Firm Profile > Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP > Washington DC , United States

Appellate

A litigation powerhouse with unparalleled trial level success in a wide variety of practice areas, such as white-collar crime, corporate investigations, financial services, and general commercial disputes, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP founded a dedicated appellate practice in 2019. The firm attracted one of the country’s renowned appellate litigators as practice chair – Kannon Shanmugam (‘model of excellence‘ who ‘writes briefs that sting‘ and ‘presents compelling oral arguments‘), who joined from Williams & Connolly LLP at the end of January 2019. With 27 US Supreme Court arguments under his belt, Shanmugam achieved unprecedented success at the court during the last term, obtaining review in three separate cases on the same day as well as presenting arguments in four cases.

Commercial lending

Based in the firm's New York office, the 14-partner team at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP has an excellent reputation for borrower-related financings, particularly in the private equity sphere. Led by the extremely experienced Gregory Ezring, the team is regularly involved in some of the market's largest transactions. Recent examples include advising RCCH HealthCare Partners, an Apollo Global Management portfolio company, on the financing for its $5.6bn acquisition of LifePoint Health. In addition, the team acted for Berlin Packaging, an Oak Hill Capital Partners portfolio company, in relation to its $1.3bn financing for the refinancing of its existing debt. Other key clients include Roark Capital, Oaktree Capital Management and TowerBrook. Eric Goodison, Thomas V. de la Bastide III, and Monica Thurmond are other names to note.

Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense Tier 1

Based in New York, the team at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP handles investigations and corporate criminal matters for global financial institutions, corporations and their executives. In an example of the team's pedigree, Daniel Kramer and Gregory Laufer were called upon to represent the independent board members of Tesla in the SEC's investigation into Elon Musk's statements on Twitter regarding taking the company private in August 2018. In another highlight, Joe Bial, Roberto Finzi, Rick Rule and Theodore Wells defended Nippon Chemi-Con in connection with a DOJ indictment, following an investigation into alleged price fixing of metal capacitors - a matter in which the team discovered an ethical issue with the DOJ's conduct. Wells, alongside Richard Tarlowe, represented former US Attorney General, Loretta Lynch, in a DOJ review into the FBI and DOJ's handling of the investigation into Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server. Lorin Reisner, Jessica Carey and chair of the firm, Brad Karp, are also recommended. Kannon Shanmugam  became managing partner of the Washington DC office, after joining the firm from Williams & Connolly LLP in January 2019; he now chairs the Supreme Court and Appellate Practice group.

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

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP regularly advises target companies on market-leading transactions, with 2018 highlights including advising Bioverativ on its $11.6bn acquisition by Sanofi, assisting ILG with its $4.7bn acquisition by Marriott Vacations Worldwide, and advising eviCore on its $3.6bn sale to Express Scripts Holding. The New York-based team is jointly led by Andrew L. Gaines and Lawrence Witdorchic, the former of whom advised on Chapter 11 proceedings for radio station operator Cumulus Media. The team’s expertise also encompasses ERISA-related issues including withdrawal liabilities to multi-employer plans in connection with corporate M&A and restructuring. Other key clients for the team include Automatic Data Processing, General Atlantic Partners and KPS Capital Partners. Robert C. Fleder retired in December 2018.

Financial services litigation Tier 1

The 'impressive' team at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP remains at the forefront of the financial services litigation Bar and continues to be 'very active' across the most significant private litigation and enforcement actions affecting many of the country's most prominent financial services entities. Brad Karp is the trusted adviser of many high-profile banks in their most sensitive disputes; he represents Citigroup in numerous matters, including its defense of a raft of RMBS-related lawsuits and its ongoing defense as a party to alleged collusion in the interest rate swaps market. Karp also achieved a notable victory for Citigroup when he secured the voluntary dismissal of a shareholder derivative lawsuit alleging that the bank's officers and directors breached their fiduciary duties of oversight by failing to increase compliance with AML statutes and other federal laws. Formerly deputy general counsel at Citigroup, Susanna Buergel has very close ties to the bank and has been a key adviser to it in many of its financial crisis-related litigation and regulatory enforcement actions. The team also continues to guide Deutsche Bank through numerous benchmark manipulation investigations and class actions, including recently negotiating resolutions in five major class actions relating to, inter alia, US dollar Libor-referencing over-the-counter (OTC) instruments and Eurodollar futures. Praised for his 'ethical and intellectual integrity and credibility before the regulators and opposing counsel', Daniel Kramer is 'very effective' on behalf of clients engaged in securities litigation and related financial services disputes/enforcement actions. Other recommended practitioners include Richard Rosen and Bruce Birenboim. All named attorneys are based in New York.

