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

Antitrust > Civil litigation/class actions: defense Tier 1

‘One of the US’ leading antitrust trial teams’, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP's deep bench was further strengthened in June 2020 by the arrivals of William Isaacson and Karen Dunn from Boies Schiller Flexner LLP. The former recognized for his expertise in actions facing social media and digital platforms, whereas the latter has experience in both defense and plaintiff-side mandates. Jointly leading the group are financial services expert Aidan Synnott and hi-tech specialist Andrew Finch in New York, alongside Washington DC-based Rick Rule, 'one of the most renowned figures in the US antitrust field'. Also in Washington DC, Kenneth Gallo is rated for his robust IP-related antitrust practice and Joseph Bial impresses with his experience of international cartel and anti-monopoly cases. Key workflows for the team include cases alleging monopolization, price-fixing, predatory pricing, bid-rigging and exclusive dealing. In September 2020, Jonathan Kanter, former co-chair of the group, left the firm to launch his own law practice in Washington DC.

Dispute resolution > Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense

The white-collar and regulatory defense team at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP advises high-profile corporates and individuals on major regulatory and enforcement matters. The team, which includes former senior government officials and assistant US attorneys, focuses on AML, FCPA, criminal antitrust matters, insider trading, securities fraud and Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) cases. Firm chairman Brad Karp is noted for his experience representing Fortune 100 companies and global financial institutions in ‘bet the company’ litigation and regulatory matters. Another key figure is Theodore Wells, who is rated for white-collar defense work and civil litigation. Roberto Finzi, a former federal prosecutor, handles enforcement proceedings and internal investigations, and Lorin Reisner acts for companies, boards of directors and senior executives in a wide range of litigation. Several partners joined the team from Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP in early 2021, including Walter Brown, a very highly regarded litigation and investigations expert in San Francisco. All named attorney are based in New York.

Dispute resolution > Financial services litigation Tier 1

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP has a track record of success some of the most complex and high-stakes litigation in the financial services sector. The team's antitrust practice is especially notable, as it represents major banks such as Morgan Stanley and Citigroup in both state and federal litigation, as well as in investigations by regulators. The practice is also adept at handling novel matters, a recent example of which is its representation of the state of Qatar in a lawsuit in the New York Supreme Court against a number of banks alleging the manipulation of the market for Qatar's currency and bonds. Practice head Brad Karp is widely respected for his work in securities and white-collar crime litigation. In one highlight of 2020, Karp won the dismissal of a breach of fiduciary duty case brought against the Blackstone Group by beneficiaries of the Kentucky state pension system, in a case that had the potential to act as a test case for similar litigation. Susanna Buergel is a specialist in securities litigation with a close relationship with Citigroup, which she represents in antitrust and False Claims Act disputes. Daniel Kramer is another key figure in the team's securities litigation practice; he is currently leading the aforementioned Qatar litigation.

Dispute resolution > General commercial disputes Tier 1

From offices in New York and Washington DC, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP consistently attracts mandates from prominent corporates and financial services companies in their most urgent disputes. Recognized by the industry as a top flight lawyer, Brad Karp's recent work includes securing a landmark victory on behalf of defendant Blackstone Alternative Asset Management in a $50bn derivative lawsuit. Also of note, Karp secured the dismissal of a putative securities class action against Ericsson in January 2020. Highly regarded trial lawyer Theodore Wells continues to advise on ExxonMobil's high-profile disputes related to alleged violations of environmental law, having already secured several wins for the client across the US, including a complete defense verdict in a landmark trial in New York state court. Jaren Janghorbani is noted for her remarkably diverse commercial litigation practice; she has recently been engaged by CBS Corporation's former directors in the defense of a shareholder class and derivative action in Delaware regarding CBS and Viacom's $30bn merger. All named attorneys are based in New York.

Dispute resolution > Leading trial lawyers Tier 1

Theodore Wells - Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP An 'elite trial lawyer with great instincts', Theodore Wells in New York is highly regarded for his diverse corporate defense practice and is rated by clients as 'a real force in the courtroom'. His depth of expertise in financial services litigation is illustrated by various career highlights, such as representing Bank of America in a securities class action relating to its acquisition of Merrill Lynch & Co, and securing a complete defense verdict for Citigroup in a multibillion-dollar fraud claim by PE firm Terra Firma. Recently, Wells was retained by a large pharmaceutical company in complex litigation, resulting in a global settlement.

