Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP > San Francisco, United States > Firm Profile

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings

Antitrust > Civil litigation/class actions: defense Tier 1

The ‘incredibly responsive’ team at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP excels in representing large airlines, blue-chip tech companies, and large private equity firms across the full spectrum of contentious antitrust issues. In particular, the group has notable strength in advising corporate clients in contentious merger challenges and large class actions. In Washington DC, Karen Dunn takes point on bet-the-company litigation, particularly matters in the intersection of antitrust and consumer law, for clients in the tech sector. Also in DC is Bill Isaacson, a veteran antitrust litigator with a strong track record acting for leading tech giants in large class actions, both on the defense and plaintiff side. Andrew Finch splits his time between the firm’s New York and Washington DC offices and has a broad antitrust practice with notable industry expertise in the aviation sector. Aidan Synnott, also in New York, co-chairs the antitrust group and handles merger clearances and challenges for public companies and private equity funds. Synnott works alongside Brette Tannenbaum  and Staci Yablon; Tannenbaum is the firm’s antitrust deputy chair and is the go-to individual for competitor-on-competitor litigation, while Yablon is highly recommended for her financial services industry expertise.

Dispute resolution > Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense

The white-collar defense group at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP has a strong record representing prominent companies and senior executives who are facing investigations by state enforcement authorities. Theodore V. Wells has decades of experience advising clients on cases relating to environmental offences and SEC investigations. Loretta Lynch has an excellent track record representing clients in high-stakes investigations; she is especially recommended for her experience with racial equity audits and discrimination lawsuits. With his significant capabilities as a litigator, Brad Karp is recommended for major cases concerning financial crimes. Located in San Francisco, Melinda Haag routinely handles investigations connected to trade secret theft, bank fraud, and bribery. Other prominent members in the team include Richard Tarlowe and Jeannie Rhee. Tarlowe stands out for his experience with FCPA investigations, health care fraud, and public corruption. Located in Washington DC, Rhee has expertise in cybersecurity; she is skilled at representing technology and online companies as well as assisting them with compliance programs. With his extensive knowledge of securities and commodities fraud, Lorin L. Reisner is another notable lawyer at the firm. Unless otherwise stated, lawyers mentioned are based in New York.

Dispute resolution > Financial services litigation Tier 1

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP is a powerhouse in the financial services litigation space, representing top-tier clients in high-value and high-profile matters. The group is most recognized for its work on major securities and antitrust litigation, as well as on defense matters. The team also has extensive experience in SEC, CFTC, DOJ, and other congressional investigations. Co-leading the practice in New York are Brad Karp, Jessica Carey, and Theodore Wells, and in Washington DC, Karen Dunn and Kannon Shanmugam co-head the group. Karp, who is chair of the firm, is particularly noted for representing a wide variety of clients in multibillion-dollar matters ranging from litigation to federal and state regulatory investigations and enforcement matters. Carey is renowned for handling criminal, regulatory, and complex commercial litigation, although her expertise also extends to white-collar matters and internal investigations. Other notable names include Susanna Buergel and Daniel Kramer, both of whom are based in New York. Buergel receives plaudits for her securities litigation, often representing clients before the SEC, DOJ, and other federal and state regulatory authorities. Kramer too focuses on securities litigation and regulatory matters, alongside his involvement in internal investigations. Additionally, he is recognized for his ‘credibility with regulators and opposing counsel.’ The group also benefits from the expertise of Andrew Ehrlich and Audra Soloway in New York, and Roberto J. Gonzalez and Kenneth Gallo in Washington DC.

Dispute resolution > General commercial disputes Tier 1

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP handles all aspects of commercial litigation, trials, appeals, and international arbitration for a roster of blue-chip clients that encompasses the likes of Amazon, Apple, PayPal, Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs, among other global industry leaders and institutions. The New York-based group remains highly-regarded for its experience in financial services disputes and also handles contentious matters for clients in the chemicals, energy, health care, life sciences, media and entertainment, retail, and sports sectors. Seasoned defense attorney and firm chairman Brad Karp chiefly works with global financial institutions, private equity firms, corporations, sports leagues and C-suite executives. Theodore Wells is a highly experienced trial lawyer and continues to act as lead counsel for Exxon on domestic climate change regulatory and civil cases. Jaren Janghorbani is a key name to note for all aspects of commercial litigation, spearheading the firm’s offering in M&A litigation alongside Andrew Gordon. Karen Dunn's practice emphasises franchise-threatening litigation, with a particular focus on disputes involving tech, consumer and antitrust law. Tiana Voegelin's burgeoning practice encompasses all aspects of complex commercial litigation matters.

