Debevoise & Plimpton LLP

Debevoise & Plimpton LLP

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Aimee-Jane Lee
Aimee-Jane Lee
Aimee-Jane Lee is an international counsel in the firm’s International Dispute Resolution Group and is based in the London office. Her practice focuses on international commercial arbitration and litigation, and public international law. Ms. Lee has advised private clients and states across multiple jurisdictions (notably in Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe) and a number of industries, including mining, construction, hospitality, advertising and, especially, energy. She has represented clients in arbitrations conducted under the auspices of the main institutions and governed by a variety of substantive and procedural legal systems. Ms. Lee advises on the international protection of investments (notably under bilateral investment treaties, the Energy Charter Treaty and investor-state contracts) and represents her clients in associated disputes. She has also advised extensively on maritime boundary issues, treaty drafting and interpretation, the interaction between public international law and domestic law, international sanctions and human rights. Following a six-month secondment to the legal department of Liberty, the human rights organisation, she has continued to work, pro bono, on human rights issues, notably in relation to proceedings before the European Court of Human Rights and submissions to the United Nations.
Alan Davies
Alan Davies
Alan Davies, a corporate partner in the firm’s European Finance Group, focuses his practice on acquisition, asset and structured financings. He has advised private equity firms on financing in numerous leveraged acquisitions.
Alan Kartashkin
Alan Kartashkin
Alan Kartashkin is a partner in the firm’s London office, head of the Eastern European practice, and former managing partner of the firm’s Moscow office. His practice focuses on sanctions, securities and M&A. For nearly ten years, he has advised leading U.S., EU, UK, Japanese, Chinese and Russian corporations and financial institutions on the application of and compliance with the sanctions imposed by the U.S., UK and EU. Mr. Kartashkin also advises boards of directors and special committees of independent directors of public companies on corporate governance issues. Mr. Kartashkin has represented major clients in public equity and debt offerings in the international capital markets, including premium listings on the London Stock Exchange, as well as in a diverse range of financing transactions.
Alexandre Bisch
Alexandre Bisch
Alexandre Bisch is an international counsel in the Paris office and a member of the firm’s Litigation Department. Mr. Bisch focuses on white collar criminal defence and commercial litigation. He advises and represents companies and their executives in matters involving criminal, regulatory and internal investigations. He also represents clients on a variety of civil and commercial disputes, including domestic and international litigations and enforcement of foreign judgments and arbitral awards.
Alisa Waxman
Alisa Waxman
Alisa Waxman is a corporate partner and a member of the firm’s Investment Management Group. Her practice focuses on advising sponsors of private equity funds, including buyout, growth, venture, energy, infrastructure and credit opportunities funds. Ms. Waxman’s recent experience includes acting for clients such as Ara Partners, Bain Capital, Brookfield Asset Management, Clearwater Capital Partners, EIG Global Energy Partners, Fortress Investment Group, Global Atlantic, Global Infrastructure Partners, KKR, Newport Global Advisors, Leeds Equity Partners, Oak HC/FT, Providence Equity Partners, PSG and Vinci Partners. Ms. Waxman is recommended by Chambers Global (2023) and Chambers USA (2023), where clients note she is “technically strong and super smart.” In previous editions of the guide, she has been described as “smart, business-savvy and extremely responsive.” She has also been named a Rising Star by Law360 (2022). Ms. Waxman joined Debevoise in 2011. Ms. Waxman received a J.D. from University of Pennsylvania Law School cum laude in 2011, where she was a comments editor of the University of Pennsylvania Law Review. She received a B.A. in Political Science and Spanish Literature summa cum laude from Temple University in 2006, where she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.
Alyona Kucher
Alyona Kucher
Alyona Kucher is a partner based in the Moscow office. Ms. Kucher has been principally involved in such areas as general corporate practice, construction (in particular, major infrastructure projects), sale/purchase, lease and operation of real estate and other immovable property, oil and gas projects and M&A.
Andrew Ford
Andrew Ford
ndrew Ford is a corporate partner based in Debevoise's New York office and a member of the firm’s Investment Management Group. Mr. Ford represents U.S. alternative asset managers on the structuring and establishment of a variety of global and geographically specific private alternative investment products, including the organization of traditional private investment funds and co-investment structures and the establishment of bespoke separately managed accounts and platforms. He has experience in raising private alternative investment funds, targeting investments in the private equity, infrastructure and natural resources sectors, as well as investment products sourcing distressed investment opportunities and engaging in loan origination activities. Mr. Ford is recognized by both Chambers Global (2023) and Chambers USA (2023), with the guides describing him as “an extremely strong advisor,” who is “really detail-oriented” and “hyper-focused on delivering the best client service.” He is also said to be “extraordinarily business-focused,” “an excellent lawyer,” a “very effective negotiator” who is “technically superb” and a “very clever and astute operator” with a “burgeoning reputation” in the funds arena. He is praised for his “encyclopedic knowledge” of the structuring and establishment of private equity funds, with clients noting that he is “a very smart negotiator. He is able to craft convincing arguments to advance his client’s interests.” Mr. Ford joined the firm in 2019. He received his LL.B., with honors, from the University of Nottingham in 2003 and a Diploma in Legal Practice from Nottingham Law School in 2004. Mr. Ford is admitted as a solicitor of the Senior Courts of England & Wales and is also admitted to the bar in New York.
Andrew Lee
Andrew Lee
Andrew Lee is a litigation associate based in the London office. He is a member of the firm’s White Collar and Regulatory Defense Group. Mr. Lee’s practice focuses on regulatory, criminal and internal investigations for financial institutions and corporates. Mr. Lee advises financial services clients and individuals in relation to internal investigations and investigations by the UK Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority. These encompass a wide range of issues, including potential market abuse, money laundering, systems and controls failings and senior management issues. Mr. Lee has particular experience conducting investigations in the fixed income, currencies, commodities and equities business areas. He has acted for banks on high-profile international investigations into foreign exchange trading, the setting of the LIBOR benchmark and precious metals trading. Mr. Lee also regularly acts for corporate clients on internal, Serious Fraud Office and cross-border investigations into bribery, fraud and money laundering. He has significant experience advising clients on the UK Bribery Act, the Proceeds of Crime Act, money laundering regulations and related compliance matters.
Andrew Ahern
Andrew Ahern
Andrew Ahern is a corporate partner based in Debevoise's New York and a member of the firm’s Investment Management Group. His practice focuses on advising sponsors of private investment funds, including buyout, energy and infrastructure, and credit opportunities, venture capital and funds of funds. He is also a member of the Alternative Assets Transactions and Liquidity Solutions Group, where he regularly advises leading fund sponsors and investors in connection with complex secondary transactions, including fund restructurings and recapitalizations, GP-led tender offers and stapled secondary offerings. Mr. Ahern's recent experience includes acting for clients such as EIG, HarbourVest Partners, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Oak HC/FT, Providence Equity Partners, Sequoia Capital, Silver Lake Waterman, StepStone Group and VWH Capital Management. Mr. Ahern is recommended by Chambers Global (2023) and Chambers USA (2023), where clients have noted his focus on client service and his “attention to detail, nuance and ability to anticipate business issues.” They comment that he provides “very sound advice” and he is “very commercial.” He is said to be “a tremendous attorney,” who is “very practical … and is able to get to a business-oriented solution and cut to the chase.” He has also been described as “extremely intelligent” and “very experienced in fund formation matters and in fund restructurings.” He is also recommended by IFLR1000 (2022) and was recognized as an MVP by Law360 (2019) for fund formation. Mr. Ahern joined the firm in 2005. He graduated in 2002 with a B.A. (magna cum laude) from Bucknell University and received a J.D. in 2005 from Columbia University School of Law, where he was a Kent Scholar and member of the Columbia Law Review. He is admitted to practice in New York and California.
Andrew Levine
Andrew Levine
He is well recognized in the region and elsewhere for defending companies and individuals in criminal, civil and regulatory enforcement matters and for conducting internal investigations. Mr. Levine serves as the go-to anti-corruption adviser to numerous leading global companies and represents many clients on corruption-related matters in Latin America, including the Lava Jato, Zelotes, Carne Fraca and FIFA scandals. He has led important representations in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela, among other countries.
Anna Maximenko
Anna Maximenko
Anna Maximenko is an international counsel, and leads the firms Russian regulatory practice. Her practice focuses on antitrust, data protection, contentious and non-contentious employment, including benefits and compensation, regulatory and compliance matters and FinTech. Ms. Maximenko also advises on M&A and general corporate matters in heavily regulated industries, such as banking, insurance, and healthcare and pharmaceuticals.
Anne-Mette Heemsoth
Anne-Mette Heemsoth
Anne-Mette Heemsoth is an English-qualified international counsel in the firm’s London office whose practice focuses on EU and UK competition law and regulation, as well as foreign direct investment regimes. Ms. Heemsoth has extensive experience with complex merger investigations before the European Commission and national competition authorities on a global level, as well as with contentious legislative, behavioural, and EU state aid matters. She also regularly advises on foreign investment risk and controls and manages foreign investment reviews, often as part of a strategic, cross-border approach to obtain regulatory approvals in a large number of jurisdictions worldwide. Ms. Heemsoth represents clients across various industries and has particular expertise in financial services, including insurance and private equity, chemicals, communication, aviation, media, and technology.
Antoine Kirry
Antoine Kirry
Antoine Kirry is of counsel based in the Paris office and a member of the firm’s Litigation Group. Mr. Kirry has substantial litigation and arbitration experience, with particular emphasis on M&A-related disputes. He has argued numerous cases in most courts in the Paris area and in many courts elsewhere in France. He has represented defendants in some of the most publicised insider trading cases brought before the French financial market regulator and the French criminal courts. He has also handled arbitrations under the auspices of the International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce, the Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce and the Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation Chamber of Commerce and Industry, as well as ad hoc arbitrations in various European countries. In addition, Mr. Kirry has broad experience in advising French and international clients with respect to acquisitions and dispositions in France and has advised clients on several of the most significant transactions of the past few years, involving both publicly and privately held companies.
Avi Gesser
Avi Gesser
Mr. Gesser is Co-Chair of the firm’s Data Strategy & Security Group. His practice focuses on advising major companies on a wide range of cybersecurity, privacy and artificial intelligence matters.
Aymeric Dumoulin
Aymeric Dumoulin
Aymeric D. Dumoulin is a litigation international counsel based in the Paris office. Mr. Dumoulin is admitted to the New York Bar and also holds degrees in French law. His practice focuses on white collar criminal defense, internal investigations and international arbitration. Mr. Dumoulin has particular experience in the financial industry.
Bruce Yannett
Bruce Yannett
He focuses on white collar criminal defense, regulatory enforcement and internal investigations. He represents a broad range of companies, financial institutions and their executives in matters involving securities fraud, accounting fraud, foreign bribery, cybersecurity, insider trading, and money laundering.
Caroline Swett
Caroline Swett
Caroline Swett is a partner and member of the firm’s Financial Institutions Banking, Special Situations and ESG Groups. She advises domestic and foreign banks and other financial institutions on a wide range of regulatory, enforcement and transactional matters. Ms. Swett has particular experience advising financial institutions on complex Regulation W issues, governance mechanisms and practices, supervisory examinations and downgrades, regulatory permissibility, charter formations and Fintech acquisitions.
Catherine Amirfar
Catherine Amirfar
Catherine Amirfar is Co-Chair of Debevoise’s International Dispute Resolution Group and the Public International Law Group, and a member of the firm’s Management Committee.
