Firm Profile > Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP > New York, United States

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

Dispute resolution > Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense

The team at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP is calibrated to handle criminal defense and investigatory matters for corporates and individuals, particularly in bet-the-company and politically sensitive circumstances. At the group's core is expertise in AML, FCPA, insider trading, securities and Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) cases. In May 2019, adding to a bench already replete with former high-ranking government officials, Loretta Lynch joined the New York office after serving as US Attorney General during the Obama administration. In June 2019, Washington DC was joined by Jeannie Rhee, fresh from serving on Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigations team. All based out of New York, the department is coordinated by firm chairman Brad Karp (noted for his representations of financial institutions); economic sanctions and AML specialist Jessica Carey; experienced trial lawyer Roberto Finzi, who whose track-record includes cases relating to FCPA, accounting practices and insider trading; Lorin Reisner (adept with SEC investigations, particularly in revenue recognition cases); Richard Tarlowe, who is noted for high-profile individual representations; and accomplished trial lawyer Theodore Wells.

Dispute resolution > Financial services litigation Tier 1

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP's financial services team is recognized throughout the market for its expertise in large-scale securities and antitrust litigation, and regulatory enforcement proceedings, where the team acts for large banks, investment funds and various other clients. The New York practice group is headed by Brad Karp, whose recent wins include securing the dismissal of a $50m breach-of-fiduciary duty suit in Kentucky against Blackstone and various other hedge funds. Daniel Kramer has an outstanding track record in securities litigation. His recent highlights include working to secure the dismissal of a securities class action against Meridian Bioscience, winning a case for Pretium Resources regarding alleged securities fraud, and representing the independent members of Tesla's board of directors in the SEC's investigation into Elon Musk's proposal to take Tesla private. Susanna Buergel acts for major bank clients including Morgan Stanley and Citigroup, and Audra Soloway is among the market leaders in representing executives and other powerful individuals in securities and fraud claims.

Dispute resolution > General commercial disputes Tier 1

Renowned for its deep bench of highly experienced trial attorneys, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP provides comprehensive commercial litigation expertise to market-leading companies in mission-critical disputes. In a significant development in 2019, a star team including team co-heads Brad Karp and Theodore Wells, Jr capped 15 years of hard-fought litigation arising from the 2003 collapse of Parmalat with a $1bn verdict for client Citigroup. In another high-profile matter in Delaware Chancery Court, Susanna Buergel, Lewis Clayton and Andrew Gordon obtained an unprecedented verdict for healthcare company Fresenius holding that it was justified in terminating a $4.8bn merger. The practice is also well versed in securities, ERISA, antitrust and IP litigation as well as breach of contract. Robert Atkins is representing IBM in a number of significant contractual disputes. High-profile arrivals bolstering the team in 2019 include former US Attorney General Loretta Lynch in New York, regulatory and white-collar expert Jeannie Rhee from Special Counsel Mueller's office, and head of the new appellate team Kannon Shanmugam, who joined the DC office from Williams & Connolly LLP. Named partners are in New York unless otherwise stated.

Dispute resolution > Leading trial lawyers Tier 1

Theodore Wells - Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP Based in New York, Theodore Wells ('smart, creative and hardworking') is widely considered one of the finest white-collar criminal defense lawyers in America. His historical work includes United States of America v. Libby, in which he acted for the defendant, Lewis 'Scooter' Libby. Of recent note, Wells is involved in a number of ongoing cases for ExonnMobile, and has already achieved a string of notable victories for the client: for instance, in the District of Columbia in June 2019 he obtained dismissal of all claims that the company was complicit in human rights violations committed by Indonesian soldiers against Acehnese citizens. In the financial services sector, Wells acted in Citigroup's claim for damages arising from the collapse of Italian company Parmalat, where he secured the enforcement of a trial court judgment for over $1bn in damages.

Brad Karp - Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP Brad Karp maintains an impressive litigation and advisory practice, routinely representing major banks, financial services companies and large corporates in high-stakes white-collar litigation. In 2019, he secured the dismissal of a $50bn breach-of-fiduciary duty claim against Blackstone Alternative Asset Management. Other standout highlights include representing Morgan Stanley in a nationwide class action; representing Citigroup in several high-value disputes, including commercial and anti-money laundering matters; and acting for Citigroup in the successful resolution of a multi-year global anti-money laundering investigation into the bank's activities in 2017.

