Kirkland & Ellis LLP Bolsters Finance Practice with Hire of Jay Ptashek

Kirkland & Ellis LLP is pleased to announce that Jay M. Ptashek has joined the Firm as a partner in its New York office. Mr. Ptashek represents financial sponsors, large financial institutions and corporate buyers in leveraged finance, debt restructuring and general finance matters.

"We are very pleased to have Jay join our growing financing and secured transactions practice," said Thomas D. Yannucci, chair of Kirkland's Firmwide Management Committee. "He has an outstanding reputation in the finance arena."

Mr. Ptashek focuses on syndicated senior debt and bridge loan financings primarily in the leveraged acquisition finance area. He also counsels clients in debt restructuring and general corporate finance matters. His recent experience includes representing Apax Partners and Omers Capital Partners in connection with the financing for the acquisition of Thomson Learning (n/k/a Cengage Learning), representing the Royal Bank of Canada and other underwriters in connection with the financing for the acquisition of Grey Wolf by Precision Drilling, and representing Apax Partners in connection with the financing for the acquisition of TriZetto Group.

"Jay is a talented and respected lawyer," said Linda K. Myers, partner in Kirkland's Financing and Secured Transactions Practice in the Chicago office. "His experience complements our existing practice and he will be a key player in expanding our presence in New York."

Mr. Ptashek, 41, joins Kirkland after 17 years with Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, where he was a partner in the firm's Corporate Practice in New York. Mr. Ptashek also spent time in Simpson Thacher's Tokyo, Hong Kong and London offices.

Mr. Ptashek has been called "top-notch" by Chambers USA, America's Leading Lawyers for Business. He has been ranked as a leading attorney in banking and finance by Chambers USA and the U.S. Legal 500.

Mr. Ptashek earned a J.D., cum laude, from New York University Law School and a B.B.A., with high distinction, Phi Beta Kappa, from the University of Michigan.

Kirkland & Ellis LLP is a 1,500-attorney law firm representing global clients in complex financing and secured transactions, corporate and tax, restructuring, litigation and dispute resolution/arbitration, and intellectual property matters. The Firm has offices in New York, Chicago, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, Munich, Palo Alto, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.