Cecile Beurrier
Cécile Beurrier is a partner in the firm’s Tax Department whose practice focuses on a broad array of corporate and transactional matters. Within investment funds, Ms. Beurrier advises sponsors of private equity, debt, secondaries, emerging markets and other fund strategies on structuring and ongoing operational matters. In addition, she assists sponsors and investors with traditional and complex secondaries transactions including GP-led fund restructurings, end-of-life fund recapitalisations and a variety of other fund liquidity solutions. Ms. Beurrier works with the firm’s private equity and institutional clients on the tax aspects of M&A, corporate finance and capital markets transactions.
Christopher Ford
Christopher Ford
Christopher S. Ford is a counsel in the Litigation Department who is a member of the firm’s Intellectual Property Litigation Group and Data Strategy & Security practice. Mr. Ford has litigated trademark, trade dress, and false advertising cases in federal court and before the Trademark Trial and Appeals Board, and regularly advises clients on issues relating to their trademark and brand management. He is a member of the International Trademark Association’s Non-Traditional Marks committee and has been the chair of its U.S. Litigation task force since 2020. He has guest lectured on trademark and trade dress issues at New York University School of Law and Rutgers School of Law.
Christopher Anthony
Christopher Anthony
He has worked extensively on acquisitions, divestitures and joint ventures for both private equity and corporate clients.
Christopher Boyne
Christopher Boyne is a partner based in the London office, where he works in the Litigation Department. He specialises in complex litigation and has wide-ranging commercial litigation experience across a wide variety of industries and geographies including financial institutions and multinational corporations. He has represented clients on a variety of high-profile litigation matters including large-scale corporate disputes, shareholder/joint venture disputes, civil fraud claims and court applications relating to arbitral proceedings. He has extensive experience of applications to challenge the jurisdiction of the English Courts as well and advising on interim and protective measures in both English and foreign courts. This experience includes successfully obtaining and defending billion-dollar freezing injunctions. He has also advised on a wide range of banking and financial services disputes, including in respect of some of the most significant cases arising out of the collapse of Lehman Brothers.
Clare Swirski
Clare Swirski
Ms. Swirski has over 20 years' experience advising financial institutions on the full range of corporate matters, including share and business acquisitions, joint ventures, reinsurance, longevity transactions, distribution agreements and group reorganisations. Ms. Swirski's practice focuses on advising insurers and other financial institutions on a range of transactional and regulatory matters. Ms. Swirski has also advised multinational insurers on key regulatory developments impacting the sector, including general governance issues, SIMR, with-profits regulation, Solvency II and Brexit issues. Ms. Swirski has played an active role in the development of the regulatory environment for insurers in the UK. She has previously liaised with HM Treasury on changes to Part VII legislation and was a member of a group of City lawyers responding to EIOPA Solvency II consultations. She was also a member of the insurance subgroup of the Financial Markets Law Committee, which most recently considered regulatory issues arising from Brexit.
Conway Blake
Conway Blake
Conway Blake is a partner and member of the firm’s International Dispute Resolution Group, based in London. Dr. Blake represents corporate clients, sovereigns and international organisations on a range of contentious matters, particularly in investor-state arbitration, public international law disputes and commercial arbitrations governed by various substantive laws and conducted under the major arbitral rules. He is actively involved in the public international law and arbitration communities (including the YIAG, YPILG and YICCA). His court work focuses on disputes raising complex issues of private international law, applications related to arbitral proceedings, and cases addressing issues of corporate social responsibility. He has acted on cases at all levels of the court system, including before the UK Supreme Court, the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council and the courts in Commonwealth jurisdictions. He appears as advocate in both court and arbitral proceedings. Dr. Blake has an active pro bono practice, and has represented clients on matters before the European Court of Human Rights, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights. He currently serves as a trustee, and an advisor on strategic litigation, for the Human Dignity Trust. He was awarded the Law Society’s Junior Lawyers Pro Bono Award for his work in this area.
David O"Neil
David O"Neil
His practice focuses on white collar criminal defense, internal investigations, anti-corruption and FCPA defense and congressional investigations.
David Innes
David Innes
David Innes is a corporate partner in the firm’s London office and Head of the UK Private Equity Group. His practice covers a full range of UK and cross-border private equity and M&A transactional work. Mr. Innes has represented clients in some of the most prominent transactions in recent years.
David Schwartz
David Schwartz is a corporate partner in the Investment Management Group and a leader in the firm’s Alternative Assets Transactions and Liquidity Solutions Group. He is also a member of the Private Equity Group. Mr. Schwartz represents sponsors of, and institutional investors in, private investment funds, including buyout, emerging markets, funds of funds, infrastructure, real estate and venture capital funds, as well as separate and other managed accounts. He also advises sponsors and investors in connection with complex secondary transactions, including traditional sales and purchases of fund interests, listed fund transactions, secondary direct transactions, “manager for hire” arrangements, synthetic secondaries, “stapled” primary and secondary transactions and fund recapitalizations and restructurings. Mr. Schwartz represents numerous private equity clients, including Capital International, Ford Foundation, HarbourVest Partners, Morgan Stanley and major sovereign wealth funds.
David Grosgold
David Grosgold
His practice focuses on domestic and cross-border corporate transactions in the financial services and insurance industries, including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, reinsurance and bancassurance transactions in the U.S., Latin America and Asia.
David H. Bernstein
David H. Bernstein
David H. Bernstein is one of the world’s most prominent trademark lawyers. Many of the world’s most recognizable brands have relied on him to help them navigate high-stakes IP claims. Mr. Bernstein is also one of the world’s leading domain name arbitrators, an active mediator in trademark cases, an adjunct professor of law at New York University and George Washington University, a faculty member at the Federal Judicial Center and the World Intellectual Property Organization, the author of amicus briefs in many of the leading trademark cases in the United States, and an active leader of the International Trademark Association, where he has served as Counsel, a member of the Board of Directors, Co-Chair of the Annual Meeting, and Chair of the International Amicus, Emerging Issues and Meetings Committees. He is described by various legal directories as a “rockstar,” “the dean of the IP litigation bar,” and “indisputably one of the very best trademark lawyers in the country.”
Dietmar Prager
Dietmar Prager
Dietmar W. Prager is a litigation partner at Debevoise’s New York office who focuses his practice on international arbitration and litigation. He co-leads Debevoise’s Latin America Practice Group.
Dmitry Karamyslov
Dmitry Karamyslov
Dmitry Karamyslov is an international counsel. His practice focuses on corporate and asset finance. Mr. Karamyslov has extensive experience in aircraft financing transactions, mainly involving the Russian aviation market. He also advises on various types of corporate finance facilities, and has experience in the area of general corporate law, M&A and capital markets, including offerings at the LSE and AIM as well as bond issuances.
Donald F. Donovan
Donald F. Donovan
He serves as Co-Chair of Debevoise’s Public International Law Group and for some 20 years also served as Co-Chair of its International Disputes Group. He serves as counsel in international disputes before international courts, international arbitration tribunals, and courts in the United States.
E Raman Bet-Mansour
E Raman Bet-Mansour
​E. Raman Bet-Mansour is a corporate partner in the firm’s London and Paris offices and a member of the firm’s Private Equity, Mergers & Acquisitions, Securities and Corporate Governance Groups. He also has extensive experience with international joint ventures and debt financings.
Edwin Northover
Edwin Northover
Mr. Northover has a broad cross-border public and private mergers & acquisitions practice, with a particular focus on mergers & acquisitions, joint ventures and distribution agreements in the insurance industry.
Erez Liebermann
Erez Liebermann is a litigation partner and a member of the firm’s Data Strategy & Security Group. His practice focuses on advising major businesses on a wide range of complex, high-impact cyber-incident response matters and on data-related regulatory requirements. With decades of experience in data issues as a litigator, federal prosecutor and senior in-house counsel at a global insurance company, Mr. Liebermann regularly advises clients at the C-suite and board level on building strategies to reduce their data-related regulatory and reputational risks, and on navigating high-profile government investigations following data incidents.
Erica Weisgerber
Erica Weisgerber
Erica S. Weisgerber is a partner in the Litigation Department and a member of the Special Situations team whose practice focuses on restructuring and bankruptcy litigation. Ms. Weisgerber has advised clients on restructuring- and litigation-related issues arising in bankruptcy cases, out-of-court restructurings and other distressed situations across a diverse range of industries. Her extensive experience includes litigation relating to out-of-court financings and restructuring transactions, clawback claims arising out of domestic and international insolvencies, intercreditor claims, post-bankruptcy litigation trustee claims, and debtor and creditor representations. Ms. Weisgerber’s bankruptcy experience includes a range of debtor and creditor representations, adversary proceedings and contested matters in cases under Chapters 11 and 15 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code and cross-border insolvency proceedings. Ms. Weisgerber also regularly represents investment banks in their retentions by major constituencies in Chapter 11 proceedings. She was named to Law360’s 2023 Top Attorneys Under 40 for Bankruptcy and was recognized in 2020 by Turnarounds & Workouts in their annual list of twelve Outstanding Young Restructuring Lawyers in the United States. She was also selected as a member of the 2020 Class of the American Bankruptcy Institute’s 40 Under 40 and was awarded The M&A Advisor’s 2021 Chapter 11 Reorganization of the Year (over $1B) for her role as counsel to Canada Pension Plan Investment Board as co-sponsor of Neiman Marcus in its Chapter 11 restructuring. Ms. Weisgerber is ranked by Chambers USA (2023) as an “Up and Coming” partner in Bankruptcy/Restructuring, where clients note that she is “very technically accurate” and has “good commercial judgment.” She is also recommended by The Legal 500 US (2023) for her bankruptcy litigation work. Ms. Weisgerber’s broader commercial litigation practice also includes significant experience in federal and state courts litigating class actions and antitrust and mass tort litigations. Her antitrust practice includes representing plaintiffs and defendants in civil litigation, representing clients before antitrust agencies in government reviews of proposed transactions and counseling clients with respect to antitrust issues associated with mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and competitor’s exchange of information. Ms. Weisgerber is recommended for her antitrust litigation and merger control practice in The Legal 500 US (2022), and ranked as a leading antitrust lawyer by Chambers USA (2022). She also maintains an active pro bono practice and is a 2012 and 2013 recipient of The Legal Aid Society’s Pro Bono Publico Award for outstanding service to The Legal Aid Society and its clients. She has also been recognized as Empire State Counsel by the New York State Bar Association for her pro bono contributions. Most recently, she represented The Big Apple Circus, as a pro bono client, in litigation arising during the course of its Chapter 11 case. Ms. Weisgerber is a member of the Bar of New York and is admitted to appear before the U.S. District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York; the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Second, Third and Tenth Circuits; and the U.S. Supreme Court. Ms. Weisgerber is a member of the New York State Bar Association, for which she serves on the executive committee of the Antitrust Section. She previously served on the executive committees of the New York State Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Section and the Commercial & Federal Litigation Section. Ms. Weisgerber is also a member of the American Bankruptcy Institute and the International Women’s Insolvency and Restructuring Confederation, for which she serves on the membership and programming committees. Ms. Weisgerber is an active speaker and author on issues relating to restructuring and bankruptcy litigation. She is also an active member of the American Bar Association’s Antitrust Section and Litigation Section. She serves as an editor of the Antitrust Law Journal and is also a Vice Chair of the Antitrust Section’s Legislation Committee. She is also a member of the National Association of Women Lawyers, for which she has served as chair of programming for NAWL’s Annual Meeting and chair of NAWL’s membership committee. Ms. Weisgerber also serves as an editor-in-chief of the Debevoise Women’s Review. Ms. Weisgerber joined the firm in 2008. From 2009 to 2010, she clerked for the Hon. Joseph Bianco of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York. Ms. Weisgerber received a J.D. magna cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center in 2008, where she was Order of the Coif and managing editor of the Georgetown Law Journal. She received an A.B. magna cum laude from Georgetown University in 2005.