William Isaacson - Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP Commercial litigator William Isaacson acts for plaintiffs and defendants in high-stakes cases, having developed a particularly strong reputation in IP and antitrust disputes. Since 2015, Isaacson has represented Oracle in a string of disputes with Rimini Street relating to copyright infringement. Also of note, he represented Source One in its claim against Benco Dental Supply, alleging that the company was guilty of conspiring with two other dental supply chains to stifle competition; Isaacson achieved a settlement two weeks into the trial.

Dispute resolution > M&A litigation: defense Tier 1

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP in New York has a deep bench of talented litigators spanning securities and M&A litigation. The firm continues to have a role in cutting-edge cases in the Delaware courts, as well as other key jurisdictions around the country. In recent years, it has become a 'go-to' firm for cases involving material adverse change, having acted for Fresenius Kabi in obtaining the only ruling of a Delaware court finding that termination of a proposed $4.3bn merger with Akorn Pharmaceuticals was justified on those grounds, though it handles the full suite of deal-related litigation for the likes of Altice USA, Apollo Global Management and Channel Medsystems. Its recent work includes representing both public companies and private equity firms and their portfolio companies in complex appraisal litigations and shareholder lawsuits.

Dispute resolution > Securities litigation: defense Tier 1

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP is widely regarded by the market as a safe pair of hands for “bet-the-company” securities litigation, and the firm continues to deliver outstanding results for major financial institutions, private equity houses and corporations, as well as their directors and officers. The practice has extensive experience in complex securities litigation, including shareholder class actions, derivative suits and government investigations and enforcement actions. Securities litigation is one of the major strands in the firm's overall dispute resolution practice, and its recent successes include high-stakes matters for Blackstone Alternative Asset Management, Citigroup, Ericsson, Exxon Mobil Corporation and Tesla. The firm has an extremely strong bench of securities litigators in New York. Firm chair Brad Karp, Richard Rosen and Daniel Kramer are the best-known practitioners, though co-chair of securities litigation Susanna Buergel is increasingly seen as a market-leading securities litigator. Also noteworthy are Geoffrey Chepiga, and practice co-chairs Andrew Ehrlich and Audra Soloway.

Finance > Restructuring (including bankruptcy): corporate Tier 1

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP's highlights of 2019 in the restructuring and bankruptcy segment included a series of Chapter 11 cases (with the representation of retailer Sears, electric company Westinghouse, PG&E, American Tire Distributors, and many other clients in different sectors), bankruptcy court litigation cases as well as out-of-court restructurings and restructuring plans for municipalities (Puerto Rico). The practice is made up of 11 high-level New York-based partners, including recognized figures such as Alan Kornberg, Paul Basta, Brian Hermann, and Andrew Rosenberg , standout talents Kyle Kimpler and Alice Belisle Eaton, as well as newly-promoted Robert Britton. Elizabeth McColm is also described as 'brilliant'. The practice group was further strengthened in June 2020 by the arrival of Andrew Parlen, who joined from Latham & Watkins LLP.

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

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP’s already considerable employee benefits and executive compensation bench has been further enhanced with the addition of the highly-regarded Jean McLoughlin from Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP. The partnership includes McLoughlin, Andrew Gaines and Lawrence Witdorchic, who all provide expert advice on high-value M&A transactions, Chapter 11 proceedings and corporate restructurings to global private equity funds and public companies. Of note is the team’s knowledge of securities law, tax and corporate governance issues associated with deferred compensation, equity-based benefits packages and golden parachute plans. Recent highlights involved big-ticket deals in media – including CBS Corporation’s combination with Viacom – technology, healthcare and offshore drilling. The team, based in New York, also provides advice on pension plan investment strategy (particularly regarding ERISA fiduciary compliance) to asset managers, and withdrawal liability negotiations to multiemployer pension plans.

