, independent content companies, banks, talent agencies, and private equity investors. The team’s comprehensive range of services encompasses advice on significant M&A deals as well as on acquisition and project financings. The practice recruited entertainment investment and acquisitions specialist Ken Deutsch from Latham & Watkins LLP in June 2023. Deutsch now co-chairs the practice group alongside Erik Hyman, who is well-regarded for his ability to advise non-entertainment companies on their television industry strategies. Other key figures within the practice include Susan Williams, who is noted for her role in sophisticated entertainment-related capital market transactions as well as in licensing and distribution agreements, and Mickey Mayerson, who offers clients expertise in single-picture financings, securitization transactions, and joint ventures involving entertainment industry companies. Additionally, the practice benefits from the expertise of David Hernand, who specializes in studio and streaming-services acquisitions, and Sean Monroe, whose proficiency lies in sports industry matters. Craig Emanuel retired from the practice in September 2023. All lawyers mentioned are based in Los Angeles.

Media, technology and telecoms > Telecoms and broadcast: regulatory Tier 2

Paul Hastings LLP advises clients across the telecoms, broadcast and satellite sectors on FCC proceedings, from traditional license maintenance to the expansion into streaming services. The practice works in tandem with the firm’s restructuring group to advise on the media, telecoms and regulatory aspects of financing and restructuring matters. Bringing expertise on both the regulatory and transactional side of matters, Sherrese Smith leads the Washington DC-based team. Smith boasts private sector and government experience and advises on media, communications, internet, digital technology and e-commerce issues, as well as privacy, security and data security matters. Promoted to of counsel in 2023, John Gasparini is part of both the privacy and cybersecurity and the TMT teams and brings extensive knowledge of privacy regulatory compliance, data breach response and regulatory investigations and proceedings. He provides TMT clients with regulatory advice on satellite, spectrum, wireline broadband, wireless infrastructure and video programming matters.

Real estate > Land use/zoning Tier 2

Combining expertise in planning, permitting, regulatory and environmental issues, financing, real estate and dispute resolution, the team at Paul Hastings LLP is capable of leveraging a wide spectrum of expertise to comprehensively advise clients on land use, entitlement and regulatory issues in connection with their development projects and real estate transactions. The land use practice is fully integrated into the firm’s real estate practice and is therefore able to represent clients at any stage of a project, with a particular emphasis on large-scale developments in California. A key name to note is Jeffrey Haber, who is based in Century City and advises on transactional real estate and administrative law matters for development projects including affordable housing developments and hospitals. Gordon Hart left the team in April 2023.

Tax > International tax Tier 2

Paul Hastings LLP has expertise in complex tax issues including capital markets, M&A, financial structuring, securitization, and private equity. The team is headed by New York’s Joseph Opich whose practice covers the planning, structuring, and transactional federal, state, and cross-border tax law aspects of structured finance, private and public investment funds, and real estate, among other areas. David Makso, who has expertise in tax aspects of highly complex leveraged finance transactions, and Gary Silber, whose practice focuses on domestic and international tax matters relating to bankruptcies, taxable and tax-free M&A, as well as capital market offerings, are key members of the New York team. In California, Douglas Schaaf has broad experience in advising private equity funds on acquisition and disposition tax structuring matters whilst Michael Haun has experience providing tax advice with respect to partnership and limited liability company formation, crypto-currency, and tax-incentivized investments involving low-income housing tax credits. Also in California, Thomas Wisialowski provides tax advice with respect to structuring of major corporate venture capital and real estate transactions, and Lucas Rachuba concentrates his practice on private equity, credit, hedge funds, venture capital and real estate transactions. Ziemowit Smulkowski, who is located in Illinois, has considerable expertise in federal income tax issues related to all private equity-backed investments, management compensation, and M&A. The Chicago team welcomed the expertise of fund tax specialist Paul Patrow who joined the firm from Kirkland & Ellis LLP in April 2023.