Franklin Mitchell
Franklin Mitchell
Franklin L. Mitchell is a tax partner and a member of the firm’s Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Group. Mr. Mitchell’s practice covers a broad range of executive compensation and employee benefits matters. He advises clients on disclosure, governance, taxation, design and negotiation of executive compensation agreements and arrangements as well as the executive compensation and employee benefits aspects of mergers and acquisitions; pension investment and ERISA fiduciary matters (with significant experience on these issues in the private equity, asset management, insurance and real estate sectors); private equity compensation and governance matters at both the upper tier and portfolio company levels; and employment law and related issues. Mr. Mitchell is recognized by The Legal 500 US (2023). Mr. Mitchell joined Debevoise in 2016. He received a J.D. cum laude from Fordham University School of Law in 2009 and an LL.M. in taxation from New York University School of Law in 2010. He received a B.A. from Emerson College in 2000.
Gareth Hughes
Gareth Hughes is a partner in the firm’s Hong Kong office and a member of the International Dispute Resolution Group. His practice focusses on major commercial disputes and investigations work, with a particular focus on financial institutions and contentious regulatory matters. With over 18 years of experience in the region, Mr. Hughes has built a successful practice specializing in commercial litigation, international arbitration and investigations work in relation to financial services, corporate finance, fraud, insurance and shareholder-related disputes. Mr. Hughes has acted for major corporates and financial institutions, with many of his matters involving the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and the Independent Commission Against Corruption.
Gavin Chesney
Gavin Chesney is a solicitor advocate in the firm’s International Dispute Resolution Group and is based in the London office. His practice focuses on international commercial disputes, both in international arbitration and in court litigation. Mr. Chesney represents a wide variety of clients including major corporations, high net worth individuals and sovereign states in a range of complex, high-value disputes across sectors including mining, power, oil and gas, defense and financial services. He has appeared in proceedings under the auspices of ICSID, UNCITRAL, the ICC, the LCIA, the SIAC and the AAA, as well as in ad hoc arbitrations and litigation proceedings in the English courts.
Gavin Anderson
Gavin Anderson
Gavin Anderson is based in the Hong Kong office and is a member of the firm’s Investment Funds and Investment Management Group. He has broad experience in advising sponsors and investors on a variety of issues, including fund formation, co-investment and carried interest arrangements. Mr. Anderson’s recent experience includes acting for clients such as Baring Private Equity Asia, CDH Investments, Clearwater Capital, HarbourVest, Morgan Stanley, Navis Capital Partners, Southern Capital and Quilvest..
Geoffrey Burgess
Geoffrey Burgess
Geoffrey Burgess is a corporate partner with a broad international practice in Europe (including Russia), Africa and India, with particular focus in the private equity, TMT, healthcare and aviation industries.Mr. Burgess co-leads the India and Africa practice groups at Debevoise and is also a leader in the firm’s Alternative Assets Transactions and Liquidity Solutions Group, with a focus on GP replacement projects.
Geoffrey Kittredge
Geoffrey Kittredge
Geoffrey Kittredge, a London-based partner and Chair of Debevoise’s European Funds/Investment Management Group, focuses his practice on private investment fund formation. Mr. Kittredge represents a broad range of international private equity and other private investment funds and their sponsors, including buyout, infrastructure, energy, credit, real estate, secondaries and venture funds, as well as funds of funds. 
Gregory Lyons
Gregory Lyons
His practice focuses on serving the needs of financial institutions, as well as private equity and other entities that invest in financial institutions, with a particular emphasis on domestic and cross-border bank regulatory, transactional and examination matters. His practice includes U.S. and foreign bank regulatory, formation, merger, conversion, structuring securities and securities finance work, risk capital and trust matters and corporate and securities law matters. Mr. Lyons has represented banking and other financial institutions before the Federal Reserve Board, the Office of Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and state banking and securities regulatory agencies. He has extensive experience counseling clients in the securities, securities finance, insurance and other non-banking financial service sectors regarding acquiring, leveraging and ongoing ownership of banking institutions, as well as advising banking organizations with non-traditional banking activities and assisting clients in the analysis of associated business and regulatory risks.
Guilherme Recena Costa
Guilherme Recena Costa
Mr. Recena Costa has a particular focus on disputes arising in the mining, energy and financial sectors, as well as broad experience of matters involving Latin America in general and, in particular, Brazil. He has represented clients in matters under the ICC, ICSID, LCIA, NIA and UNCITRAL Rules and under various substantive laws and has also advised on ancillary court proceedings in a number of jurisdictions. Mr. Recena Costa has recently represented clients in disputes concerning the expropriation of mining rights, breaches of mining investment agreements and various M&A, commercial and tax-related agreements. He has worked closely with mining industry experts to deal with complex technical issues, with valuation experts to assess damages and with tax experts to address tax claims and structures.
Henry Lebowitz
Henry Lebowitz
His practice focuses on leading the IP and technology aspects of mergers and acquisitions, financings, capital markets and other corporate transactions. Mr. Lebowitz has advised companies on complex transactions, litigation, portfolio development and other IP matters in an array of industries. He also regularly assists clients in evaluating patents, trademarks and other intellectual property, developing effective IP portfolios, assessing the merits of IP-related litigation and other disputes and implementing strategies to avoid or favorably resolve such disputes.
Ina C. Popova
Ina C. Popova
Ina C. Popova is a partner in the firm’s International Dispute Resolution Group, and her practice focuses on international arbitration, international litigation and public international law. 
James Scoville
James Scoville
James Scoville is a corporate partner whose practice focuses on securities matters and capital markets transactions. He advises both issuers and underwriters in U.S.-registered and global offerings, with particular experience working on listings on the London Stock Exchange and U.S. exchanges by Russian, Chinese and other emerging market companies, as well as representing insurance companies and underwriters in insurance company securities offerings.
James C Scoville
James C Scoville
James Scoville is a corporate partner whose practice focuses on securities matters and capital markets transactions. He advises both issuers and underwriters in U.S.-registered and global offerings, with particular experience working on listings on the London Stock Exchange and U.S. exchanges by Russian, Chinese and other emerging market companies, as well as representing insurance companies and underwriters in insurance company securities offerings.
Jane Engelhardt
Jane Engelhardt
Jane Engelhardt is the head of the primary investor-side practice. She is a partner and a member of the Investment Management and Private Equity Groups, as well as a leader of the Private Fund Transactions Group. Her practice involves a wide variety of private equity and venture funds and focuses on representations of clients in connection with primary investments and secondary transactions, including traditional sales and purchases of fund interests, and “stapled” primary and secondary transactions, fund structured co-investments, anchor/seed investments and platform arrangements. Her clients include Citigroup, HarbourVest Partners, The Ford Foundation, J.P. Morgan, Liberty Mutual Insurance, The Nature Conservancy, PSP Investments, Prudential Insurance Company, Sequoia Capital, Silk Road Fund, Pantheon Ventures, OMERS and Zurich Alternative Asset Management as well as sovereign wealth funds and family offices. Ms. Engelhardt is ranked in Band 1 by Chambers Global (2023) and Chambers USA (2023), where clients note that she is “analytical and practical while providing a great market perspective.” Sources say she is “a total superstar,” “one of the best in the industry,” “amazing” and “her depth of knowledge is very thorough, she’s very practical and her customer service is great.” She has also been described as a “very experienced campaigner who makes points with vigor and makes a very sound legal argument.” Ms. Engelhardt joined the firm in 1996. She received a J.D. from Columbia Law School in 1996, where she was a Stone Scholar all three years, and an M.A. and an M.Phil. from Columbia University in English and Comparative Literature. Ms. Engelhardt received her A.B. from Bryn Mawr College.
Jane Shvets
Jane Shvets
Jane Shvets is a partner in the firm’s White Collar & Regulatory Defense Group focused on white collar defense and internal investigations, in particular regarding compliance with corrupt practices legislation. As a cross-border investigations lawyer, Ms. Shvets boasts a genuine international pedigree, having worked with clients on enquiries from authorities in the U.S., UK, Germany, Russia, and elsewhere, and on matters spanning jurisdictions in North and South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, Russia and the Middle East. As one of a few Russian-speaking lawyers in this field, Ms. Shvets focuses in particular on matters involving Russia, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia. In addition to her core investigations practice, Ms. Shvets also leads the firm’s sanctions practice in Europe, guiding clients through a sanctions landscape that has shifted significantly and swiftly in recent years. She is also a member of the firm’s Data Strategy and Security practice, advising clients on data protection and data transfer issues arising from EU data protection laws and other data privacy legislation.
Jared Kagan
Jared Kagan
Jared Kagan is a counsel in the firm’s Intellectual Property group. His practice includes litigation and counselling on trademark, false advertising, copyright, and defamation matters, and has litigated cases in both state and federal court, before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board and before the National Advertising Division of the Better Business Bureau.
Jasmine Ball
Jasmine Ball
Jasmine Ball is a corporate partner and member of the firm’s Restructuring Group. Ms. Ball regularly represents debtors, investors, creditors and other parties in distressed mergers & acquisitions, workouts, debt and equity financing and refinancing, complex restructurings and Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings. Ms. Ball is recognized by The Legal 500 US (2014–2023), where she is praised for her “extensive knowledge of the bankruptcy code, combined with in-depth knowledge on how to leverage and negotiate matters with a broad range of often competing stakeholders,” and her “strong management skills and critical thinking.” She is also noted as “calm, focused,” and “thoughtful and smart.” She is listed as a Notable Practitioner for Restructuring and Insolvency by IFLR1000 (2022) Ms. Ball is among the winners of The M&A Advisor’s 2022 Restructuring Community Impact Award and Restructuring Deal of the Year Award (Over $5B), as well as AirFinance Journal’s Asia-Pacific Deal of the Year Award and Airline Economics’ Asia Pacific Restructuring Deal of the Year Award, each for her role as restructuring counsel to Philippine Airlines. She was previously among the winners of The M&A Advisor’s 2021 Chapter 11 Reorganization of the Year (over $1B) for her role as counsel to the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board as co-sponsor of Neiman Marcus in its Chapter 11 restructuring. Ms. Ball was among the winners of Turnaround Management Association’s 2018 International Restructuring of the Year, Global M&A Network’s Turnaround Atlas Awards 2018 Corporate Turnaround of the Year and M&A Advisor’s 2017 Restructuring Deal of the Year ($1B to $5B) for her role as aircraft counsel to CHC Group in its successful Chapter 11 proceedings, as well as Turnaround Management Association’s 2016 Transaction of the Year: Large Company Award for her role in advising Altegrity in its Chapter 11 proceedings and successful restructuring of more than $1.8 billion in funded indebtedness. She was also a recipient of Turnaround Management Association’s 2014 Transaction of the Year: Mega Company Award for her role in advising American Airlines and AMR, as special aircraft counsel, in their highly successful Chapter 11 proceedings. Ms. Ball has been named a 2015 recipient of the Outstanding 50 Asian Americans in Business awards and recognized as an Outstanding Young Restructuring Lawyer (2013) by Turnarounds & Workouts. Ms. Ball is an author of the Collier Business Workout Guide (Matthew Bender, 2022) and a contributing author to the Collier Guide to Chapter 11: Key Topics and Selected Industries (Matthew Bender, 2016). Other publications include: “Recent Court Decisions Add Potential Risks in Workout Transactions,” Journal of Corporate Renewal (2016); “Restructuring Aircraft Leases in Bankruptcy,” Jetrader (2014); “Rules of the Road: Buying Distressed Assets,” Bankruptcy Law360 and Corporate Finance Law360 (2010); “In the Zone,” The Deal (2009); “Duties of Directors of Distressed Companies: Avoiding an Intrinsic Fairness Review,” Debevoise & Plimpton Private Equity Report (2009); “The Duties of Private Equity Directors of Distressed Companies,” Directors & Boards Boardroom Briefing (2009); “Caution Ahead: Rules of the Road for Buying Assets from Distressed Companies,” Debevoise & Plimpton Private Equity Report (2009); “Alert: Duties of Directors of Distressed Companies: An Update and Refresher,” Debevoise & Plimpton Private Equity Report (2008); “Section 363 Sales: How to Play the Game,” Debevoise & Plimpton Private Equity Report (2007); “Distressed Deals: Section 363 M&A: How to Play the Game,” The Deal (2007); and “The Globopar Financial Restructuring: A New Model for International Workouts,” International Corporate Rescue (2006). Ms. Ball has presented at the International Air Transport Association, Airline Economics’ Aviation and Finance Leasing School, the American Bankruptcy Institute, the American Bar Association, the Practising Law Institute, the American College of Investment Counsel, the Association of the Bar of the City of New York and the International Women’s Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation, among others. Ms. Ball is a member of the Bar of the State of New York and is admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York and the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. Ms. Ball is Board Advisor of the International Women’s Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation (IWIRC) New York Chapter and serves on the Board of Directors of the Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY). She is also a member of the American Bankruptcy Institute, the Turnaround Management Association, the TMA New York Academic Relations Committee, the International Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the New York State Bar Association, the Association of the Bar of the City of New York and the Advisory Board of Practical Law Bankruptcy. She is also a member of the firm’s Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Council and is active in various Asian legal associations, including Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund and Asian American Bar Association activities. Ms. Ball received her B.S. from Princeton University and her J.D. from the University of Michigan, where she was an executive editor of the Journal of International Law.
