Michael Woronoff, P.C.
Overview
incredibly talented and excellent to work with . . . the person I turn to when I have a tough issue.” - Chambers USA, 2021
Michael Woronoff is a transactional partner in the Los Angeles office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. He routinely represents:
- purchasers, sellers and financial advisors in public and private merger and acquisition transactions;
- underwriters, issuers, selling security holders, private investment funds and other investors, in public and private debt and equity financings;
- debtors, creditors, other stakeholders and financial advisors in in-court and out-of-court restructuring transactions; and
- public and private entities and individuals with respect to various corporate and securities law matters, including SEC reporting obligations, corporate governance, and strategic alliances.
Chambers USA describes Michael as “very pragmatic and results oriented” and “100% focused on providing exceptional service,” and notes clients describe him as “amazing,” and “incredibly sharp, immediately intuitive and a great problem solver." A client interviewed by The Legal 500 United States refers to him as “literally one of the best attorneys with whom I have ever worked.” LawDragon notes that “there are few deals Woronoff can’t do.”
In 2021, the Daily Journal named Michael (for the ninth time) one of the “Top 100 Lawyers in California.” He was exclusively awarded Lexology’s Client Choice Award in the category of Mergers & Acquisitions (California) in both 2019 and 2018. In 2019, he was named one of the “Most Influential Private Equity Advisors” by the Los Angeles Business Journal.
Michael is a member of the board of directors of Alexandria Real Estate Equities (NYSE: ARE), which owns, operates and develops life science and technology campuses in key urban cluster locations. He has also served on the boards of directors of several private companies, including AccessDNA, TransDimension, and u-Nav Microelectronics. Earlier in his career, Michael was a founding principal of Shelter Capital Partners, a private equity fund that invested in technology and technology-enabled businesses at all stages of development.
Michael serves on the Board of Alliance College-Ready Public Schools Foundation. He is also an adjunct professor at UCLA’s School of Law, where he developed and teaches Venture Capital and the Start-up Company.
Experience
Representative Matters
- Ares Management Corporation’s acquisition of a majority interest in SSG Capital
- Guitar Center’s Chapter 11 prepackaged bankruptcy and restructuring
- Rent the Runway’s $100 million debt and equity COVID-19 relief financing
- Restructuring of Neiman Marcus Group LTD LLC and 23 of its affiliates in one of the largest retail Chapter 11 cases
- Forest Road Acquisition Corp.’s (NYSE: FRX) acquisition of The Beachbody Company Group, LLC and Myx Fitness Holdings, LLC
- The $1.12 billion acquisition of Smart & Final Stores, Inc. by Apollo Global Management, LLC
Prior to joining Kirkland, he was involved in the following matters:
- Public and private debt offerings by Altra Industrial Motion, AmeriQual Group LLC, Apparel Ventures, Atlantic Express, Barris Industries, Clark Material Handling Company, Family Restaurants, General Nutrition Centers, Harbor Freight, Hard Rock Hotel, Idleaire Corporation, Jackson Products, Jordan Industries, Jordan Telecommunications Products, Key Plastics L.L.C., Mastro’s Restaurants, LLC, Neways International, Northern Pacific Corporation, Occidental Petroleum, Peninsula Gaming, Rentech, Terex Corporation, and Turner Broadcasting
- Equity PIPEs in Allied Waste, Hanger Orthopedic Group, SEMCO Energy, Terex Corporation, and Turner Broadcasting
- IPOs and other public equity offerings by Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Ares Capital Corporation, Ares Management, General Nutrition Centers, Hamburger Hamlet, Maidenform Brands, Occidental Petroleum, Rentech, RockShox, SEMCO Energy, Smart & Final Stores, and West Coast Video
- Acquisitions and dispositions by numerous private equity funds including funds managed by Apollo, Ares, The Gores Group, Great Hill, Leonard Green, Lightbay Capital, Parthenon Capital, and Platinum Equity
- The sale of Chanin Capital Partners to Duff & Phelps
- Several acquisitions and dispositions by Family Restaurants, including its merger with Koo Koo Roo and its disposition of several restaurant chains
- The formation of Frank Sinatra Enterprises, LLC, a joint venture between entities owned by the family of Frank Sinatra and Warner Music Group, through which Warner acquired a 50 percent interest in the legendary entertainers estate
- The sale by J Brand, Inc., of a majority interest in the fashion apparel company to a group of investors led by Star Avenue Capital
- Occidental Petroleum’s acquisition of Diamond Shamrock Chemicals Company and the spin-off of Occidental’s interest in The Southland Corporation
- The Promenade Trust’s sale of the Elvis Presley estate to CKx, Inc.
