Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP > Wilmington, United States > Firm Profile

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings

Antitrust > Merger control Tier 1

With a broad US-wide and global platform, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP is well-versed in DOJ and FTC investigations, merger filings and merger-related litigation. The team is noted for its capabilities in a wide range of regulated industries, with notable involvements in tech and healthcare with key representations for the likes of Activision Blizzard, Apple and Intel Corporation. Global antitrust head Steven Sunshine, former Deputy Assistant Attorney General, handles contentious regulatory investigations and enforcement actions relating to mergers, as well as approvals by merger authorities in global jurisdictions, while Karen Lent, head of the antitrust group in New York, is noted for her expertise in investigations and merger-related litigation. Tara Reinhart heads the Washington DC office and focuses on civil litigation and government investigations. Attorneys are based in Washington DC unless otherwise stated.

Dispute resolution > M&A litigation: defense Tier 1

Dispute resolution > Securities litigation: defense Tier 1

New York powerhouse Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP retains a suceessful record, able to handle the full range of work, including internal investigations, derivative actions and investigations by regulatory agencies, the firm handles high-stakes matters in a diverse range of industries from energy to automotive. Standout partners Jay Kasner and co-deputy heads Scott Musoff and Susan Saltzstein are all acknowledged by peers to be leading lights in the securities litigation market. Kasner and Saltzstein are currently acting for Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc. in a class action arising from the wildfires in Lahaina in Maui County, Hawaii, in 2023. Kasner was involved in a high-profile matter in the cryptocurrency sector, having secured the dismissal of a huge claim against Coinbase Inc. The firm also has a deep bench of securities litigators outside New York, with Noelle Reed in Houston and Virginia Milstead in Los Angeles among the key names.

Finance > Capital markets: equity offerings

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP has an outstanding reputation in equity offerings, including both domestic and cross-border deals; it remains at the forefront of equity offerings by Canadian issuers. The firm is noted for issuer and underwriter-side engagements across an array of industries. It has maintained solid levels of activity in a range of equity offerings, including IPOs, secondary offerings and at-the-market programs. The firm has a deep bench of top practitioners with David Goldschmidt leading the global capital markets team and frequently advising issuers and underwriters on headline deals. Ryan Dzierniejko has emerged as a top practitioner in recent years, notably for deals involving US and Canadian issuers; he is co-head of the US and Canada capital markets practice. Gregory Fernicola is another key figure and Gregg Noel is a prominent name in Palo Alto and Los Angeles. Named lawyers are based in New York unless stated otherwise.

Finance > Capital markets: high-yield debt offerings

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP‘s elevated domestic and global offering is matched by a highly rated high-yield debt practice. The capital markets team represents a range of domestic and international issuers, along with top investment banks. Biotech, clean tech, consumer products, energy, financial services, gaming and entertainment, healthcare, insurance, internet and e-commerce, REITs, retail, technology and telecommunications are amongst its primary sectors. Michael Zeidel leads the Americas capital markets group and continues to be a leading figure in high-yield debt. Ryan Dzierniejko is another impressive practitioner, along with Michael Hong and Laura Kaufmann Belkhayat. All named individuals are based in New York.  

Insurance > Insurance: non-contentious Tier 1

International trade > CFIUS Tier 1

The CFIUS practice at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP is part of an integrated CFIUS and corporate offering that addresses regulatory concerns from the initial stages of transaction planning. With experience in representing corporate, private equity and sovereign wealth fund clients on reviews before CFIUS, the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) and Team Telecom, the group is equipped to advise on all key transactional compliance issues. It additionally assists clients with non-US national security reviews involving foreign direct investments, including—but not limited to—regimes in Canada, the EU and Japan. Michael Leiter heads the CFIUS and national security practices and stands out for his unique in-house and government-side experience: he was formerly President of Leidos Defense and also served in several senior national security positions, including as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center. Brian Egan, a former senior lawyer at both the National Security Council and the Department of State, is also highly regarded for CFIUS work. Other key contacts include counsels Brooks Allen, who is lead coordinator of the international trade department, and Tatiana Sullivan. Named attorneys are based in Washington DC.