Dispute resolution > Leading trial lawyers Tier 1

Brad S. Karp at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP in New York, who acts as the firm’s chair, is a strong litigator and has a particularly strong reputation in the sports domain. Karp acts for a number of large, global banks which recently included Credit Suisse. Karp is also active in the entertainment industry and went to trial for a multibillion-dollar shareholder class action and derivative action case involving CBS Corp in 2023. Karp is also prominent in financial services litigation, demonstrating his versatility as a trial lawyer.Karen Dunn at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP is a ‘high-energy, smart, creative, and strategic trial lawyer with great instincts.’ Dunn is an experienced trial lawyer who is often involved in bet-the-company litigation, especially where technology, consumer and antitrust law meet. Dunn has a strong track record of winning in trials for the biggest global corporations, including the trial of Epic Vs Apple, and has continued to represent Oracle, for whom she secured a significant trial victory in July 2023. Dunn also counsels such household names as Amazon on an ongoing basis. Her work spans the country, from Washington DC and the Department of Justice to state courts nationwide.Theodore Wells at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP often works on long-running, business-critical litigation for high-profile clients and appears in high value, industry-defining cases. A longstanding client of his is ExxonMobil, for whom he recently acted in a long running tort case which settled in May 2023. Wells has also appeared in high-profile criminal cases in his career and recently acted in a FCPA action brought by the DOJ, utilising his experience in cases in front of the DOJ. Indeed, Wells has acted in front of a range of civil courts including district courts. Wells is based in the firm’s New York office.William Isaacson at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP in New York counsels clients including billion-dollar multinational companies such as Oracle, Uber and Amazon and is particularly successful in antitrust cases and financial services litigation. Isaacson handles cases on the plaintiff and defense side. On top of antitrust, his practice spans commercial, IP, consumer class action and pro bono matters which all have a sizeable effect on the clients represented. His court experience is diverse, able to represent clients in a range of courts, from district courts to the DC Superior court.Jay Cohen in New York, who was previously the chair of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP‘s litigation department, recently secured an extremely favorable outcome on behalf of Barnes & Noble in a defamation matter as well as representing Citigroup in derivative lawsuit. On top of significant expertise in antitrust trials, Cohen is a particularly prominent lawyer in the digital rights and licensing rates arena and was instrumental in the cable industry’s defense against carriage discrimination complaints.

Dispute resolution > M&A litigation: defense Tier 1

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP has a strong bench of M&A litigators in New York, and the firm continues to impress with its ‘professionalism, responsiveness and deep knowledge of the issues that set them apart, and their service is exceptional‘. Andrew Gordon and Jaren Janghorbani are co-chairs of the practice, which features many standout litigators, among them Geoff Chepiga, who recently favorably resolved a breach of fiduciary duty class action in the Court of Chancery for the special committee of Pattern Energy concerning the company’s $6.1bn merger agreement with Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, and accomplished trial lawyer Lewis Clayton, who played a key role in the precedent-setting, multibillion-dollar dispute concerning Fresenius Kabi AG’s $4.3bn merger with Akorn Pharmaceuticals Inc. Clients describe the ‘brilliant, indefatigable‘ Clayton as ‘one of the best trial lawyers in the US‘. Former Chancellor of the Delaware Court of Chancery Andre Bouchard, whose ‘knowledge of Delaware law in the corporate, LLC and transactional areas is unmatched‘, is the key contact in the Wilmington office.

