Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP

Sector knowledge

Jennifer Albrecht

Jennifer Albrecht is a Partner in Simpson Thacher's Alternative Capital and Private Credit practice. She advises direct lenders, investment banks and corporate borrowers across several sectors on a wide array of complex direct lending and syndicated financing matters, including U.S. and cross-border leveraged acquisition financings, as well as acquisition warehouse facilities, investment-grade bridge facilities, holdco financings, backleverage facilities, preferred equity financings and financings related to restructurings and liability management transactions.

Naveed Anwar

Naveed Anwar is a Corporate Partner based in the Firm’s Bay Area offices whose practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions, where he represents private equity firms and public and private companies in a variety of domestic and cross-border transactions. He has experience in a broad range of transactions, including acquisitions, dispositions, leveraged buyouts, carve-outs, recapitalizations, venture financings, joint ventures, de-SPAC transactions and other complex transactions across a wide variety of sectors. Naveed’s private equity representations have included Hellman & Friedman, EQT, KKR, Blackstone, Silver Lake, Francisco Partners, Centerbridge, True Wind, TCV, Carlyle and Riverwood Capital. His corporate representations have included Airbnb, Applied Systems, Circana, Dell, PPD, McKesson and UKG, among others.

Atif Azher

A trailblazer in the technology sector and recent American Lawyer “Corporate Attorney of the Year,” Atif Azher is Managing Partner of Simpson Thacher’s Bay Area offices, where he represents clients in a wide range of complex corporate matters, with a focus on M&A and private equity. Having led some of the most successful and market-defining M&A transactions in recent years, he provides sophisticated transactional counsel to public and private companies, investment funds and financial institutions in a variety of domestic and cross-border transactions. He regularly advises on multi-billion-dollar mergers, acquisitions, divestitures and JVs, drawing on his substantial experience across a broad range of industries, including technology, technology-enabled services, software, internet, sports and media, healthcare, fintech, retail and consumer products, infrastructure and real estate. Additionally, Atif has experience working on SPAC transactions, including advising target companies, SPACs and PIPE investors.

Stephen Blake

Steve Blake is a Litigation Partner in our San Francisco office. focuses on high-stakes shareholder litigation and securities regulatory matters. Steve regularly advises corporations, financial institutions, funds and their advisors in connection with mergers and acquisitions, initial public offerings, legal compliance and commercial disputes. Steve also regularly represents entities and individuals before the SEC, FINRA and stock exchanges. Steve frequently writes and lectures on shareholder litigation, fiduciary duties and issues under the Securities Act, Exchange Act, Investment Company Act and Investment Advisors Act. Steve is the author of the quarterly “Stock Block” column in The Recorder. His recent columns “Along Came SPACs, and Then SPAC Litigation,” “Challenges to Corporate Decision-Making in the Face of Increasingly Polarized Responses to ESG Initiatives,” and “Burgeoning ‘Caremark’ Claims Likely to Drive Stockholder Demands” have been widely read. Steve is Co-Head of the Firm’s Asia Litigation Practice and is also Co-Chair of the Firm’s Knowledge & Innovation Committee. Recognized as a 2021 Law360 “Rising Star” in Securities, Steve is also recognized by Euromoney’s Benchmark Litigation as a “Litigation Star,” and was a repeat honoree on their “40 & Under List.” Steve was named among the Daily Journal’s “Leading Commercial Litigators” for 2024 and 2026. He was selected as part of Bloomberg Law’s “40 Under 40” in 2022, and by the Daily Journal as one of the “Top 40 Under 40” lawyers in California in 2018. Steve is recognized by Chambers USA in Securities Litigation, by The Legal 500 in both M&A Litigation and Securities Litigation, and as a “Rising Star” in Northern California securities litigation by Super Lawyers.

Andrew Blau

A Partner in the Firm’s Executive Compensation and Employee Benefits Practice, Andrew Blau focuses his practice on compensation and benefit-related issues that arise in connection with mergers and acquisitions, initial public offerings, new and joint ventures and other corporate transactions. He has extensive experience in structuring employment agreements, equity compensation, performance incentives, deferred compensation, change in control protections, and management participation in buyouts and new ventures. His experience includes domestic and international M&A across a variety of sectors. Andrew also advises on the applicability of securities and tax laws to executives and employers, disclosure obligations in respect of employee benefits and executive compensation arrangements, corporate governance issues and general employment-related matters.

Joshua Ford Bonnie

Co-Head of the Firm’s Global Capital Markets Practice, Co-Managing Partner of the Firm’s Boston and Washington, D.C. offices and member of the Executive Committee, Josh Bonnie is one of the nation’s preeminent IPO lawyers and regularly counsels public companies on significant strategic transactions, capital markets offerings and general corporate and securities law matters. Josh advised Blackstone, Bumble, Carlyle, Flutter, Hilton Worldwide, Invitation Homes, MasterCard, Medline and Pershing Square on their landmark listings. Josh also counseled Blackstone on its spinoff of its financial advisory businesses, Dover Corporation on its spinoff of its upstream energy business, Hilton Worldwide on its spinoffs of its real estate and timeshare businesses and Ingersoll Rand on its spinoff of its commercial and residential security businesses. Josh routinely advises asset management firms on situations of strategic importance.

Justin Browder

Justin Browder is a partner in Simpson Thacher’s Registered Funds and Funds Regulatory and Investigations practices in the firm’s Washington D.C. office. He counsels investment advisers, registered and private investment funds and broker-dealers on all aspects of the federal securities laws. Justin has substantial experience advising managers of private funds (including hedge funds, private equity funds and venture capital funds) and sponsors of wealth management and separately managed account programs concerning a wide variety of operational, transactional and adversarial matters. Justin also advises registered fund sponsors on complex issues arising under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the other federal securities laws. A central component of his practice involves representing advisers, funds and wealth management firms in SEC examinations and enforcement proceedings. Justin is also a recognized practitioner in the area of digital assets, where he advises asset management firms that pursue digital asset investment strategies through wealth management and private fund offerings. Additionally, Justin’s experience includes representing financial sponsors and strategic investors concerning mergers, acquisitions and spin-outs of asset management businesses and advising alternative asset managers as to fund formation matters.

Rajib Chanda

Rajib is the Global Head of Asset Management at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, a member of the Firm’s Executive Committee and Co-Managing Partner of the Washington, D.C. office. He is the world’s leading outside counsel (as measured by number of funds and assets under management) pioneering expanded access to private markets for individual investors. Rajib leads Simpson Thacher’s Registered Funds practice and is a go-to counsel across each major private markets asset class, giving him a uniquely holistic view of the asset management industry. He has launched investment products for the following firms, among many others: in private equity, Blackstone, Brookfield, Carlyle, CVC, EQT, KKR, TPG and Vista; in secondaries, Coller, HarbourVest, Lexington, JPMorgan and Morgan Stanley; in infrastructure, Apollo, Blackstone, EQT, I Squared, KKR, Macquarie and Stonepeak; in private credit, Apollo, Audax Credit, Bain Capital, Benefit Street, Blackrock, Blackstone, Carlyle, Golub, HPS, New Mountain, Silver Point and TPG Angelo Gordon; and in real estate, BlackRock, Blackstone, Blue Owl, Clarion, Cohen & Steers, KKR, Principal and Starwood Capital.

