Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton boasts a highly experienced team of dealmakers, capable of handling complex, high-value M&A transactions. The team regularly undertakes high-profile public and private M&A transactions with cross-border complexities in South America, Europe and Asia, across a variety of sectors including life sciences, food and beverages and financial services. The practice is headed out of New York, with practice co-head Glenn McGrory being particularly well-versed in guiding transactions in the tech sector, while co-heads Paul Shim and David Leinwand boast strong track records in public M&A. Also based out of New York is Kyle Harris, an M&A practitioner reputed for his experience in both private and public M&A, Kimberly Spoerri, noted for her ‘strategic judgement’, and Kelsey Nussenfeld who specialises in advising established technology clients. Benet O’Reilly, who practices out of San Francisco, is relied upon by clients from sectors spanning technology, healthcare and pharmaceuticals.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- ‘Benet O'Reilly exemplifies what makes Cleary elite. He combines top-tier M&A and investment legal expertise with deep business acumen, and has exceptional abilities in negotiation and deal structure, highly effective communication skills and is deeply invested in developing and building client relationships.'
- ‘Good deal team that knows our business across M&A, antitrust, litigation, and IP licensing.’
- ‘They demonstrate exceptional expertise and a collaborative mindset. Stand-out partners I've worked with include Paul Shim and Charles Allen.’
- ‘The firm demonstrates an excellent understanding of client priorities and provides clear, actionable guidance. What sets the team apart is their ability to translate legal complexity into commercially viable solutions.’
- ‘Kimberly Spoerri is a standout practitioner with a deep grasp of the legal and commercial issues, and trusted for strategic judgment.’
- 'For complex M&A or investment transactions, Cleary is one of the very best.’
Key clients
- Baker Hughes
- General Mills
- Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico S.A.B. de C.V. (GAP)
- GSK
- Heidelberg Materials
- Henry Schein
- Keurig Dr Pepper
- Medtronic
- Roquette
- Sixth Street
- Sofidel
- Solventum
Work highlights
Assisting Baker Hughes in its pending $13.6 billion acquisition of all outstanding shares of Chart Industries Inc.
Assisted Solventum in the sale of its purification and filtration business to Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. for $4 billion.
Assisted SpartanNash in its $1.77 billion sale to C&S Wholesale Grocers.
Lawyers
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
Practice head
David Leinwand; Glenn McGrory; Paul Shim
Other key lawyers
Kyle Harris; Kimberly Spoerri; Kelsey Nussenfeld; Benet O’Reilly; Chase Kaniecki; Charles Allen