Jason Auerbach
Jason Auerbach
Jason Auerbach is a partner based in the New York office and a member of the firm’s Investment Management Group. His practice focuses on advising sponsors of private investment funds, co-investment vehicles and separately managed accounts covering numerous sectors and strategies including buyout, fund of funds, secondaries and growth capital funds. Mr. Auerbach’s recent experience includes acting for clients such as Clayton, Dubilier & Rice and HarbourVest Partners.
Jeffrey Robins
Jeffrey Robins
His practice focuses on representing broker-dealers, swap dealers, banks, securities exchanges, industry associations and buy-side institutions in regulatory and transactional matters. Throughout his career, Mr. Robins has carved out a reputation as a leading broker-dealer and derivatives lawyer with a sophisticated practice. He has substantial experience helping clients navigate registration, margin, capital, custody, and sales and trading issues, cross-border transactions, structuring transactions using multiple regulated entities, the development of compliance and supervisory policies and procedures, the regulatory characterization of securities and derivatives transactions and a number of other regulatory issues. He also has extensive transactional experience in bilateral financing and derivatives transactions, particularly those that are heavily regulated.
Jennifer Wheater
Jenny Wheater is an international counsel in the firm’s Tax Department. She advises clients on the tax aspects of establishing and operating various types of investment funds, including private equity, debt and real estate funds, and on a variety of private equity transactions such as secondaries.
Jennifer Chu
Jennifer Chu
Her practice focuses on advising corporations and private equity firms in mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and other corporate matters, across a broad range of industries with a particular focus on transactions in the healthcare, financial services and insurance industries.  
Jim Pastore
Jim Pastore
Jim Pastore is a litigation partner and a member of the firm’s Data Strategy & Security practice and Intellectual Property Litigation Group. From 2009 to 2014, he served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Criminal Division of the Southern District of New York, where he was assigned to the Complex Frauds Unit and Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property Section. He successfully litigated eight jury trials to verdict and was the lead prosecutor in United States v. Monsegur, a/k/a “Sabu” and Operation Cardshop, both of which were named to the FBI’s top 10 cases of 2012. Mr. Pastore also led Operation Dirty R.A.T., which targeted the creators and users of Blackshades ransom and malware, resulting in the largest ever worldwide law enforcement action against cybercriminals. In connection with the so-called “doomsday virus,” Mr. Pastore obtained a unique order to prevent catastrophic Internet outage.
Jim  Pastore
Jim Pastore
He is a recognized leader in the field, is regularly quoted in the press, and has extensive experience responding to, investigating and litigating data breaches, both in private practice and during his tenure as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York. He holds a dual degree in English and computer applications, and served as an adjunct professor of cybersecurity at Cardozo Law School. Clients across a range of industries have called on Mr. Pastore to assist with cybersecurity and data privacy advice, with a particular focus on breach response.
Joe Binder
Joe Binder
Joe Binder is a corporate partner and a member of Debevoise's Investment Management Group. His practice focuses on advising established and emerging sponsors on all aspects of private investment funds, including fund formation and ongoing fund and management company operations. Mr. Binder’s experience includes acting for clients such as Sequoia Capital, Lightspeed Venture Partners, HarbourVest Partners, Crescent Capital Group, Stone Point Capital, Morgan Stanley, and One Rock Capital. Mr. Binder first joined Debevoise as an associate in the tax and investment management groups in 2013, and later spent time as Associate General Counsel at Debevoise client, Sequoia Capital. He rejoined the firm as a counsel in 2022. He earned his J.D. from Brooklyn Law School summa cum laude in 2013. Mr. Binder is the co-author of “A Model for Measuring the Expected Value of Assuming Tax-Partnership Liability,” an article published by the Brooklyn Journal of Corporate, Financial & Commercial Law in 2013. He received a B.A. magna cum laude from Northeastern Illinois University in 2008. Prior to law school, Mr. Binder worked as a communications consultant to nonprofit organizations in New York, Washington, D.C., and Chicago.
John Rife
John Rife
John Rife is an English-qualified partner in the Corporate Department and a member of the firm’s Funds/Investment Management Group, where he advises institutional and independent sponsors of buyout, debt, secondaries, real estate, emerging markets, infrastructure and energy funds, as well as funds of funds, on a broad range of matters, including fund formation and ongoing operational matters, co-investments, carried interest arrangements and internal reorganizations. In addition, Mr. Rife is a leader in the firm’s Alternative Asset and Secondary Investments Group and regularly advises sponsors and investors on secondary transactions including GP-led fund restructurings and tender offers, LP interest portfolio transactions, fundless sponsor transactions and other fund-related transactional matters.
Jonathan Adler
Jonathan Adler
Jonathan Adler is a corporate partner based in Debevoise's New York office and a member of the firm’s Investment Management Group. His practice focuses on advising sponsors of private investment funds, including buyout, growth capital, energy, infrastructure and credit funds. In addition to his work with U.S. and European funds, Mr. Adler has also advised clients in establishing private equity funds, offices and joint ventures in various emerging markets, including Africa, India and South America. Mr. Adler’s recent experience includes acting for clients such as The Carlyle Group, Carmel Partners, Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, Crescent Capital Group, Global Infrastructure Partners, JP Morgan, KKR, Prudential Capital Group, Trimaran Capital Partners and Vinci Partners. Mr. Adler is ranked as a leading lawyer for private equity funds by Chambers Global (2023) and Chambers USA (2023), where clients note that he is “a very smart practitioner who has a strong knowledge of the market” and he has “an incredible ability to synthesize complex information.” Sources have also said that “he cuts to the heart of a problem quickly and he’s quick thinker.” They have described him as “a supremely talented fund formation lawyer providing thoughtful and commercial advice; he is very creative.” Clients have also noted that he has a “fine combination of really good technical skills and a really good sense of the commercial and practical realities” and that he is “an extraordinary lawyer; he's very thoughtful and brings a commercial, get-things-resolved attitude.” He was named to Private Funds Management’s “30 Under 40”, which recognizes the top private equity funds lawyers under the age of 40. He was also named a Rising Star by Law360 (2017) and is recommended by IFLR1000 (2022). Mr. Adler joined the firm in 2005. He received a J.D. magna cum laude from New York University in 2005, where he was a member of the Order of the Coif, and a B.S. from Cornell University in 2002. Mr. Adler is admitted to the bar in New York.
Jonathan  Lewis
Jonathan Lewis
Jonathan F. Lewis is the Chair of the firm’s Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Group and co-leads the People Solutions Group in New York. For more information on the firm’s People Solutions initiative, please click here. His practice encompasses all aspects of executive compensation and the deployment of human capital. The scope of his practice includes: Public and private mergers and acquisitions, with an emphasis on the special issues raised in the private equity, healthcare and insurance sectors. The design and operation of compensation plans and programs for both public and private companies, including related tax, accounting, governance and disclosure concerns. The investment of the assets of ERISA pension plans in funds and separately managed vehicles, with significant experience of these issues in the private equity, insurance and real estate sectors. Counselling public and private companies on sensitive matters relating to senior executives and their compensation, including hirings, departures and compensatory arrangements. For a summary of the considerations raised by these matters, please click here. Representation of individual executives and management teams. Mr. Lewis is recognized by Chambers USA (2023) as a leader in Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation. Clients say that he is “excellent” and “incredibly hands-on; he is always available and super-commercial.” He has also been described as “a fantastic lawyer” whose “judgment, critical thinking and bedside manner are differentiating.” He is said to be “very smart, thoughtful and commercial,” “an outstanding lawyer,” and “a superstar” with “incredible knowledge of a complex field, he is very practical and gives advice that is appreciated from a client’s perspective.” The Legal 500 US (2023) also recommends Mr. Lewis as a Leading Lawyer, where clients have praised his “creative and practical approach.” Mr. Lewis is a frequent writer on legal developments regarding employee benefits and executive compensation. He is the author of “Private Equity and Hedge Fund Arrangements,” a chapter in Section 409A Handbook (BNA Books, 2d ed. 2016; 3rd ed. forthcoming); and author or co-author of “Debevoise Discusses Shareholder Climate Activism and 401(k) Plans,” CLS Blue Sky Blog (June, 2022); “Debevoise Discusses the Labor Department’s Proposal on ESG and ERISA,” CLS Blue Sky Blog (October, 2021); “DOL Fiduciary Rule Delayed: So What Should You Be Doing Now?,” Compliance Reporter (April, 2017); the Russian chapter of “Executive Compensation & Employee Benefits,” Getting The Deal Through, (July, 2015); and “Counting To 80,” Private Equity Manager (August, 2013). Mr. Lewis is also a frequent speaker at seminars and conferences, including Practicing Law Institute’s “Cool Compensation Considerations for the Private Company” (2017-2021). Mr. Lewis received his B.A. from Harvard College in 1990 and his J.D. with high honors from The George Washington University Law School in 1994, where he was editor-in-chief of The George Washington Law Review. Mr. Lewis served as a law clerk to the Hon. Stewart Dalzell in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania from 1994 to 1996.