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

At Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, the team excels in handling complex compensation and benefits issues related to M&A, IPOs, spin-offs, and bankruptcy reorganizations, both domestically and internationally. Leading the department from New York, Erica Schohn is adept at navigating SEC regulations on executive compensation disclosure, deferred compensation tax rules, and executive compensation deductibility. Joseph Penko, also in New York, counsels private equity entities, public and private companies, and executives on various compensation and benefits schemes, including change-in-control and cash-based incentive programs. Joseph Yaffe spearheads the West Coast executive compensation and benefits practice from Palo Alto, offering seasoned advice to senior executives on diverse compensatory arrangements. Page Griffin, operating from both Palo Alto and New York, is active in M&A, IPOs, and spin-offs, with a notable role in advising Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. on its $13.3 billion acquisition of Triton International Limited. Former practice head Regina Olshan retired in 2023.

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

Forging a strong reputation in assisting domestic and global corporations with multi-jurisdictional M&A and leveraged financing transactions, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP leverages the expertise spread across its vast network of US offices to provide bespoke advice on corporate transactional issues. The department counts investment banks and major international companies in the gaming, fintech, and pharmaceutical spaces in its client roster, with Palo Alto-based Thomas Ivey providing in-depth insight into restructuring and corporate governance issues, primarily in the tech sector. From Houston, Eric Otness specialises in the energy, chemicals, and manufacturing sectors, Boston-based Graham Robinson supports boards of directors and special committees in addressing corporate governance affairs, and Pankaj Sinha acts on behalf of purchasers and sellers from Washington DC. From Wilmington, Allison Land is knowledgeable on renewable energy transactions. Chicago lawyer Kimberly deBeers is a joint venture expert, Los Angeles attorney David Eisman specializes in handling transactions in the TMT sector, and New York partner Allison Schneirov is renowned for her private equity expertise.

Tax > International tax Tier 1

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP‘s international tax group advises on the full range of international tax matters from transactional tax planning for acquisitions, joint ventures, and restructurings, to transfer pricing and controversy matters. Washington DC-based Eric Sensenbrenner, who has a special focus on transactional tax planning, leads the team. Nathan Giesselman, who sits in the Palo Alto office, advises clients on a wide range of internal and third-party transactions, including acquisition, disposition, and restructuring transactions. In Boston, Moshe Spinowitz handles both transactional tax planning for multinational companies and tax controversy matters throughout the full lifecycle of IRS audits and appeals. Gavin White, who is based in New York, has extensive experience advising on the tax aspects of public and private acquisitions, divestitures, bankruptcy reorganizations, equity and debt offerings, and joint ventures. Also in New York, Victor Hollender supports a wide range of clients with their tax issues such as publicly traded corporations, financial institutions, fund managers, foreign pension funds, and sovereign wealth funds whilst Chase Wink has significant experience handling a broad range of international tax matters including subpart F, global intangible low taxed income (or GILTI), foreign tax credits, documentation concerning transfer pricing rules and the tax aspects of operational integration. In Washington DC, David Farhat‘s practice focuses on all phases of international tax planning and dispute resolution whilst Nathaniel Carden supports with complex transfer pricing issues.

Tax > US taxes: contentious Tier 1

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP covers a diverse array of tax controversy mandates on behalf of major domestic and international clients, including transfer pricing, tax accounting, and issues relating to employment taxes and worker classification matters. The group provides support in litigation, mediation, and arbitration in addition to fielding comprehensive expertise in audits and appeals. Christopher Bowers in Washington DC is noted for his strength advising domestic and international companies and financial institutions on international tax matters. Also in DC are transfer pricing experts Royce Tidwell and Raj Madan well as Armando Gomez, whose practice covers tax credit disputes, gift tax matters, and criminal tax issues. Emily Lam and Christopher Murphy are leading names in Palo Alto and work on behalf of numerous prominent tech companies and financial groups. Boston partner Kat Gregor has broad sector expertise and is experienced in both litigation and arbitration. Significant upcoming names in the practice include Nathan Wacker, who made partner in 2022 and covers a range of international tax matters, and Melinda Gammello, who was promoted to partner in 2023 and maintains close relationships with a growing roster of blue-chip clients. Both Wacker and Gammello are based in DC. Juliana Hunter is a name to note in the Houston office.