Brian Chisling

Brian Chisling is a Partner in the Firm’s Corporate department and Energy & Infrastructure Group, focusing on mergers and acquisitions. He advises clients, including utilities, independent power producers, pipeline companies, transmission companies, fiber-optic and other telecommunications companies, private equity funds, and financing parties with respect to mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, spin-offs and divestitures, securities issuances and financings, and related federal and state regulatory issues. In the power industry, he has regularly advised both strategic utility clients and private equity clients. Examples of high-profile mergers and other transactions include: recent joint ventures and acquisitions of large renewable energy portfolios and developers by private equity firms, ITC Holdings’ sale to Fortis, JPMorgan's sale of its physical commodities trading businesses, American Electric Power's acquisition of Central and South West Corp., and the acquisition of TXU by a group of private equity firms.

Anne Choe

Anne Choe is a Partner in Simpson Thacher’s Registered Funds and Asset Management Regulatory and Enforcement Practices in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office. She represents investment managers, registered funds and private funds on a broad range of regulatory and transactional matters. Her experience covers a variety of fund structures, including exchange-traded funds, mutual funds, closed-end funds and private funds. She has deep experience representing investment advisers and funds in SEC examination and enforcement matters. Anne also regularly counsels family offices and independent boards and has in-depth knowledge of the various securities and other laws applicable to investment managers and funds, including the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. Anne additionally has significant experience advising investment management firms in registering with the SEC as investment advisers, as well as advising on exemptions from registration for U.S. and non-U.S. firms.

Toby Chun

Co-Head of the Firm’s Environmental Practice, Toby Chun has served as lead environmental counsel for many of his clients’ most environmentally challenging transactions. Toby’s practice focuses on managing the environmental aspects of a wide variety of corporate transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, capital markets offerings, acquisition financing, and real estate transactions. Drawing upon his experience working on numerous transactions spanning a diverse range of businesses and industries in the United States and around the world, Toby helps his clients achieve their business objectives by evaluating the environmental risks and liabilities associated with target companies and properties, working with environmental consultants to assess and appropriately contextualize known and potential liabilities, negotiating transaction documents on environmental terms consistent with his client’s goals, helping to optimize environmental insurance coverage, managing the resolution of environmental issues, and keeping abreast of the latest developments for emerging contaminants and other environmental topics.

Toby Chun

Co-Head of the Firm’s Environmental Practice, Toby Chun has served as lead environmental counsel for many of his clients’ most environmentally challenging transactions. Toby’s practice focuses on managing the environmental aspects of a wide variety of corporate transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, capital markets offerings, acquisition financing, and real estate transactions. Drawing upon his experience working on numerous transactions spanning a diverse range of businesses and industries in the United States and around the world, Toby helps his clients achieve their business objectives by evaluating the environmental risks and liabilities associated with target companies and properties, working with environmental consultants to assess and appropriately contextualize known and potential liabilities, negotiating transaction documents on environmental terms consistent with his client’s goals, helping to optimize environmental insurance coverage, managing the resolution of environmental issues, and keeping abreast of the latest developments for emerging contaminants and other environmental topics.

Elizabeth Cooper

As Simpson Thacher’s Global Head of Private Equity and a member of the Firm’s Executive Committee, Elizabeth Cooper is one of the world’s most respected and prolific dealmakers. Her work on transformative and multifaceted transactions has reshaped the global private equity market. Named The American Lawyer’s 2024 “Corporate Attorney of the Year: Private Equity and M&A,” Elizabeth has guided numerous landmark and first-of-kind transactions for the world’s most iconic private equity sponsors and asset managers. She regularly advises on complex private equity M&A transactions, investments, joint ventures and other business combinations, and her deal experience spans a wide range of industries, including financial services, technology, business and professional services, healthcare and life sciences, industrials and consumer. Elizabeth’s clients include Blackstone, Brookfield, Carlyle, EQT, GTCR, New Mountain, Oaktree, Silver Lake and Stone Point, as well as a broad array of blue-chip corporations and financial institutions.

Barrie Covit

Barrie is the co-head of Simpson Thacher's Investment Funds practice, and widely recognized as one of the foremost attorneys in the alternative asset management field. The world's most prominent and sophisticated private equity sponsors turn to Barrie for counsel on their bespoke, complex and high-stakes decisions at the fund and management-company level, including fundraising initiatives, business strategy. legal and regulatory risk, new product development and product line expansion, liquidity events and restructurings, internal firm matters, and other extraordinary fundraising and operational issues. Barrie has guided investment fund sponsors on over $200 billion of private equity fund formations for clients including Carlyle, KKR, BlackRock, Lexington Partners, J.C. Flowers, Corsair Capital and EQT among many others, focused on a broad range of strategies, including private equity, energy, credit, infrastructure, financial services and the secondary market. These engagements span all global markets, including across Western Europe, South Africa and Brazil. Clients have routinely turned to Barrie to navigate the most significant and transformative matters facing fund sponsors and their platforms. Notably, he represented the United States Treasury Department in connection with the establishment of its $30 billion Public-Private Investment Program to purchase legacy assets from financial institutions, a landmark: engagement at the intersection of private capital and public policy. He also plays a leading role in the firm's development of fund formation technology and Al-enabled solutions designed to enhance client service, improve efficiency and deliver deeper insights to sponsors navigating complex fund formation and business challenges.

Abram Ellis

Abram Ellis is a Litigation Partner in the Firm’s Washington, D.C. office who is recognized as a “Rising Star” and “Next Generation Partner” in antitrust litigation and cartels. His antitrust practice comprises all aspects of competition law, from defending clients against complex class action antitrust litigation to helping clients obtain regulatory clearance from domestic and international competition authorities for significant transactions. Abram is particularly experienced in antitrust litigation involving complex financial instruments, the healthcare industry and employment issues. In addition to his robust antitrust practice, Abram advises clients on a range of litigation and regulatory matters. As Co-Head of the Firm’s International Trade Regulation Practice, he advises leading private equity funds, financial institutions and major corporations on regulatory and compliance matters relating to cross-border activities, including with respect to tariffs, anti-money laundering, OFAC, FCPA, the Outbound Investment Rule, the DOJ’s Data Security Program and export matters. Recent representations include: RPM International and the Euclid Chemical Company in winning the dismissal of an antitrust class action; JPMorgan in summary judgement in a LIBOR lawsuit; and separately, JPMorgan in obtaining the Ninth Circuit’s affirmance of dismissal in an ICE LIBOR lawsuit against several major banks, which was named “Litigation of the Year – Cartel Defense” at GCR Awards 2025; and Change Healthcare in its $13.8 billion acquisition by UnitedHealth Group, which was named “Merger Control Matter of the Year – Americas” at Global Competition Review’s GCR Awards 2023.