- Turner Broadcasting’s acquisition of several businesses, including MGM and Hanna-Barbera
- The sale of u-Nav Microelectronics, a privately held fabless semiconductor company, to Atheros Communications, Inc.
- The sale of Ob Hospitalist Group, the largest OB/GYN hospitalist provider in the Unites States, to Gryphon Investors
Prior Experience
Former Executive Committee Member, Co-Head of Private Equity/ M&A practice group, Proskauer Rose LLP
Founding Partner, Shelter Capital Partners
Partner, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
More
Recognition
Above the Law “West Coast Biglaw All-Star Team of 2014”
Acritas Star Lawyer, 2018, 2019
AmLaw Daily “Dealmaker of the Week,” 2011
Best Lawyers in America, 2010–2023
Best Lawyers in America, Lawyer of the Year – Corporate Law, Los Angeles, 2016
Chambers Global: USA: Capital Markets: Debt & Equity, 2009–2017
Chambers Global: USA: Private Equity: Buyouts Nationwide, 2008–2018, 2020–2021
Chambers Global: USA: Corporate M&A (International & Cross-Border), 2020–2023
Chambers USA: Nationwide: Capital Markets: Debt & Equity, 2009–2016
Chambers USA: Nationwide: Private Equity: Buyouts, 2008–2020
Chambers USA: California: Capital Markets: Debt & Equity, 2008–2016
Chambers USA: California: Corporate/M&A: Private Equity, 2008–2022
Chambers USA: California: Los Angeles & Surrounds: Corporate/M&A, 2021–2022
Chambers USA: Southern California: Corporate/M&A, 2007–2020
Corporate Intl Magazine Global Award: Private Equity Transactions Lawyer of the Year in California, 2019
Daily Journal “Top 10 California Private Equity Lawyers,” 2014
Daily Journal “Top 100 Lawyers in California,” 2010, 2011, 2014–2016, 2018–2021
Euromoney LMG, Expert Guides: Private Equity, 2020
IFLR1000: California: Highly Regarded, Mergers & Acquisitions, 2018–2023
Law360 MVP: Private Equity, 2013
Lexology Client Choice Award: Exclusive Winner, California Mergers & Acquisitions, 2018, 2019
Los Angeles Business Journal “Leaders in Law” Finalist, 2016, 2018
Los Angeles Business Journal “Most Influential M&A Advisors,” 2013
Los Angeles Business Journal “Who’s Who in L.A. Law,” 2011
Los Angeles Business Journal “Top 100 Lawyers,” 2010
Lawdragon “500 Leading Lawyers in America,” 2007, 2008, 2013–2014, 2020–2022
Lawdragon “500 Leading Dealmakers in America,” 2007, 2020–2022
Lawdragon “3000 Leading Lawyers in America,” 2011
PLC Which Lawyer?: Corporate M&A
Southern California Super Lawyers, 2005–2020
The Legal 500 United States: M&A Powerlist: USA Region, 2023
The Legal 500 United States: Finance: Capital Markets: Debt Offerings, 2012–2013
The Legal 500 United States: Finance: Capital Markets: Equity Offerings, 2008–2010, 2012, 2015
The Legal 500 United States: Finance: Capital Markets: High-Yield Debt Offerings: Advice To Managers, 2007–2008, 2015
The Legal 500 United States: M&A/Corporate and Commercial: M&A: Large Deals ($1bn+), 2019
The Legal 500 United States: M&A/Corporate and Commercial: Private Equity Buyouts, 2019–2021
Memberships & Affiliations
Board of Governors, Cedars Sinai Medical Center
Board of Trustees, Alliance College-Ready Public Schools Foundation
Advisory Board, Concord Law School at Purdue University Global
Adjunct Professor, UCLA School of Law
Credentials
Admissions & Qualifications
- 1985California
Education
- University of Michigan Law SchoolJ.D.1985
- Purdue University, Krannert Graduate School of ManagementM.S.I.A.1982
- Purdue UniversityB.S.I.M.1982