Justin Storms
Justin Storms
Justin Storms is a corporate partner based in Debevoise's New York office and a member of the firm’s Investment Management Group. Mr. Storms represents clients in a wide range of activities in the private alternative investment space, including the organization of traditional private investment funds and co-investment structures, the establishment of bespoke separately managed accounts and platforms, the development of “house” governance and compensation structures, and select representations of institutional investors. Mr. Storms’ recent experience includes acting for clients such as Carlyle, HarbourVest Partners and KKR, among others. Recognized as a leading individual for private equity funds by Chambers Global (2023) and Chambers USA (2023), sources highlight Mr. Storms’ ability to provide “practical and insightful advice for challenging issues.” They say “he understands his clients’ needs and cuts through issues to find a solution.” He is also said to be “a thoughtful adviser,” “a resourceful and hands-on partner,” and “a sophisticated, savvy, commercial lawyer who works tirelessly to deliver high-quality work.” The guides have also described him as “detail-orientated,” “a premier negotiator,” “technically very strong,” “incredibly insightful” and as a “fount of knowledge in fund formation matters.” He receives further praise from clients for his “incredibly deep understanding of the issues at hand” and for being “an extremely commercial and practical lawyer” who is “able to come up with smart and creative solutions.” Mr. Storms joined the firm in 2019. He received his B.A. summa cum laude from The University of Texas in 2000 and a J.D. magna cum laude from New York University School of Law in 2003. He is admitted to practice in New York.
Kara Brockmeyer
Kara Brockmeyer
Kara Brockmeyer is a litigation partner whose practice focuses on representing companies and individuals in anti-corruption, fraud and related government investigations and internal investigations, as well as advising on deal due diligence and compliance matters.
Karolos Seeger
Karolos Seeger
Karolos Seeger is a partner in the firm’s White Collar & Regulatory Defense Group and International Dispute Resolution Group, based in the London office. He is also a member of the firm’s Management Committee. His practice focuses on white collar crime and internal investigations, in particular regarding compliance with corrupt practices legislation, conducting compliance assessments and creating and implementing appropriate compliance programmes and procedures. Mr. Seeger also advises clients on a wide range of specific sanctions issues and has experience in complex litigation and international arbitration matters. Mr. Seeger has deep experience in the field of internal investigations, compliance advice and white collar crime, as well as in a variety of English High Court and international arbitration matters in a wide range of sectors.
Katherine Ashton
Katherine Ashton
Dual-qualified in England and the U.S., Kate Ashton is a corporate partner with a broad international practice, including extensive experience in Europe and the U.S. in private equity transactions, corporate finance, debt and equity offerings and financial restructurings.She regularly counsels private equity and other investment funds on corporate and securities matters including secondary acquisitions, fund recapitalisations, and European listings. She also has significant experience in European financial restructurings.
Kevin Schmidt
Kevin Schmidt
He has worked extensively on acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, and strategic investments, including cross-border transactions for both private equity and corporate clients.
Konstantin Bureiko
Konstantin Bureiko is an international counsel based in the London office. He is a member of the firm’s White Collar & Regulatory Defense Group. Mr. Bureiko’s practice focuses on white collar defence and investigations, with deep experience of conducting international anti-corruption investigations and advising on compliance matters for large multinational companies. His work in this area has taken in more than forty countries, spanning North and South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, Russia and the Middle East. His Russian language skills have also allowed him to develop particular expertise in conducting eastern European and Russian language investigations.
Laith Najjar
Laith Najjar is an associate based in the London office. He is a member of the International Dispute Resolution Group, where his practice focuses on international arbitration, both commercial and investor-state. Mr. Najjar has a particular focus on disputes arising in the energy and natural resources and infrastructure sectors and has acted for a broad range of clients, including oil & gas majors, mining companies, contractors, agribusinesses, independent trading houses, financial institutions and state-owned entities, under most of the major arbitral rules as well as in the English High Court. His representations include acting for clients in a number of different jurisdictions and in disputes that have been governed by a variety of substantive laws.
Laura Sinisterra
Laura Sinisterra
Laura Sinisterra is a partner in the firm's International Dispute Resolution Group in New York.
Lawrence Cagney
Lawrence Cagney
Lawrence Cagney is a senior partner in the firm’s Executive Compensation & Employee Benefits Group. He designs compensation plans and programs for public and private companies and assists them with related SEC reporting requirements and tax issues. Mr. Cagney also represents companies and individuals in structuring employment terms for senior executives as well as the unwind of such arrangements. In addition, Mr. Cagney advises financial services clients and investment funds on the fiduciary responsibility provisions of ERISA with respect to the investment of pension plan assets, including VCOC, REOC and other plan assets issues. Chambers USA (2023) ranks Mr. Cagney in the top tier for employee benefits and executive compensation law, where he is described as “one of the most sophisticated attorneys in this area of law.” In previous editions of the guide, clients have noted that he is “the best ERISA lawyer” who is “in a league of his own” and “a deep thinker with a deep knowledge of the practice area and a strong, analytical mind.” According to one source, he is “one of the best attorneys I’ve ever worked with,” adding, “he is smart, thoughtful, creative and patient.” He is also described as “a world-class executive compensation expert,” and clients have said that he is “an amazing listener and is incredibly thoughtful”; others have also noted that “if he doesn’t have an answer to a problem, then there is no answer.” Mr. Cagney is also recognized as a leading lawyer by The Legal 500 US (2023) and is a member of its “Hall of Fame.” The guide has stated that he is “held in high regard on all matters relating to executive compensation” and he is “incredibly knowledgeable and expert.” According to clients, he is “incredible… he is thoughtful and insightful and has so much experience. He is a real gem!” Mr. Cagney is a frequent speaker and the author of numerous articles on executive compensation and issues pertaining to the investment under ERISA of plan assets by qualified employee benefit plans. Mr. Cagney joined Debevoise in 1986. He received his A.B. from Fordham University in 1978 and his J.D. from Georgetown Law School in 1981.
Lorna Bowen
Lorna Bowen
Lorna Bowen, Chair of the U.S. Investment Management Group, is a corporate partner based in Debevoise's New York office. Her practice focuses on advising international asset managers on the establishment and operation of private fund products across the alternative fund spectrum, including private credit, distressed debt, infrastructure, private equity and other products in the illiquid closed-end fund space, funds of funds and alternative open-end fund products. Ms. Bowen’s practice also has an emphasis on the development of tailored investment platforms and structured solutions for strategic institutional investors. She has experience in a wide range of corporate transactions in the sector, seeding/start-up financing deals, joint ventures and co-investments. Ms. Bowen is recommended by Chambers Global (2023) and Chambers USA (2023), where sources highlight her “depth and breadth” in the private equity funds space, noting that she has “great checks on emerging issues.” She has also been described as “technically savvy” with “a great mind for complexity.” She receives further praise from clients who have said that she is “very commercial and solution-oriented,” and “a terrific and responsive lawyer” who is “very astute at getting to the nub of the issue.” The guides have described her as “smart, practical, expeditious and well respected” and “an excellent lawyer, on top of her brief and very focused on getting the result her client wants.” Ms. Bowen is also recognized by IFLR1000 (2022). Ms. Bowen joined the firm in 2019. She received a Bachelor of Civil Law (Euro Legal Studies) from University College Dublin (Université de Rouen) and is admitted to the New York Bar. She is also admitted as a solicitor of the Senior Courts of England & Wales.
Luke Eldridge
Luke Eldridge
Luke P. Eldridge is a corporate partner and a member of the firm’s Investment Management Group. His practice focuses on advising sponsors of private investment funds, co-investment vehicles and separately managed accounts, covering numerous sectors and strategies, including debt, energy, growth capital, emerging markets and venture capital funds. Mr. Eldridge’s recent experience includes acting for clients such as Carlyle, EIG Global Energy Partners, Glendon Capital Management, Sequoia Capital and Stone Point Capital. Mr. Eldridge joined Debevoise in 2014. He received his J.D. magna cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania Law School and a Certificate in Management from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 2014. Mr. Eldridge was a member of the Order of the Coif and served as a comments editor for the University of Pennsylvania Law Review. He received his B.A. with highest distinction from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2011, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. Mr. Eldridge is a member of the Bar of the State of New York.
Luke Dembosky
Luke Dembosky
Luke Dembosky co-chairs Debevoise & Plimpton’s global Data Strategy and Security practice. He advises companies on managing cyber risks, responding to cyber incidents and handling related internal investigations and regulatory defense.
Marc Ponchione
Marc Ponchione
Marc Ponchione, a partner in Debevoise's Investment Management Group, focuses on advising financial services firms on various regulatory, compliance and transactional issues arising in the asset management industry. Mr. Ponchione is based in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office. Mr. Ponchione represents asset managers, funds, sponsors and issuers of financial products on a broad range of regulatory and transactional issues inside and outside the United States. He regularly advises clients on issues under the federal securities laws, including the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 as well as various other regulations affecting investment managers, funds and financial product sponsors. Mr. Ponchione is ranked as a leading lawyer for Investment Funds: Regulatory & Compliance by Chambers Global (2023) and Chambers USA (2023), where clients note that he is “dependable ... very responsive and [he] delivers excellent work product.” He has also been described as “intelligent, thoughtful, diligent and practical.” Mr. Ponchione is further recognized by  IFLR1000 (2022) as a Notable Practitioner for Investment Funds and Financial Services Regulatory. From 2001 to 2006, he served as senior counsel at the Securities and Exchange Commission (Division of Investment Management). Mr. Ponchione serves on the American Bar Association Subcommittee on Hedge Funds, the American Bar Association Subcommittee on Investment Companies and Investment Advisers and the New York City Bar Committee on Investment Management Regulation. He frequently writes on investment management best practices and issues for various legal and business publications, and is an adjunct professor at Georgetown University Law Center. Mr. Ponchione received his B.A. from Marietta College in 1996 and his J.D. from Duquesne University in 1999. He serves on the Board of Trustees at Marietta College.
Mark Johnson
Mark Johnson
Mark Johnson is a partner in the firm’s Hong Kong office and a member of the International Dispute Resolution Group. His practice focuses on white collar/regulatory defense matters, cybersecurity matters and commercial litigation in Hong Kong and across Asia.For more than 25 years in the region, Mr. Johnson has built a successful practice advising on shareholders’ and directors’ disputes, internal and regulatory investigations, commercial litigation and inquiries from a range of regulatory bodies, both in Asia and elsewhere. These include matters involving the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and the Independent Commission Against Corruption. Much of his work is in the financial services and private wealth sectors.
Mark Friedman
Mark Friedman
His practice concentrates on international arbitration and litigation, and he also has broad experience in civil and criminal matters. Mr. Friedman has represented clients in a wide variety of complex commercial and Investor-State disputes across many industry sectors, including energy, mining, finance, insurance, construction, shareholder relationships, joint ventures, media, telecommunications and manufacturing. He has acted as counsel or arbitrator in disputes under the rules of the ICC, LCIA, AAA, ICDR, CPR, UNCITRAL and ICSID.
Mark W. Friedman
Mark W. Friedman
Mark W. Friedman is a litigation partner, Co-Chair of the firm’s International Dispute Resolution Group and a member of the Special Situations team.
Matthew Dickman
Matthew Dickman
Matt Dickman, a London-based partner and member of the firm’s Funds/Investment Management Group, advises on the formation, management and reorganisation of private investment funds. Mr. Dickman is also a leader in the firm’s Alternative Assets Transactions and Liquidity Solutions Group, where he regularly advises fund sponsors and investors on GP staking transactions, including internal reorganisations and internal economic and governance arrangements, as well as seed investments in emerging fund sponsors and secondary transactions. Mr. Dickman represents a broad range of international private equity and other private investment funds and their sponsors, including recent experience advising technology and venture capital funds.