Gillian Emmett Moldowan

Andrew Frankel

Andy Frankel is Head of Simpson Thacher’s Insurance and Reinsurance Practice. He has more than 30 years of experience successfully representing clients in a wide variety of complex disputes, including insurance, securities, product liability and other commercial litigation and investigations. Andy has successfully litigated cases in state and federal trial and appellate courts throughout the United States and in domestic and international arbitrations. Representative insurance-related experience includes defending insurers in complex coverage disputes and bankruptcy proceedings involving a variety of mass tort litigations, representing insurers in direct actions, claims alleging bad faith, environmental coverage disputes, claims involving dissolved or defunct policyholders and court-appointed receivers, claims involving alleged disparate impact liability, representing insurers in market conduct examinations and other government investigations, and a wide range of other matters on behalf of insurers.

Bryce Friedman

Co-Head of Simpson Thacher’s Business Litigation Practice and Head of the Insurance Litigation Practice with a focus on complex commercial litigation and trials. A Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. Defends regulated companies, officers and directors against fraud allegations, including alleged False Claims Act violations and government investigations. Represents the insurance and reinsurance industries in trials and arbitrations of coverage, trade practice and class actions nationwide. Counsels boards of directors and C-suite executives on strategic concerns, governance issues, disputes and sensitive employee matters.

Marcy Geller

Co-Head of Simpson Thacher’s Tax Practice concentrating on a wide range of complex tax structuring, including private investment fund formation, mergers and acquisitions, REITs and real estate transactions, and joint ventures. Advises private equity clients on tax matters related to formation of funds, including real estate opportunity, infrastructure and credit funds, and the structuring of investments by those funds.

Brian Gluck

Partner in the Firm’s Corporate Department and Global Banking and Credit Practice. He regularly advises leading private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies in a broad range of corporate financing transactions, including acquisition financings, bank and bridge loan financings, real estate financings, fund level financings, REIT financings, infrastructure financings, refinancing transactions as well as liability management and restructuring transactions. His clients have included Blackstone, Stonepeak Partners, DigitalBridge, Thomson Reuters, GTCR, Gates Corporation, Medline Industries, Hilton, True Wind Capital, Change Healthcare and Technology Crossover Ventures.

Jonathan Goldstein

Tax partner concentrating on private investment fund formation, tax aspects of mergers and acquisitions (including tax-free spin-offs), tax matters regarding restructurings and bankruptcies, renewable energy, cross-border tax matters and partnerships and other joint ventures. In addition, he was named one of Mergerlinks’ Top Tax Lawyers in North America in four out of the past five years, with a #1 ranking in 2021.

Steven Grigoriou

Steven Grigoriou is a Partner in the Firm’s Registered Funds Practice, where he advises a wide array of registered funds, business development companies and multinational investment advisers on a broad range of corporate transactions. He regularly represents public funds, fund sponsors, investment advisers, investment banks and other financial institutions on the design, formation and structure of investment funds and products, securities offerings, regulatory and compliance matters, as well as other corporate matters. His clients include Apollo, Audax, Benefit Street Partners, BlackRock, Blackstone, Carlyle, Onex and Sixth Street. Steven is recognized as a “Next Generation Partner” by Legal 500 and a “Rising star partner” by IFLR1000. He also was named a “Rising Star” at the 2021 Fund Intelligence Mutual Funds Industry & ETF Awards.

Gregory Grogan

Gregory Grogan is Head of Simpson Thacher’s Executive Compensation and Employee Benefits Practice, specializing in executive retention and motivation in M&A transactions and IPOs with a private equity focus. Significant engagements include 150+ Blackstone acquisitions, divestitures and IPOs (Hilton, Bumble, Ancestry, Refinitiv, SeaWorld, Vivint, Invitation Homes, Equity Office, Motel 6, Jersey Mike’s); LBOs of PetSmart, ADT and Nortek; and multiple transactions for AIG, Centerbridge, Cisco, Mars, Microsoft (Activision Blizzard, LinkedIn, Skype, GitHub, ZeniMax, Nuance), New Mountain, Silver Lake Partners, SiriusXM, PPL and Johnson Controls/Tyco, as well as the Board of Directors of Twitter, Inc. in its sale to Elon Musk. Greg regularly advises boards regarding C-level succession matters and is experienced in PBGC negotiations.

Peter Guryan

Global Co-Chair of the Firm’s Antitrust and Trade Regulation Practice, Peter is a leading antitrust lawyer with extensive experience in civil antitrust matters for major corporations and private equity firms in addition to criminal antitrust work. He has represented clients in obtaining antitrust approvals in numerous high-profile and challenging transactions, often global in scope, and in other government antitrust investigations before the Department of Justice, the Federal Trade Commission and competition authorities outside of the United States. Prior to joining private practice, Peter was a trial attorney in the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice.

Jennifer Ho

Jennifer Ho is a Partner in the Firm’s National Security Regulatory Practice. She advises multinational corporations, private equity firms, asset managers and other clients on developing strategies that minimize risk and secure regulatory approvals across key markets and sectors. She also has significant experience advising clients in national security reviews before the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) and navigating related issues, including mitigation of foreign ownership, control or influence (FOCI) under industrial security regulations.

Alexandra Kaplan

Co-Head of Simpson Thacher’s Global Banking and Credit Practice and Co-Head of its Global Investment Banking Practice, a member of the Executive Committee and Co-Administrative Partner of the Firm, Alexandra Kaplan represents investment and commercial banks, private credit funds and other financial institutions in connection with a wide variety of syndicated and direct lending transactions across multiple industries. Her practice focuses on complex corporate financings, including leveraged and investment grade facilities, acquisition finance, asset-based lending, bridge facilities, liability management and restructuring transactions and DIP and exit financings.

Jonathan Karen

Co-Head of Simpson Thacher's Investment Funds Practice, Jonathan has led recent efforts in industry’s most successful and market-defining private equity fund formations across multiple asset classes, including buyout, real estate and infrastructure. Notable formations include Blackstone’s most recent flagship opportunistic global real estate, corporate private equity and core private equity funds, and Silver Lake, Stonepeak Infrastructure, Rockpoint Real Estate and Centerbridge Partners in each of their flagship and ancillary funds. Jonathan also counsels investment firms on a mix of matters involving private investment funds, including internal economic arrangements for private fund sponsors, regulatory compliance, M&A transactions and strategic investments involving private fund sponsors, joint ventures and spin-outs. Notably, Jonathan was recognized as Fund Formation “MVP” by Law360 in 2023 and 2021.