Karen Dunn - Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP Former Boies Schiller Flexner LLP partner Karen Dunn, based in Washington DC, has a leading reputation in litigation involving technology and social media clients. Of recent note, Dunn was sought out by Amazon to replace its former legal counsel in a major putative class action regarding its fair pricing policy; trial is set for August 2021. In addition to corporate defense work, Dunn is also recognized for her pro bono practice; she is currently pursuing a case on behalf of 22 individuals injured in the Charlottesville protests that took place in 2017, instigated by a group of white supremacists.

Brad Karp - Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP Based in New York, firm chairman Brad Karp is regularly involved in closely watched disputes, with an emphasis on financial services and corporate litigation. Of recent note, he is acting for the independent directors of former CBS Corp in defense of a shareholder and derivative action concerning the CBS-Viacom merger, which plaintiffs allege  involved a breach of fiduciary duties. Karp is also acting for various financial institutions including Citigroup and Morgan Stanley in a number of complex antitrust disputes.

William Isaacson - Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP Based in Washington DC, William Isaacson has an excellent reputation in antitrust, IP and consumer class action matters. In February 2020, he secured a major win for Uber Technologies in an arbitration trial brought by users of Uber's services, alleging that its business model violated the Sherman Antitrust Act. Currently, Isaacson is acting for Amazon in a putative antitrust class action regarding its fair pricing policy, representing one of the largest such cases ever filed in the US. On the plaintiff side, he handles notable civil rights litigation for clients on a pro bono basis. Isaacson was formerly a partner at Boies Schiller Flexner LLP.

Jay Cohen - Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP

Dispute resolution > M&A litigation: defense Tier 1

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP's M&A litigation group is largely based in the New York office and is widely regarded as one of the best in the country. The firm has 'first-rate lawyers of the highest degree' and clients note that 'matters can be big or small and they bring the same level of diligence and quality of guidance'. Chaired by Andrew Gordon and Jaren Janghorbani, the practice group continues to be involved in the most high-profile disputes in the market and, in 2020, it handled four of the first major material adverse event (MAE) cases arising from Covid-19, as well as a full docket of shareholder disputes. Gordon and Janghorbani won at trial for Channel Medsystems in an MAE litigation against Boston Scientific Corporation, which had unsuccessfully sought to terminate a $275m acquisition. With key partner Geoffrey Chepiga, they also represented 1-800-Flowers.com in a case brought by Bed Bath & Beyond, which alleged the company had breached its agreement to purchase PersonalizationMall.com. Lewis Clayton, who handled a high-value case for Comtech Telecommunications Corp, and newly promoted partner Alexia Korberg are also key to the practice. The firm also has an office in Wilmington, staffed by counsels and associates, handling transactional and contentious M&A matters.

Dispute resolution > Securities litigation: defense Tier 1

'The team is responsive, develops sound litigation strategies and is great to work with', says a client of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP. The firm is acknowledged to be a go-to firm for bet-the-company securities litigation for financial institutions, large corporations and their directors and officers, with equal strengths in shareholder class actions, derivative suits, and government investigations and enforcement actions. Firm chair Brad Karp oversees the practice with co-chairs of securities litigation Susanna Buergel, Audra Soloway and Andrew Ehrlich. Soloway, who is 'effective in bringing cases into focus and developing strategies for dismissal', defeated a putative class action for AEA Investors arising from its IPO and secondary public offering. Karp, Buergel and veteran litigator Richard Rosen handled class action litigation and regulatory investigations for Morgan Stanley in which plaintiffs allege conspiracy to rig the pricing of Treasury Bills. Daniel Kramer is another prominent practitioner; he is currently handling a matter for biopharmaceutical giant Alexion Pharmaceuticals. Contacts in Washington DC include Kenneth Gallo, who is co-chair of the litigation department, and emerging talent Jane O’Brien.