General commercial disputes Tier 1

Market-leading firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP is regularly engaged by clients in high-stakes and sensitive litigation and investigations. Recently, this has included representing Exxon Mobil in a host of disputes, including defending the company in sprawling climate change-related investigations brought by state attorneys general and the SEC in various forums around the country. The firm's extensive experience in the financial services sector is also of note; in recent work for client Citigroup, Brad Karp and Susanna Buergel secured dismissals of False Claims Act litigation filed in Illinois, California and New Jersey. Other clients include Pfizer, Comcast and the NFL. Among the department's standout lawyers are highly regarded litigator Theodore Wells; Daniel Toal, who handles contract, environmental, antitrust and securities disputes; Jaren Janghorbani, who has handled multiple trials with stakes exceeding the $1bn mark; and Jay Cohen, whose clients include leading companies in the music and entertainment industry. Kannon Shanmugam joined the firm in 2019 from Williams & Connolly LLP.

Securities litigation - plaintiff Tier 1

Securities litigation - plaintiff Tier 1

Employee benefits, executive compensation and retirement plans: design Tier 1

International tax Tier 1

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP's international tax practice is led by Brad Okun and Scott Sontag. Okun is advising global silicones and advanced materials company MPM Holdings on its $3.1bn acquisition by a three-party investor group, and Sontag advised Sydney-based Lendlease, an international construction, development and infrastructure company, on its real estate joint venture with Australian pension fund First State Super. Sontag also worked with Jeffrey Samuels to advise a domestic biopharmaceutical company on its multibillion-dollar sale to a global pharma company. Brian Grieve and Lindsay Parks were made partner in January 2018.

M&A litigation: defense Tier 1

M&A litigation: defense Tier 1

Leading trial lawyers Tier 1

Theodore Wells - Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP Theodore Wells is renowned for his nationwide high-profile trials ranging from class action litigation to SEC regulatory work. Recent highlights include representing Deutsche Bank in a multi-jurisdictional inquiry and related civil claims concerning the setting of LIBOR; the team secured a favorable settlement in this matter. Wells has also handled major class actions for clients including Johnson & Johnson, Bank of America and Mitsubishi Corporation.

M&A litigation: defense Tier 1

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP in New York has 'an excellent group of corporate litigation attorneys who are valued counselors and can be aggressive litigators when necessary'. Lewis R. Clayton and Andrew Gordon, who is 'an up-and-coming litigation star', scored a major victory for German healthcare group Fresenius when the Delaware Court of Chancery ruled that it was justified in canceling its agreement to acquire Akorn, Inc. for  $4.8bn. The firm's deep bench has 'tons of experience, superior judgment and excellent strategists'. Among the highly regarded practitioners are Jaren Janghorbani, who was part of the team that acted for Alere in claims arising from the cancellation of its $8bn sale to Abbott Laboratories in 2016; and Geoffrey Chepiga, who scored significant wins both in Delaware and in federal district courts. Of counsel Stephen Lamb, who is a former vice-chancellor in the Delaware Court of Chancery, has a strong practice in Wilmington.

M&A litigation: defense Tier 1

M&A litigation: defense Tier 1

Restructuring (including bankruptcy): corporate Tier 1

The ‘commercially savvy, always available and completely unflappable’ team at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP is strong across the board, but has an especially good reputation for litigation. Experienced in domestic and cross-border representations for clients including debtors, official and unofficial committees of creditors, the firm is 'a huge comfort when going through a highly intensive and stressful restructuring transaction’. Alan Kornberg and Paul Basta chair the practice from New York and can call on the expertise of the ‘extremely knowledgeable, dedicated and highly ethical’ Andy Rosenberg, and ‘very strong contributor’  Elizabeth McColm. Led by the 'brilliant' Brian Hermann, Kyle Kimpler and ‘rising star’ Alice Belisle Eaton, the firm represented Expro Holdings, a UK-based provider of well flow management services to the oil and gas industry, in its prepackaged Chapter 11 case in the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas; in a successful conclusion, the company emerged from Chapter 11 in 49 days, having eliminated its entire $1.4bn of funded bank debt. In another highlight, Jacob Adlerstein represented Cumulus Media, a radio company with 446 stations spread across 90 markets, in its heavily contested Chapter 11 cases, including a multi-day contested plan confirmation trial addressing, among other things, various valuation issues; the court eventually issued a decision that adopted the company’s valuation testimony, overruling all objections, and confirmed the Chapter 11 plan. Also notable in the team are Kelley Cornish and Jeffrey Saferstein.

Securities litigation - defense Tier 1

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP is regarded by one client as 'nonpareil - without peer on all criteria'. The firm has an outstanding track record of results for leading financial institutions, corporations and their directors and officers. Last year, it continued to handle the run-off of financial crisis-related cases, which included securing the dismissal of RMBS matters for Citigroup, as well as high-profile cases in key industries such as life sciences, in which it secured the dismissal of four opt-out securities actions brought by institutional investors against global pharmaceutical giant Merck. Daniel Kramer led the Merck cases and clients 'trust his judgment implicitly - he has great, practical business sense complementing unparalleled legal expertise'. Firm chair Brad Karp is 'one of the hardest-working lawyers in the market' and was part of a team that helped Blackstone Alternative Asset Management with a $50bn derivative claim brought against various asset managers by Kentucky's state employee pension system. Richard Rosen, Geoffrey Chepiga and Susanna Buergel and Andrew Ehrlich are just some of the other highly rated partners.