Joseph Kaufman

Corporate Partner advising clients on public and private offerings of debt and equity securities, corporate governance, business combinations and general corporate and securities law matters. Represented each of Academy Sports, Aramark, Avantor, Dollar General, First Data, HCA, KKR, Masonite, National Vision and Nielsen in connection with their respective U.S. IPO’s and numerous debt financings.

Peter Kazanoff

Litigation Partner focusing on shareholder litigations including: private equity transactions involving KKR, such as Del Monte, Gardner Denver, and HCA; strategic transactions involving Change Healthcare, First Data, GGP, Microsoft, Convey Health, and Xerox; and securities and derivative litigations involving Dollar General, BellRing Brands, KKR, Envision, Ubiquiti Networks, and PAAMCO Prisma in Kentucky pension litigation. Substantial experience defending clients in Ponzi scheme litigation, including Fairfield Greenwich in Madoff-related matters and TD Bank in Stanford-related matters.

Matthew Kelly

Matthew Kelly is a Partner in Simpson Thacher’s Litigation Department, Head of the Firm’s AI Practice and a member of the Privacy and Cybersecurity Practice. Matt represents clients in AI, cyber and other technology-driven matters across the business lifecycle, including in connection with strategic transactions and investments, product development, commercial disputes, regulatory compliance initiatives, government and internal investigations, as well as AI and cybersecurity incident response. Matt has worked with dozens of clients to design and implement effective, durable AI and model governance frameworks that meet stakeholder needs and satisfy regulatory obligations. He provides briefings and training on AI, cybersecurity and technology matters for boards of directors, board committees and executive leaders. He has represented clients in AI, cyber and data-driven matters before the U.S. DOJ, FTC, the SEC, the CFTC, FINRA, the New York Attorney General’s Office, the California Attorney General’s Office and the New York Department of Financial Services.

Lauren King

Simpson Thacher’s Head of Secondaries. Focuses on the full range of secondaries transactions, with a special focus on GP-led transactions (including continuation funds, tender offers, strip sales and fund-to-fund transactions), both on the buy-side and sponsor-side and across all asset classes and transaction sizes, but also represents clients in connection with traditional and synthetic secondaries acquisitions and dispositions and preferred equity investments. Deep experience counseling the full range of secondaries investors – traditional secondaries funds, GP-led focused secondaries funds, registered investment funds and other retail vehicles, and ERISA vehicles. Has specialized expertise advising prominent sponsors on cutting-edge transactions designed to provide liquidity to their investors, including using continuation fund technology in innovative ways. Also counsels sponsors on the organization, structuring and operation of secondaries funds as well as funds-of-one and co-invest vehicles designed to invest in secondaries transactions.

Alan Klein

Alan Klein is a Partner in the Firm's Mergers and Acquisitions Practice and has previously served as Global Co-Head of the Mergers and Acquisitions Practice. He represented the Board of Twitter in the company’s sale to Elon Musk. He has advised Microsoft on various transactions, including its acquisition of Activision Blizzard, LinkedIn and Skype, among others. He also represented ChemChina in its acquisition of Syngenta, the largest acquisition ever by a Chinese company; Tyco in its merger with Johnson Controls; and numerous other companies in cutting-edge transactions including Cisco, ADT, Best Buy, Wendy’s and Royal Ahold. He has also advised the boards of public companies including Aetna, Xerox, Yahoo and Baker Hughes, among others, on corporate governance matters.

Jeffrey Knox

Jeff Knox, former head of the U.S. DOJ Fraud Section, is Co-Managing Partner of Simpson Thacher’s Washington, D.C. office and Global Co-Head of the Firm’s Government and Internal Investigations Practice. He represents multinational corporations and independent board committees in high-stakes investigations by the DOJ, SEC, State Attorneys General, and other federal and state enforcement regulators. He has advised some of the world’s leading companies in the financial services, private equity, energy, life sciences, technology and cryptocurrency industries in navigating criminal and civil investigations relating to the to the federal securities and commodities laws, anti-corruption and anti-money laundering statutes, the False Claims Act, antitrust laws, and economic sanctions and other trade control regulations. Jeff also represents senior executives and government officials who are subjects of enforcement investigations. Jeff represents companies subject to government and court-mandated monitorships, and has served as a government-appointed independent compliance consultant. Prior to joining the Firm, Jeff served as a federal prosecutor for more than a decade, including as the Chief of the DOJ’s Fraud Section in Washington, D.C., and before then, as the Chief of the National Security Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.

Scott Kobak

Real Estate Partner primarily representing institutional investors in complex commercial real estate transactions, real estate company acquisitions and developments, joint ventures and financings, including active involvement with many of the most prominent real estate private equity funds. Frequent clients include the real estate fund business of Carlyle, KKR, Blackstone and Related Digital. Recent transactions include Blackstone in a a $16 Billion joint venture with Related to develop a mega data center campus in Michigan and the $7 billion joint venture with Digital Realty to develop four hyperscale data center campuses, Blackstone’s purchase and financing of QTS Data Centers in an $11 billion take private transaction, KKR’s acquisition of the Edge Observation Deck at 30 Hudson Yards and several multifamily development joint ventures for The Carlyle Group in New York.

Marni Lerner

Co-Head of the Firm’s Private Equity Mergers and Acquisitions Practice, Marni Lerner has extensive experience representing a mix of private equity and corporate clients, including family and founder-owned companies, in mergers and acquisitions, public and private divestitures, strategic investments and securities law matters. In her more than 30 years of corporate deal making, Marni has consistently worked on a variety of significant, complex and record-breaking transactions for a wide range of clients. Her representations have included KKR and its portfolio companies on transactions involving Simon & Schuster, Omnissa, Instructure, Neighborly, Teaching Strategies, OverDrive Holdings, BMC, Del Monte Foods and Internet Brands. Marni has also advised Charlesbank Capital Partners, Integrum and Butterfly Equity, among others.

Lori Lesser

Lori Lesser is Head of the Firm’s Intellectual Property Practice and Co-Chair of the Firm’s Privacy and Cybersecurity Practice. She advises corporations and private equity firms around the world on all aspects of intellectual property, artificial intelligence, technology, privacy and cybersecurity law, including M&A and other extraordinary transactions, joint ventures, litigation, licensing, counseling and compliance. She counsels clients in matters across industries, including software and tech, media and entertainment, financial services and fintech, consumer products, health care and life sciences, energy and industrials, and online/social media services.

Edgar Lewandowski

Edgar Lewandowski is a Partner in Simpson Thacher’s Corporate Department, focusing his practice on capital markets and corporate governance matters. Edgar has wide-ranging experience advising a variety of REIT and other issuers, private equity sponsors and investment banks. The transactions he has handled include IPOs and other equity offerings, spin-offs, high yield and investment-grade debt offerings, convertible debt offerings, tender and exchange offers and risk management. Edgar also advises boards of directors on general corporate and compliance matters. He represents clients in numerous industries, including real estate, hospitality, financial services, manufacturing, insurance and human capital and technology services.