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

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP has maintained a prominent position in the market, advising a variety of blue-chip clients and logging an impressive number of high-value deals in 2019. Clients include Kraft Heinz, Ericcson, and Chevron, which are indicative of the team's ability to act in mandates across multiple industry sectors on behalf of high-profile and demanding clients. Further examples of the team's strengths include its work for Chevron on a proposed $50bn acquisition of Anadarko Petroleum--which saw a key role for deputy corporate chair Steven Williams--and its work for Harris Corporation's board in its $37bn merger with L3 Technologies. Global head of M&A Scott Barshay is widely recognized as a leader in the market; he regularly advises a diverse group of clients on high-stakes deals. The department is led from New York by Matthew Abbott, Angelo Bonvino, and Jeffrey Marell. Also recommended are Ariel Deckelbaum and Robert Schumer, who are acting on behalf of CBS in its $40bn merger with Viacom, creating ViacomCBS. Kyle Seifried also has a growing reputation in the M&A space. Clients also benefit from the firm's strength in activist defense matters.

M&A/corporate and commercial > Shareholder activism Tier 1

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP's activist defense practice acts for public companies in high profile campaigns against activists, a recent example of which was the firm's successful defense of Emerson Electric against actions by the hedge fund D.E. Shaw. Based in New York, the team is structured within the broader corporate group, where key contacts include global M&A practice head Scott Barshay and Steven Williams. In addition to acting for Emerson in the D.E. Shaw campaign, Barshay also worked alongside Williams to advise Barnes & Noble on its acquisition by Elliott Advisors. Also recommended are Jeffrey Marell and Robert Schumer, who has over 30 years of experience in strategic corporate governance matters.

Tax > International tax Tier 1

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP's tax group works in close conjunction with the firm's corporate, finance, securities, private equity and restructuring lawyers to provide comprehensive advice on high-value cross-border transactions. Highlights over the past year included Jeffrey Samuels advising Ingersoll-Rand on the merger of its industrial business with Gardner Denver Holdings, and David Sicular advising a group of secured noteholders on the multi-jurisdictional restructuring of Toys "R" Us. Also of note, the practice group was further strengthened in 2020 by the arrival of Robert Holo, who previously headed the tax group at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP. The tax department is chaired by Scott Sontag and Brad Okun. All listed attorneys are based in New York.

Tax > US taxes: non-contentious Tier 1

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP's tax team works closely with the firm's corporate, finance and employment departments to provide its clients with comprehensive and holistic tax advice. A major development over the past year was the hire of Robert Holo, who had previously led the tax group at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP. Holo joined the team in March 2020 and is a significant addition to the partnership. The practice group is jointly led by Brad Okun and Scott Sontag, who advises PE clients on the tax aspects of M&A and portfolio restructurings, and also has experience of REIT formation and taxation. Other names to note include David Mayo, who advises on corporate and partnership taxation, and Opportunity funds, and David Sicular, who advises on a huge range of transactional tax matters and also advises on the tax aspects of bankruptcies and restructurings. All named lawyers are based in New York.

Antitrust > Cartel Tier 2

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP shows a particular strength in multi-regulator price-fixing investigations and related litigation. The antitrust group is jointly led by Aidan Synnott in New York, Jonathan Kanter and Rick Rule from the Washington DC office as well as Andrew Finch, who splits his time between both aforementioned locations. Finch rejoined the firm in September 2019 after serving in senior roles at the DOJ's antitrust division for two years and continues to advise clients from the financial services sector in his revived private practice. Notable activity comes from Kenneth Gallo, who sits in Washington DC and is also widely recognized for his litigation practice. Joseph Bial, who is also stationed in the capital, is regularly involved in monopolization cases on behalf of entrepreneurs in high-tech industries and also advises clients on alleged participation in international cartels.