Shareholder activism Tier 1

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP's Scott Barshay and Steven Williams advised ADP on its victory over Pershing Square Capital Management, and also advised Barnes and Noble on a campaign brought by Sandell Asset Management. Further, Barshay and Williams advised Honeywell on a campaign brought by Third Point, and acted for Qualcomm in a campaign by Elliott Management to increase the company's sale price in its proposed sale to NXP Semiconductors. Also recommended are Adam Givertz and Ross Fieldston, who advised AmTrust Financial Services on a settlement with Carl Icahn.

US taxes: non-contentious Tier 1

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP's 'preeminent tax practice' has expertise in M&A, securities and private equity transactions. Recent highlights include Scott M. Sontag and Jeffrey Samuels advising IBM on its $34bn acquisition of Red Hat, and Brad R. Okun assisting ADT with its $1.5bn IPO. Samuels also acted for Honeywell in relation to the tax-free spin-off its Turbocharger business. In other highlights, David R. Sicular advised Oak Hill Capital Partners, GI Partners and Wave Broadband’s management team on the $2.3bn sale of Wave Broadband to RCN Telecom Services, a nationwide broadband service provider controlled by TPG. Also recommended is David W. Mayo, who advised the independent directors of Perry Ellis International and American & Efird on M&A deals. Brian Grieve and Lindsay Parks were promoted to partner in January 2018. All partners are based in New York.

Alternative/hedge funds Tier 2

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP handles a range of hedge fund work for institutional and independent fund managers, and is noted for its strength in fund seed investment mandates. Udi Grofman garners praise for his 'prodigious work ethic', and is well known for acting as primary outside counsel to Blackstone Alternative Asset Management. Other recent work for Grofman includes advising Tiger Management on multiple seed investments and regulatory matters. Marco Masotti and Amran Hussein, who jointly advise Avenue Capital, are key names. Other clients include JP Morgan Asset Management, HPS Investment Partners and King Street Capital. The team is located in New York.

Capital markets: equity offerings Tier 2

‘Dedicated, talented and thorough’, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP is praised for its ability to ‘seamlessly and efficiently execute deals’ and also to ‘deliver tailored and timely advice on complex issues’. The practice, which is commended as ‘doing a great job for issuers’, routinely advises private equity sponsors and public companies on equity offerings, with notable expertise in the TMT, leisure, apparel and energy arenas. Among its recent headline deals, Tracey Zaccone (‘a great talent and a joy to work with’) advised ADT on its $1.4bn IPO. Group co-head John Kennedy, who is ‘an exceptional securities attorney with a mastery over the entire landscape’, advised Taylor Morrison Home on three common stock offerings totaling over $1bn. Other key contacts in the New York-based group include department co-lead Gregory Ezring, who ‘advocates for his clients, while seeking to get deals done’, and deputy corporate chair Monica Thurmond.

Capital markets: high-yield debt offerings Tier 2

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP’s ‘supportive, practical and flexible group’ is noted for its ability to ‘maintain a level of partnership that goes beyond a client-provider transactional relationship’. The New York-based practice group, which is hailed by sources as ‘really strong for issuers’, enjoys close links with major private equity firms, such as Apollo, and their portfolio companies. Among its recent highlights, finance co-head Gregory Ezring (‘a very strong capital markets specialist’) acted alongside Catherine Goodall to advise EP Energy, in which Apollo is a significant shareholder, on its $1bn offering of senior notes. Ezring also paired up with Christopher Cummings, who splits his time between New York and Toronto, to advise Stars Group on its $1bn high-yield debt offering to finance its $4.7bn acquisition of Sky Betting & Gaming from CVC Capital Partners and Sky. John Kennedy, ‘a talented and dedicated’ contact, and David Huntington, ‘a very commercial’ lawyer, are other key names in a group, which has also recently undertaken work for Hunt Companies, CDK Global and Garrett Motion.

Cartel Tier 2

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP's antitrust team continues to defend Deutsche Bank in the landmark foreign exchange benchmark manipulation investigations, and is currently representing a US holding company and its subsidiary in a grand jury investigation into major industrial supply markets. The group is jointly led by Kenneth Gallo, Jonathan Kanter and Charles Rule, with the support of litigation expert Aidan Synnott ; Synnott and Gallo sit in New York, while Kanter and Rule are DC based. The group is currently acting for a multinational insurance company in an internal investigation into its US operations following an investigation launched by a European regulatory agency. Other key names include William Michael, Craig Benson and Joseph Bial, who are all based in New York.