David Lieberman

Member of the Firm’s Corporate Department and Managing Partner of the Firm’s Houston office. Representative clients include Blackstone, EQT Infrastructure, Digital Bridge, Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners, Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners, Global Infrastructure Partners and NextEra Energy.

Katy Lukaszewski

Katy Lukaszewski is a Partner in the Firm’s Energy and Infrastructure Practice. Based in the Houston office, Katy represents companies and private equity sponsors on a variety of corporate transactions, including mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures, with a focus in the energy, infrastructure and consumer products sectors. She has been recognized as a leading energy lawyer by Chambers USA and a Lawyer “On The Rise” by Texas Lawyer in 2024.

Linton Mann III

Linton Mann III is a Partner in Simpson Thacher’s Litigation Practice. Linton represents clients in a broad range of high-stakes litigation and investigation matters including securities, shareholder derivative disputes, class actions, antitrust and complex commercial disputes. Linton is Co-Chair of the Firm’s Recruiting and United for Justice Committees. Linton is consistently named a “Next Generation Partner” by The Legal 500, where sources say he “stands out from his peers for his securities work.” Recognized among Crain’s “40 Under 40,” Linton has also been named a “Rising Star” by the New York Law Journal, Law360 and Euromoney, and is a repeat honoree on Benchmark Litigation’s “40 & Under List.” He was also recognized among the “Best LGBTQ+ Lawyers Under 40” for 2022 by the National LGBTQ+ Bar Association. Linton is the Chair of the Board of Trustees for Uncommon Charter Schools New York City, which oversees twenty-four public charter schools in Brooklyn, New York. He is also the Chair of the Board of Directors of Manhattan Legal Services, a program of Legal Services NYC, the largest provider of pro bono civil legal services in the country. In 2023, Linton was one of four recipients of the Pro Bono Service Award from the Legal Services Corporation.

Jeannine McSweeney

Jeannine McSweeney counsels private equity investors and their portfolio companies, public companies and other clients on all aspects of executive compensation and other employee benefits matters arising in a variety of complex transactions, with an emphasis on mergers and acquisitions and initial public offerings. Jeannine’s clients include Blackstone, Hellman & Friedman, Silver Lake, TD Bank, TPG, EQT, KKR, Garda and Patricia Industries, among others. She also has extensive experience advising on equity compensation and employment arrangements, including equity- and cash-based incentives, deferred compensation, and employment, change in control, retention and severance arrangements for both employers and executives. Jeannine has been recognized by The Legal 500 United States as a “Next Generation Partner” for Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation. Recently, Jeannine was named “North America Corporate Governance Lawyer of the Year” at the Women in Business Law Americas Awards 2026, where she was recognized for advising on some of the most noteworthy deals of 2025.

Nancy Mehlman

Co-Head of Simpson Thacher’s Tax Practice, Nancy Mehlman concentrates on fund formation, mergers and acquisitions, real estate transactions (including the use of REITs), energy and infrastructure investments, partnerships, joint ventures and related financing transactions in the credit and capital markets. She advises on tax matters for, among others, Blackstone, KKR, Carlyle and Morgan Stanley.

Juan Francisco Mendez

Juan Francisco is a Corporate Partner based in Simpson Thacher’s New York headquarters. He advises clients on international corporate finance transactions, mergers and acquisitions, and other strategic matters. Juan Francisco represents many of Latin America’s most renowned corporations, as well as global companies, investment banks and private equity firms acting in the region. He has significant experience in equity offerings (including IPOs and follow-on offerings); debt offerings (including investment grade, high-yield, hybrid, structured, project and sovereign bond offerings); merger and acquisitions (sell-side and buy-side, auction and bilateral negotiations) and joint ventures; liability management and restructurings; and other complex transactions. He also has experience in board representation as well as crisis management and investigation matters. He has worked with such companies as Pan American Energy and YPF (Argentina); Intercorp group and Breca group (Peru); Grupo Sura and Avianca and (Colombia); Quinenco and Entel (Chile); Grupo Mexico and America Movil (Mexico); plus global banks such as JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs, Citigroup and Morgan Stanley; and private equity groups such as The Blackstone Group. His practice focuses on Latin America and the Caribbean. Juan Francisco is fluent in English and Spanish.

Lee Meyerson

Lee Meyerson is Chairman and Founding Partner of the Firm’s Financial Institutions Practice and previous Head of our global M&A Practice. He has counseled the world’s elite financial and investment firms on a broad range of transactions, including some of the largest and most complex mergers in the financial services industry. Lee’s practice also includes counseling clients on regulatory matters, corporate governance and shareholder activism, as well as a broad range of capital markets transactions, including IPOs, debt, equity and hybrid capital securities offerings.

Preston Miller

Preston Miller is a nationally recognized Antitrust and Competition Law partner at Simpson Thacher. Preston has extensive experience obtaining regulatory clearances from domestic and international competition authorities for high-profile, often cross-border, transactions across a wide variety of industries. He has also been involved in some of the most significant US merger litigations of the last decade, including UHG/Change Healthcare and Tempur Sealy/Mattress Firm, as well as UHG/Amedisys which was successfully resolved mid-litigation via settlement.

Krista Miniutti

Partner in the firm’s Real Estate Department and Co-Chair of the firm’s Women’s Committee. Krista represents private equity firms and portfolio companies in commercial real estate acquisitions and dispositions, joint ventures and financings. Named as “Real Estate Lawyer of the Year” for Euromoney’s Women in Business Law Americas Awards 2022 and a Law360 2022 “MVP” in Real Estate, Krista has represented clients on a broad range of domestic and international real estate transactions, including public-to-private transactions, securitized and mezzanine financings, and portfolio acquisitions. She regularly advises clients on all aspects of their transactions, including coordinating advice from internal and external tax advisors and ERISA and Fund counsel. Krista’s clients include the real estate funds of The Blackstone Group, KSL Capital Partners and Westbrook Partners.

Erland Modesto

A Partner in the Firm’s Houston office, Erland brings over 15 years knowledge and experience, particularly with respect to infrastructure, the entire energy value chain and energy transition related matters. He is adept at developing flexible structures for companies in volatile markets. Throughout his career, Erland has provided counsel to lenders and borrowers across a wide variety of debt financing transactions, including LBOs, acquisition financings, general refinancings, restructurings, project and infrastructure financings, back leverage, holdco and asset based and reserve-based financings. Highly ranked in Chambers, Erland is a member in the Firm’s Banking and Credit practice, advising clients in a wide variety of industries across the energy sector, including in the oil and gas exploration and production, midstream and oilfield services sector. He has been described as “extremely commercial, knowledgeable and creative…always eager to help find solutions for clients” by The Legal 500. Clients have described him as “do[ing] a fantastic job and prov[iding] really good advice" and as having a “deal and detail-oriented mindset." Moreover, Erland has been named a “Next Generation Partner” by The Legal 500 and a “Rising Star” by Law360. He was dubbed a “Rising Star” by Texas Lawyer earlier in his career. Erland serves on the Firm’s Finance, Opinion, Inclusion and Recruiting committees.

