Elizabeth Cooper > Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP > New York, United States > Lawyer Profile

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP continues to operate at the apex of the private equity market, a consistent advisor to major firms and their portfolio companies across the gamut of PE areas from fund formation, acquisition and liquidity strategies, to exit transactions including sales and IPOs. In recent times the practice has handled a number of ultra-high-value transactions for blue-chip clients, advising KKR in its acquisition of Barracuda Networks Inc and representing Blackstone on the acquisition of PS Business Parks for approximately $7.6bn. Marni Lerner co-heads the practice and has a strong track record when it comes to complex M&A, divestitures, strategic investments and securities matters. Co-head Elizabeth Cooper specializes in M&A and boasts an impressive client list of the likes of Carlyle, Oaktree and New Mountain. In Palo Alto, Atif Azher represented Silver Lake Partners in connection with Broadcom’s acquisition of VMware, with a total value around $61bn. Anthony Vernace has developed a stellar reputation among PE firms for joint ventures and other corporate transactions, while New York-based Michael Holick represents EQT in high-value transactions. Veteran Gary Horowitz has recently left the firm, while former co-head of M&A Katie Sudol departed in July 2022. All lawyers are New York-based unless otherwise specified.

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP‘s focus in the financial services regulation field lies in transactions in the space, an offering which is interlinked with the firm’s compliance experience, ensuring banks, insurance companies, securities and mortgage brokers, broker-dealers and credit card issuers are adept at addressing various requirements, including those enacted under the Dodd-Frank Act and Basel III. Lee Meyerson heads the practice from New York, specializing in M&A and capital markets transactions for financial institutions, while Elizabeth Cooper, another key figure from the firm’s executive committee, is recognized for her diverse M&A and corporate transactional knowledge, advising on joint ventures, acquisitions and recapitalizations. Ravi Purushotham is another active member, having been involved in the firm’s advice to TD Bank Group on its acquisition of First Horizon for $13.4bn.