Civil litigation/class actions: defense Tier 2

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP's 'highly skilled and experienced' antitrust team is currently representing the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers in its challenge before the DOJ regarding changes to its longstanding antitrust consent decree brought by the Music Modernization Act, which was signed into law in 2018. Aidan Synnott 'leads an effective team in a client-oriented way and remains calm under pressure throughout the trial process'. Craig Benson, Joseph Bial and Kenneth Gallo, who sit in Washington DC, are defending Bumble Bee Seafoods against claims of a price-fixing conspiracy in the packaged tuna market brought by putative classes of direct and indirect purchasers and large retailers. In another highlight, Becton Dickinson appointed a New York-based group consisting of Robert Atkins, William Michael and Jacqueline Rubin to defend it in a putative class action brought by healthcare providers alleging the client inflated the prices of its products. Notable clients also include Citigroup, Deutsche Bank, Pfizer and Cigna. Charles Rule is also a key contact.

ERISA litigation Tier 2

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP’s New York-based ERISA litigation practice is instructed by the firm's client base in high-stakes matters. The firm’s litigation team successfully represented Exxon Mobil and its savings plan trustees in a putative ERISA class action claiming a breach of fiduciary prudence. In addition, the team acted for Citigroup in a multibillion-dollar stock drop class action, which was recently dismissed. Other notable names on the client roster include AIG, the Bank of New York Mellon, JPMorgan Chase and Prudential Insurance. Lewis R. Clayton and Brad Karp are the key figures in the practice group.

M&A: large deals ($1bn+) Tier 2

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP has continued its inexorable rise since the arrival of M&A superstar Scott Barshay in 2016. In 2018, he and the team were engaged by International Business Machines (IBM) to advise on its $34bn acquisition of Red Hat, creating the world’s largest hybrid cloud provider. Barshay also led the team that represented Qualcomm in connection with the $130bn unsolicited offer for the company from global semiconductor leader Broadcom; this was the biggest successful hostile takeover defense in the history of M&A. The firm's leading litigation practice provides additional firepower to the M&A team's historically outstanding record in hostile takeovers, proxy fights and activist defense work. Clients praise the department's 'depth of experience on complex, large scale transactions',  'the judgments of the team which tend to be superior to other firms'  and 'the scale of the team means clients are well covered and never left to fend for themselves or left with junior associates who are not equal to the tasks at hand'. Clients also highlight the team's 'open communication, business acumen and pragmatism'. Of the key partners in the team, the previously mentioned Barshay is 'perhaps the best M&A lawyer on Wall Street', 'has decades of experience which gives him excellent insight and judgment', 'works collaboratively with clients to deliver seamless advice',  and is 'excellent at seeing around corners and anticipating the moves of the other side'. Chair of the corporate department Robert Schumer is another outstanding practitioner who is 'one of the most practical and business oriented thinkers', according to a leading partner at a rival firm. He led the team that advised the special committee of the board of directors of Invitation Homes in connection with its merger of equals with Starwood Waypoint Homes. Other key M&A partners include Jeffrey Marell and Steven Williams. Private equity stars Taurie Zeitzer and Matthew Abbott are also key contributors to the success of the M&A practice. David Klein joined Kirkland & Ellis LLP in 2019.

Private equity buyouts Tier 2

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP impresses in on both large-cap and mid-market deals. It continues to be strongly associated with Apollo Global Management, along with a number of other prominent private equity houses such as General Atlantic, Kohlberg & Co, KPS Capital Partners and Oak Hill Capital Partners. 'Client service is second-to-none' thanks to 'first-rate lawyers' and 'excellent associates that are engaged on repeat matters' to ensure strong knowledge of the client. 'There are no weak players on the bench' in a team of 'unbelievably smart and engaged lawyers who fundamentally care about making sure clients are well looked-after'. The firm advised Apollo on a series of notable deals in 2018, including its $1bn acquisition of a number of energy sector investments from GE Capital; it also advised portfolio company MPM Holdings on its $3.1bn sale to SJL Partners, KCC Corporation and Wonik QnC. General Atlantic also provides the firm with a regular flow of instructions, including the recent $3.6bn sale of eviCore healthcare to Express Scripts. Taurie Zeitzer is at the forefront of the firm's relationship with Apollo and has exceptional heavyweight deal experience. Matthew Abbott, the lead relationship partner for General Atlantic, is 'one of the best M&A lawyers of his generation' and 'a firm but likeable negotiator who instills confidence at the highest levels of clients' organizations'. Neil Goldman is 'an extremely talented and thorough lawyer who will catch every issue, provide commercial advice, and always get the job done'. Angelo Bonvino is another key partner, advising the likes of Kohlberg & Co, KPS Capital and Oak Hill. Carl Reisner is hugely experienced private equity specialist and John Scott is another regular adviser to Apollo. Ellen Ching is also recommended by clients. The team is based in New York.

Private equity funds (including venture capital) Tier 2

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP has established expertise in handling high-value buyout and debt fund work. Marco Masotti and Amran Hussein advised Roark Capital on forming two private equity funds -- Roark Capital Partners V, a flagship fund, and Roark Capital Partners II Sidecar, the client's first sidecar fund, which together raised $6.5bn in aggregate. The group is also assisting Apollo Capital Management with forming its first hybrid fund, Apollo Hybrid Value Fund, which has a $3bn target. Other clients include Blackstone, Crestview Partners and TowerBrook Capital Partners. Named individuals are based in New York.