Dispute resolution > Securities litigation: defense Tier 1

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP has a deep bench of securities litigators in New York that is ‘without peer‘. Susanna Buergel, Andrew Ehrlich and Audra Soloway are the practice co-chairs. Ehrlich’s highlights include a landmark victory for The Blackstone Group and Blackstone Alternative Asset Management in a $50bn derivative action. Firm chair Brad Karp, who also played a key role in that matter, is one of several standout partners having built a track record of success for prominent clients, among them JPMorgan Chase and Nikola Corporation. Highly regarded Daniel Kramer has a ‘well-established reputation for both ethical and intellectual integrity‘. He recently worked with Soloway to defend Amazon in a class action filed by shareholders. Geoffrey Chepiga is sought after for both securities litigation and M&A-related cases, and Gregory Laufer is a key advisor to Goldman Sachs.

Finance > Commercial lending Tier 1

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP maintains a strong footing in the borrower-side, regularly advising clients on leveraged finance transactions, public company financings, special situations, debt financings and asset securitizations. It also has ample experience handling complex refinancing transactions across of a range of distressed industries for private clients and their portfolio companies. Gregory Ezring chairs the New York-based practice, representing alternative asset managers in investments in leveraged debt instruments. Ezring co-leads the practice alongside Thomas de la Bastide, who specializes in leveraged buyouts and alternative lending transactions for hedge funds and Brian Kim ,who represents the likes of Apollo in leveraged buyouts. Eric Wedel is another key member of the team, with significant experience representing private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies in acquisition financings.    

Finance > Restructuring (including bankruptcy): corporate Tier 1

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP has cemented its status as a strong team for a variety of clients on both the creditor and debtor side, including distressed companies, fulcrum creditor groups, equity sponsors and distressed investors. The firm has handled high-profile bankruptcies over the year, including Revlon, where lawyers Robert Britton , Alice Belisle Eaton, Kyle Kimpler  and Sean Mitchell represented Revlon in its complex and publicized Chapter 11 cases and continue to represent the company in the wind-down of its remaining Chapter 11 case. Paul Basta co-chairs the New York-based team and has a storied career representing debtors, creditors and investors in a broad range of restructuring matters, ranging from Chapter 11 cases to cross-border insolvency matters. Andrew Rosenberg also co-chairs the department and has represented a diverse range of clients across numerous industries in matters including out-of-court restructurings and bankruptcy-related acquisitions. Jacob Adlerstein has broad expertise in advising clients in bankruptcy cases and corporate restructurings, ranging from debtors to ad hoc creditor committees. Brian Hermann  and Elizabeth McColm  have extensive experience in bankruptcy and chapter 11 proceedings, with Hermann skilled in representing clients in complex litigation arising out of Chapter 11, alongside McColm who has been involved in major restructurings and bankruptcies. Andrew Parlen has represented private and public companies in a variety of distressed situations, while Brian Bolin is noted for his experience in distressed financing transactions and exit financings, with Kelley Cornish representing acquirers in bankruptcy-related M&A alongside representing ad hoc groups.

Industry focus > Sport Tier 1

Regularly delivering ‘unmatched results’ and displaying ‘unparalleled knowledge’, the Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP practice has extensive expertise in advising international and domestic clients on all aspects of litigation, transactional, and regulatory affairs. The team is renowned for both its corporate and contentious offering in the sports area, frequently handling multi-jurisdictional M&A, debt finance transactions, and sponsorship deals in addition to overseeing high-profile settlements. New York-based chairperson Brad Karp being an expert litigator- covering claims ranging from concussion litigation to racial discrimination class actions. Lynn Bayard is knowledgeable in tort and negligence proceedings within sport, whilst the ‘standout’ Chris Boehning has vast experience in high-stakes regulatory and civil litigation in addition to advising major sports leagues and federations on transactional issues. Claudia Hammerman is a key contact for clients in commercial disputes and internal investigations, and Daniel J. Toal specializes in antitrust and private securities contentious matters.

Investment fund formation and management > Alternative/hedge funds Tier 1

Lauded as 'without peer' on 'individual expertise and depth of bench across all practice groups,' the alternative investment fund team at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP handles the full range of comprehensive strategic advisory work, including all relevant regulatory issues. With decades of expertise, 'industry leader' Udi Grofman leads the team with Marco Masotti, Scott Barshay, Brian Kim , Claudine Meredith-Goujon , and Steven Williams, who represent and advise a roaster of impressive clients including Blackstone Alternative Asset Management and Credit, Bridgewater Associates and DI Capital Partners, and advise of a wide range of hedge fun products. The team also regularly handles debt and hedge fund formation, SAF fund operation, seed arrangements, and various other investments with underlying funds. Allison Muth is another key contact, assisting with ongoing fund maintenance. All lawyers are based in New York unless stated otherwise.  