David Nemecek

As Head of Simpson Thacher’s Capital Structure Solutions Practice, David Nemecek represents private equity sponsors, hedge funds, public companies and capital sources in complex financing transactions, including liability management exercises, leveraged buyouts, recapitalizations, restructurings and other special situation transactions. David has significant experience with a variety of transaction structures, including senior secured financings, debtor-in-possession and exit financings, split collateral structures, first- and second-lien financings, asset-based loans, senior unsecured financings, subordinated financings and unitranche financings. David has handled transactions in a range of industries, including retail, software, gaming, healthcare, media, restaurant, energy and real estate. David is widely recognized as the country’s leading liability management attorney and has led some of the most significant and innovative capital structure transactions in the market, advising clients across a broad range of industries.

Lynn Neuner

A nationally-renowned trial lawyer specializing in securities, shareholder, insurance, complex commercial and false advertising disputes. Representations include: Travelers in a trial victory related to Johnson & Johnson’s massive talc-related bankruptcy proceedings, which involved over $9 billion in proposed trust funding; TD Bank in historic litigation related to Allen Stanford Ponzi scheme; Pfizer in Cerevel securities litigation, Viatris securities litigation, and numerous indemnity disputes; Bayer in a false advertising dispute challenging promotional claims regarding J&J and Janssen Biotech’s prostate cancer drug ERLEADA®; Lloyd’s and RSA in three-week jury trial in connection with a business interruption and property damage claim; Frontdoor in securing a preliminary injunction after a full evidentiary hearing enforcing a nationwide non-compete in expedited proceedings; Olon S.p.A. in breach of contract and fraud dispute against Perfect Day concerning a cross-border manufacturing and investment arrangement; Chubb, Axa XL, and Swiss Re in multi-jurisdiction aviation insurance litigation related to numerous airplanes allegedly grounded in Russia after the invasion of Ukraine; TD Bank in Ponzi scheme cases involving TelexFree in Massachusetts and National Realty Investment Advisors in New Jersey; Helen Frankenthaler Foundation in obtaining precedent-setting dismissal of dispute brought by former director; co-executors of estate of former CEO of Scholastic Inc. in various trust and probate matters; Hovnanian in landmark securities case regarding credit default swaps; Travelers in centi-million-dollar pollution coverage action; Bayer in emergency court proceeding that ended competitor’s advertising campaign in two weeks; Weight Watchers in large securities class action and related derivative suits; Bayer in advertising challenges regarding Claritin, Aleve and Maty’s Healthy Products; Ziegler Family businesses in shareholder disputes; and multiple confidential international and U.S. arbitrations. Devotes significant pro bono counsel to U.S. veterans, including work on historic ruling allowing veterans to bring class actions in Veterans Court and winning a 20-year dispute to secure disability benefits for a veteran following a VA appeal.

Neesa Patel Sood

Neesa Patel Sood is a Partner in Simpson Thacher’s Registered Funds practice in the firm’s Washington D.C. office. She advises registered funds, their investment advisers and independent board members across a wide range of complex regulatory, compliance, fund governance, operational and transaction-related matters. She regularly provides advice regarding the structuring, launch and day-to-day operations of registered funds and private funds tailored for individual investors. Neesa also has significant transactional experience, counseling clients on fund restructurings as well as fund and adviser merger and acquisition transactions.

Joshua Polster

Josh Polster represents and counsels insurers in coverage disputes and tries high-stakes cases in court and before arbitral tribunals. He is experienced in handling complex actuarial matters that arise in insurance disputes. He also regularly represents clients in securities and M&A disputes and advises family offices on litigation issues. Josh is recognized by Euromoney’s Benchmark Litigation as a “Future Star” and is a repeat honoree on its “40 & Under List,” which honors the achievements of the nation’s most accomplished law firm partners under the age of 40. He also maintains an active pro bono practice. He has defeated an emergency motion in a Florida voting action and, along with the ACLU and AIC, secured a preliminary injunction blocking a fast-track deportation rule.

Mario Ponce

Partner in the Corporate Department. Focuses on negotiated and hostile merger and acquisition transactions, proxy contests, restructurings, joint ventures, corporate governance and shareholder activism. Represents both public and private companies in a variety of industries and advises private equity clients. Counsel to boards of directors and special committees concerning corporate governance, fiduciary duties and other matters. Has significant experience in the energy, industrials, retail and healthcare industries.

Andrew Purcell

A Partner in the Firm’s Tax Practice, Drew Purcell advises clients on an array of tax matters, including financing, credit, M&A, spin off, private equity transactions and fund formations. Drew’s clients have included Blackstone, DigitalBridge, New Mountain and Ingersoll Rand.

Sara Razi

Sara Razi is Global Co-Chair of the Firm’s Antitrust and Trade Regulation Practice. She is a leading antitrust attorney, focusing on merger reviews, government antitrust investigations, antitrust litigation, and counseling on a variety of competition issues. Sara regularly represents clients in antitrust investigations by the DOJ, FTC and States, and has secured successful outcomes in numerous complex and closely-watched mergers and high-profile antitrust litigations. Her extensive private-sector and government antitrust experience spans a multitude of industries including healthcare, pharmaceuticals, technology, media, telecommunications, supermarkets and other retail, oil and gas, consumer products, and financial services. Representative clients have included: Ahold N.V., Apax Funds, Best Buy, BMC Stock Holdings, BorgWarner Inc., Change Healthcare, Circana, CSL Ltd., Cypress Semiconductor, Dell Technologies, DIRECTV, Discover Financial Services, Dollar General, EQT A.B. and its portfolio companies, HCA Healthcare, Hellman & Friedman and its portfolio companies, K2M, KKR and its portfolio companies, Lorillard, Mattress Firm, Mars, McKesson, Paramount Global, PPD and Siltronic. Sara is an authority on antitrust issues and speaks frequently at conferences sponsored by the ABA, law schools, and private organizations.

Roxane Reardon

Co-Head of Simpson Thacher's Global Capital Markets Practice, Roxane F. Reardon has advised issuers and investment banks on a wide range of public and private capital raises, including pre-IPO series financings and other private capital funding structures, IPOs, follow-ons, equity-linked, debt, and tender and exchange offers, for more than two decades. She regularly advises management and boards of directors on capital solutions, corporate governance matters, disclosure matters, and other general corporate matters.

Gregory Ressa

Greg Ressa is of counsel in the firm’s Real Estate Department and a former member of the firm’s Executive Committee. His practice involves all aspects of the real estate industry with emphasis on representation of real estate opportunity funds, real estate mergers and acquisitions and real estate finance. He has handled transactions involving Blackstone, Northwood Investors, Centerbridge Partners, Hilton Worldwide, Great Wolf Resorts, Invitation Homes, Sterling Investors and Suntex Marinas on a wide variety of both domestic and international transactions.