Real estate Tier 2

The ‘smart, fast and connected’ Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP represents developers, institutional fund managers, public real estate companies, private real estate fund sponsors, overseas investors and government entities on the full gamut of transactional real estate matters. Harris Freidus recently acted for CIM Group on various acquisitions and debt and equity financing for large developments with an aggregate value of $5bn. Mitchell Berg advised Lendlease Group on its joint venture with SoftBank Group to fund the acquisition and restructuring of around 8,000 existing telecoms sites across the US. Meredith Kane advised Northwell Health on a number of healthcare acquisitions and developments with a total value of $1bn. Another highlight included acting for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in conjunction with SL Green and Hines Corporation on the $3bn development of an office tower at Vanderbilt Avenue and 42nd Street in New York City. Salvatore Gogliormella acted for Murray Hill Properties on a $3bn joint venture with an affiliate of Banyan Street Capital. Peter Fisch and Gogliormella represented HNA Group on $1.8bn of financing for the acquisition of 245 Park Avenue in New York City. Steven Simkin retired. All named attorneys are based in New York.

Sport Tier 2

The 'phenomenal law firm' Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, which 'has been on the cutting edge of legal issues impacting the sports industry', is highlighted in particular 'for its excellence in the investigations and litigation areas'. Clients recall being 'impressed by the caliber of the lawyers, work product, and client service'. The group attracts praise for its 'vast experience in handling concussion matters'; it represented Arizona Cardinals Football Club in a case brought by former players alleging the concealment of the harmful effects of concussions and is advising the NFL on the implementation of the 65-year settlement for concussion litigation. It is also currently defending the league in opt-out litigation brought by approximately 75 former players. Key names to note include Brad Karp, who 'provides excellent perspective and ideas on strategic matters'; 'superb lawyer' Christopher H. Boehning, who has 'an impressive understanding of all of the legal issues as well as deep knowledge of the soccer world' and litigator Lynn B. Bayard. Transactional lawyer Justin Hamill joined Latham & Watkins LLP.

Structured finance: securitization Tier 2

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP is the leading firm in issuer-side whole-business securitizations, and also handles a range of other more esoteric asset classes, including mortgage liens on telecom towers, media revenue, PACE bonds, and IP and commercial licences. In the whole-business space, Jordan Yarett acted for The Wendy's Company in a $1bn whole-business securitization, and also advised CKE Restaurants Holdings on its second whole-business securitization. Also of note, Yarett acted for Coinstar in its second securitization backed by coin collections, branded kiosks, licence payments and IP. The team also advised Deutsche Bank Securities on multiple securitizations backed by residential and commercial PACE bonds and tax liens. Another key contact is Robert Zochowski Jr., who has extensive experience in securitizations and other financing transactions involving assets such as patent royalties, energy and infrastructure assets, and hospitality and entertainment revenues. Other issuer-side clients include SBA Communications Corporation, Roark Capital Group and Amherst Pierpoint Securities.

Telecoms and broadcast: transactional Tier 2

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP's New York-based team has significant experience in satellite, cable and wireless transactions, and is also known for its involvement in the communications tower space. Practice co-head and tower industry specialist Bruce Gutenplan recently advised John Hancock Life Insurance on its acquisition of a 35% stake in wireless tower operator Phoenix Tower International. Gutenplan also works with cloud services and data center companies, advising Quantum Strategic partners on the $442m sale of portfolio company Zenium Data Centers to CyrusOne, as well as the spinning off and subsequent $93m sale of the company's Turkish operations. Other key clients for the firm include CMMB vision holdings, ATC telecom, and LStar Capital. Patrick Campbell left for Milbank in 2019.

Capital markets: debt Tier 3

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP’s New York-based capital markets practice is underpinned by some well-established private equity relationships. In particular, Apollo is a marquee client and Apollo Management Holdings LP turned to the firm to advise on its recent $300m notes offering — group co-lead Gregory Ezring, corporate deputy chair Monica Thurmond and Catherine Goodall led that work. The team also enjoys a strong niche in Canada-related matters where Andrew Foley, who splits his time between New York and Toronto, advised TELUS on its recent $750m debt offering. Among the team's underwriter-side highlights, Christopher Cummings, who also works out of New York and Toronto, advised the underwriters on three securities offerings by TransCanada totaling $5.1bn. John Kennedy co-leads a group that has also recently undertaken work for Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Ralph Lauren and Apollo-owned retailer, Aurum Group.

Copyright Tier 3

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP's key area of focus is in music and it is often engaged by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Jay Cohen is a key figure and is particularly skilled in handling disputes pertaining to music rights and licensing. Litigator Lynn Bayard is also highly recommended. Other key clients include Calvin Klein and Michael Kors.

