Commercial lending
Hall of Fame
The lawyers at the very top of the profession, widely known and respected by peers and clients for their longstanding involvement in market-leading work.
Hall of fameKirkland & Ellis LLP
Jay focuses on syndicated and direct lender senior secured and bridge loan financings, primarily in the leveraged acquisition finance area. His experience also includes significant high-yield, corporate finance and restructuring engagements. Representative clients include financial sponsors such as Apax Partners, Blackstone, Cerberus, Advent, Partners Group and 3G Capital, as well as large financial institutions and a multitude of private equity portfolio companies and corporate borrowers, including Restaurant Brands International, Marriott Vacations Worldwide, Equinox Holdings and Kraft/Heinz.
Rising stars
Rising stars with regular involvement in their team's key work, and recognition from peers or clients as being ones to watch.
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP
Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP
Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP
Mr. Summers is a partner in the Corporate Department and the Finance Practice, resident in Fried Frank's New York office. He focuses his practice on credit and capital markets transactions. He has extensive experience advising investment banking clients, debt funds and other lenders throughout the deal process, from the early stages through closing and funding. He also has represented various corporate clients on a wide range of financing transactions. Additionally, Mr. Summers represents banks and commercial lenders in both syndicated credit facilities and high-yield bond financings related to leveraged buyouts and other acquisitions, and provides ongoing counsel to agents and arrangers under those facilities. He assists clients in understanding and evaluating existing debt capital structures for targets of acquisitions and has particular expertise negotiating commitment letters in connection with acquisition financings. In addition, Mr. Summers has worked on numerous subscription credit facilities for private equity and debt funds.
Leading lawyers
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Milbank
Partner and Practice Group Leader, Leveraged Finance Group (US), Co-head of the Milbank's Global Leveraged Finance Group.
Proskauer Rose LLP
Steven M. Ellis is the former Chair of Proskauer. He is a partner in Proskauer’s market-leading Private Credit Practice, a practice that Steve proudly founded and led to its dominant position in the market today, serving as head of that practice for over 15 years. During his tenure as Chair of Proskauer, the Firm achieved record financial results and dramatically expanded its transactional platform and private capital offering. With a client roster boasting over 75 asset managers, he has represented an array of secured lenders, second lien lenders, debt funds and private equity funds in all types of transactions from recapitalizations to acquisitions. He specializes in private credit financing transactions, including innovative, first-in-kind structures. Steve serves as an active board member for Team IMPACT, Inc., a non-profit dedicated to improving the lives of kids battling diseases. A network of volunteers, coaches and players, Team IMPACT matches children facing serious or chronic illnesses with college athletic teams to form relationships that have life-changing outcomes.
Kirkland & Ellis LLP
Melissa is a finance partner in Kirkland’s New York office and a member of the Firm’s Executive Committee. Melissa’s practice focuses on syndicated debt facilities, bank/bridge commitments and other structured financings for leveraged acquisitions by private equity firms, their portfolio companies, and public and private companies. She also advises clients on a broad range of other secured and unsecured lending and financing transactions, including first and second lien financings, mezzanine financings, subordinated loans and asset-based loans. Melissa also has substantial experience in liability management transactions and other debt restructurings. Representative clients include American Securities, Bain, Blackstone, New Mountain Capital and Olympus Partners, among others.
Kirkland & Ellis LLP
Michelle focuses her practice on debt financing transactions and represents private equity groups, commercial lending institutions and other private and public companies in connection with the negotiation, structuring and documentation of secured and unsecured financing transactions for both borrowers and lenders, including senior, mezzanine and subordinated debt transactions, acquisition financings, and loan workouts and restructurings, including debtor-in-possession financings. Representative clients include AE Industrial Partners, Bain Capital, Energy Future Holdings, Pritzker Private Capital, Toys “R” Us and United Airlines.
Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP
Tatiana Lapushchik is a partner in Cravath’s Corporate Department. Her practice focuses on representing the leading financial institutions, as well as corporate borrowers, in domestic and cross-border bank financings across a variety of industries, including industrials, oil and gas, retail, technology and media.
Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP
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Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP
Jed Zobitz is the Managing Partner of Cravath’s Corporate Department. He works in all areas of the Firm’s corporate practice. Currently, his practice focuses on complex syndicated loan transactions, including acquisition and leveraged finance and asset‑based lending, as well as securities, mergers and acquisitions and general corporate representations.
Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP
Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton
Duane McLaughlin is a partner based in the New York office. Mr. McLaughlin’s practice focuses on financing transactions and mergers and acquisitions. He regularly represents private equity funds and their portfolio companies, focusing on bank financings, high-yield debt issuances and initial public offerings. He advises a number of NYSE and Nasdaq-listed U.S. and non-U.S. companies on corporate governance and disclosure matters. He has been involved in a number of transactions in Latin America.
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton
Meme Peponis is a partner based in the New York office. Ms. Peponis’ practice focuses on acquisition and distressed financing. She also has extensive experience in domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions; private equity, joint venture and other investments; and public and private securities offerings. M
Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP
Comparative Guides
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Comparative Guides
United States: Acquisition Finance
United States
Contribution fromLatham & Watkins LLPLatham & Watkins LLP