Labor and employment > Employee benefits, executive compensation and retirement plans: transactional Tier 1

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP boasts a ‘strong team’ specializing in executive compensation and employee benefits, serving companies, investment funds, and individuals. The firm’s expertise covers a broad spectrum, including C-suite hires and exits, compensation disclosures, equity-based compensation plans, and ERISA issues. The group notably advised General Electric on the executive compensation and benefits facets of its division into three specialized entities in healthcare, energy, and aviation. Practice co-chair Jean McLoughlin supports a diverse clientele that includes corporate, financial, and individual clients, while fellow co-chair Lawrence Witdorchic focuses on equity compensation, non-qualified deferred compensation plans, separation agreements, and ERISA fiduciary compliance. Andrea Wahlquist Brown, who joined in May 2023 from Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, adds depth to the bench with her expertise in M&A-related executive compensation, serving an array of clients including public companies and private equity sponsors. Meanwhile, Jarrett Hoffman advises on change in control, retention, and severance arrangements tailored to transactional needs for boards, committees, and executives. Based in Washington DC, Rebecca Coccaro specializes in advising on financing, IPOs, and ERISA matters intertwined with securities and tax law. All attorneys are based in New York unless otherwise stated.

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

M&A/corporate and commercial > Private equity buyouts: large deals ($500m+) Tier 1

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP remains a prolific presence in the transactional private equity space, handling a consistently high volume of sell- and buy-side transactions for leading asset managers such as Apollo and General Atlantic as well as established middle-market sponsors such as Oak Hill. The team covers a wide range of transactions, ranging from growth capital investments to high-value take-private acquisitions as well as cross-border buyouts and exits. Distressed acquisitions are a further area of specialism for the team, whose sector expertise encompasses industrials, retail, tech, healthcare, and financial services, including fund mergers. Practice head Matthew W. Abbott handles a wide range of investments and divestitures as well as joint ventures and carve-out transactions, and Angelo Bonvino serves as a key contact for leveraged buyouts and recapitalizations as well as complexly structured transactions between sponsors and strategic parties. Brian Scrivani routinely acts on high-value take-private deals, Brian C. Lavin guides funds through investments in the infrastructure sector, and Ellen Ching primarily handles buyouts in the life sciences space. Broad private equity experts Sarah Stasny, Ted Ackerman, and Cullen Sinclair are also highly recommended. Justin Rosenberg departed the team in June 2023, while former practice co-head Taurie Zeitzer left in December 2023. All contacts mentioned are based in the firm’s New York office.

Tax > US taxes: non-contentious Tier 1

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP’s New York-based transactional tax practice regularly advises major clients, including Fortune 500 companies, investment firms, and financial institutions, on major M&A and private equity deals, SPAC and securitization transactions, IPOs, and restructurings, among other matters. The team continues to advise industrial giant General Electric in relation to its reorganization by way of several spin-offs into three separate public companies operating in the aviation, healthcare and energy sectors. Jeffrey Samuels advises on a broad range of matters, including public and private M&A, spin-offs, investment fund structuring, and partnership and joint venture transactions. Brad Okun focuses on the tax aspects of M&A deals, restructurings, and corporate finance transactions. Scott Sontag’s broad client base includes public companies, private equity funds, and REITs, while Lindsay Parks advises investment funds and strategic clients in relation to joint ventures, carve-outs, restructurings, fund formation, and complex debt and equity offerings, among other issues. The four partners jointly chair the group, within which federal tax experts Robert Holo, who recently led a team advising cosmetics multinational Estée Lauder in relation to its $2.8 billion acquisition of luxury brand TOM FORD, and Matthew Jordan, who has experience advising private equity giants Apollo Global Management, General Atlantic, and Roark Capital Partners, play a key role.