Media and entertainment: litigation Tier 3

The New York-based media and entertainment practice group at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP has particular experience handling breach of contract, antitrust, employment and intellectual property litigation for clients such as American Society of Composers, Authors & Publishers, Comcast Corporation and NBCUniversal. Recent work highlights include Jay Cohen's representation of Altice in litigation brought by Cablevision’s former controlling family and a Cablevision employee, alleging that Altice breached commitments it made when it acquired Cablevision (relating to the management of the staff and business of a local news program). The group is also acting for Tribune Media Company in several antitrust class actions alleging a price-fixing conspiracy in the market for television advertising sales. Lynn B. Bayard, who heads the team alongside Cohen, and Jonathan S. Kanter are other key names to note, particularly for intellectual property and antitrust matters respectively.

Media and entertainment: transactional Tier 3

The interdisciplinary media and entertainment team at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP counts DreamWorks Animation, VICE Media, 21st Century Fox and Endeavour among its clients. The group recently advised the latter on a joint venture with equity investor Sequoia Capital, Tencent and FountainVest Partners for the formation of a new China-based subsidiary; it also assisted Endeavor in connection with the merger of Learfield and IMG College, a subsidiary of Endeavor. In other work highlights, Robert Zochowski Jr. acted for Legendary Entertainment in its $1bn asset-backed term loan facility in connection with the refinancing of indebtedness, and a team represented Cumulus Media in its successful chapter 11 cases. Other key names to note include Robert Schumer and Ariel J. Deckelbaum. Justin Hamill joined Latham & Watkins LLP. All attorneys are based in New York.

Merger control Tier 3

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP's team 'is smart with a strong bench' and is 'driven and supported' by 'fantastic lawyer' Charles Rule, who 'grasps issues promptly and provides incisive counsel'. Washington DC-based Jonathan Kanter and Jay Cohen in the New York office are currently representing Altice as an interested party in T-Mobile's high-profile acquisition of Sprint, while Aidan Synnott continues to advise Automatic Data Processing on a number of strategic acquisitions in the digital finance space. Also notable is Washington DC's Andrew Forman, who is working with Rule, Kanter and the 'excellent' Daniel Howley to oversee Cigna's $67bn acquisition of Express Scripts.

Structured finance: derivatives and structured products Tier 3

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP acts for buy-side and sell-side clients in a wide range of derivative transactions linked to various underlying asset classes. Headed by Manuel Frey, the team has particular expertise in matters involving OTC derivatives, including trading mandates, corporate transactions with embedded derivatives and bankruptcy and restructuring procedures. Frey is engaged by prominent investment funds, corporate end-users and dealer banks, and is also noted for his expertise in Dodd-Frank derivatives regulation. Other names to note include deputy chair of tax Patrick Karsnitz, and Kyle Kimpler, who specializes in bankruptcy and corporate restructuring.

Capital markets: global offerings Tier 4

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP’s ‘efficient and practical group’ is composed of ‘talented attorneys who are always up to speed on market dynamics’. The New York-based practice, which represents global issuers and underwriters on the full spread of capital markets matters, is particularly held up as ‘really strong in advising issuers’. It also finds favor for its ‘skill across debt and bond products’ and its ‘full integration with corporate colleagues for seamless service in transactions’. Canada-related work is a strong suit, with sources highlighting its ‘strong dedication to Canada and US cross-border financings’, which results in ‘unmatched expertise in Canada deals’. Christopher Cummings, who splits his time between New York and Toronto, is ‘practical and knowledgeable’; he recently advised the underwriters on four debt offerings by Calgary-based TransCanada totaling $6.1bn. In a major event-driven deal, Cummings teamed up with Adam Givertz, who is also based between New York and Toronto, and ‘very strong and commercial’ department co-head Gregory Ezring to advise Canada’s Stars Group on both its $950m equity offering and $1bn debt offering to support its $4.7bn acquisition of UK-based Sky Betting & Gaming.

Leading trial lawyers Tier 4

Brad Karp - Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP Firm chairman Brad Karp's specialisms lie in major financial disputes and securities litigation, where he continues to act for Citigroup as lead counsel in all its high-value commercial disputes. Karp represented Blackstone Alternative Asset Management in a securities dispute in a Kentucky state court relating to Kentucky's state pension system. JPMorgan Chase is another key client.

Patents: litigation (full coverage) Tier 4

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP enthuses clients with its 'incredibly strategic mindset' and 'relentless advocates', whose 'loyalty and dedication sets them apart'. The team is especially active in the pharmaceuticals and technology industries, and acts for an impressive list of major clients such as 10x Genomics and Nichia. For Amgen, the team acted in multiple high-stakes cases, including Supreme Court and Federal Circuit litigation against Sandoz regarding biosimilars of Amgen blockbusters Neupogen and Neulasta and an infringement district court case against Apotex conducted over biosimilars of the same blockbuster drugs. Key figures in the practice group include 'talented lead trial counsel' and practice head Nicholas Groombridge, 'incredible' deputy practice head Catherine Nyarady ('never misses a beat') and David Ball in Washington DC. All lawyers are based in New York unless otherwise stated.