Finance > Restructuring (including bankruptcy): corporate Tier 1

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP's New York-based practice group is respected equally for its deep experience in representing debtors and creditors in Chapter 11 and 15 cases, and for its ability to provide end-to-end service on large-scale, resource-heavy mandates, working in conjunction with the firm's stellar litigation, corporate, tax, real estate and environmental teams. The department is also marked out by the strength of its bench: co-chairs Paul Basta, Andy Rosenberg and Alan Kornberg are supported by deputy Brian Hermann, who has been singled out by a number of clients; Alice Belisle Eaton focuses on exit financings and specialized finance structures; Kyle Kimpler has particular expertise in bankruptcy-related litigation; Andrew Parlen's broad practice covers acquisitions of distressed companies; and Elizabeth McColm advises clients across a range of sectors, frequently focusing on the areas of energy and shipping.

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

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP’s executive compensation practice is jointly led from New York by Jean McLoughlin, Andrew Gaines and Lawrence Witdorchic, who are active in high-value M&A transactions, most recently on deals in the healthcare, media, technology, hospitality and financial services sectors. The group has notable strength in assisting with tax and securities-related issues pertaining to equity-based benefits and deferred compensation packages. Additionally, the team lends its expertise to restructuring matters, withdrawal liability issues and pension plan investment strategies.

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

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP is recognized here for its blue-chip client base and its deep and experienced team of transactional lawyers, who have a range of sector expertise and capabilities in wider corporate issues, including governance, shareholder issues, and takeover defense. The team regularly acts for major clients such as Chevron, Anadarko, and IBM on large-scale deals with significant market impact. Scott Barshay is a key name, and is a long-standing adviser to IBM, Chevron, and other key clients. In 2020 Barshay advised Teledoc on its $18.5bn acquisition of Livongo Health, a major development in the telehealth industry. Recently-promoted partner Laura Turano also played a key role in that mandate. Rachael Coffey also made partner in 2020, and has built a solid reputation in major public and private M&A deals. Other names to note include Robert Schumer, a regular adviser to clients including CBS and Authentic Brands with great expertise in both transactions and activist defense work; global M&A co-chair Jeffrey Marell, who works with top corporates as well as investment funds; Ariel Deckelbaum, a trusted adviser to corporates, high-net-worth individuals, and alternative asset managers; and Steven Williams, an experienced M&A counsel with a diverse practice encompassing domestic and cross-border transactions, joint ventures, and takeover defense. Kyle Seifried is a prolific younger partner who has worked on major deals including Chevron's $13bn acquisition of Noble Energy.

M&A/corporate and commercial > Private equity buyouts Tier 1

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP maintains a prolific buyout practice, acting on behalf of major relationship clients including Apollo, General Atlantic, and Oakhill Capital. It also works on a variety of portfolio transactions, carve-outs, take-privates, and disposals. Alongside its regular work for key clients, the firm has also expanded its share of work for other leading funds such as Blackstone and Brookfield, and was involved in standout PE-backed transactions during 2020, including Inspire Brands'  $11.3bn acquisition of Dunkin’ Brands Group. The practice group is jointly led by Matthew Abbott, a key name in the team, who advised on a number of major transactions, and regularly works with General Atlantic in particular; and Taurie Zeitzer, who maintains a productive relationship with Apollo, and is recognized as a market leader in this space. Ted Ackerman is noted for his broad expertise across buyouts, carve-outs, equity investments, and broader corporate matters on behalf of PE clients, while Angelo Bonvino works regularly on behalf of Ares Management, KKR, and other bulge-bracket funds. Also recommended are Ellen Ching, who has enjoyed a successful year, particularly in healthcare-sector deals, working for Marathon Health on its partnership with OurHealth; and Neil Goldman, who remained active in buyouts and portfolio deals on behalf of General Atlantic and others. Brian Lavin and Justin Rosenberg are both recognized as up-and-coming partners. All named lawyers are in New York.