Antitrust > Cartel Tier 2

Acknowledged for a strong presence in the financial services industry, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP is recommended for multi-regulator investigations regarding allegations such as price fixing, bid rigging and market allocation. The group is led by Aidan Synnott, litigation expert Brette Tannenbaum , and Andrew Finch, with Finch handling some of the firm’s most significant criminal investigations and private litigation matters. Valued by clients for his ‘trusted and thoughtful advice on difficult assignments’, Joseph Bial, who splits his time between New York and Washington DC, regularly represents clients in cartel litigation in federal district and appellate courts, and before state and federal regulatory agencies, while also handling international cartel and monopolization cases in the US, Europe and Asia. Tee St. Matthew-Daniel's recent work highlights include the representation of a client in cartel investigations into the fragrance industry by European and US antitrust authorities. All mentioned lawyers are based in New York, unless stated otherwise.

Antitrust > Merger control Tier 2

Lauded as a ‘go-to choice’ for a host of major corporates, the antitrust team at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, described as ‘stacked with immense talent at all levels’ excels in high-stakes merger clearance and regulatory investigations, leveraging deep agency experience. The practice is routinely engaged by a host of blue-chip clients, entrusted with advising on a steady stream of complex and market-leading transactions. Antitrust co-chair Andrew Finch, former Acting Assistant Attorney General, continues to be active on high-value, business-critical clearances, representing Spirit Airlines in the DOJ’s lawsuit seeking to block its $3.8bn sale to JetBlue. A mix of public companies and private equity funds turn to co-chair Aidan Synnott for his ability to handle complex merger clearances, while Joshua Soven is noted for his expertise in regulated industry antitrust issues, with a particular focus on the healthcare and tech sectors. The practice has continued to bolster its contentious antitrust expertise with the arrival of Scott Sher from Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati. Additionally, both Staci Yablon and Robert Sperling, based in New York, joined from Winston & Strawn LLP. Practitioners are based in Washington DC unless otherwise stated.

Dispute resolution > Appellate: courts of appeals / Appellate: supreme courts (states and federal)

The appellate practice at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP continues to enjoy an upward trajectory under the leadership of Washington DC-based department head Kannon K. Shanmugam—considered by many peers and clients as ‘the best of the best’—who is a former Assistant to the Solicitor General and one of the most active appellate advocates in the US. Among Shanmugam’s recent headline-grabbing cases, he represented Warner Chappell Music and Artist Publishing Group in a SCOTUS case concerning the Copyright Act’s statute of limitations for civil actions; and he was also engaged by the Oklahoma Tax Commission for an appeal before the Oklahoma Supreme Court concerning the state’s power to tax the members of Indian tribes. New York-based firm chairman, Brad Karp, also leverages significant appellate expertise and was recently involved in appeals on behalf of the National Football League and Blackstone. New York’s Robert A. Atkins, whose practice spans trial and appellate litigation, and Washington DC-based associate William Marks are also noted.

Environment > Environment: transactional Tier 2

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP‘s New York-based  environmental practice is known for its focus on sustainability, greenhouse gas issues, and ESG issues. In this context, the team regularly provides counsel to a diverse clientele, including public and private companies, asset managers, financial services firms, covering the entire spectrum of ESG-related concerns. This spans ESG reporting, risk and compliance matters, and structuring of ESG-related credit facilities. The practice is jointly led by William J. O’Brien, noted for his expertise in restructuring, financings, M&A, and securities offerings, and Julia Quigley, who routinely advises clients in the healthcare, energy, and infrastructure sectors on complex M&A, litigation, and restructuring transactions.

Finance > Capital markets: high-yield debt offerings Tier 2

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP has an issuer facing practice, driven by private equity, financial investor and asset management clients, along with their portfolio companies; the firm frequently advises anchor client Apollo Global Management and its portfolio companies. It also has some major corporate clients such as Carnival Corporation. Telecoms, financial services, leisure, travel, fashion and apparel and energy are sectors of particular strength, while it is further noted for restructuring-related deals. Brian Janson and Gregory Ezring are prominent partners with a fine record in high-yield debt with Luke Jennings gaining recognition. John Kennedy continues to advise Carnival on a regular basis. All are based in New York.