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A Historic Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion

Individuality and diversity of ideas, backgrounds and perspectives are valued here. Our firm’s commitment to cultural progress can be seen throughout our history. Our work has contributed to groundbreaking societal change, from assisting Thurgood Marshall in Brown v. Board of Education, to a landmark U.S. Supreme Court victory for Edith Windsor and marriage equality.
A firm’s culture greatly influences the experience of every attorney. We are proud of the collaboration, cooperation and innovation that takes place at Paul, Weiss every day. We intend to provide all of our attorneys with the necessary tools to build stellar, rewarding careers in an inclusive environment. Our diversity and inclusion initiatives also support that goal through the efforts of our Diversity and Women’s Initiatives Committees, and a diversity and inclusion strategy implemented by our Chief Inclusion Officer.

Click here to learn more from Firm Chair Brad Karp, and to read the Firm Principles outlined by Simon Rifkind in 1963.

Statement from Brad Karp, Firm Chair:

“Most elite law firms profess a devotion to diversity. Our law firm has been breaking down walls and shattering barriers for more than a century. We were the first major law firm to mix religions, founding the “modern” Paul, Weiss by merging prominent law practices of Jews and Gentiles. We were the first large New York law firm to hire an African-American lawyer when we hired William Coleman in 1949. As a Paul, Weiss associate, Coleman immediately began working with Thurgood Marshall on Brown v. Board of Education, striking down segregation in public schools. We were also the first major law firm to elect a female partner and the first to hire an African-American woman attorney in the 1950s. We have also long been a leader in the area of LGBTQ rights, taking the case of Edith Windsor to the U.S. Supreme Court, establishing a constitutional right to same-sex marriage, and most recently extending that protection in the adoption context.
“Diversity remains a key strategic priority for our firm, encompassing initiatives, programs, and policies that have been broadly lauded as market-leading and cutting-edge. We always have been an open and diverse, iconoclastic, egalitarian firm with a conscience, welcoming and respecting people of all backgrounds and points of view, encouraging everyone to speak their minds and to share their thoughts about matters large and small. We recognize that our firm is defined by how we treat each other publicly and privately, and we understand that, at the beginning and end of every day, we are in this together. We appreciate that building a diverse and inclusive workforce is not only the right thing to do, but it ensures success in all aspects of our work and our business.”

Simon Rifkind

Firm Principles outlined by Simon Rifkind, 1963:

“We believe in maintaining, by affirmative efforts, a membership of partners and associates reflecting a wide variety of religious, political, ethnic and social backgrounds, characteristic of that community. We believe that through this policy we may bring to the service of our clients greater breadth of understanding and wider contacts with the world at large, while enriching our personal lives and demonstrating the value of democratic principles as applied to the organization of a law firm.”

Awards and Recognition

Paul, Weiss has been recognized many times over for our commitment to diversity and inclusion. Recent awards and recognition include:

• In 2019, the firm was recognized as the top firm nationally for our percentage of black attorneys according to the nonprofit Lawyers of Color in their Black Student’s Guide to Law Schools and Law Firms.
• Ranked among the top 25 “Most Diverse Law Firms” for 17 consecutive years, with two number one rankings, by The American Lawyer’s Diversity Scorecard.
• In 2018, awarded the Law Firm Diversity Award by the Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY).
• Awarded Gold Standard Certification by the Women in Law Empowerment Forum (WILEF) for our advancement of women lawyers for the past four consecutive years.
• In 2018, ranked sixth among large law firms on Law360’s list of the Best Law Firms for Minority Attorneys – higher than any peer firm.
• Ranked fifthon The American Lawyer’s “A-List” in 2018, the only firm among peers listed in the top 25 firms for our percentage of female equity partners.
• In 2018, ranked 16 (out of 197) on The National Law Journal’s 2018 LGBT Scorecard.
• In 2017, ranked among the top 25 firms for Minority Partner Representation by The American Lawyer’s Diversity Scorecard.
• Ranked fifth among large law firms on Law360’s Top 10 Firms for Minority Equity Partners list in 2017.
• Recognized by The American Lawyer in 2013 as the #1 firm for diversity over the past decade.
• Honored by the Association of Black Women Attorneys (ABWA) with the 2016 Excellence in Corporate Diversity Award.
• In 2016, honored by the New York City Bar as the only law firm to have consistently participated in the Diversity Fellowship program for the past 25 years.
• Ranked by Law360 among “The 100 Best Law Firms For Female Attorneys” in 2016.
• Consistently named among the top U.S. law firms for diversity in the Vault Guide to the Top 100 Law Firms.
• Proud member of Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD).
• Proud member of the CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion Initiative.

Women at Paul, Weiss

In this video, partners, counsel, associates and alumnae discuss what it’s like to practice at Paul, Weiss and the strength of the firm’s commitment to gender diversity and inclusion at all levels:

https://www.paulweiss.com/about-the-firm/women/videos/hear-from-the-women-of-paul-weiss?id=23680

Read more from our Women’s Initiative Committee Co-Chairs and deputy chair here.