Tax > US taxes: non-contentious Tier 1

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP’s firmly integrated tax practice is well placed to structure and implement efficient tax structures for M&A, spin-offs, financings, securities offerings, fund formations, recapitalizations and restructurings. Its firm-wide, full-service collaboration across the full life cycle of a deal benefits a broad range of clients, which turn to the New York-based team for its ability to handle high-value and often very high-profile transactions. In recent months, the team has also handled a number of reorganizations for major energy providers, led by department co-head Scott Sontag. Other key figures include veteran transactional lawyer Brad Okun and co-chair emeritus Jeffrey Samuels, who regularly handles major transactions for clients in manufacturing, hospitality, telecoms and consumer goods sectors, among others. David Mayo is recommended for corporate and partnership taxation, and Robert Holo joined from Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP in March 2020.

Antitrust > Cartel Tier 2

At Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, a group proficient in antitrust issues frequently handles large and intricate multi-regulator investigations and subsequent follow-on litigation. The team is skilled at handling civil and grand jury investigations launched by the DOJ, the FTC, and the European Commission. It also specializes in price-fixing and bid-rigging investigations, particularly in the manufacturing, insurance, and financial services sectors. In New York, Aidan Synnott and Andrew Finch lead the practice group along with Rick Rule, a Washington-based attorney viewed as ‘one of the most renowned figures in the US antitrust/competition field’. DC-based colleagues Joseph Bial and Kenneth Gallo are also key team members. In September 2020, former group co-chair Jonathan Kanter departed to found his own law practice in the capital.

Antitrust > Merger control Tier 2

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP's broad antitrust practice fields a deep bench of lawyers with expertise across the full range of merger control issues, including Hart-Scott-Rodino filings, merger investigations and reviews, and high-profile defense matters before the DOJ and FTC. The team has served as lead antitrust counsel on major deals, representing AB InBev on its proposed acquisition of Craft Brew Alliance, and also representing Alexion in its acquisition of Protola Pharmaceuticals. The team's senior leaders include Washington DC-based Andrew Finch, a former Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General at the DOJ's Antitrust Division and an accomplished litigator; Charles Rule, who maintains a broad antitrust practice and has experience in securing merger clearances from US and international agencies, including the European Commission; and New York's Aidan Synnott, who works prolifically with public companies and private equity funds, such as KPS Partners and Mitsubishi International, on merger clearances for business-critical strategic acquisitions and sales.

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

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP has ‘a very strong team on sponsor side’, frequently representing private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies on acquisition financings involving high-yield debt offerings; private equity giant Apollo Global Management is an anchor client. The firm has a wider public company-driven practice that was especially active in pandemic-related high-yield debt offerings in 2020, notably in the travel, leisure, fashion and apparel, and entertainment industries. Gregory Ezring  is global head of the finance and capital markets group, and has a solid record of representing private equity houses and their portfolio companies in high-yield offerings. John Kennedy   is co-global head of the capital markets team and impressed in 2020 with a series of Covid-19 crisis-related deals, including representing Carnival Corporation, the cruise line operator, on a string of high-yield debt offerings linked to the temporary cessation of its operations.

Finance > Commercial lending Tier 2

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP has a very strong reputation among its peers. Based in New York, the finance group works with many of the world largest private equity sponsors and funds on complex acquisitions, recapitalizations and other leveraged transactions. Many of the team members have long-standing relationships with major private equity houses; Gregory Ezring, for example, handles almost all major financing transactions for Apollo Global Management. Also adept at advising corporate borrowers, 2020 saw the firm consulted by a number of companies, including Carnival Corporation and SeaWorld, to assist with urgent financings necessitated by the Covid-19 pandemic. The group is jointly led Ezring and Robert Zochowski Jr., and includes senior names such as Monica Thurmond and Thomas de la Bastide in addition to up-and-coming practitioners like Brian Janson. David Tarr joined the team from Willkie in April 2021.

Finance > Structured finance: securitization Tier 2

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP's New York-centred team is best known for its expertise in whole-business securitizations, as well as its experience in IP securitizations and structured transactions for entertainment industry clients. The department is led by Jordan Yarrett, who is widely recognized as a market leader in whole-business securitization, most notably in the fast food restaurant sector. Robert Zochowski Jr. is an expert in securitizations involving esoteric assets such as film and media assets, patent royalties, leases and hydrocarbon reserves. Claudine Meredith-Goujon, a partner in the IP department, has experience in structured transactions with heavy IP aspects. In August 2020, the firm welcomed the arrival of Charles Pesant from White & Case LLP. Pesant has experience advising debtors and creditors on restructuring matters involving securitizations.