Tax > US taxes: non-contentious Tier 2

With a strong presence on both the East and West Coasts as well as in major cities such as New York and Chicago, Paul Hastings LLP’s transactional tax group is well placed to advise clients in a broad range of key sectors, including tech, real estate, media, private equity, biotech, and pharma. Joseph Opich in New York has a broad practice covering structured finance, CLOs, investment funds, mergers, capital markets offerings, and restructurings. Los Angeles-based Michael Haun advises domestic and international clients on partnership and limited liability company formation, restructurings, acquisitions, and dispositions, among other matters. New York’s David Makso specializes in cross-border and leveraged finance transactions. Douglas Schaaf in Orange County is strong in the private equity space, while Ziemowit Smulkowski in Chicago focuses on federal income tax issues arising in the context of private equity-backed investments, M&A deals, and management compensation. Thomas Wisialowski, based in the firm’s Palo Alto office, specializes in structuring venture capital and real estate transactions. Chicago's Paul Patrow joined the firm in April 2023 from Kirkland & Ellis LLP.

Antitrust > Civil litigation/class actions: defense Tier 3

Paul Hastings LLP fields a team of ‘excellent litigators‘ with notable expertise across all stages of class action litigation. Under the joint leadership of Washington DC-based duo Michael Murray and Ryan Phair, the group frequently acts for clients in the tech, consumer goods, and financial services industries. Murray, a former deputy assistant attorney general in the Antitrust Division, leverages his agency experience to represent clients in high-stakes horizontal and vertical merger challenges, as well as large monopolization cases. Phair represents corporate and individual clients in price-fixing cases, monopolization claims, and conspiracy matters, having joined the firm from Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP in July 2023 alongside former federal antitrust prosecutor Craig Lee and Carter Simpson, whose practice focuses on antitrust, data privacy, and cybersecurity matters. Also in Washington DC, Michael Wise handles Sherman Act litigation as well as civil class action claims.

Dispute resolution > Financial services litigation Tier 3

Dispute resolution > General commercial disputes Tier 3

Paul Hastings LLP handles a broad range of cases involving fraud, defamation, trade secret misappropriation, tortious interference, and other business tort and contract claims across a range of key industry sectors including construction, retail, energy and financial services. Barry Sher, Kurt Hansson, and Avi Weitzman lead the department alongside Atlanta’s William Whitner. Sher focuses on representing major investment banks, whilst Hansson is a key name for complex international arbitrations. All lawyers referenced are in New York, except where otherwise stated.

Dispute resolution > M&A litigation: defense Tier 3

The New York office of Paul Hastings LLP has a team of M&A litigators that is ‘deeply experienced, innovative and client-goal focused‘. Key names in the team include Barry Sher, Kurt Hansson and Kevin Broughel, as well as new hire Jennifer Conn from Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP. Conn has hit the ground running, having represented FanDuel, Inc. in matters arising from its merger with UK bookmaker Paddy Power Betfair. Broughel and Sher advised RBC Capital Markets in a class action concerning the $1.37bn merger between ASP Flag Intermediate Holdings, Inc. and Foundation Building Materials, in which the client acted as financial adviser.  Susan Leader in Los Angeles, who moved over from Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, is another key hire. Edward Han in Palo Alto ‘knows from years of experience how to effectively litigate disputes‘.

Dispute resolution > Securities litigation: defense Tier 3

The national securities litigation practice at Paul Hastings LLP are ‘top-notch attorneys who are responsive and knowledgeable‘. Practice heads Kevin Broughel, who is ‘a real expert on the judiciary in New York‘, and Jennifer Conn in New York lead the practice, though global chair of litigation Barry Sher also has a pivotal role. Broughel is spearheading the firm’s work in the niche area of cryptocurrency, having acted for Riot Blockchain, Inc. in a securities class action. The ‘exceptional’ Edward Han in Palo Alto and Christopher McGrath in Orange County are also key to the firm’s high-stakes cases. Han recently acted for underwriters including Credit Suisse in a $500m case concerning securities issued by The RealReal, Inc. The firm continues to bulk up its regulatory enforcement practice with the arrival of Bradley Bondi in Washington DC from Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP and Adam Fee in LA from Milbank.