Finance > Structured finance: securitization Tier 2

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP has standout capabilities in the IP and whole-business securitization spaces- in particular, the firm offers great experience in the media and entertainment industry, working on novel structures surrounding music rights, sports financing slate deals and film-financing slate deals. Charles Pesant is adept at handling multiplatform and esoteric structured financings, as well as CLOs and related regulatory issues. Robert Zochowski Jr. assists public and private companies, financial institutions and investment funds on a range of traditional as well as esoteric securitizations, with experience in a range of asset classes including royalties, fiber optic networks and energy projects. Jordan Yarett is experienced in a range of novel securitization matters, including those surrounding IP-related whole-business loans, cash flow secured franchise loans and rated time share loans. Anastasia Peterson’s experience includes advising on warehouse facilities, receivables and forward flow agreements, and was promoted to partner in 2023. In May 2023, Lawrence Wee left the firm. All lawyers mentioned are situated in New York.

Investment fund formation and management > Private equity funds (including venture capital) Tier 2

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP‘s stellar client roster includes several of the most prominent asset managers and middle market firms, who regularly turn to the firm for support on launching and forming flagship funds and private equity style products, fund raises, novel structures for impact and ESG focused funds as well as continuation funds and secondaries transactions. Leading the New York based team is Marco Masotti, who’s broad funds practice spans various asset classes, including private equity, credit, growth capital and real estate, among others, where his focus lies in large scale fund raises. Further notable names in New York include Victoria Forrester, who advises on business alternative asset management and related regulatory issues and secondaries transactions, Amran Hussein, who focuses on sponsor side representation relating to private investment funds, co-investments and secondaries transactions, and Maury Slevin and Robert Tananbaum who were both made partner in January 2023. Conrad van Loggerenberg, Matthew Goldstein and Lindsey Wiersma are further key names in the funds group, who work with some of the firm's most preeminent funds clients, including Apollo Global Management, The Blackstone Group, KKR and Crestview Partners. The team grew in 2023 with the addition of Brad Brown from 3G Capital in September.

M&A/corporate and commercial > Shareholder activism Tier 2

The ‘very consistent, high-caliber lawyers‘ in Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP‘s New York office are well versed in providing the full range of counsel to boards facing activist action from shareholders. Clients in this area include major multinationals in a plethora of industries and the team’s workload covers proxy contests, counsel through activist campaigns, and subsequent settlements. Scott A. Barshay is seen by one client as ‘the best activist defense lawyer in the USA‘ and his practice covers takeover defense, activism campaigns and proxy contests at the most prominent levels. Krishna Veeraraghavan, whose ‘impeccable legal knowledge differentiates him‘, is a key name for takeover defense, along with Kyle Seifried. Another senior figure is Jeffrey Marell, who has a diverse practice defending public companies and their boards against attacks.

Real estate Tier 2

The New York City based real estate team at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP regularly advises major private equity firms, public and private companies, developers and government institutions including the Metropolitan Transportation Authority on both sides of high-value transactions, debt and equity financing, corporate structuring and developmental work. In addition to residential, retail, and industrial developments, the firm is also noted for its breadth of expertise covering data centers, gaming and hospitality, higher education, and the healthcare sector, where the firm advises large providers like Northwell Health. The real estate department is headed by chair Harris B. Freidus who covers a wide spectrum of real estate and infrastructure matters including those relating to joint ventures, construction, restructuring, and leasing. Salvatore Gogliormella focuses on acquisitions, dispositions, and financings with a particular niche in healthcare industry assets like nursing facilities, hospitals, and medical office buildings. Partner Peter E. Fisch is another leading name with experience covering transactions, financings, workouts, and lease work across a plethora of sectors, including student housing and hotel.