Antitrust > Civil litigation/class actions: defense Tier 2

Taking a 'holistic approach', Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP operates a diverse private antitrust litigation practice to defend a variety of issues including allegations of monopolization, price-fixing, predatory pricing, bid rigging and exclusive dealing nationwide. A foursome presides over the antitrust practice: Aidan Synnott, Andrew Finch and Jonathan Kanter in New York share the lead with Washington DC-based Rick Rule. Synott fields financial services, bonds and bankruptcy know-how, whereas Finch is an expert in big data and technology issues related to antitrust. Kanter also represents technology clients as well as media companies and Rule's practice revolves first and foremost around mergers and other transactions. In Washington DC, Kenneth Gallo combines 'technical expertise with client relatability'. He has recently been active in no-poach class actions in addition to his banking and payment industry knowledge. Also in Washington DC, Craig Benson focuses on trial work in a range of industries. William Isaacson and Karen Dunn joined the team from Boies Schiller Flexner LLP following publication in June 2020.

Finance > Capital markets: high-yield Tier 2

The ‘very strong team’ at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP is highly regarded for its experience representing major private equity funds, and their portfolio companies, in acquisition financing transactions and associated high-yield debt offerings. The New York-based group is best known for its issuer-side practice and it consistently advises across all industry sectors, with notable expertise in the telecoms, technology, fashion and energy spheres. Gregory Ezring co-heads the North American capital markets and securities practice and is widely recognized as a specialist in high-yield debt transactions; he is particularly active on behalf of private equity funds, including Apollo Global Management and its portfolio companies. John Kennedy co-heads the department and advises both issuers and underwriters across the full range of public and private securities offerings. Monica Thurmond, deputy chair of the corporate department, specializes in advising issuers on capital markets and leveraged finance transactions. Additional contacts include private equity specialist Tracey Zaccone and corporate finance partner Brian Janson.

Finance > Commercial lending Tier 2

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP's New York finance team has established itself as one of the leading practices for advice to corporate borrowers and private equity sponsors. In the latter, lawyers get a strong flow of transactional work from major funds such as Apollo Global Management, Oak Hill Capital Partners, and KPS Capital Partners. The firm is also a popular destination for several major blue-chip corporate borrowers, including IBM. The expertise of its lawyers covers all areas of finance, including leveraged buyouts, bridge loans, and recapitalizations, through to complex cross-border refinancings and restructurings. The highly rated Gregory Ezring and Robert Zochowski Jr. jointly lead the 14-partner team. Other key lawyers include Thomas V. de la Bastide III, Eric Goodison, Monica Thurmond, and Brian Janson.

Finance > Structured finance: securitization Tier 2

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP has a market-leading practice in whole-business securitization. Jointly headed by Jordan Yarett and Bob Zochowski ('really exceptional service'), the team primarily focuses on issuer-side work, although it does also act for bulge bracket banks. Key clients include private equity house Roark Capital Group and its portfolio companies, which have included a number of well-known franchise businesses.

Industry focus > Sport Tier 2

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP's practice handles both contentious and non-contentious work for a wide range of sports sector clients, including leagues, governing bodies, and teams, though it primarily focuses on high-profile litigation work. Several prominent members of the firm's litigation department are highly active in sports-related disputes, such as Brad Karp who represents the NFL in several cases, both individual and class actions, brought by former players in relation to concussions suffered during athletes' time in the NFL. Lynn Bayard, who has also been heavily involved in the firm's work for the NFL, is another key figure on the litigation side of the team, whose key areas of work include copyright, trademark, and player health and safety. Other key recent instructions have included antitrust work, commercial transactions and contract advice, and M&A deals. In 2019, the firm saw the departure of transactional specialist Justin Hamill to Latham & Watkins LLP.

Investment funds > Alternative/hedge funds Tier 2

The alternative and hedge fund practice at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP acts for market-leading fund managers such as AQR, Blackstone, and JP Morgan Asset Management in regulatory compliance, crisis and risk management, SEC examinations, investor litigation, and employment disputes. Transactional support is a key focus, with expertise in seed capital transactions and strategic partnership arrangements. Practice head Udi Grofman, known for his ‘prodigious work ethic’, advised on the formation and management of several managed accounts on behalf of GSO Capital in 2019, and counts Apollo Global Management and D1 Capital among his clients. Amran Hussein and Lindsey Wiersma are experienced in structuring credit, distressed-asset, and hybrid funds. Marco Masotti, Conrad van Loggerenberg and Matthew Goldstein are also key contacts.