Matthew Saronson
Matthew Saronson
Matt Saronson  focuses on advising sponsors and investors on the U.S. and international tax aspects of private equity funds and representing private equity and corporate clients in connection with complex, cross-border and multi-jurisdictional acquisitions, dispositions, financings and partnership transactions. Working with the firm’s fund formation lawyers in the U.S., Europe and Asia, he has advised on a broad spectrum of private funds.
Maurizio Levi-Minzi
Maurizio Levi-Minzi
Maurizio Levi-Minzi is an M&A lawyer with nearly 30 years of experience advising clients in complex joint ventures and cross-border acquisitions of a broad variety of assets in sectors such as energy, asset management infrastructure and consumer products. Mr. Levi-Minzi has led transactions in Latin America, the United States, Europe and Asia for private equity groups and strategic investors including Ambev, Barrick, Brookfield, BTG Pactual, Carlyle, Clessidra, CPPIB, CSN, GP Investments, H.I.G. Capital Management and Mitsui. He is ranked as a leading lawyer for mergers and acquisitions in Latin America by Chambers Global (2022), Chambers Latin America (2023), Latin Lawyer 250 (2022) and The Legal 500 Latin America (2023). In Chambers Global (2023) and Chambers Latin America (2023), clients note that Mr. Levi-Minzi is “sharp as they come” with “terrific commercial instinct and remarkable responsiveness.” Clients have also said that Mr. Levi-Minzi is an “extremely experienced M&A expert” who is “a master in negotiations” and is “particularly good in handling complex matters.” He is said to have “excellent judgement” and is “a really great hands-on lawyer” who “is calm under pressure, asks the right questions, and always looks for the commercial solution.” He has also received praise for his work style: “He’s got a sense of humour, which is always helpful.” Mr. Levi-Minzi is also recognized as a leading M&A lawyer by IFLR1000 (2022) and has been named an “Expert in Mining” by Who’s Who Legal (2022). He co-authored the article “Private Equity Funds and Institutional Investors in M&A” in Latin Lawyer’s Guide to Mergers & Acquisitions,” (February, 2021). He also co-authored Latin Lawyer’s article entitled “A Yellow Brick Road for Brazilian Investors?” (July, 2016), “Going to El Norte,” (August, 2015) and “Lost in Translation,” (April, 2014), which discussed legal concepts in cross-border M&A with a focus on Brazil and the U.S. He is also the co-author of “Drilling For PE Deal Opportunities,” The Mining Journal (December, 2014); “Royalties in Peru and Chile,” The Mining Journal (August, 2014); “Private Equity & Venture Capital in Latin America deal structuring,” BVCA International Series (November, 2013); “Giving Notice,” International Financial Law Review (September, 2012); “How To Notify Under Brazil’s New Pre-Merger Antitrust Regime,” International Financial Law Review (August, 2012); “Brazil Effects New Merger Control Regime,” The Deal (August, 2012) and “Brick By Brick: Brazil,” Private Equity Manager (March, 2012). In 2020, Mr. Levi-Minzi participated in the panel “Trends in M&A Contractual Practices in Brazil and the United States” at the inaugural “M&A Conference of the Americas” (MACA), in São Paulo. In 2019, he moderated a panel on “Deal-making in 2019 and beyond: everything you need to know” at the Latin Lawyer Live 10th Annual Private Equity conference, in New York, and on “Leading Complex Transactions” at the LACCA Live 10th Regional São Paulo Meeting, in Brazil. He also discussed trends in the Latin America M&A market at the IBA M&A Latin America Conference in Santiago, Chile. Mr. Levi-Minzi is an adjunct professor of law at New York University, where he teaches a popular course in cross-border M&A. He also co-taught in 2022 cross-border M&A as visiting professor at the University of Sao Paulo (USP). Mr. Levi-Minzi is a 1993 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Law School and holds an M.B.A. in Finance from Golden Gate University. Prior to joining the firm, he was a banker with NMB Bank (ING Bank) in New York. Mr. Levi-Minzi is fluent in Italian and Spanish and proficient in Portuguese.
Maurizio Levi-Minzi
Maurizio Levi-Minzi
He has nearly 30 years of experience advising clients in complex joint ventures and cross-border acquisitions of a broad variety of assets in sectors such as energy, technology, asset management infrastructure and consumer products. Mr. Levi-Minzi has led transactions in Latin America, the United States, Europe and Asia for private equity groups and strategic investors including Ambev, Barrick, Brookfield, BTG Pactual, Carlyle, Clessidra, CPPIB, CSN, GP Investments, H.I.G. Capital Management and Mitsui.
Maxim Osadchiy
Maxim Osadchiy is a member of the firm’s International Dispute Resolution Group, resident in London. His practice focuses on commercial and investment treaty arbitration, and he also has experience in cross-border litigation, including before the English courts. Mr. Osadchiy is recommended for international arbitration by The Legal 500 UK (2023). Mr. Osadchiy has represented States, corporations and individuals in many significant international proceedings governed by various substantive laws of civil and common law systems and conducted under the rules of the LCIA, ICC, SCC, HKIAC, VIAC, and UNCITRAL. He has been counsel in disputes across a broad range of industry sectors, including oil & gas, services, mining, construction and pharmaceuticals, often involving parties from CIS and Eastern Europe.
Maxim Kuleshov
Maxim Kuleshov
Maxim Kuleshov is an international counsel. His practice focuses on public and private mergers & acquisitions, capital markets and private equity transactions in various industries, including energy and natural resources, financial institutions and transportation.
Megan K. Bannigan
Megan K. Bannigan
Her practice focuses on trademarks, trade dress, copyrights, false advertising, design patents, rights of publicity, licensing and other contractual disputes. She represents clients across a range of industries, including consumer products, cosmetics, entertainment, fashion and luxury goods, financial services, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, professional sports and technology. Ms. Bannigan has extensive trial experience, helping to secure an over $20 million jury verdict for client Learning Annex in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, among other matters. She also has experience representing clients before the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board and the International Trade Commission.
Meir Katz
Meir Katz
Meir Katz is a tax partner and member of the firm’s Executive Compensation & Employee Benefits Group. His practice focuses on a broad range of executive compensation and employee benefits matters in corporate transactions, including public and private mergers and acquisitions and securities offerings, and on the design, negotiation and implementation of employee agreements and equity-based incentive and other compensation programs for public and private companies, financial sponsors, management groups and individual executives. Previously, for several years, he was a member of the firm’s Mergers & Acquisitions Group, in which he worked on domestic and cross-border transactions for many of the firm’s private equity and corporate clients. Mr. Katz is recommended by Chambers USA (2023), where clients note he is “an excellent practitioner and is detail-oriented.” He has also been described as “really smart, really thoughtful,” “excellent, responsive” and “a clear communicator” who is “extremely knowledgeable, both technically and commercially.” Mr. Katz is recognized as a Next Generation Partner by The Legal 500 US (2023), where he is said to be “a great collaborator and negotiator.” Mr. Katz received his J.D. from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in 2004, Order of the Coif, and served as editor-in-chief of the Cardozo Law Review. Mr. Katz was admitted to the bar in New York in 2005 and has been with Debevoise since 2005. Prior to Debevoise, Mr. Katz served as a law clerk in the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia from 2004–2005.
Merryl Lawry-White
Merryl Lawry-White is member of Debevoise & Plimpton’s International Dispute Resolution Group based in London. Ms. Lawry-White’s practice includes contentious and advisory work across public international law, investment treaty arbitration, commercial arbitration, international humanitarian law, human rights and transitional justice. She acts as counsel on claims and complaints brought before the International Court of Justice, the WTO, international conciliation commissions, UN human rights treaty bodies, domestic courts, as well as arbitral tribunals established under the ICSID Convention, the UNCITRAL Rules, the ICC, LCIA, DIFC-LCIA rules, and other regional arbitration rules. Ms. Lawry-White has completed advanced advocacy training. Ms Lawry-White is also a member of the firm's public international law and business integrity groups. She regularly assists clients with queries related to a variety of public international law matters, as well as business and human rights and environmental concerns, such as modern slavery acts statements and other areas of environmental and business and human rights risk. Ms. Lawry-White is a member of the International Bar Association’s Subcommitee on ESG.
Michael Gillespie
Michael Gillespie
Over three decades, Mr. Gillespie has served as trusted advisor to some of the largest companies and groups globally. His work has covered a broad span, from M&A and other strategic transactions to critical governance, compliance and risk management issues. He has served on Debevoise’s Management Committee and is a senior member of the M&A, TMT and Latin America groups, among others. Mr. Gillespie is also Co-Head of Diversity & Inclusion at the firm.
Michael  Snypes
Michael Snypes
J. Michael Snypes, Jr. is a partner in the firm’s Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Group. His practice focuses on a broad range of executive compensation and employee benefits matters, including those that arise in transactions, both private and public. Mr. Snypes is recommended by The Legal 500 US (2023). Mr. Snypes advises public and private companies, management teams and private equity investors on compensation and benefits-related issues in mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, management buyouts, securities offerings and corporate restructurings. He counsels companies, boards of directors, compensation committees and executives on tax, securities law and corporate governance matters pertaining to executive compensation. Mr. Snypes also advises on SEC disclosure issues and has experience with complex equity and phantom equity compensation models, as well as with dispute settlements and internal investigations arising in connection with employment terminations. Mr. Snypes regularly helps clients design, implement and maintain cash and equity-based compensation arrangements, including annual and long-term incentive plans, stock and phantom stock incentive programs and non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements. He also advises on and assists in negotiating employment, severance, change in control, retention, deferred compensation, non-competition, non-solicitation and other compensation-related agreements and arrangements. Mr. Snypes received a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law in 2006, where he was the managing editor of the Virginia Tax Review. He received a B.S. with Honors and Distinction from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1995, and a Master of Accounting from the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler School of Business in 1996.
Monika Hlavkova
Monika Hlavkova is an associate in the firm’s International Dispute Resolution Group. Her practice focuses on international arbitration and public international law. She is based in London, having also practised in Paris and Singapore. Ms. Hlavkova joined Debevoise in 2019 from a magic circle law firm. She has experience in investment and commercial arbitrations in a wide variety of sectors and regions and has represented investors and states in disputes under the UNCITRAL, ICSID, ICC, LCIA and SIAC Rules. Ms. Hlavkova also advises on issues of public international law, including on the firm’s pro bono mandates.
Natalia Drebezgina
Natalia Drebezgina
Natalia Drebezgina is a partner based in the Moscow office. Her practice focuses on mergers & acquisitions, general corporate practice, capital market transactions and commercial and contract law. She has extensive experience in advising foreign and domestic clients on various aspects of the acquisition of shares and participatory interests in Russian companies, including antimonopoly and regulatory matters; negotiating asset and share deals in various industries, including gold-mining and the oil and gas sector; and advising foreign and domestic clients on various issues with respect to their shareholdings’ structuring.