Tax > International tax Tier 2

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP advises Fortune 100 companies, investment firms and financial institutions on a broad range of transactions, including public company M&A, private equity deals for alternative asset managers, SPAC and whole-business securitization transactions, transformational IPOs, and out-of-court and in-court restructuring transactions. The practice is co-headed by Jeffrey Samuels, Brad Okun, Scott Sontag, and Lindsay Parks. Samuels has significant experience advising on tax aspects of public and private M&A, spin-offs, the organization of and structuring of transactions for investment funds, and partnership and joint venture transactions. Okun focuses his practice on the tax law aspects of mergers and acquisitions, restructurings and corporate finance and has experience advising limited liability companies and partnerships, as well as cross-border investing. Sontag regularly structures and negotiates complex merger and acquisition and restructuring transactions for public companies and private equity funds and their portfolio companies. Parks routinely supports investment funds and strategic clients in the negotiation and structuring of a broad range of international and domestic transactions. Robert Holo and Matthew Jordan both advise on federal tax law aspects of domestic and international transactions, including all types of mergers, acquisitions, tax-free reorganizations and spin-offs; cross-border tax matters; joint ventures; and capital markets and financing transactions. Brian Grieve has extensive experience advising alternative asset managers on tax matters related to the formation and operation of both US. and non-US investment funds, including private equity funds, credit funds, hybrid capital/special situations funds, real estate funds, and infrastructure funds, and the structuring of all types of investments by those funds. Robert Killip advises clients on US tax aspects of complex cross-border transactions, internal restructurings, tax-free reorganizations, spin-offs and bankruptcy and insolvency restructurings. The team sits in the New York office.

Finance > Capital markets: debt offerings Tier 3

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP has continued to build out its issuer-side practice, noted particularly for its corporate, private equity and private equity portfolio company representations. It has a varied mix of investment grade and high-yield debt experience and has a growing presence in convertible bonds. It remains noted for debt offerings to finance acquisitions for private equity clients. Global co-head of the capital markets group, John Kennedy is an experienced name in the team, often representing corporate clients such as Carnival Corporation on multiple offerings; he is further noted for liability management and rescue transactions. Also global co-heads of the team, Brian Janson  and Gregory Ezring frequently represent anchor private equity client Apollo Global Management and portfolio companies in debt offerings, along with other corporate issuers. All named partners are based in New York.

Finance > Capital markets: equity offerings Tier 3

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP has a solid record in equity offerings, representing a range of public companies, private equity firms and their portfolio companies, and has an issuer-oriented practice. In a notable IPO mandate in 2023, the firm advised Savers Value Village, an Ares Management Corporation portfolio company, on its $461m offering. It has also demonstrated expertise in at-the-market offerings and follow-on offerings. John Kennedy and the increasingly prominent Brian Janson are now amongst its most active equity offerings specialists with further support from Christodoulos Kaoutzanis. All are based in New York.

Finance > Fintech Tier 3

A key port of call for digital wallet platform developers, media studios, and content producers, the ‘experienced’ team Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP is well-regarded for its transactional blockchain and cryptocurrency expertise. Established litigator Jessica Carey specializes in cryptocurrency related regulatory matters, while Manuel Frey handles the structuring and negotiation aspects of derivative, synthetic, and financing products. Jonathan Ashtor is proficient in the technology and intellectual property aspects of data licensing arrangements as well as software and IT agreements. Michael E. Gertzman is reputed for his strength in internal investigations surrounding accounting fraud, price-fixing, and anti-money laundering. In Washington DC, Roberto J. Gonzalez is knowledgeable of economic sanctions, consumer financial protection regulation, and cybersecurity. All of the individuals that have been mentioned are located in New York, unless stated otherwise.

Finance > Structured finance: derivatives and structured products Tier 3

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP is capable in all manner of derivatives asset classes, including credit, equity, fixed income, commodities and currency exchange. The firm is at home dealing with OTC derivatives structurings and documentation negotiation and implementation, such as for ISDA master agreements. The global head of practice, Manuel Frey, is extensively experienced in equity and credit derivatives, synthetic financings, regulatory matters, and derivatives in a bankruptcy context. Matthew Goldstein is a noted member for his work assisting private funds clients. Brian Grieve brings his aptitude in tax matters to the derivatives space. Anastasia Peterson, who was made a partner in January 2023, is well-versed in OTC derivatives negotiation and structuring as well as compliance and regulatory issues under the Dodd-Frank Act. All lawyers mentioned are based in New York.

