The World's Leading Lawyers for Business 2010: Private Equity
On an annual basis, Chambers & Partners conducts extensive research and thorough data analysis in compiling its objective list of talent available at the highest level of international legal practice. Its research methodology has been independently audited and confirmed to be thorough, robust and complete.
In Chambers' 2010 review of international legal talent in the area of Private Equity, our Firm is listed among the best in the world.
Chambers' comments:
Global Ranking: Tier 2
The Firm: This firm works on substantial cross-border deals out of its Chicago, London and Hong Kong offices in particular, and has good relationships with a number of leading private equity firms. Highlights include acting for Golden Gate Capital on its USD250 million purchase of Wireline Communications from Infineon. The London team acted on the GBP1.57 billion sale of the Somerfield supermarket chain from a private equity consortium to the Co-operative Group.
Sources Say: "Proactive, commercial, assertive and strong."
Key Individuals: Leading names for the global practice include Kirk Radke in New York, Kevin Evanich in Chicago, Stephen Oetgen in San Francisco, James Learner and Graham White in London, Volker Kullman in Munich, and David Patrick Eich in Hong Kong.
Investment Funds: Private Equity
Asia-wide Ranking: Tier 2
The Firm: In keeping with this US firm's domestic reputation, the Asia team concentrates purely on private equity work. Following the relocation of partners from London and New York at the start of 2009 and a number of lateral hires, the firm has cemented its standing in the market. The firm's workload last year featured a significant volume of upstream fund formation work, as well as a wide range of downstream transactions, including M&A and private equity buyouts. Highlights from the last year included advising Advantage Partners on its LBO and refinancing of GST Autoleather, and advising CVC Capital Partners (Asia Pacific) on the formation of its USD4.1 billion pan-Asian buyout fund, CVC Capital Partners Asia Pacific III.
Sources Say: "The firm really takes a global approach to covering sponsors - it is really good at understanding sponsors' sensitivities and bringing the best lawyers from around the world to serve its clients in Asia."
Key Individuals: David Patrick Eich heads the team.
Private Equity: Buyouts
USA Ranking: Tier 2
"One of the main players in the midmarket," Kirkland & Ellis' focus on this level of the market has met with tremendous success. While the top-end transactions have slowed significantly, the midmarket continued to provide the team with a steady source of work. With about 200 lawyers in Chicago, it has accumulated significant expertise and an enviable market share. It also has international experience, acting on numerous buyout funds around the world. Kirk Radke has focused exclusively on private equity clients for more than 20 years and has extensive experience in transactions and fund formation. Kevin Evanich, one of the senior members of the corporate group, is an expert on the structuring, supervising and closing of LBOs. Working out of Illinois and California, Jeffrey Hammes handles a range of buyout transactions, including multibillion-dollar deals. In the Chicago office, Douglas Gessner represents private equity and venture capital sponsors in LBOs, recapitalisations and fund formation. "Few teams are better suited, in terms of depth of resources, to working through the tangled webs of transactions," clients comment.
Reprinted with permission from Chambers Global, The World's Leading Lawyers for Business 2010 — www.chambersandpartners.com.