Investment funds > Private equity funds (including venture capital) Tier 2

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP focuses on fund structuring for traditional buyout private equity shops at the top end of the market, having represented Apollo Global Management, KKR, and Blackstone in multibillion-dollar fund formations in 2019. The firm is also experienced in the formation and management of credit and special situations funds. Marco Masotti is highly experienced in fundraises, and has recently been involved in a number of significant fundraisings that have exceeded capital raising targets. Amran Hussein has has a prolific year for fund launches, and Matthew Goldstein has experience representing private funds in connection with co-investments and direct investments in the area of infrastructure, among others. Lindsey Wiersma handles regulatory issues and governance, including management company arrangements. Acting alongside Conrad van Loggerenberg, Wiersma also focuses on transactional matters, including acquisitions, minority investments, spin-outs, seed capital transactions and strategic partnership arrangements.

M&A/corporate and commercial > Private equity buyouts Tier 2

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP has enjoyed an increased flow of mandates from large-cap funds alongside middle-market players and portfolio companies. Notable recent wins include work with Carlyle, Blackstone, and Brookfield, alongside an increase in mandates from existing clients Apollo and General Atlantic. The team is active in high-value transactions in several key industries, including retail, sports, healthcare, and media, with deals closed across multiple jurisdictions. Key partners include the  'extraordinarily thoughtful' Matthew Abbott and Taurie Zeitzer, who are key relationship partners for GA and Apollo respectively. Likewise, Brian Scrivani, Justin Rosenberg, and Sarah Stasny are highly rated on the more junior end of the partnership. Scrivani was promoted internally in early 2019, while Stasny joined from Kirkland & Ellis LLP in July of the same year. The 'technically excellent' Neil Goldman is also recommended. All partners named are based in New York.

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

The New-York based team at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP handles satellite, cable and wireless transactions, and is noted in the telecoms sector for its strengths in the communications tower space. Cable TV companies, data centre corporations, and the telecom infrastructure industry’s most active investors are some of its other key clients. Bruce Gutenplan, a practice co-head, is a tower industry specialist with extensive experience advising on mergers and acquisitions, financings and other corporate matters. According to one client, he is a 'brilliant and encyclopedic legal mind', who 'learns the nuances of each specific transaction, has exceptional communication skills and has an effective manner in negotiating on his clients' behalf'.

Real estate > Real estate Tier 2

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP has a full-service real estate practice, with particular expertise in acting for investors and corporate borrowers in high-value financing matters, and acting for joint venture partners and real estate investment vehicles as owners and operators. The team is particularly active in transactions involving industrial, commercial, hospitality and multi-family residential property assets. Practice co-head Meredith Kane has a track record of involvement in significant development projects, while Peter Fisch is a standout name on the transactional front. Also recommended are practice co-chair Harris Freidus, and Salvatore Gogliormella, who has expertise in the healthcare and hospitality sectors. Named lawyers are based in New York.

Antitrust > Merger control Tier 3

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP has a merger control team in both Washington DC and New York, which is led by a foursome consisting of Aidan Synnott, Andrew Finch, Jonathan Kanter and Rick Rule. Operating out of New York, Synnott counts software providers and manufacturers among his clients. Finch returned to private practice in September 2019 after serving the DOJ's antitrust division for two years, splitting his time between both aforementioned branches and focusing on antitrust litigation. The Washington DC-based Kanter fields valuable technology expertise and his local colleague Rule is particularly active in the healthcare and life sciences space.

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

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP launched its appellate practice in 2019 with the appointment of well-known litigator Kannon Shanmugam. A slightly unusual position in the world of appellate lawyers, Shanmugam currently leads the department, but also acts as managing partner of the firm’s Washington DC office. The team is renowned for its work in the US Supreme Court; it scored an unanimous win for the respondent in Obduskey v McCarthy Holthus, LLP, where the Roberts Court engaged in interpretation of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act; and more recently, in the 2019 term, Shanmugam presented arguments for petitioner Seila Law in a high-profile separation of powers dispute against the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), wherein the Court will determine whether the CFPB’s structure is constitutional. The group is noted for its work at the Second Circuit, where it is acting for Murray Huberfeld and Evan Greebel in the respective appeals of their wire fraud convictions.