Brian Robbins

Partner, former Head of the Firm's Executive Compensation and Employee Benefits Practice Group and current leader of the Firm’s Title I ERISA practice. Practice includes participation in complex mergers and acquisitions, private equity fund formation and structuring, securities and commercial banking transactions involving issues arising under ERISA and related provisions of the Internal Revenue Code; the structuring and implementation of management equity arrangements, and other executive compensation, employment and severance programs; and advice with respect to tax, accounting and securities law issues related thereto.

Arthur Robinson

Partner representing clients in initial public offerings, high yield issuances, restructurings and corporate governance issues. Transactions include IPOs of Sotera Health, CommScope, Duck Creek, Paycor, ADT, U.S. Xpress, Anywhere Real Estate, InnovAge, Bioventus, Nuvalent, Press Ganey and Frequency Therapeutics; offerings to finance the acquisitions of NBC Universal, Cablevision, Burger King and Anywhere Real Estate; financing transactions in Olin’s acquisition of Dow Chemical’s Chlor-Alkali business; Reverse Morris Trust transaction to spin-off and combine WarnerMedia with Discovery, Inc.; offerings for Carnival, U.S. Steel, Sprint, Endo Pharmaceuticals, Del Monte, Zai Labs, Bombardier Recreation, Apache, Northrop Grumman, Venator, Gartner, Wolverine, Block (formerly Square), Cimpress and PTC; and offerings to finance Mirant Corporation's and LatAm Airlines’ emergences from bankruptcy.

Patrick Ryan

Patrick Ryan regularly represents leading financial institutions, investment banks and other lenders in connection with the arrangement and syndication of senior credit facilities, including acquisition, bridge and other corporate financings. Previously serving as Head of the Firm’s Global Banking and Credit Practice, he has significant experience in complicated financings in the leveraged finance, investment-grade, private credit and asset-based markets, often working with clients to develop innovative structures or to find solutions to difficult issues. He has also advised on special situations and the restructuring of existing credit facilities and other related financings, including DIP and exit financings. Patrick’s institutional clients include JPMorgan, Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, Citibank, Bank of America, Royal Bank of Canada, HSBC and Barclays. Patrick also represents companies in connection with their financing activities, and his clients have included AOL, American Media, Bard, Cengage Learning, Evercore, Hulu, iHeartMedia, MasterCard, News Corporation, Radioshack, Sky Deutschland, Travelers Companies, 21st Century Fox, CentralSquare Technologies, Vantage Airport Group and Universal Studios. Patrick has also been active in representing clients in sports and entertainment ventures, including Forest City Ratner Companies and other investors in connection with the acquisition and relocation of the Nets NBA franchise to Brooklyn. Recently, Patrick has been representing clients in partnerships between banks and credit funds in connection with the continued growth of the private credit and alternative capital market. He was named a Banking “MVP” by Law360 in 2021.

Whitney Salinas

Whitney Salinas is a Partner in the Firm’s Real Estate Department focusing on real estate finance. She regularly represents private equity firms and portfolio companies on some of the most significant real estate matters in the market. This includes a broad range of commercial real estate financing transactions including CMBS, balance sheet, mezzanine, agency and construction financings as well as market-leading, complex transactions involving a variety of asset classes, such as data centers, industrial, hospitality, office, studio, life-science, retail, self-storage and manufactured homes, among others.

William Sheehan

Corporate Partner William Sheehan regularly represents financial institutions and companies in connection with syndicated leveraged finance, direct lending, and other credit transactions. His practice covers a wide range of bank finance—including acquisition-related credit facilities, bridge financings, private credit transactions, general corporate and investment grade transactions, asset-based loans, restructurings, debtor-in-possession financings, and liability management. He has handled transactions for JPMorgan, Antares, Bank of America, Barclays, Citibank, Goldman Sachs, Royal Bank of Canada and UBS/Credit Suisse; he has also represented Cigna, Community Health Systems, Hovnanian, Scripps and Teleflex, as well as other lenders and companies.

David Shevlin

Head of Simpson Thacher’s Exempt Organizations Practice, David Shevlin counsels a variety of international and domestic exempt organizations, including all forms of private foundations and public charities. He also advises donors to exempt organizations, such as family offices, as well as the governing bodies of exempt organizations. In particular, David advises universities, foundations, hospitals and cultural institutions on the investment of their endowments. David has particular experience in working with charitable organizations in connection with social enterprise and program-related investments. David also has been involved in assisting governing bodies on internal investigations.

Mark Skerry

A Partner in Simpson Thacher’s National Security Regulatory Practice, Mark Skerry advises some of the world’s largest and most well-known private equity asset managers, institutional investors, and multinational corporations on transactions undergoing national security reviews before the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) and analogous foreign direct investment (FDI) screening regulators worldwide. Mark has successfully secured CFIUS approvals and coordinated worldwide FDI clearances for transactions across a variety of industries considered sensitive to national security, including aerospace and defense manufacturing, classified government contracting, satellites and launch vehicles, data centers and digital infrastructure, sea and airports, semiconductors, telecommunications, technology and software, social media, energy infrastructure, financial services, and life sciences, among others.

Brian Stadler

Brian M. Stadler specializes in mergers and acquisitions and corporate governance. He represents private equity firms and public and private companies in a wide variety of M&A matters, including leveraged buyouts, strategic mergers, minority investments, joint ventures, carve-outs and takeover defense. While he has counseled clients in a broad range of industries, Brian has extensive experience in M&A transactions involving REITs and other real estate companies. He has advised Blackstone on more than 30 take private transactions, including the landmark Equity Office Properties and Hilton acquisitions.

Sophie Staples

A Partner in the Firm’s Tax Practice, Sophie Staples advises clients on tax matters in a variety of transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, dispositions, joint ventures, financing transactions and securities offerings. She has advised private equity sponsors, as well as their portfolio companies and other strategic clients, on the tax aspects of numerous investments, acquisitions and divestitures.

Brian Steinhardt

Co-Head of Simpson Thacher’s Banking and Credit Practice, Brian Steinhardt represents leading private equity and infrastructure sponsors and their portfolio companies in connection with a broad range of corporate finance transactions, including bank and bridge loan financings, energy and other infrastructure financings and acquisition financings. He also advises companies on a range of corporate finance transactions, including other leveraged and investment grade syndicated bank financings. His clients have included Hellman & Friedman, KKR, Apax, EQT, Centerbridge, Brookfield, Cohesity, Electronic Arts, Sirius XM Radio and WW International (f/k/a Weight Watchers). In 2008, Brian represented the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on its approximately $30 billion financing arrangement related to JPMorgan’s acquisition of Bear Stearns, and in 2009 he represented the U.S. Treasury Department concerning certain financing arrangements for the Legacy Securities Public-Private Investment Program.

