Freshfields M&A practice has impressive strength in-depth on its bench, allowing the team to regularly handle complex M&A transactions for an array of prominent clients spanning the technology, pharmaceuticals and consumer goods sectors. Co-heading the New York-based team is Ethan Klingsberg who is regularly sought out by a host of high-profile clients in the technology sector. Co-head Damien Zoubek is experienced in distressed M&A, shareholder activism defense and bankruptcy auction transactions. Jenny Hochenberg advises a roster of notable retail, shipping and life sciences clients, while Paul Humphreys is recommended for his expertise in both cross-border M&A and private equity transactions. The team has been significantly reinforced recently, with the arrival of a number of notable new partners, including Joshua Ayal who joined from Kirkland & Ellis LLP.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- ‘Great people, eager to build a practice, reputation and do it the right way. Lots of top-tier lateral talent, slowly being supplemented by homegrown talent. Firm is collaborative and open to experimentation in seemingly every way, which is a huge perk for innovative tech clients.’
- ‘Freshfields has a unique ability to adapt to any market, any size deal, and any style of opposing counsel. Their adaptability makes them the most effective firm in the market.'
- 'Freshfields is the most internally integrated large law firm in the market.'
- ‘Jenny Hochenberg was fantastic! She was diligent, smart, hardworking, and just the right amount aggressive. I expect big things from Jenny over the next several years.’
- ‘What distinguished this practice during our transaction was their ability to navigate extraordinary complexity under intense pressure. The team demonstrated a rare combination of technical excellence and practical judgment when managing multiple competing stakeholders—a skeptical board, a cash-strapped company, demanding lenders, and a newly-established in-house legal function—all within a compressed timeline.'
- 'The Freshfields team is incredibly integrated at all levels and across all disciplines. This leads to both more efficiency and increased effectiveness.’
Key clients
- Patrick Whitesell, Executive Chair and a Principal Shareholder of Endeavor
- Merck
- Johnson & Johnson
- Lowe’s
- Sonoco Products Company
- Special Committee of PowerSchool Holdings
- Cencora
- Allwyn
- Suzano
- CPPIB / ADIA
- Celsius
Work highlights
Advising Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) on its pending $32 billion acquisition of Wiz, an American-Israeli cybersecurity firm.
Advised Patrick Whitesell, Executive Chair and a Principal Shareholder of Endeavor (NYSE: EDR), in connection with Endeavor’s sale to Silver Lake for a total consolidated enterprise value of $25 billion.
Advised Merck on its $10 billion acquisition of Verona Pharma plc.
Lawyers
Hall of Fame
The lawyers at the very top of the profession, widely known and respected by peers and clients for their longstanding involvement in market-leading work.
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Practice head
Damien Zoubek; Ethan Klingsberg
Other key lawyers
Jenny Hochenberg; Paul Humphreys; Joshua Ayal; Oliver Board