Industry focus > Sport Tier 2

Based in New York, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP represents a diverse range of clients in all types of litigation, transactional and regulatory matters. Clients include major sports leagues, franchises, investors, broadcast and cable companies, and athletes. Brad Karp is chairman of the firm and has long represented the NFL in matters, including lawsuits relating to concussions suffered by former players as a result of their time in the NFL. Lynn Bayard and Theodore Wells, Jr have also been heavily involved in the firm's work for the NFL. Bayard and Wells specialize in player health and safety issues, and complex civil and corporate litigation, respectively. Highly experienced litigator and trial lawyer Christopher Boehning is also recommended.

Investment fund formation and management > Alternative/hedge funds Tier 2

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP remains active in the hedge fund space. The practice group is led by Udi Grofman, who advises several of the largest managers on fund formation and management, as well as on a wide range of ancillary matters such as employment, regulatory compliance, and disputes. Other key names within the team include Amran Hussein and Lindsey Wiersma.

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

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP remains a prominent firm in the field of private funds, with a client list that includes several of the market's largest names, including Blackstone, Apollo Global Management, and KKR among a slew of others. Practice co-head Marco Masotti is one of the firm's key names in fund formation mandates, and handles several of Apollo's fund launches including Apollo Hybrid Value II, which seeks to combine credit and equity into one fund and is targeting $7bn. Fellow co-head Udi Grofman is also highly experienced in a wide range of fund formation work, but is particularly notable for his work with hedge fund managers looking to expand into private equity funds, and with new managers launching their early funds. Other key figures within the team include Matthew Goldstein, who is particularly experienced in the fields of co-investments and direct investments, and also has an active fund formation practice; Amran Hussein, whose recent work has included several multibillion-dollar fund launches, including a General Atlantic $5bn rescue lending vehicle in a joint venture with Iron Park Capital Partners; and Lindsey Wiersma, who works on regulatory issues, management company arrangements, investment management M&A, and seed deals. All named lawyers are based in New York.

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

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP maintains a busy full-service activist defense practice, which regularly defends blue-chip companies in high-profile campaigns by influential activists the likes of Elliott Management and ValueAct Capital. The group’s advisory work is equally notable; the team routinely adopts a proactive approach to risk management, warding off significant campaigns, and providing corporate governance advice to boards and special committees. Scott Barshay chairs the corporate department, which is based in New York, where other key contacts include former corporate department chair Robert Schumer, Jeffrey Marell, and Steven Williams.

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

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP operates under the leadership of Jay Cohen and Lynn Bayard, two highly respected IP litigators. Cohen is highly skilled in copyright infringement disputes and royalty rates disputes involving sound recordings. He has also acted in antitrust, defamation and broadcasting-related cases. Bayard is also highly skilled in disputes involving music royalty rates, as well issues involving health safety in sports and entertainment. Jonathan Kanter has left to set up his own practice.

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

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP has a diverse skill set covering the broadcast, satellite and telecoms sectors, with particular strengths in transactions surrounding major telecoms towers. The client base includes cable TV companies, private equity investors, as well as data centre corporations. Bruce Gutenplan leads the practice and is a well-known name in the market for tower transactions. He also has expertise in M&A and corporate finance in the telecoms and broadcast sectors.

Real estate > Real estate Tier 2

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP is a force to be reckoned with in the New York real estate market, having recently acted on major developments in all five of the City’s boroughs. The team acts for commercial and civic developers alike, at each stage of a project’s lifespan from initial site acquisition through to the pertinent development agreements and matters beyond. Transactional work is also key, with lawyers frequently acting in the purchase, financing and disposal of commercial, hospitality, industrial and multi-family assets through a range of joint venture and other investment vehicles. Meredith Kane is a household name in the leasehold condominium space, while Peter Fisch has a number of high-profile ground-up and multi-family projects under his belt; the pair jointly head the practice alongside Harris Freidus and Salvatore Gogliormella, both of whom specialize in matters involving healthcare and hospitality assets.