Finance > Capital markets: debt offerings Tier 3

Complemented by the wider firm’s private equity expertise, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP’s capital markets group is a top choice to advise private equity funds, alternative asset managers and their portfolio companies on debt offerings. Most notably, its strong relationship with Apollo is a significant source of mandates. The group’s Canada-related work is another key pillar of the practice and it routinely acts for corporate and sovereign issuers as well as underwriters in headline Canadian offerings. New York-based Gregory Ezring co-heads the North American capital markets and securities practice and is highly regarded for his track record in private equity-related offerings. New York’s John Kennedy co-heads the group and represents both issuers and underwriters across all industries in public and private securities offerings. Christopher Cummings splits his time between Toronto and New York and practices US securities law with an emphasis on cross-border and Canadian transactions. Deputy chair of the corporate department, Monica Thurmond, is also noted in New York for debt capital markets work.

Finance > Capital markets: equity offerings Tier 3

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP fields a full-service capital markets practice from its New York office, which is best known for its strong private equity dimension. Issuer-side representations remain the mainstay of the practice and it specialises in advising issuers, private equity firms and portfolio companies on a mix of acquisition financings, IPOs and other private and public offerings. In addition, the group houses strong skill sets in corporate governance and regulatory securities matters. John Kennedy co-heads the North American capital markets group and brings to bear a strong track record across the full range of debt and equity matters, particularly private equity-related offerings. Gregory Ezring co-heads the department and has a focus on advising private equity funds, including Apollo, on corporate and finance transactions. Deputy chair of the corporate department Monica Thurmond routinely advises issuers, including private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies, on equity offerings. Tracey Zaccone is also recommended for her combination of corporate, securities and private equity expertise.

Finance > Structured finance: derivatives and structured products Tier 3

The team at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP acts for the capital markets arms of well-known banks, and elite asset managers, both in the private equity and hedge fund spaces. Manuel Frey is the key contact for derivatives advice; he also works in support of other of the firm's teams, such as litigation, providing technical advice on complex financial structures.

Intellectual property > Copyright Tier 3

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP is especially well known for its expertise in the area of music copyrights, where it has recently handled disputes for clients such as the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, and the National Music Publishers’ Association. A name to note in the practice group is Lynn Bayard, who stands out in particular for her experience in the media, sports, fashion and entertainment sectors. Also recommended is Jay Cohen, who has experience of music licensing and digital rights.

Intellectual property > Patents: litigation (full coverage) Tier 3

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP specialises in high-stakes competitor litigation. Steeped in the practices of the key US patent litigation venues, including the PTAB, the Federal Circuit and the ITC, the team stands out through its high share in the most important biosimilar disputes in the US, but also excels in other areas, such as electronics, software and computer hardware, financial services and telecommunications patents. Major domestic and international clients, often with East-Asian roots, entrust the practice with their most important patent disputes. New Yorkers Nicholas Groombridge, the practice head of the group, deputy chair Catherine Nyarady, Jennifer Wu, Eric Alan Stone and, in the Washington DC office, David Ball, Steven Baughman, Kenneth Gallo and counsel Megan Raymond are the names to note.

Labor and employment > ERISA litigation Tier 3

A solid portfolio of financial services institutions and public companies call upon Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP’s ERISA litigation experts to handle high-stakes disputes. Practice head Lewis Clayton leads the team on cases involving fiduciary breach allegations, high-value stock-drop claims and actuarial malpractice disputes. Clayton and commercial litigator Jeffrey Recher are handling disputes surrounding the usage of third party investors in a client’s plan investment strategy. The team is based in New York.