Litigation partner Jessica Carey and
corporate partner Ariel Deckelbaum

“Paul, Weiss is committed to advancing women at the firm. Our Committee develops and implements programs that foster an inclusive and supportive professional environment in which women attorneys can successfully develop their careers and achieve positions of leadership at the firm and in the wider legal community.As co-chairs of the Women’s Initiatives Committee, we are proud to carry out the firm’s mission to encourage both men and women to support these efforts.”- Joint statement from Women’s Initiatives Committee Co-Chairs, litigation partner Jessica Carey and corporate partner Ariel Deckelbaum

Valerie Radwaner, firm deputy chair

Valerie Radwaner, firm deputy chair:

Valerie Radwaner made her name as a leading corporate finance lawyer while working tirelessly to institute change and inspire leadership by creating opportunities for the advancement of women at Paul, Weiss. In 2014, the partnership elected Valerie as the firm’s first Deputy Chair to help the firm achieve its highest strategic priorities. In this role, Valerie is creating a model for what law firm leaders can do to impact the success of women in their firms.

Valerie was recently interviewed by the Center on the Legal Profession about diversity and inclusion in the legal profession. You can read more here.

 

Inclusive Networks

The firm supports several Networks that contribute to the overall inclusiveness of the firm’s culture, while providing opportunities for members to forge supportive connections. The Networks (Asian-Pacific Lawyers, Black Lawyers, Family, Latinx Lawyers, Pride @ Work and Women) are open to all interested attorneys and focus on internal relationship building, career development, recruitment and client development. The Networks offer support, facilitate discussion and provide opportunities for networking inside and outside of the firm. By cultivating lasting ties with clients, law student organizations, bar associations, alumni and nonprofit groups, each network helps to make Paul, Weiss more inclusive.

 

Read more about our Networks here.

Rebekah Scherr, associate

“As a gender-queer, femme-presenting individual, to be respected as an integral part of the culture and community, without any questions, is why I’m here. Paul, Weiss lives and breathes that we are all part of the family, and that the only way for any of us to succeed is for all of us to succeed.”- Rebekah Scherr, associate

Mentoring Program

We focus on developing our women and diverse associates early in their careers. A notable component of this approach is the Diversity Mentoring Program. Voluntary and open to all racially or ethnically diverse and LGBTQ first- through third-year associates, the program pairs each diverse mentee with a partner mentor, regardless of race or sexual orientation, in his or her department. The Diversity Mentoring Program helps to form important working relationships at the beginning of young lawyers’ development and has advanced the careers of our diverse attorneys. The Women’s Mentoring Program for midlevel women associates features one-to-one matching with a partner mentor and a formal curriculum meant to enhance the mentees’ career development skills. The program also features social outings and events to strengthen the cohesiveness of women associates at this stage in their careers.

“Today, I feel it’s the same welcoming, supportive place it was when I had my first interview and I’m proud of our ongoing diversity efforts — which range from our official mentoring programs, our participation in several programs that introduce undergraduates and high school students to the legal profession and our hosting of an annual diversity event.” – Corporate partner Amran Hussein, pictured with mentor Robert M. Hirsh, Of Counsel

Annual Diversity Networking Reception

Our Annual Diversity Networking Reception has become the premier summer networking event in New York City. The event connects lawyers and business professionals of color with one another and with the larger legal and business communities.

“We want to use our commitment to diversity and inclusion to create a mosaic of our professional community. It is thrilling to see so many talented professionals of color, right here in this room, who are going to be the catalyst for change in the 21st century.”

Visit our site to watch the video, here

Patrick Campbell, corporate partner

Making a Difference

Paul, Weiss is committed to providing impactful pro bono legal assistance to individuals and organizations in need across a broad range of constitutional, civil rights and other public interest matters. From helping Thurgood Marshall reverse the doctrine of "separate but equal" in Brown v. Board of Education to representing Edith Windsor in challenging the Defense of Marriage Act in United States v. Windsor, our attorneys have achieved landmark victories in civil rights cases that have changed society for the better. Today, we are a leader in nationwide efforts to secure equal rights for the LGBTQ community, advance racial justice, challenge restrictive voting laws, and protect the rights of Americans with disabilities.

In recent pro bono matters promoting diversity and inclusion, the firm:

• Joined an ABA amicus brief in Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin, which upheld the constitutionality of race-conscious admissions policies.
• Represented Edith Windsor in the U.S. Supreme Court decision striking down the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).
• Represented Asian-American police officers in a suit against their employer proving that promotion practices had a disparate and discriminatory impact in violation of Title VII.
• In Davis, et al. v. City of New York, represented 400,000 NYCHA residents alleging discriminatory and unlawful NYPD stop and frisk practices, resulting in a settlement that included changes to NYPD procedures.
• Filed an amicus brief on behalf of 113 women lawyers in Whole Women’s Health v. Hellerstedt, in which the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Texas laws restricting abortion services as unduly burdensome.

Diversity Stats