Tax > US taxes: non-contentious Tier 1

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP’s non-contentious tax practice, with offices in New York, Washington DC, Boston, Chicago, and Palo Alto, has a foothold in a wide range of key industries, including tech, media, retail, life sciences, real estate, mining, and insurance. A recent highlight for the practice has been its representation of Liberty Media Corporation in connection with its $2.7bn split-off of the baseball team Atlanta Braves and the real estate surrounding the Braves’ stadium. Practice head Eric Sensenbrenner, based in Washington DC, has considerable experience handling the tax aspects of mergers, acquisitions, spin-offs, and capital markets transactions for household names such as Apple, Ford Motor Company, IBM, and Pfizer. David Polster, head of the tax group in Chicago, offers broad expertise covering partnership transactions, mergers, IPOs, REITs, regulated investment companies, Section 1031 exchanges, and restructurings. New York tax head Steven Matays focuses on M&A, spin-offs, debt and equity offerings, corporate and partnership restructurings, and joint ventures, while David Rievman, also in New York, regularly represents public corporations, privately held businesses, investment banks, and private equity sponsors. Palo Alto’s Nathan Giesselman is active in the private equity and entertainment spaces.

Dispute resolution > Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP advises clients on the full breadth of white-collar matters, from money laundering and corruption to cybersecurity incidents and congressional investigations. The team is also noted for its capabilities with assisting companies with crisis and risk management. David Meister and David Zornow are located in New York. Zornow routinely represents clients who are under investigation by the SEC, while Meister has more than three decades of experience advising on cases relating to market manipulation, unlawful trading practices, and commodities fraud. Based in Boston, James Carroll is skilled at handling cases involving securities violations. The firm also has a strong team located in Chicago, which includes Marcie Lape and William Ridgeway. Lape frequently assists corporates with developing anti-bribery compliance programs. Ridgeway is recommended for cases involving elements of public corruption and antitrust violations.

Dispute resolution > General commercial disputes Tier 2

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP handles a broad range of commercial disputes, with a regular workload of class actions, securities litigation, and corporate liability cases, among others. Global chair of litigation James Carroll is based in Boston and advises key clients on issues concerning securities, insurance, and antitrust matters. In New York, Scott Musoff chairs the complex litigation and trials group as well as co-heading the nationwide securities litigation practice. Chicago’s Amy Van Gelder runs a broad practice which prominently features bankruptcy litigation and post-M&A disputes. Los Angeles-based attorney Peter Morrison is another key contact who focuses on securities, M&A and tax litigation. Jack DiCanio is based in Palo Alto and focuses on white collar criminal issues. Jennifer Bragg spearheads litigation in Washington DC and is notable for her experience in healthcare and life sciences. Houston’s Noelle Reed and Wilmington’s Paul Lockwood are key contacts for securities litigation. In New York, Lauren Aguiar remains another important port of call for complex commercial litigation.

Dispute resolution > International arbitration Tier 2

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP possesses a fully integrated international litigation and arbitration practice, which provides it with the ability to utilize the same groups to handle arbitral disputes and connected judicial proceedings, including enforcement matters. Well-balanced between commercial and investor-state disputes, the group frequently lands key roles in multi-jurisdictional, high-stakes cases, with strong recent showings in the energy, technology, aerospace, financial services and manufacturing spheres. Julie Bédard heads the international litigation and arbitration group for the Americas and divides her practice between New York and São Paulo; she recently paired with up-and-coming partner Jennifer Permesly—also in New York—to represent Brazil’s Embraer, and its related entities, in a headline-grabbing $4.2bn ICDR case against Boeing. Additional recommended names in New York are global department head John Gardiner, who has extensive experience in commercial and investor-state cases; Timothy Nelson, who acts for sovereign and corporate clients on sensitive public international law issues and is currently advising a major energy company on an $8bn investment treaty claim; and Gregory Litt, who handles a varied mix of arbitral and judicial disputes.

Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: pharmaceuticals and medical devices Tier 2

With a number of ‘very talented lawyers’ spread across the firm’s national network of offices, including some well-regarded trial lawyers, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP regularly picks up high-profile roles for pharmaceutical/medical devices companies in consumer class action and product liability cases throughout the country. The scope of the work is broad, running the gamut from cases alleging consumer fraud and false advertising, through to mass torts alleging product defects have caused injury and/or economic loss. In these large aggregated cases the firm has gained a strong reputation taking on the role as national counsel, leading the strategy and co-ordinating with local counsel. Recognized as ‘one of the leading class action lawyers in the country’, Washington DC-based team head John Beisner leads from the front and continues to gain excellent results at trial and in the motions stage across both consumer fraud and product liability-related litigation. Other recommended practitioners include New York-based Allison Brown , who excels at explaining complex science and medical issues to juries; Jessica Davidson  in New York, who is adept at strategizing and arguing motions in life sciences-related MDLs; and Washington DC-based Nina Rose , who is particularly skilled at developing expert evidence, and challenging plaintiffs’ experts’ opinions at the Daubert stage.

Finance > Capital markets: debt offerings

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP continues to stand out for its breadth of coverage and experience in debt offerings, including teams on both the East and West Coasts. Its prestigious client base delivers a steady stream of top engagements across the debt offerings sphere; investment grade, high-yield and equity-linked offerings, amongst others. In 2023, the firm made a further impression in equity-linked offerings, particularly where representing the managers, and has worked on some of the largest deals in the market involving domestic and international issuers. It has also remained at the forefront of high-yield debt for issuers. Michael Zeidel  leads the Americas capital markets group, while David Goldschmidt  heads the global department; both are active in leading transactions. Ryan Dzierniejko is another prominent figure, along with Gregory Fernicola, Dwight Yoo, Michael Hong and Laura Kaufmann Belkhayat. All named individuals are based in New York.

Finance > Capital markets: global offerings

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP has an outstanding record in global offerings, most notably in deals originating from Canada, Latin America and Israel. The firm’s global coverage and presence in all the world’s premier financial centres, gives it enormous credibility in international offerings. It is also at the forefront of green and sustainability-linked bonds in multiple regions. Michael Zeidel is head of Americas capital markets and David Goldschmidt  leads the global team, while Ryan Dzierniejko continues to make a further impression in global offerings, including Canadian transactions. Gregory Fernicola is another key name for global deals, especially Latin America offerings. Michael Hong and Laura Kaufmann Belkhayat are also prominent partners.

Finance > Commercial lending Tier 2

Drawing on the firm’s global network, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP’s international borrower clientele spans investment-grade, crossover and distressed issuers, public and private companies, and private equity clients. The team advises on all types of financing transactions, on both a national and international scale, including leveraged and investment-grade acquisition, bridge and hybrid financings. Based in Chicago, Seth Jacobson heads the firm’s global banking group. Head of the New York banking practice, Steven Messina focuses his practice on syndicated financing transactions, in the US and internationally. Leila Sayegh leads the Los Angeles banking team, advising an impressive list of corporations and private equity funds as borrowers. Janine Jjingo, based in New York, is experienced in both traditional and more complex financings, including restructuring and debtor-in-possession financings. Also in New York, Tracey Chenoweth advises clients across a range of industries, including the financial services, retail and manufacturing sectors. Danielle Li’s New York-based practice spans bridge, margin, and asset-based loans. In Chicago, David Wagener represents clients in cross-border secured financing structures. David Passes advises on leveraged buyouts, corporate recapitalizations and first and second-lien financings from New York.