Energy > Energy regulation: electric power Tier 3

Energy > Renewable/alternative power Tier 3

The energy and infrastructure department at Paul Hastings LLP acts in a range of matters relating to decarbonization and ESG-driven investment. The renewables group is overseen by  Gregory Tan, ‘extremely knowledgeable about project finance structure’; and leading project finance expert Robert Freedman, both based at the New York office. Recent highlights have included a range of work for Spearmint Renewable Development Company, including M&A and development agreements. A further key partner, Luis Gomar in Houston, is a regular advisor on energy sector M&A.

Environment > Environment: regulatory Tier 3

Finance > Capital markets: equity offerings

Paul Hastings LLP has achieved considerable growth in its capital markets team in recent years, with some change in its Latin America-facing practice during 2023 with Michael Fitzgerald and a team leaving the firm and Grissel Mercado and a group joining from A&O Shearman. The capital markets team has a fine record in life sciences, technology, real estate, consumer and other sectors, while remaining active in the SPAC market. Chair of the firm Frank Lopez has an outstanding record in equity offerings, while Seo Salimi joined as co-head of capital markets and co-chair of corporate life sciences in 2023 from Goodwin. All are based in New York.

Finance > Capital markets: high-yield debt offerings

Paul Hastings LLP has built its presence in high-yield debt, and has close links to a number of key investment banks in this space, including Barclays and RBC Capital Markets; the arrival of Marc Lashbrook, Joshua Zelig and David Barash in 2023 has significantly reinforced this side of the practice. The team also has a fine reputation amongst issuers, notably Latin American corporates, and private equity houses and their portfolio companies. The department has a strong combination of leveraged finance and high-yield specialists, frequently advising on M&A financings. John Cobb  provides further senior expertise in leveraged loans and high-yield offerings. Grissel Mercado has joined the firm from Shearman & Sterling LLP to reinforce its standing in Latin America issuances, while Michael Fitzgerald and a team have left the firm. All lawyers mentioned are based in New York.

Finance > Project finance

Helmed by the heavyweight duo of Gregory Tan and Robert Freedman who possess ‘both strong commercial and legal knowledge’, Paul Hastings LLP has a sponsor-driven energy and infrastructure practice that handles a wide array of financing structures, from leveraged finance and private placements to complex tax credit transactions. The firm also acts for an enviable roster of commercial banks, highlighted by its continued work with MUFG as lenders counsel in relation to both traditional and renewable assets. Freedman has demonstrated prolific activity on large-scale, multi-faceted solar developments over the past twelve months, approaching an array of transactions as from the lenders and noteholders, administrative agent and sponsor standpoint. Tan, who has also has an extensive energy practice that see him engage with assets across North and Latin America, has been the chief lead on infrastructure mandates, overseeing university campus and utility developments and LNG import terminals – amongst other instructions. Both practitioners operate out of New York.

Healthcare > Life sciences Tier 3

International trade > CFIUS Tier 3

Paul Hastings LLP’s prominent financial services offering is to the fore of its CFIUS offering, with CDH Fund and SJL Partners among its representative clients. The group’s industry expertise extends beyond funds to encompasses the energy, technology, defense and infrastructure sectors. The team is additionally distinguished by its robust record in achieving CFIUS approval for increasingly sensitive China-related transactions. Washington DC office chair, Scott Flicker, spearheads the global trade controls practice and leverages extensive experience in clearing cross-border transactions on behalf of both US and international companies. The Washington DC-based group also draws on talented of counsel, Randall Johnston, who has notched up roles in a string of complex CFIUS reviews, including handling national security agreements involving Chinese-owned acquirers. Among her recent matters, Johnston successfully guided South Korean entities, SJL Partners and SD Biosensor, through the CFIUS process connected to their joint acquisition of Meridian Bioscience.

Investment fund formation and management > Alternative/hedge funds Tier 3

Paul Hastings LLP's investment funds and private capital team stands out for its work on fund organisation, seed funding proposals, and open-end products, and related hedge fund structuring matters. The team is jointly led by global chair John Budetti who joined from Kirkland & Ellis LLP in April 2023, along with Josh Sternoff and Michael Rosella from the New York office. In California, Art Zwickel and Yousuf Dhamee are active members of the team, advising an asset management affiliate of JPMorgan Chase & Co with regulatory matters, and due diligence regarding proposed investments. The team also provides cross-border regulatory, particularly SEC related, advice for funds based in Asia. Also based in California, Alicia Harrison assists with representing Medina Value Partners in a buy-out litigation, and continuing to serve as outside counsel in funds structuring for various hedge fund managers. New York's Ira Kustin is another key contact, handling hybrid fund matters.  