Natasha Labovitz
Natasha Labovitz
M. Natasha Labovitz is a corporate partner and Co-Chair of the firm’s Restructuring Group, and a member of the Special Situations team. She has extensive experience advising a range of clients, including private equity firms, fund investors and portfolio companies, in complex corporate restructurings and transactions, representing debtors and creditors in and out of bankruptcy and in cross-border insolvencies across multiple jurisdictions. Ms. Labovitz is ranked as a leading restructuring lawyer by Chambers USA, where clients say she is “a great problem-solver who always keeps her cool in tough situations” and “a very well-respected lawyer with a measured, unflappable approach.” They have also said that she is “extremely sharp” and “has a soft touch in terms of working with opposing counsel and clients,” adding that she “provides excellent business advice, knows the Bankruptcy Code inside and out, and keeps what is always a contentious crowd level-headed and on the right path.” She was named Best in Insolvency & Restructuring by Euromoney Legal Media Group at the Americas Women in Business Law Awards 2018 and was selected as Dealmaker of the Year by The American Lawyer in 2015. She received Turnaround Management Association’s Transaction of the Year: Pro Bono Award for leading Big Apple Circus’ restructuring and acquisition by Compass Partners. She also received Turnaround Management Association’s 2016 Transaction of the Year: Large Company Award for her role in advising Altegrity in its Chapter 11 proceedings and successful restructuring of more than $1.8 billion in funded indebtedness. Ms. Labovitz is also recognized as a leading restructuring lawyer by The Legal 500 US, where she has been described as an “excellent advocate and deal doer,” and was recognized in each of 2014 and 2015 by Turnarounds & Workouts in their annual list of 12 Outstanding Restructuring Lawyers in the United States. Ms. Labovitz is listed as a Notable Practitioner by IFLR1000 and was named MVP for 2015 by Law360 for her exceptional work in restructuring. In 2021, Ms. Labovitz was awarded The M&A Advisor’s Distressed Deal of the Year ($500mm - $1B) for her representation of High Ridge Brands in its Section 363 asset sale and Chapter 11 plan of liquidation. Ms. Labovitz has authored or co-authored articles on many bankruptcy-related topics and is a frequent speaker on industry panels. Her recent publications include “When Statutory Schemes Collide: The Intersection of Bankruptcy and Environmental Law,” Turnaround Management Association (July 2021); “Recent Court Decisions Add Potential Risks in Workout Transactions,” Journal for Corporate Renewal (October 2016); “Litigating Make–Whole Premiums in Bankruptcy,” New York Law Journal (September, 2014); “The Art of Spinning Off,” Transaction Advisors (August, 2014) and The M&A Lawyer (May, 2014); “Second Circuit Limits Availability Of Chapter 15,” Harvard Law School Bankruptcy Roundtable (April, 2014); “Court Rules that Due to Misrepresentations by Plaintiffs’ Firms, Garlock’s Settlement History Does Not Accurately Represent Its Actual Asbestos Liability,” Pratt’s Journal of Bankruptcy Law (February/March, 2014); and “Second Circuit Limits Availability of Chapter 15,” The American Bar Association International Law Section’s Secured Transactions & Insolvency Committee Newsletter (January, 2014). Ms. Labovitz is a fellow in the American College of Bankruptcy. She is also a member of the NYSB Business Bankruptcy Advisory Committee, Turnarounds & Workouts Association, the American Bankruptcy Institute, the International Women’s Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation, the Managed Funds Association, INSOL International and the Global Restructuring Review editorial board. Ms. Labovitz joined the firm in 2011 from a leading international law firm, where she was a senior partner in the firm’s Restructuring Group. She received her J.D. magna cum laude from New York University School of Law in 1996 and her B.A. magna cum laude from Columbia College, Columbia University in 1992.
Patricia Volhard
Patricia Volhard
Patricia Volhard is a partner in Debevoise’s Frankfurt and London offices and is a member of the firm’s Private Equity and Funds/Investment Management Groups. Her practice focuses on advising private funds, including on the full range of European regulatory issues, and structuring funds for EU insurance companies and pension funds.. Ms. Volhard is one of Europe’s leading private funds regulatory lawyers and has played a prominent role in the ongoing development of the area, in part through involvement in Invest Europe.
Patrick Swain
Patrick Swain is a partner based in the London office, where he is a member of the Litigation Department. Mr. Swain’s practice focusses on commercial disputes. He has guided clients through high profile disputes and claims in a variety of contexts, including M&A-related and other shareholder disputes, commercial fraud claims, professional negligence litigation and contentious insolvency. Mr. Swain also has a distinctly international practice, having practised from London, New York and Hong Kong during the course of his career to date.
Patrick Taylor
Patrick Taylor
Patrick Taylor is a partner in the London office of Debevoise & Plimpton, and is part of the firm’s France Desk. He is Co-Chair of the firm’s Africa practice, focusing on commercial and investment treaty arbitration, with particular experience in the upstream oil & gas, energy, pharmaceuticals, and telecommunications sectors. Qualified in England & Wales and Ireland as a solicitor-advocate, Mr. Taylor has advised and represented clients in disputes throughout the world for more than 20 years.
Paul Bird
Paul Bird
His practice focuses on advising private equity firms, public companies, boards of directors and special committees in connection with mergers & acquisitions and other significant corporate matters, including cross-border transactions, leveraged buyouts, spin-offs and takeover defense. He also regularly counsels corporations and their directors on corporate governance and fiduciary duty matters. A former member of the firm’s Management Committee, Mr. Bird was Co-Chair of the firm’s Corporate Department from 2010 to 2016 and Co-Head of the firms’ Mergers & Acquisitions Practice from 2001 to 2010.
Peter Goldsmith KC
Lord (Peter) Goldsmith QC, PC, is London Co-Managing Partner and Chair of European and Asian Litigation. Lord Goldsmith acts for a variety of clients, alongside his role as chair of the firm’s European and Asian litigation practices, in arbitration and litigation in the UK and other countries. He is a QC and appears regularly in court as well as in arbitration.
Philip Rohlik
Philip Rohlik
Philip Rohlik is a member of the firm’s Litigation Group whose practice focuses on international investigations, securities law and dispute resolution. Mr. Rohlik’s varied practice has included representation of U.S. and multinational companies in complex litigation and investigations, as well as in cybersecurity and data privacy issues, with a particular focus on Asia. Based in Asia since 2011, Mr. Rohlik leads the firm’s dispute resolution team in Shanghai. He has represented clients from the financial services, pharmaceutical/healthcare, engineering, manufacturing, insurance and entertainment sectors, in connection with white collar litigation, regulatory investigations, responses to cybersecurity incidents, domestic and international arbitration and domestic litigation. Mr. Rohlik also regularly counsels corporate clients on regulatory issues arising in the course of their business around the globe or in connection with M&A transactions.
Philipp von Holst
Philipp von Holst
Philipp von Holst is an international counsel. He has a broad international practice with a focus on private equity, cross-border mergers & acquisitions and financing transactions. His second focus is on white collar defense, internal investigations and compliance assessment. Mr. von Holst is also a member of the firm's Africa Practice Group and has worked on various prominent Africa related transactions in the private equity space in recent years.
Philippe Tengelmann
Philippe Tengelmann
Philippe Tengelmann is an international counsel and member of the firm’s Corporate department. His practice focuses on mergers & acquisitions, corporate finance and capital markets transactions.
Pierre Maugüé
Pierre Maugüé focuses his practice on acquisition and leveraged buyout financings and structured financings. Mr. Maugüé brings a global perspective to his work, having lived and worked in Asia, Europe and the United States
Pierre Clermontel
Pierre Clermontel
Pierre Clermontel is of counsel based in the Paris office. Mr. Clermontel was previously Managing Partner of the firm’s Paris office. He has broad experience in corporate finance, capital markets transactions and mergers & acquisitions. Mr. Clermontel frequently advises issuers and lead managers in connection with IPOs and global offerings. He is also regularly involved in French and cross-border mergers & acquisitions and in acquisition finance transactions.
Rebecca Silberstein
Rebecca Silberstein
Ms. Silberstein, Global Chair of Debevoise’s Investment Management Group, oversees the firm’s funds practice in the U.S., Europe and Asia. Ms. Silberstein was previously Co-Chair of the firm’s Private Equity Group for over a decade, and has built a leading fund formation practice over her nearly 30 years at the firm. She focuses on advising private equity firms and financial sponsors of private investment funds, including global private equity, leveraged buyout, energy and infrastructure, banking and financial services, mezzanine, credit and distressed debt funds, as well as bespoke funds and separate accounts. She also advises on regulatory matters, carry plans, employee investment programs and acquisitions and dispositions of interests in private equity firms, as well as joint ventures and strategic partnerships, management team spin-outs and the establishment of new private equity firms. Ms. Silberstein’s clients include Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, Credit Suisse, Global Infrastructure Partners, Investcorp, Kelso & Company, Morgan Stanley, One Rock Capital and Stone Point Capital. Ms. Silberstein was named to The American Lawyer’s “45 Under 45” list of the top women lawyers, where she is applauded for building a high-profile practice with “a unique mix of tenacity and grace.” Ms. Silberstein is ranked in the top band for private equity fund formation by Chambers USA (2023), where she is said to be a “a fierce advocate for her clients,” “proactive, smart, and commercial” and “technically skilled.” The guide has described her as “an impressive lawyer [who] has her pulse on what’s happening in the field” and a “fantastic” lawyer who is “very practical, very smart and really knows the industry.” Sources say she is “a luminary,” with clients praising her for her understanding of “the nuances of our business and the market.” The guides have also described her as “a fount of knowledge,” and “a market leader.” She has received extensive praise from clients, who laud her “great advocacy and great representation in the context of a very commercial backdrop” and endorse her “incredibly thoughtful and business-minded approach,” noting that “she has a tremendous understanding of the issues that are unique to this industry and is a standout negotiator.” She is recognized as a top-tier lawyer in Chambers Global (2023), and in previous editions of the guide, sources say she “always understands the issues, is very commercial in her approach and understands our business and sensitivities well.” Ms. Silberstein has also been named a Notable Woman in Law by Crain’s New York Business (2019), listed as a Most Highly Regarded Individual in New York for private funds by Who’s Who Legal Private Funds: Formation (2017), and she is noted as a highly regarded lawyer for Investment Funds Private Funds in the United States by IFLR1000 (2022). In 2016, she was named “Best in Investment Funds” at the fifth annual Americas Women in Business Law Awards presented by Euromoney Legal Media Group. Ms. Silberstein served as the New York City Bar Association’s 2018-2021 Chair of the Private Investment Funds Committee and has been a leader of the International Bar Association’s Investment Funds Committee for over a decade, serving as 2017–2018 Co-Chair of the Committee. She was the 2014 Chair and is a leading member of the Private Investment Funds Forum and is a frequent speaker at seminars and conferences. She is Chair of the Organizing Committee of the IBA’s Private Investment Funds Conference and was Chair of the 2019 IBA Annual Conference on the Globalisation of Investment Funds. Ms. Silberstein joined Debevoise in 1993 and became a partner in 2001. She received her B.A. magna cum laude from Yeshiva University in 1990 and her J.D. summa cum laude from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in 1993, where she was a supervising editor of the Law Review.
Richard Ward
Richard Ward
Richard Ward is Co-Managing Partner for the firm in London, and Chair of the firm’s UK Tax practice. A broad-gauged UK corporate and transactional tax lawyer, Mr. Ward has advised an array of multinational clients on mergers & acquisitions, joint ventures, financing transactions and private equity fund formation and operation.
Robert Hoose
Robert Hoose
Robert Hoose is an international counsel in the firm’s London office. His practice focuses on international commercial arbitration and commercial litigation, particularly in the construction and engineering sectors. Mr. Hoose has experience of representing companies in litigation in the UK and related jurisdictions; of domestic and international arbitration before major institutions including the ICC, LCIA, and SIAC; as well as ad hoc and informal proceedings such as domestic UK construction adjudication, pre-arbitral processes and mediation.