Industry focus > Sport Tier 2

Leveraging its extensive expertise in the M&A, employment, and IP fields, the team at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP routinely represents major US sports leagues and membership organisations in complex transactions and high-profile lawsuits. The team is especially well-regarded for its ability to represent clients in high-sakes antitrust claims and trade mark infringement cases, with practice co-heads Anthony Dreyer and Karen Lent serving as key contacts for commercial litigation surrounding sports, licensing, and competition matters. Matthew Martino specializes in league governance, broadcasting, and sponsorship issues, while Thad Hartmann focuses on high-profile mergers. Michael Menitove regularly advises professional sports leagues on their business practices and agreements. All named attorneys operate out of New York.

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

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP‘s New York-based team acts in a range of major deals involving activist investors and also handles its share of proxy contests. Its client base includes bidders, targets, boards of directors, and financial advisors, and aside from transaction-related work, the team also supports clients with corporate governance, takeover preparedness and other corporate matters. Richard Grossman is the foremost name in the team in terms of specialism in this area, particularly with regard to proxy contests. He is often assisted by corporate and M&A partners Demetrius Warrick, Paul Schnell and Stephen Arcano.

Real estate > Real estate investment trusts (REITs) Tier 2

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP has a diverse REIT offering, assisting with equity, mortgage, hybrid, public and private REITs and covering the full scope of matters from M&A and REIT formation to recapitizations, financings, and reorganizations. It fields a well-rounded tax team, as well as having both a strong national and international REITs team. It is often sought out by clients for creating new types of REITs, with notable work on the formation of gaming, timber, and excess MSR REITs. The practice advises issuers and underwriters on complex transactions. The team is co-led by David Goldschmidt in New York, Gregg Noel who splits his time between Palo Alto and Los Angeles, David Polster who leads from Chicago, and Harvey Uris who is also a part of the New York practice.  

Real estate Tier 2

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP assists private equity investors, sovereign wealth funds, REITs and large corporations on complex financings and secured loan facilities, together with high-value joint venture agreements, M&A, and sales. The practice has seen mandates across a broad range of asset classes that includes hospitality, retail, and multifamily, and standout growth in industrials, evidenced by its representation of Intel Corporation in ground lease and joint venture matters relating to two semiconductor fabrication plant developments in Arizona. Neil Rock heads the global real estate group and has experience advising on acquisitions, developments, leasing, and fund formation matters. Marco Caffuzzi, meanwhile, heads the New York team and focuses on financings and loan restructurings, including the purchase and sale of mortgage and mezzanine loans. On transactions, distressed assets, and fund formation, Chicago head Nancy Olsen is a key name. Similarly, Lost Angeles head Peter Mair is known for his expertise in real estate M&A, among other areas.

Tax > Financial products Tier 2

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP‘s tax group is well-versed in the taxation issues of a wide range of transactions including tax-free and taxable acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, spin-offs and dispositions, REITs, RICs, Chapter 11 reorganization cases, nonjudicial restructurings and private equity and hedge fund transactions. The practice is headed by New York-based Eric Sensenbrenner who has expertise structuring cross-border investments and capital markets transactions. Nazmiye Gökçebay, also based in New York, has significant experience counseling on capital markets transactions, complex financial instruments, derivatives and securitizations. In Chicago, Nickolas Gianou advises clients on initial public and other debt and equity offerings, REITs, RICs, restructuring transactions, and investments by sovereign wealth funds. Also based in Chicago are notable key members David Polster and Sarah Beth Rizzo.