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

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP has a particularly strong following in the broadcast space, advising several large cable providers in their carriage disputes work, as well as having a strong presence in the digital publishing industry. Outside of the broadcast and publishing space, the firm is particularly active in music sector, with recent instructions coming from trade associations in relation to copyright infringement, and from performing rights societies in relation to rate-setting and royalty disputes. Lynn B. Bayard and Jay Cohen are the key figures within the practice, and both have significant experience in copyright and other media sector IP litigation. Additionally, Cohen is also recommended for his expertise in media and telecoms antitrust cases, often collaborating with members of the firm's specialist antitrust team, such as antitrust co-chair Jonathan S. Kanter.

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

The corporate and M&A practice at New York firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP acts on several of the largest transactions in the media and entertainment space, advising both large corporates as well as investment funds on their M&A activity in this sector. Recent instructions have included large deals in the print media, television, streaming, and live events spaces, with key clients including the board of directors of CBS, Altice USA, and Authentic Brands Group. Key figures within the practice are Ariel J. Deckelbaum, who led the team which advised CBS' board on its merger with Viacom and has a strong track record in large M&A mandates in this sector, as well as Michael Vogel, a 2019 promotion to the partnership with substantial media M&A experience. Justin Hamill departed the firm in 2019 for Latham & Watkins LLP.

Finance > Capital markets: global offerings

The ‘incredibly knowledgeable’ team at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP ‘specializes in cross-border financing transactions’, according to clients. The team is particularly commended for its expertise in Canada-related work, with sources highlighting its awareness of ‘issues Canadian public companies need to address when listed in the US’. Alongside its premier Toronto offering, the firm’s well-staffed offices in London, Beijing, Hong Kong and Tokyo also ensure that it is well versed in multi-jurisdictional transactions involving Europe and Asia. Representative clients include private and public issuers, investment banks and private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies. London-based Mark Bergman heads the global capital markets practice and has an emphasis on issuer-side work; he has acted on offerings in Europe, Asia and Africa, as well as in the US. Adam Givertz splits his time between Toronto and New York and leads the firm’s Canadian practice group; he advises on the full range of capital markets matters with particular expertise in high-yield and convertible debt. Christopher Cummings and the ‘very knowledgeable, responsive and practical’ Andrew Foley also split their time between Toronto and New York and are recommended for Canada-related offerings.

Industry focus > Healthcare: life sciences Tier 5

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP represents pharmaceutical companies in domestic and international litigation, M&A transactions, and is particularly well versed in handling complex patent litigation. Kenneth Gallo and Nicholas Groombridge, based in Washington DC and New York respectively, are well recognized litigators and trial lawyers with notable experience handling high-value patent disputes. Catherine Nyarady and Eric Alan Stone are also key names to note. The team counts Smith & Nephew as a major client which it assisted with its $660m acquisition of Osiris Theapeutics. Other highlights also include advising General Electric Company on the $21.4bn sale of its BioPharma business to Danaher corporation, and representing Johnson & Johnson in an appeal in the USPTO involving the application of the inherency doctrine to invalidate patent claims.

Antitrust > Civil litigation/class actions: plaintiff

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP > Firm Profile

Chairman: Brad Karp

Firm overview: Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP is a firm of more than 1,000 lawyers with diverse backgrounds, personalities, ideas and interests who provide innovative and effective solutions to clients’ most complex legal and business challenges. The firm represents some of the world’s largest publicly and privately held corporations and financial institutions, asset managers and entrepreneurs, and clients needing pro bono assistance.

Main areas of practice
Litigation/White-collar and regulatory defense: Home to the nation’s most formidable trial lawyers, Paul, Weiss handles the highest-profile cases in virtually every forum, including state and federal trial and appellate courts and domestic and international arbitral tribunals. When stakes are high, Paul, Weiss litigators confidently go to trial and prevail. Such courtroom prowess also provides a tremendous advantage during negotiations.

The team, which includes many former senior government officials and assistant U.S. Attorneys,  handles clients’ most sensitive white collar, regulatory defense and internal investigation matters, including anti-corruption, sanctions and anti-money laundering, antitrust, insider trading and securities matters.

Antitrust: Paul, Weiss handles antitrust litigation, counseling and investigations; advises on transactions; and advocates before regulators. With a deep bench of former antitrust officials and first-class trial lawyers, the team handles matters involving significant reputational and financial exposure.