Eric Swedenburg

Global Head of Simpson Thacher’s Mergers and Acquisitions Practice and a member of the Executive Committee, Eric Swedenburg represents companies in a wide range of mergers, acquisitions and divestitures, spin-offs, joint ventures and other significant corporate transactions. He also regularly counsels clients on shareholder activism, corporate governance and general corporate and securities law matters. In addition to his significant amount of work with public companies, Eric has extensive experience in advising special committees of boards of directors, private equity firms and financial advisors in both U.S. domestic and cross-border M&A transactions across a number of industry verticals. Some of his recent transactions have included representing Paramount, SiriusXM, Beacon Roofing, Keysight, TransUnion, Mars, Ingersoll Rand, Wendy’s, Change Healthcare, Karuna Therapeutics, AGCO, The Mosaic Company, Snap One, Radius Recycling and BellRing Brands. Eric has published various articles on M&A subjects and frequently speaks on M&A, shareholder activism and corporate matters.

David Teh

David Teh leads the Alternative Capital and Private Credit team and has deep and versatile experience advising direct lenders, investment banks and corporate borrowers across many sectors on a broad range of direct loans and syndicated credit facilities. His work includes both U.S. and cross-border leveraged acquisition financings, unitranche facilities, ‘recurring revenue’ loans, ‘stretch senior’ loans, first and second lien credit facilities and leveraged and investment grade corporate credit facilities. David also advises on financings for insurance solutions, hybrid capital, backleverage and other capital solutions for special situations, recapitalizations and real asset financings.

Malcolm (Mick) Tuesley

Head of Simpson Thacher’s National Security Regulatory Practice. Represents clients in national security reviews before CFIUS and assists with related issues, including mitigation of foreign ownership, control or influence (FOCI) under industrial security regulations, export control compliance and government contracting. Helps clients navigate worldwide foreign direct investment reviews. Negotiates national security agreements with the U.S. government for some of the largest and most complex transactions in the defense, energy, financial services, telecommunications and technology sectors.

Anthony Vernace

Anthony Vernace represents private equity firms and public companies in mergers and acquisitions, investments, joint ventures and other corporate transactions. He also regularly counsels clients on corporate governance, shareholder activism and securities law matters. His clients span a wide range of industries and include leading technology, transportation, healthcare, industrial, financial services and consumer products companies. Anthony consistently receives recognition for his work on numerous marquee M&A transactions for both public companies and private equity firms. Anthony’s experience includes representing Microsoft in its $75 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard and Cisco Systems in its $28 billion acquisition of Splunk. In addition to his legal practice, Anthony regularly serves as a panelist and guest lecturer on corporate and M&A-related topics, including at Harvard, Duke and University of Pennsylvania law schools. Anthony currently serves as a member of the Firm’s Executive Committee, and he was formerly Co-Chair of the Finance Committee and a member of the Recruiting Committee.

Craig Waldman

Craig S. Waldman is a Partner in the Firm’s Litigation Department and Head of the Firm’s Asset Management Litigation Practice. He has extensive trial experience and frequently represents issuers, individuals, and underwriters in high-profile securities litigation, including class and derivative actions, in courts throughout the country. He also has considerable experience representing corporate clients, including public companies and leading private equity firms, in transaction-related litigation, corporate governance matters, and corporate control litigations.

Kenneth Wallach

Co-Head of the Firm’s Global Capital Markets Practice, Ken Wallach has represented clients including Weight Watchers, Mars, Wrigley, Dell, Wella, BMC Software, 3Z Brands, Blue Buffalo, Symantec, Walgreens Boots Alliance, Garda World Security, Assured Partners, Drummond, Cooper-Standard, and K2M. He regularly advises private equity sponsors, including KKR, Silver Lake, Apax and Invus, in connection with high yield and bridge financings and restructurings. His equity experience includes Issuer’s Counsel for the IPOs of GMR Solutions, Phoenix Education Partners, CAVA, First Advantage, Blue Buffalo and K2M. Ken also represents investment banks in IPOs, follow-on equity offerings and high yield and investment grade debt offerings. Ken is also widely recognized as a leading expert on corporate governance issues, including ESG matters. Ken currently serves as a member of the Firm’s Inclusion Committee and is a former member of the Executive Committee.

Jared Wilner

Jared Wilner is a Partner in Simpson Thacher’s Mergers and Acquisitions Practice, where he leads the Firm’s insurance transactional and regulatory team. He has extensive experience advising domestic and international insurers, reinsurers, investors and other industry participants on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, reinsurance transactions, and capital raising transactions. His work also spans related regulatory compliance and corporate governance issues, as well as bespoke investment structures designed to meet the needs of insurers and asset managers. Prior to private practice, Jared served at the New York State Department of Financial Services, and later as corporate counsel at Prudential Insurance’s life and annuities business units.

Michael Wolitzer

Simpson Thacher's Chair of Funds and Funds Adjacencies, focusing on private investing and other facets of "alternative asset management." Has represented some of the largest and most well-known sponsors of private investment funds, including Apax Partners, Blackstone, Centerbridge, Lexington, Patria, Silver Lake and Sixth Street. In addition to private equity funds, has represented sponsors in other alternative asset classes, including real estate, energy/infrastructure, secondaries and credit/distressed debt, as well as on SMAs and fund structured products. Also has represented global financial institutions in the establishment of their employee investment programs; family offices on their investment activities; acquisitions of, and investments in, private investment firms (including several minority stakes and control transactions); buyers, sellers and sponsors regarding the disposition of private fund interests, GP-Led Secondaries and other secondary transactions; and founders and other stakeholders in connection with carried interest and other customized internal arrangements.

Jonathan Youngwood

Global Co-Chair of the Firm’s Litigation Department and leads the Civil Securities Litigation Practice. He has represented corporations, boards of directors, and other clients in a wide range of high-profile complex commercial litigations and arbitration matters, including securities, corporate control, antitrust, ERISA, and bankruptcy disputes. Jon is also an experienced appellate lawyer, having argued more than 25 appeals, including cases in the majority of the federal circuit courts. Jon has successfully achieved high-profile appellate reversals and affirmations on behalf of clients in the financial services, hospitality, media and entertainment, e-commerce, and public sector, among others. Additionally, he has extensive experience representing clients in matters before state and federal regulators.

Aron Zuckerman

Aron’s practice focuses on domestic and international commercial real estate finance. He represents credit funds, banks, asset management firms and insurance companies on a broad range of real estate financing transactions, including mortgage and mezzanine loans, preferred equity structures, A/B notes, participation interests and note-on-note and repo financing facilities. His experience spans CMBS, balance sheet, bridge and construction loans, and includes the negotiation of complex co-lender, intercreditor and participation arrangements and multi-tranche workouts, restructurings, deed-in-lieu transactions and foreclosures.