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

The practice at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP punches above its weight in the appellate space, as is evidenced by its impressive US Supreme Court roster. Among its recent high-profile SCOTUS cases, prominent department head Shay Dvoretzky represented the Navajo Nation in two consolidated merits cases regarding the scope of the United States’ duties under its 1868 treaty with the Navajo Nation in a landmark matter concerning water rights. Additionally, talented counsel Parker Rider-Longmaid scored a 6–3 SCOTUS victory on behalf of Texas death row inmate Rodney Reed in a pro bono case regarding DNA testing. The Washington DC-based group also argues before courts of appeal and state supreme courts across the country, where it is equipped to handle the full range of civil and criminal law issues.

Dispute resolution > Financial services litigation Tier 3

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP’s consumer finance services group, led by Anand Raman, handles investigations, enforcement actions, litigation, and compliance matters for a variety of financial institutions. The practice has experience representing clients in fair lending, UDAAP, and data privacy cases, as well as advising on a range of consumer-related practices including product development, sales and marketing, and pricing and underwriting. The firm is also involved in litigation filed by the CFPB and inquiries prompted by the DOJ. Raman specializes in white-collar defense and investigations, as well as representing clients in emerging areas such as artificial intelligence. Other key attorneys in the team include Joseph Barloon and Darren Welch. All individuals mentioned are based in Washington DC.

Dispute resolution > International litigation Tier 3

Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: consumer products (including tobacco) Tier 3

Primarily based in the firm's New York and Washington DC offices, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP's practice is accomplished at defending consumer products manufacturers, including those within the pharmaceuticals space, in large-scale mass tort and class actions alleging product liability infractions. The firm is also a key contact for MDLs, often assuming the role as national counsel. The team has continues to represent the Product Liability Advisory Council and the US Chamber of Commerce as amici in appeals involving important class action principles. New York-based Allison Brown has a key reputation in relation to both consumer class actions and product liability matters, and has gained notable dispositive motion victories (including Daubert hearings), as well as at final trial stage, including within the pharmaceuticals space. Washington DC-based team head John Beisner is also recommended.

Energy > Renewable/alternative power Tier 3

Led by the Washington DC-based Lance Brasher, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP‘s energy and infrastructure team acts in renewable energy projects across the country, supporting with financing, M&A, and development agreements. Brasher is himself particularly experienced in wind and alternative power generation, while at the firm’s Palo Alto office, Sean Shimamoto is called upon for his energy sector tax expertise. Aryan Moniri focuses on transactional matters, and Nike Opadiran assists with tax equity and project financing. Both are also based in Washington DC.

Environment > Environment: transactional Tier 3

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP’s environmental practice advises a range of clients, most notably from the manufacturing, energy, chemical, and pharmaceutical sectors, on a variety of environmental issues, including transactions, litigation, and regulatory proceedings. In the transactional space, the team is noted for its expertise in handling mergers, joint ventures, financings and offerings. Further core workflows of the practice include defending and asserting environmental claims based on contracts and business bets, as well as advising on environmental liabilities and risk, environmental compliance and operational issues. From the Washington DC office, practice head Elizabeth Malone handles complex environmentally-related corporate transactions, while also advising clients on environmental liabilities and compliance issues.

Finance > Project finance Tier 3

Splitting its acute energy and power advisory services across finance, development and commercial counsel, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP has a strong bench of practitioners situated in Washington DC, able to cover the full gamut of asset types and instructions. The team has advised on multi-billion dollar investment stakes, power purchase agreement negotiations, and construction, term and working capital financings as part of a wide body of work that includes marquee conventional, renewable and digital infrastructure companies and projects. Global head of the firm’s projects group Lance Brasher‘s practice spans M&A and financing, with highly valued tax equity financing expertise being particular crucial to the team’s strong flow of renewable energy mandates. Paul Kraske, who also possesses a broad practice, particularly focuses on regulatory and commercial issues relating to the development and operation of energy assets, with close engagement with transmission lines and pipelines in recent months. Aryan Moniri has a strong lenders and borrowers practice and is well equipped to advice on a wide range of financing structures, while Palo Alto’s Sean Shimamoto brings further tax specialisms.    