Anti-corruption and FCPA: The firm advises clients on all types of FCPA and corruption-related matters, including conducting internal investigations, government investigations and enforcement proceedings, compliance programs and transactional anti-corruption diligence.

Cybersecurity and data protection: The firm helps clients manage and respond to fast-moving data breach situations while advising them on effective, proactive strategies to reduce business risk.

Intellectual property: The firm’s patent litigators represent corporations in enterprise-threatening disputes, including trials, appeals and proceedings before the PTAB and the ITC. The team includes leading trial lawyers and Patent Office practitioners and patent examiners, former Federal Circuit law clerks and lawyers with degrees in many scientific disciplines. It also has a leading copyright and trademark practice

M&A litigation: The firm defends clients in complex disputes in the M&A context, including litigation filed in state and federal courts and under expedited discovery timetables.

Product liability: Paul, Weiss helps clients navigate product liability, major health and safety matters, toxic torts, design defect and consumer claims. The firm handles high-profile asbestos products, hormone replacement therapies, concussion litigation and alleged environmental contamination matters.

Securities: Recognized as the nation’s preeminent securities litigation and regulatory practice, the firm guides global corporations, financial institutions, boards and individuals through ‘bet-the-company’ securities-related crises, winning trials, prevailing on motions or negotiating favorable resolutions and helping shape securities laws.

Supreme Court and appellate litigation: Paul, Weiss handles high-impact appeals before the US Supreme Court and federal and state appellate courts, securing appellate victories in some of the most important business and public interest issues.

Transactional: Paul, Weiss advises the world’s largest corporations, financial institutions, entrepreneurs and investment managers on their most complex legal and business challenges. The firm’s lawyers are recognized internationally as leaders in M&A, private equity, finance, capital markets, corporate governance, investment management, executive compensation, transactional IP real estate and tax.

Mergers and acquisitions: Paul, Weiss advises the largest public and private companies, private equity firms, boards of directors and special committees, management teams, entrepreneurs, financial institutions and investors on significant M&A and activist defense matters.

Private equity: The firm represents leading buyout and investment firms and their portfolio companies on leveraged buyouts, majority and minority stakes investments, sales and divestitures, recapitalizations, venture capital deals, joint ventures and securities offerings.

Finance: The firm has extensive debt financing expertise, handling borrower- and lender- side leveraged  finance transactions, award-winning securitizations, project financings and complex derivatives structures.

Capital markets: The firm represents issuers and private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies in complex public and private securities offerings and securities law matters.

Corporate governance: The firm provides guidance on applicable securities laws, disclosure obligations and other regulatory regimes; assists in the development of effective compliance programs; advises special committees on proposed transactions, including fiduciary duties and other legal issues; and oversees highly sensitive corporate ethics and governance investigations.

Investment management: The firm excels at private fund formation and the full range of investment advisory services, working with private equity, credit and hedge fund managers on their most sophisticated matters.

Executive compensation: From creating, negotiating and modifying change-in-control arrangements to addressing issues in connection with the assumption of benefit plans and other employee obligations, Paul, Weiss provides the sophisticated advice needed to execute the most complicated strategic deals.

Real estate: The firm works with prominent institutions, developers, entrepreneurs, corporations, investors and real estate fund sponsors in the development, financing, leasing, acquisition and sale of major real estate projects.

Restructuring: Paul, Weiss represents debtors, creditors, lenders and investors across all industries in the full range of restructuring matters, including litigation and transactions involving financially distressed companies. The firm also represents purchasers of the assets, debt and securities of distressed companies.

Tax: Paul, Weiss’s tax lawyers play critical roles strategizing and structuring multibillion-dollar transactions, working closely with the firm’s other practices to create innovative and advantageous tax solutions.

Sustainability and ESG: Paul, Weiss helps boards and executives navigate the legal, business and political ramifications of developing and implementing Sustainability and ESG initiatives, including ESG-focused shareholder engagement.

Pro bono: Paul, Weiss has a long tradition of providing impactful pro bono legal assistance to individuals and organizations in need. Our renowned pro bono program spans all the core issues facing our society.