Investment fund formation and management > Mutual/registered/exchange-traded funds Tier 3

Paul Hastings LLP offers ‘top notch’ investment management practice and are well versed advising alternative investment asset classes, such as business development companies, interval funds, and tender offer funds. The firm provides a comprehensive service, covering fund structuring and strategies, advice regarding SEC and NASD regulation as well as transactional and organizational support. Michael Rosella sits in New York and leads the practice, with global investment managers, fund companies and broker dealers regularly turning to him for his ‘world class’ advice, with San Francisco based David Hearth being another key team member.

Investment fund formation and management > Private equity funds (including venture capital) Tier 3

Alongside asset managers and private fund sponsors Paul Hastings LLP is a popular option for sovereign wealth investors, pension systems and other institutional investors. The practice covers a broad range of asset classes, including buyout, distressed and mezzanine debt, and venture capital with a high level of knowledge and experience in real estate funds. The team is largely based in New York and jointly led by Josh Sternoff who is praised by clients for his ‘excellent legal advice’, Michael Rosella , and John Budetti, who joined the firm in April 2023 from Kirkland & Ellis LLP and strengthens the firms offering across a gamut of matters in the private funds space. Max Rosenberg is a notable practitioner advising on co-investment vehicles, carried interest arrangements and secondary sales of fund interests where he handles some of the firms stand out clients, including Artemis Real Estate Partners and Oak Hill Advisors. Esther Chiang joined the firm in May 2023 from Goodwin, and deals with private equity funds, infrastructure funds, GP stakes funds and fund of funds.

Labor and employment > Workplace and employment counseling Tier 3

M&A/corporate and commercial > Shareholder activism Tier 3

Paul Hastings LLP bolstered its offering to boards in the area of shareholder activism with the hire of Sean Donahue, who joined its New York and Washington, DC offices from Goodwin in July 2023 to take on co-leadership of the department alongside New York-based Eduardo Gallardo. With partners at the helm who both have a strong focus on shareholder activism within their respective corporate law practices, the department has capability across the full range of matters in the area, including mergers with hostile activist backing, cooperative board changes, activist campaign defense, and proxy contests. Jon Kubek, who joined the New York office from Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP in May 2023, and Brad Bondi in Washington, DC support the practice heads with corporate law and litigation expertise, respectively.

Media, technology and telecoms > Media and entertainment: litigation Tier 3

Paul Hastings LLP has a strong and varied base of clients. representing them in matters involving NFTs, deepfakes, and disputes between motion pictures and streaming services. Team head Steven Marenberg acts for a number of the firm’s high-profile clients in complex matters. Tamerlin Godley is key to the practice, able to wield her in-depth industry expertise in her advisory and litigatory roles. Bo Pearl focuses on the First Amendment and its many implications for the media and entertainment sphere. Susan Leader and Josh Gordon are both strong litigators and trial lawyers, with several victories on behalf of entertainment clients. Ali Rabbani joined in May 2023 from Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, bringing skills in class action defense and breach of contract claims.

Media, technology and telecoms > Telecoms and broadcast: transactions Tier 3

Paul Hastings LLP‘s ‘broad telecommunications expertise‘ covers M&A, leveraged finance and restructuring deals in the telecoms, broadcast and satellite sectors. Based in Washington DC, the group works in tandem with the firm’s restructuring practice to advise on financings and restructurings in the media and telecoms space. In addition to handling both regulatory and transactional aspects, the team also represents trade associations in media ownership and policy matters. Practice head Sherrese Smith brings a ‘unique package of expertise’ across the telecoms, broadcast and satellite sectors, covering areas such as digital technology and e-commerce matters. Promoted to of counsel in 2023, ‘strong up and comer’ John Gasparini straddles both the firm’s privacy and cybersecurity and TMT teams, advising on privacy and data investigations and enforcement proceedings, as well as commercial agreements and foreign investment review.

