The private equity group at Paul Hastings LLP advises on sponsor acquisitions, minority and majority investments and exits across sectors including healthcare, technology, financial services and industrials. The group works alongside the firm’s finance, tax and regulatory teams to support transactions involving complex structuring and cross-border considerations. Overseen by a group of co-heads, the team benefits from the leadership of Chicago-based Amit Mehta, who is a trusted counsellor to sponsors such as H.I.G. Capital and The Riverside Company and Brian Richards, who covers buyouts and related M&A transactions; New York-based Eduardo Gallardo and Eric Schiele , who also jointly chair the M&A group; and Alexander Temel, who focuses on leveraged buyouts, management buyouts and growth investments from the Boston office. Former co-chair Scott Joachim left the firm in February 2026.
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘They are very good transactional partners. Extremely knowledgeable and skilled. Responsive and fully available.’
‘We shifted our corporate counsel to Paul Hastings in 2025. We had to assemble a team to handle both a new corporate structure and M&A. The team was fantastic. ’
‘Highly capable lawyers who understand the market and are always highly commercial and responsive.’
‘Paul Hastings distinguishes itself by combining top-tier legal advice with a highly commercial perspective. The firm offers exceptional depth of technical expertise and is among the most active and sophisticated participants in the buyouts market; however, what truly sets Paul Hastings apart is its deep business understanding and consistent alignment with our strategic objectives. We receive meaningful partner-level engagement on every matter, which has enabled the development of strong, trusted working relationships across our organizations. As a result, we rely on Paul Hastings to advise on our most critical transactions and matters, and we recommend the firm without reservation.’
- 'This team has provided exceptional support over the past year, advising us on highly complex cross-border transactions and helping us negotiate elegant, pragmatic solutions to challenging deal issues in a way that effectively aligned buyer and seller risk. Their ability to collaborate seamlessly across functions, anticipate issues, and evaluate matters through a practical, business-oriented lens is truly unmatched.’
‘I believe that Paul Hastings stands out in a highly competitive legal market because it combines elite legal expertise with strategic business insight, global reach, and a culture of innovation and collaboration that clients like me consistently value.
Key clients
- BITE Investments
- The Carlyle Group
- Cortec Group
- Francisco Partners
- Great Hill Partners
- Goldman Sachs
- H.I.G. Capital
- Heidrick & Struggles International
- Industrial Growth Partners
- Inverness Graham
- Invictus Growth Partners
- Keensight
Work highlights
Practice head
Amit Mehta; Brian Richards; Alexander Temel; Eduardo Gallardo; Eric Schiele
Other key lawyers
Steve Camahort; Josh Ratner