Finance > Restructuring (including bankruptcy): corporate Tier 3

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP‘s corporate restructuring practice provides services to clients involved in distressed company situations, alongside representing a diverse range of parties including managers, owners, creditors and investors both in- and out-of-court restructuring transactions and liquidations. New York's Robert Drain joined the group after retiring from the US Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York and has overseen the chapter 11 bankruptcies of Purdue Pharmacy, Sears Holding Crop and Windstream Holdings Inc. Paul Leake is the global head of the practice, and is supported by Van Durrer, who heads the California group,  Joseph Larkin, head of the Wilmington practice and Ron Meisler, head of the Chicago group.

Finance > Structured finance: derivatives and structured products Tier 3

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP guides clients through all aspects of derivative and structured products transactions. Its lawyers are highly knowledgeable in CFTC, SEC, FERC and DOJ regulations and investigations. Yossi Vebman heads the derivatives side of the practice. He works with corporations, funds, investment banks, and other market participants across different derivatives products, including interest rate and currency transactions. James Stringfellow leads the structured products space, with deep insight into cash flow and synthetic transactions, as well as structured financings for sports league. David Meister specializes in enforcement and investigation matters, with particular expertise in matters relating to CFTC investigations.

Media, technology and telecoms > Cyber law (including data privacy and data protection) Tier 3

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP ‘s cybersecurity and data privacy team supports clients across the aerospace, defense, finance, healthcare and telecommunications sectors with particular expertise handling large-scale data breach matters and cyberattacks. David Simon joined the team in July 2023 from Mayer Brown, dual qualified across the US and EU and bringing government experience to co-heading the practice group from Washington DC. Fellow co-head WIlliam Ridgway, based in Chicago, advises clients on sensitive cybersecurity, data privacy and white collar matters, benefitting from previous experience as a federal prosecutor. Michael Leiter heads the firm’s national security practice in DC.

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

Motion picture and television studios, film financiers, music publishers, gaming companies and sports franchises are among the clients that routinely turn to Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP for assistance with impactful M&A deals, financing transactions and the formation of entities such as music labels. David Eisman heads up the team from the firm’s Los Angeles office and has a proven track record in cross-border transactions. Also in Los Angeles, Glen G. Mastroberte‘s varied practice includes assistance with acquisition and gaming transactions, joint ventures and strategic alliances.

Media, technology and telecoms > Technology transactions Tier 3

At Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, the technology transactions group is co-led by New York-stationed Allison Schneirov, a well-regarded partner who is noted for her close relations with fintech and life sciences companies and for her expertise in corporate transactional and governance matters. The team focuses heavily on corporate M&A and has demonstrable experience operating across the tech, life sciences, and entertainment sectors. In Los Angeles, David Eisman is a key contact for corporate and financing transactions in the tech and media spaces.

Antitrust > Civil litigation/class actions: defense Tier 4

Working closely with the firm’s M&A team, the antitrust and competition practice at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP stands out for its strength in advising on the contentious and non-contentious antitrust aspects of large mergers, particularly in the tech sector. Steven Sunshine, Tara Reinhart, and Karen Lent jointly lead the practice; Sunshine, in Washington DC, heads the firm’s global antitrust and competition group and advises clients on antitrust aspects of mergers and also handles contentious mandates. He works alongside co-head Reinhart, also in Washington DC, whose practice focuses on international cartel investigations and related litigation. Lent heads the New York antitrust offering and also co-heads the firm’s sports practice; she is the key contact for antitrust mandates in the sports industry,

Energy > Energy litigation: electric power Tier 4

Energy > Energy transactions: electric power Tier 4

Counting a number of investor-owned utilities, major infrastructure core funds, and domestic power and natural gas holding companies among its client roster, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP capitalizes on its deep regulatory knowledge to act on multi-billion-dollar deals in this space. Robert Warnement and Gerard Clark are the key names in the team, both operating from Washington DC and possessing a broad understanding of an array of asset types, particularly utilities. Mike Naeve has retired from the practice.