Real estate > Real estate finance Tier 3

The real estate finance practice at Paul Hastings LLP is headed up in New York by financing expert Rick Allendorf who is noted for his focus on debt finance. He is known for acting on behalf of lenders on origination loans for securitization against commercial real estate projects. The team has experience in a wide range of real estate finance matters from securitizations, origination of loans, mortgage and mezzanine loans, to workouts and other distress-related real estate financing. The firm excels in assisting and advising on projects such as mortgage financing of residential New York properties. Key team members include Lisa Chaney who excels in advising banks as administrative agents and buyers in commercial real estate financings, John Cahill advises on both domestic and cross-border transactions, and Eric Schwitzer assists clients with commercial loans and restructurings. Michael Berman is the key contact for private equity houses. Financing specialist Pablo Clarke recently joined the firm from Latham & Watkins LLP. All aforementioned lawyers are based in New York.

Real estate > Real estate investment trusts (REITs) Tier 3

Equity and debt securities offerings are a standout feature of Paul Hastings LLP‘ REIT practice which uses its equity and derivatives expertise to handle complex forward sales transactions. The team represents public and private real estate companies, underwriters and investors and has handled matters such as follow-on offerings, M&As, joint ventures, and debt financings. Securities and capital markets specialist Yariv Katz is key to the practice, acting as underwriters’ counsel for a umber or REITs and leading on equity and debt securities offerings from New York. Los Angeles-based Pablo Clarke advises on real estate finance transactions including representing REITs on loan and refinancing matters.

Antitrust > Merger control Tier 4

Dispute resolution > International arbitration Tier 4

Paul Hastings LLP‘s international arbitration group finds favor for its ability to ‘address the most complex international IP disputes’. Alongside its strength in IP-related proceedings, where it is particularly active in the pharmaceutical space, the team is also recognized for its strong skill sets in political risk and international trade credit insurance. Based in Washington DC, global department co-chair Joseph Profaizer acts as both litigator and arbitration counsel, with a focus on international disputes. Igor Timofeyev, also in Washington DC, maintains a broad disputes practice that intersects international arbitration, appellate litigation and regulatory proceedings. Jonathan Hamilton, a DC-based specialist for Latin American arbitration proceedings, joined the team from White & Case LLP in March 2024.

Environment > Environment: litigation Tier 4

Headquartered in San Francisco, the environmental, energy and natural resources team at Paul Hastings LLP deals with a spread of environmental law issues, regularly handling the environmental facet of real estate and renewables mandates. Chris Carr leads the group and has a track record of representing clients in the renewables, conservation and energy storage spaces. The team is also home to Navi Dhillon, who is a name to note for high-stakes Endangered Species Act litigation, in addition to Deborah Schmall, who takes the lead on matters related to hazardous waste regulation, enforcement defense, as well as contaminated land remediation and redevelopment.

Finance > Capital markets: debt offerings

Paul Hastings LLP has radically expanded its capital markets team in recent years, giving it additional credibility in both investment grade and high-yield debt. Marc Lashbrook, Joshua Zelig and David Barash  joined the New York office from Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP in 2023, to reinforce the firm’s standing in high-yield debt; all three cover a mix of leveraged loans and high-yield bonds. Investment grade debt specialist Morgan Bale has also joined the New York office from Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP. Amongst its plentiful issuer-side client base, it advises private equity houses and their portfolio companies, public companies and large private corporates. It also has an impressive list of investment bank clients. The firm has a strong record in debt offerings by Latin American issuers, including sovereigns and sub-sovereigns. Chair of the firm Frank Lopez has an outstanding record in debt offerings. Los Angeles-based Jonathan Ko is another key partner. All other named partners are based in New York.