Intellectual property > Copyright Tier 3

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

Praised for its ‘deep expertise in media asset-backed securities transactions’, the team of ‘excellent lawyers’ at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP handles a range of transactional work for a range of key strategic players in the market. Practice co-heads Robert Schumer and Michael Vogel ’s M&A expertise is frequently brought to bear on major deals in the space. They co-lead the team with Charles H. Googe Jr., who is noted for his experience with financing transactions. Robert Zochowski Jr. is particularly well-regarded for his ability to advise on project financings involving assets such as music rights securitizations. Ariel Deckelbaum departed in March 2023.

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

Tower transactions are a key focus for Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP and the telecoms and broadcast transactional practice handles both national and global matters within the communications tower industry. With a clientele including public and private companies, institutional investors and private equity sponsors, the group handles M&A, joint ventures and capital markets transactions across the TMT, cable, broadcasting, satellite and wireless sectors. The team is also involved in various cross-border transactions, advising clients on the acquisition and disposition of international assets and financings. Brian C. Lavin leads the New York-based team, which has shown growth in recent years, with Ravi Purohit joining as practice co-head in September 2023.

Finance > Capital markets: global offerings

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP has a particular focus on the Canadian market, along with offerings by overseas-based private-equity backed companies; the firm’s close links to Apollo Global Management and other private equity houses, brings it a wealth of issuer clients. Deals range from IPOs to investment grade and high yield debt. Bond offerings linked to acquisitions around the world are another forte for the capital markets team. Christopher Cummings and Adam Givertz  are key names for Canada offerings, splitting their time between New York and Toronto.

Intellectual property > Patents: litigation (full coverage) Tier 4

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP‘s intellectual property group in New York has extensive experience litigating patent disputes in the life sciences and tech industries, both at jury and bench trials and at Federal Circuit appeals. Chair of the patent litigation group Catherine Nyarady is ‘a star‘ in patent litigation and routinely works with clients active in the medical devices, semiconductors and pharma spaces. The group also includes trial attorney Katherine Forrest, who co-chairs the digital tech group and acts for clients in disputes relating to intellectual property and antitrust, and Crystal Parker, who focuses on patent litigation in a wide range of sectors, with emphasis on Hatch-Waxman litigation. Kripa Raman, who specializes in patent and trade secret litigation as well as in licensing and the IP aspects of commercial transactions, is another key contact.

Labor and employment > ERISA litigation Tier 4

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP is noted for its capabilities in ERISA, pension and benefits-related litigation, with standout clients including DST Systems, Citigroup and Alaska Retirement Management Board. The team is led by Lewis R. Clayton, who serves as the of the ERISA, pension & benefits litigation group and represents a diverse client portfolio in high stakes litigation, with ERISA stock-drop another area of expertise. Jeffrey Recher, an experienced litigator utilizes his background in complex commercial litigation and corporate investigations.

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

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP ‘s privacy and data security offering advises large scale companies on complex, high-stakes cyber incidents, national security, and data privacy compliance. Co-chair of the group Jeh Johnson is lauded by clients as ‘a trusted advisor with profound insights’, operating out of both the Washington DC and New York offices. A former Secretary of Homeland Security, Johnson provides board-level cybersecurity advice. John Carlin co-chairs the group from DC, handling white collar defense, internal investigations, and incident response and leveraging previous Department of Justice experience to advise on national security and cybersecurity matters.

Media, technology and telecoms > Media and entertainment: litigation Tier 4

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, renowned for its cable TV representation, also assists a wealth of media stakeholders. Brad Karp co-chairs the practice, and recently resolved a multibillion-dollar securities and class action lawsuit involving the CBS board of directors. Lynn Bayard is highly regarded by her sport and entertainment clients for her work on complex intellectual property issues. Co-chair Jessica Carey is valued for her ability to manage high-profile class actions and discreet arbitrations. Jay Cohen is a music specialist that acts as lead counsel to ASCAP. Former Assistant Solicitor General to the DOJ, Kannon Shanmugam, is a top appellate lawyer based in Washington DC. All mentioned lawyers are based in New York unless otherwise stated.      

Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: consumer products (including tobacco)

Antitrust > Civil litigation/class actions: plaintiff