Tax > International tax Tier 2

New York-based Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP leverages its strong relationships with top-flight investment banks to regularly secure impressive transactions across a range of international jurisdictions. Co-chairs Brad Okun, Scott Sontag and Jeffrey Samuels, alongside key partners Brian Grieve and Robert Holo, provide tax structuring advice on headline M&A for global private equity funds and conglomerates. Among its recent highlights, the team handled a spate of impressive mandates for clients including General Electric, Ingersoll-Rand and IBM, the last of which Sontag advised on a groundbreaking $34bn combination with Red Hat. Lindsay Parks added to recent successes in the private equity-backed space, having handled multibillion-dollar acquisitions of China-based digital companies. David Mayo is recommended for structuring advice on corporate partnerships and tax-free mergers.

Antitrust > Civil litigation/class actions: plaintiff Tier 3

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP's antitrust group has a long-standing reputation on both sides of the docket, and strengthened its plaintiff-side credentials in 2020 with the hire of former Boies Schiller Flexner LLP partner William Isaacson , one of the nation’s foremost antitrust trial lawyers, boasting decades of experience in successfully representing plaintiffs in high-stakes antitrust cases nationwide. Isaacson is serving as lead counsel to the direct purchaser plaintiffs (Animal Science Products) in a class action against four Chinese companies—the first price‐fixing case in the US brought against a Chinese company.

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

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP excels in appeals at the US Supreme Court, as well as all federal and multiple state courts of appeals. Practice chair Kannon Shanmugam is widely recognized as one of the most respected and prolific litigators in the US Supreme Court. Shanmugam racked up a recent victory for the petitioner in the high-profile separation of powers case of Seila Law LLC v Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, in which the highly divided Court delivered a 5-4 judgment in holding that provisions relating to the Bureau’s leadership and structure are unconstitutional. Further, the team is adept at handling claims brought before the Federal Circuit; Nicholas Groombridge is a key name to note in this regard.

Finance > Capital markets: debt offerings Tier 3

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP is active in both private and public offerings, gaining particular recognition for its issuer representation. Building on its standing as a frequent advisor to major private equity houses and financial sponsors (as well as their portfolio companies) the firm also impressed in 2020 with advice to public companies facing severe liquidity shortfalls due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Notably, the firm advised Carnival, the world's largest leisure and travel company, on a series of debt offerings to address Covid-related liquidity constraints. Gregory Ezring is global chair of the finance and capital markets groups, and is a regular advisor to anchor client Apollo Global Management, and its portfolio companies. John Kennedy is at the forefront of debt offerings for public companies facing liquidity constraints, particularly in the high-yield segment. Global co-head of the capital markets group, Brian Janson, and key partner Tracey Zaccone are also noted for high-yield debt and convertible note offerings. Zaccone has also been active in Covid-related financings by private equity houses.

Finance > Capital markets: equity offerings Tier 3

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP has a steady pipeline of equity engagements, particularly from issuers, with recent mandates spanning public company offerings, equity issuances by private equity houses and their portfolio companies, and SPAC offerings. The firm landed a series of headline and high-value equity deals in 2020, including those involving Covid-related liquidity problems. Gregory Ezring leads the finance and capital markets group and John Kennedy co-heads the capital markets team; he led the team that advised Rocket Companies on its $2bn IPO in 2020 and represented Carnival in a series of equity and debt offerings to address its liquidity constraints during the Covid-19 crisis. Brian Janson is another senior figure in equity offerings by public companies, private equity houses and SPACs.

Finance > Structured finance: derivatives and structured products Tier 3

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP's New York-based team predominantly advises issuers and end-users on the design, negotiation and execution of derivative instruments and transactions. The group's expertise spans a wide variety of asset classes, including credit, equity, fixed income, distressed debt, commodities and foreign exchange. Manuel Frey heads the department and has significant experience in cross-border over-the-counter derivatives. In August 2020, the group welcomed Charles Pesant from White & Case LLP, who brings with him expertise in risk retention.

