Kirkland & Ellis Establishes New York Asset Securitization Practice With Arrival of Partner
Kirkland & Ellis announced today it has added Scott J. Gordon, an accomplished asset securitization attorney, as a partner in its New York office.
Gordon, 39, comes to Kirkland & Ellis after four years at Clifford Chance Rogers & Wells LLP, and, previously, four years at Battle Fowler LLP. At each of these firms, his practice focused on asset securitization, through the representation of underwriters/arrangers, originators, rating agencies, trustees and investors, and on derivatives.
"We are thrilled to have Scott join us," said Kenneth P. Morrison, head of the Firm's Asset Securitization practice group. "Our practice has been growing, even in what for some other sectors has of late been a down market. We are building from strength to establish a presence in New York to allow us to better serve our existing clients and to capitalize on additional opportunities. Scott's experience representing major investment banks is a perfect complement to Kirkland's traditional strength in representing originators. His involvement in cutting edge CDOs (collateralized debt obligations) and future flow securitizations together with his experience in the derivatives markets, positions us well to expand our practice in these important markets."
Gordon received his J.D. from Fordham University School of Law in 1993, his MBA in Finance from the William E. Simon Graduate School of Business Administration at the University of Rochester in 1985, and his B.A. in Economics from the University of Rochester in 1984. Between business school and law school, he was an investment banker at Chase, CIBC, and Irving Trust.
"Kirkland & Ellis has the key ingredients -- a blue-chip client base, outstanding lawyers and an excellent reputation in the securitization marketplace -- from which to build a first-rate securitization practice in New York. I am very excited to be a member of this outstanding team," said Gordon, who arrived in the office in late November. He will be joined in New York early in 2002 by two associates from the Firm's Chicago securitization practice group.
Asset securitization is the practice of monetizing the value of discrete pools of existing or to-be-generated assets. This is accomplished through the transfer of legal ownership of the assets to a special purpose entity organized for the sole purpose of owning those assets and issuing securities supported by the cash flows produced by the assets. With ever increasing demand for these structures from originators of the assets and from investors, the complex legal arrangements surrounding these deals have given rise to a rapidly growing multi-disciplinary practice involving corporate, securities and secured transactions law and, increasingly, derivatives. Tax, bankruptcy and ERISA lawyers are generally also called upon.