Intellectual property > Patents: prosecution (including re-examination and post-grant proceedings) Tier 4

Paul Hastings LLP‘s patent prosecution practice has Washington DC-based Naveen Modi at its head. Modi leads the team in collaboration with Bruce Wexler and Eric Dittmann  who both work from the firm’s New York office. Post-grant proceedings matters are a fundamental aspect of the team’s workload, including representing its clients in IPR, PGR and CBM review cases before the PTAB. In DC alongside Modi are key attorneys Joseph Palys who has a particular focus on leading PTAB trials across a wide-range of technologies and Phillip Citroën who has experience representing clients before the PTAB, district courts, Federal circuit, and the ITC.

International trade > Customs, export controls and economic sanctions Tier 4

Striking a balance between compliance and enforcement matters, Paul Hastings LLP’s export controls and economic sanctions practice has experience across the full suite of related matters. The group forms a key part of the wider firm’s global trade controls offering, which benefits from platforms across 21 offices and leverages significant complementary firepower in Europe and Asia, among other jurisdictions. From Washington DC, Scott Flicker chairs the global trade controls practice and advises on a mix of export controls, economic sanctions, and supply chain security. Other key contacts in Washington DC include Tom Best, whose practice intersects trade and white-collar defense, and associate Talya Hutchison.

Labor and employment > Employee benefits, executive compensation and retirement plans: transactional Tier 4

Paul Hastings LLP assists clients in navigating IPOs and M&A, focusing on investment fund structuring, fiduciary duty compliance, and ERISA-related concerns. The practice is under the joint leadership of Stephen Harris, Dan Stellenberg, and Eric Keller. Harris, operating from Los Angeles, is experienced in advising on golden parachute cut-back provisions and ERISA pension funding requirements. Palo Alto-based Stellenberg brings his expertise to advising both public and private entities on the tax, accounting, corporate, and securities law aspects of compensation and benefits programs. Meanwhile, Keller, located in Washington DC, counsels on executive-level issues. New York lawyer Jason Ertel, formerly of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP, joined the team in May 2024.

M&A/corporate and commercial > Private equity buyouts: large deals ($500m+) Tier 4

In addition to working closely with investors such as Accel-KKR, Cortec, and Citigroup, Paul Hastings LLP is very active in advising portfolio and target companies on a variety of merger deals, add-on acquisitions, and private equity- as well as venture capital-backed inbound investments. The team benefits from extensive cross-practice strengths to handle a large volume of multijurisdictional transactions and also regularly draws on the cross-practice expertise of key lawyers such as Ziemowit Smulkowski, who is noted for advising on the tax structuring of private equity deals, and Holly Snow, who represents private equity borrowers in debt finance transactions. Brian Richards, an expert on growth capital investments and leveraged buyouts, co-heads the practice with Palo Alto-based Scott Joachim, who joined from Goodwin in October 2023. Amit Mehta handles a variety of buyouts and distressed transactions for the likes of HIG, and San Francisco-based M&A experts Steve Camahort and Kelly Padgett are further key contacts. Unless otherwise stated, all mentioned lawyers are based in Chicago.

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

The growing data privacy & cybersecurity team at Paul Hastings LLP was bolstered by the July 2023 addition of Ryan Phair and Carter Simpson, formerly of Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP. Global chair of the practice group Aaron Charfoos, based in Chicago, is a go-to for litigation matters. Washington DC-based Phair is recommended as a ‘highly-experienced and skilled litigator‘; Simpson, also in DC, is experienced in the defense of punitive class action arising from data breach. Sherrese Smith boasts in-depth expertise regarding data privacy and security laws both within the US and internationally, based in DC. Jacqueline Cooney departed the team in June 2023.

M&A/corporate and commercial > M&A: large deals ($1bn+) Tier 5

With a client roster composed of leading corporations, financial institutions, and private investment funds, the Paul Hastings practice has vast experience of advising on cross-border M&A and joint ventures. From New York, the ‘strong’ Eduardo Gallardo co-heads the group and focuses on takeover defense and corporate governance matters, and Steve Camahort co-leads from San Francisco. Based in Century City, David Hernand routinely assists boards of directors and investment banks, and in New York, Jon Kubek and Mike Huang are noted for their ability to handle multijurisdictional transactions. Also operating out of New York, Robert Leung focuses on complex financing transactions.

Media, technology and telecoms > Technology transactions