Industry focus > Environment: transactional Tier 3

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP is well positioned to advise a balanced roster of stakeholders, including buyers, sellers, lenders, underwriters and issuers of securities, engaged in high-value domestic and cross-border transactions. Environmental experts form interdisciplinary teams with members of the firm's other departments to successfully navigate environmental issues that arise in strategic M&A, financings, real estate deals and joint ventures. Moreover, the team is also sought out for assistance with a range of sustainability concerns as ESG issues increasingly become subject to close public and regulatory scrutiny. Practice head William O’Brien (New York) is a member of the firm's climate change working group, and advises public and private companies on the environmental aspects of their most impactful investments.

Intellectual property > Copyright Tier 3

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP covers all areas of IP law, with notable experience representing clients on copyright cases, including copyright class actions, digital media copyright controversies, and royalty rate-setting. Based in New York, Lynn Bayard represents clients in the areas of media, sports, and entertainment, while Jay Cohen, a highly regarded trial lawyer, focuses on IP issues in the media and entertainment sectors. This expertise reflects the strengths of the wider team, which is active in the music, film, and fashion industries, among others.

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

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP demonstrates particular strength in the life sciences and pharmaceutical sectors, with notable recent victories in biosimilar patent litigation and ANDA litigation, but also impresses with its experience in the energy, electronics, technology, including computer software and hardware, telecoms and financial services sectors. The group's strong PTAB practice is of particular relevance for its pharmaceutical, biotechnology and technology clients and the complementary expertise in Federal Circuit and ITC proceedings allows clients to rely on the firm as a one-stop patent litigation shop, able to coordinate proceedings in the different US venues. Practice head Nicholas Groombridge, deputy practice head Catherine Nyarady, Eric Alan Stone and Jennifer Wu are based in the New York office. The key Washington DC contacts are Steven Baughman, counsel Megan Raymond an of counsel David Ball.

Labor and employment > ERISA litigation Tier 3

The ERISA litigation experts at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP are regularly engaged by household-name corporate sponsors and fiduciaries to defend clients in high-value litigation. Practice head Lewis Clayton has secured significant wins for insurance and financial services clients in multibillion-dollar stock-drop claims and breach of fiduciary actions alleging excessive fees of mutual funds and underperforming investments. The group also handles actuarial malpractice disputes and healthcare benefits disputes. The team is based in the New York office.

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

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP focuses on corporate transactions concerning TV, print media, OTT services and live events. Charles Googe chairs the team and is an expert in transactions involving IP rights, licensing and technology. Deputy chair of the corporate department Ariel Deckelbaum is another key name; he has extensive experience in M&A, joint ventures and restructuring. Similarly, Michael Vogel is a recommended corporate lawyer with a focus on the entertainment sector and noted expertise in acting for media companies and investment houses. All named lawyers are based in New York. 

Finance > Capital markets: global offerings

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP has a well-developed global offerings practice, which advises a range of non-US issuers on investment grade and high-yield debt offerings. Clients note the firm's capabilities for businesses that are dual-listed in Canada and the US. Indeed, it has strong connections to Canadian issuers and financial sponsors, in part through its Toronto office where key partners Adam Givertz and Christopher Cummings divide their time with New York. Moreover, teams led by New York's Andrew Foley advised Canadian Natural Resources on its $1.1bn debt offering, and also assisted Canadian Pacific Railway with its $500m senior unsubordinated unsecured notes offering in 2020. European and Asian issuers are also among its clients.

Industry focus > Healthcare: life sciences Tier 5

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP is recognized for its involvement in landmark patent litigation in the biopharmaceuticals industry, highlighted by Washington DC litigators Nicholas Groombridge and Catherine Nyarady representing Amgen and others in multiple precedent-setting litigations concerning biosimilar products. In another standout case, Kenneth Gallo, a leading patent litigator with particular experience in oncology therapy, has recently defended Genentech in a infringement lawsuit in the District of Delaware brought by Baxalta concerning its potentially life-changing hemophilia treatment HEMLIBRA® (emicizumab). Also recommended is counsel Eric Alan Stone, who is sought out by innovators in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical and medical device areas.

rankings-lawyer > United States