Energy > Energy transactions: oil and gas Tier 4

A broad range of operators, lenders and private investors routinely turn to Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP for advice on acquisitions, divestitures, financings and development programs in the oil and gas exploration and production sector. The team is also regularly involved in investments in oil and gas properties in the US, including drilling programs with strategic parties, company or individual property acquisitions. From the Houston office, Eric Otness jointly leads the team together with Washington DC’s Lance Brasher, whose broad practice spans gas-fired power generation, power transmission and distribution, LNG, and pipelines.

Finance > Financial services regulation Tier 4

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP is adept at handling large M&A in the sector and tackling associated regulatory hurdles. The team represents banks and other major financial institutions, including fintechs, insurers and payment systems companies on a variety of transactions, ranging from M&A to carve-outs and strategic partnerships. Co-head of the firm’s fintech practice Jeffrey Brill, based in New York, advises clients on governance issues. In Washington DC, Collin Janus represents clients including banks and bank holding companies in investigations before the Federal Reserve, OCC and FDIC while also providing compliance advice. Sven Mickisch, Brian Christiansen, Bao Nguyen, Matthew Nemeroff and Tim Gaffney departed the firm in April 2024.

Finance > Fintech Tier 4

A key contact for financial institutions, the New York-based practice at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP is well-regarded for its antitrust, data privacy, as well as financial regulation and enforcement capabilities. Jeffrey Brill is often engaged in financial services M&A, Alexander Drylewski is experienced in representing digital asset clients in litigation and regulatory matters, while Stuart Levi is noted for his transactional strength. Sven Mickisch acts as co-head of the firm's financial services initiative, and Daniel Michael has strong knowledge of governance tokens. Matthew Nemeroff’s recent caseload encompasses advising private equity firms investing in the financial services sector, and in Washington DC, Bao Nguyen is proficient in compliance matters and enforcement issues. Eytan Fisch is knowledgeable about economic sanctions and anti-money laundering, while Brian Christiansen is another key team member.    

Healthcare > Life sciences Tier 4

Under the leadership of Washington DC’s Paul Schnell, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP offers a range of services to life sciences companies, including assisting target companies in their acquisitions by major life sciences players, cross-border licensing agreements, and disputes tied to a variety of sector-specific and broader commercial issues. Boston-based Graham Robinson advises both public and private companies on transactions in the sector, often representing target companies.

Investment fund formation and management > Alternative/hedge funds Tier 4

Labor and employment > ERISA litigation Tier 4

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP advises clients from a diverse range of industries as well as representing them at trial and appellate courts on a broad spectrum of ERISA claims from class actions to 401(k) plan stock-drop cases. The team are particularly experienced in serving the ERISA needs of major financial institutions such as JP Morgan Chase and Morgan Stanley as well as global pharmaceutical companies such as Pfizer. The practice is co-managed by Boston-based partners James Carroll, adept at defending clients in ERISA litigation and proprietary funds cases and Michael S. Hines, reputed for representing major mutual fund companies in class action lawsuits.  

M&A/corporate and commercial > Private equity buyouts: large deals ($500m+) Tier 4

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP‘s team maintains close relations with a roster of blue-chip clients, including private equity funds such as GIC and Oaktree as well as their portfolio companies, and benefits from full-service capabilities that enable it to support funds across the entire transactions lifecycle. In addition to handling impactful sell- and buy-side private equity investments and transactions, including Brookfield’s $13.3bn take-private acquisition of Triton, the practice also advises portfolio and target companies on related antitrust, restructuring, tax, and regulatory issues. The team is led by Kenneth Wolff, whose diverse transactional practice encompasses advice on joint ventures, leveraged buyouts, and strategic investments, and is also home to domestic and cross-border M&A expert Blair Thetford as well as to Allison Schneirov, who is particularly adept at handling transactions in the tech and life sciences sector. All mentioned lawyers are based in New York.

Energy > Energy litigation: oil and gas