Sally Bergmann
Sally Bergmann
Sally Bergmann is a corporate partner and a member of Debevoise's Investment Management Group. Her practice focuses on advising sponsors of private equity funds, including buyout, venture, real estate and credit opportunities funds. Ms. Bergmann’s recent experience includes acting for clients such as Blackstone Alternative Asset Management, Breakthrough Properties, Burford Capital, Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, EQT, Kelso & Company, KKR, Morgan Stanley, Odyssey Investment Partners, Pine Island Capital Partners, Sequoia Capital, Tishman Speyer and WeWork. Ms. Bergmann is recommended by Chambers Global (2023) and Chambers USA (2023), where clients note that she is “very sharp, practical” and “a tremendous legal adviser” who is “thoughtful, commercial and solution-oriented.” She has also received praise for her “unparalleled” client service, with sources saying that she is “very quick and knowledgeable” and “she always has her finger on the pulse.” She has also been named a Rising Star by Law360 (2023) and listed as a Rising Star for Investment Funds by IFLR1000 (2022). Ms. Bergmann is a co-author of “Expect Fundraising Market To Grow More Competitive,” Law360 (August, 2022). She is also the author of “The Application of Conduit Theory in Interest Rate Swap Transactions: Schering-Plough Corporation v. United States,” 63 Tax. L. 437 (2010). Ms. Bergmann is a member of the 2022 Associate Leadership Institute Planning Committee for the NY City Bar Association’s Office of Diversity & Inclusion and was Debevoise’s 2019 Fellow for the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity. From 2009 to 2011, she served as a member of The Tax Lawyer. Ms. Bergmann joined Debevoise in 2011. She received a J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center in 2011, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Washington University in St. Louis in 2008.
Sally Bergmann
Sally Bergmann
Sally Bergmann is a corporate partner and a member of Debevoise's Investment Management Group. Her practice focuses on advising sponsors of private equity funds, including buyout, venture, real estate and credit opportunities funds. Ms. Bergmann’s recent experience includes acting for clients such as Blackstone Alternative Asset Management, Breakthrough Properties, Burford Capital, Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, EQT, Kelso & Company, KKR, Morgan Stanley, Odyssey Investment Partners, Pine Island Capital Partners, Sequoia Capital, Tishman Speyer and WeWork. Ms. Bergmann is recommended by Chambers Global (2023) and Chambers USA (2023), where clients note that she is “very sharp, practical” and “a tremendous legal adviser” who is “thoughtful, commercial and solution-oriented.” She has also received praise for her “unparalleled” client service, with sources saying that she is “very quick and knowledgeable” and “she always has her finger on the pulse.” She has also been named a Rising Star by Law360 (2023) and listed as a Rising Star for Investment Funds by IFLR1000 (2022). Ms. Bergmann is a co-author of “Expect Fundraising Market To Grow More Competitive,” Law360 (August, 2022). She is also the author of “The Application of Conduit Theory in Interest Rate Swap Transactions: Schering-Plough Corporation v. United States,” 63 Tax. L. 437 (2010). Ms. Bergmann is a member of the 2022 Associate Leadership Institute Planning Committee for the NY City Bar Association’s Office of Diversity & Inclusion and was Debevoise’s 2019 Fellow for the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity. From 2009 to 2011, she served as a member of The Tax Lawyer. Ms. Bergmann joined Debevoise in 2011. She received a J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center in 2011, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Washington University in St. Louis in 2008.
Samantha Rowe
Samantha Rowe
Samantha J. Rowe is a partner in the International Dispute Resolution and Business Integrity Groups whose practice focuses on international arbitration and public international law. Ms. Rowe has represented private clients and States across multiple jurisdictions (most notably, Latin America, Asia, the Middle East and Eastern Europe) in arbitrations governed by various substantive laws and conducted under the rules of the ICSID, UNCITRAL, SIAC, the ICC and the LCIA. She has experience across a broad range of industries and sectors, including energy, mining, construction, financial services and pharmaceuticals. She advises clients on a broad range of international law issues, including the international protection of investments, and represents her clients in associated disputes.
Satish Kini
Satish Kini
 Mr. Kini advises on a wide range of regulatory and transactional issues. For example, he has: represented large financial services firms in transactional matters, including to secure regulatory approvals for transactions from U.S. federal and state bank regulatory agencies and to develop compliance frameworks for various business combinations; counseled banks, securities firms, insurers and asset managers in a broad range of regulatory and compliance issues, ranging from the Volcker Rule to affiliate transactions, anti-money laundering, economic sanctions and data privacy/security; represented clients in adversarial proceedings before the federal bank regulatory agencies and the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), including in investigations, enforcement proceedings and adverse examination contexts; and advised clients on regulatory and compliance issues arising out of cross-border transactions and outsourcing arrangements, including with respect to sanctions and money laundering issues. In the context of these matters, Mr. Kini has led internal fact investigations of clients (involving allegations of data breaches/fraud, money laundering and sanctions compliance issues) and advised clients on compliance governance and structuring. He also has briefed senior business decision-makers and boards of directors, based in the United States and abroad, on important regulatory, enforcement and investigations matters. Mr. Kini has represented a wide range of firms (including banks, securities broker-dealers, insurers and asset managers) and leading industry trade associations on regulatory reform issues, including those arising out of the Dodd-Frank Act, and has assisted clients to participate in the policymaking process before federal regulators. He has helped to create industry coalitions to advocate for regulatory positions and to arrive at consensus interpretations on difficult issues. He also has testified on Dodd-Frank issues before Congress and has represented clients on Dodd-Frank and other matters before the federal banking agencies, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the Financial Stability Oversight Council and the U.S. Treasury Department and its Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) and Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
Sergio Torres
Sergio Torres
His practice focuses on domestic and cross-border acquisitions, divestitures, complex joint ventures, venture capital and private equity investments and corporate governance matters for private equity sponsors, financial institutions and other corporate clients. His experience includes advising clients such as Kelso & Company, Carlyle, Blackstone, Gympass, Naviera Ultranav, Ambev, CPPIB, BTG, H.I.G, Southern Cross and Globo Ventures.
Sergio Torres
Sergio Torres
Sergio Torres is a corporate counsel and a member of the firm’s Mergers & Acquisitions, Private Equity and Latin America Groups. His practice focuses on domestic and cross-border acquisitions, divestitures, complex joint ventures, venture capital and private equity investments and corporate governance matters for private equity sponsors, financial institutions and other corporate clients. Mr. Torres is an Adjunct Professor at Fordham Law School, where he teaches “Contract Drafting and Negotiation.” He is ranked as an “up-and-comer” by The Legal 500 Latin America (2023). In 2022, he co-authored the preface of “Fusões e Aquisições: Pareceres” (Mergers and Acquisitions: Legal Opinions), a book compromising a collection of legal opinions rendered by Brazilian legal scholars in M&A arbitration disputes in Brazil. Mr. Torres was a speaker in the Global Private Equity Conference organized by the International Finance Corporation and the Emerging Markets Private Equity Association in Washington, D.C. in 2019, where he discussed Structuring and Governance of Private Equity M&A Deals in Emerging Markets. He regularly writes for the firm’s Private Equity Report and, in 2016, he co-authored the article “Breves anotações sobre derivativos e securitização no Brasil” (Notes on derivatives and securitization in Brazil) published by Revista de Direito Empresarial. Mr. Torres joined Debevoise in 2016 and is a member of the firm’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee. From 2011 to 2015, he was a senior M&A counsel with Itaú Unibanco S.A., advising the financial conglomerate in domestic and cross-border M&A transactions in the insurance, financial and technology sectors, as well as in corporate governance matters, private equity, and fund investments. Mr. Torres was a legal counsel at Louis Dreyfus Commodities from 2010 to 2011, advising the group in complex transactions in Latin America, including trade finance, strategic alliances, M&A and international trade. Mr. Torres was an international associate at Debevoise from September 2013 through July 2014. Earlier in his carrier, Mr. Torres worked at Mexichem and Bunge.
Shreya Aren
Shreya Aren is an associate in the firm’s International Dispute Resolution Group and is based in the London office. Her practice focuses on international commercial and investment treaty arbitration. Ms. Aren joined Debevoise in 2019, prior to which she was an associate in the International Arbitration department of a magic circle firm.
Sidney  Levinson
Sidney Levinson
Sidney Levinson is a partner and Co-Chair of the firm’s Restructuring Group and a member of the Special Situations team. Mr. Levinson has extensive experience advising a range of clients, including bondholders, secured lenders, debtors, trustees and creditors’ committees in large and complex restructuring and bankruptcy proceedings. His representations include major league sports teams, the retail and gaming industries, airlines and real estate developers, among others. Among his recent engagements are the noteholders of Guitar Center, Bon-Ton Department Stores, Hot Topic and numerous other retailers; 1.5 lien noteholders of Hexion; term lenders of NYDJ Apparel and Fontainebleau Las Vegas; second lien noteholders of Caesars Entertainment Operating Company; DIP lenders of Alpha Media and Barney’s; and the agent for lenders of subsidiaries of HNA Group. He also has represented companies in out-of-court restructurings and in Chapter 11 cases, such as the Los Angeles Dodgers and, on behalf of the Chapter 11 trustee, Hawaiian Airlines. In addition, Mr. Levinson has served as lead trial counsel in a number of high-profile cases, including representing Hawaiian Airlines in obtaining an $80 million judgment (plus attorney fees of $3.9 million) against Mesa Air Group arising from Mesa's breach of a confidentiality agreement and representing a group of noteholders of Premier Entertainment Biloxi in winning a $9.5 million judgment (plus an award of $1.5 million in interest) against a solvent debtor for violation of a no-call provision. Throughout his career, Mr. Levinson has been recognized as a leading lawyer by various legal directories and trade publications and has spoken and written extensively on restructuring issues, and recently co-authored “Debevoise Discusses Key Questions Recent Crypto Bankruptcy Filings May Answer” for CLS Blue Sky Blog (July 2022). Mr. Levinson is ranked as a leading restructuring lawyer by Chambers USA, where clients note that he is “a very thoughtful and creative thinker in complex situations.” He is also recommended by The Legal 500 US. Mr. Levinson is a fellow in the American College of Bankruptcy and previously served as a subcommittee co-chair for the ABA's Business Bankruptcy Committee. He served on the board of directors of the Los Angeles Bankruptcy Forum from 2007 to 2011 and is a former editor of the California Bankruptcy Journal. From 1992 until 1995, Mr. Levinson was a trial attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice (Civil Division), specializing in bankruptcy and commercial litigation. He received his J.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1988 and his B.A. cum laude from Brandeis University in 1985.
Simone Hicks
Simone Hicks
Simone Hicks is a partner in Debevoise & Plimpton LLP’s Washington D.C. office and a member of the firm’s Executive Compensation & Employee Benefits Group. Her practice focuses on a broad range of executive compensation and employee benefits matters, including benefits and tax issues that arise in public and private mergers and acquisitions and other corporate transactions and on the design, negotiation and implementation of employee agreements, equity and cash-based incentive and other compensation programs for public and private companies, management groups and individual executives. Ms. Hicks advises clients on compensation-related corporate and securities law matters, including corporate governance and analyzing and complying with applicable SEC registration, reporting and disclosure requirements. Ms. Hicks is recommended by The Legal 500 US (2023).
Sonja Sreckovic
Sonja Sreckovic
Sonja Sreckovic is an associate based in London and a member of the International Dispute Resolution Group. Her practice focuses on international arbitration and public international law.  Ms. Sreckovic has represented a range of clients on a variety of contentious matters, including investor-state arbitrations, public international law disputes and high-value commercial arbitrations.  Ms. Sreckovic has experience across multiple jurisdictions (notably Central and Southeast Europe, Russia and Africa) and a number of industries including mining, telecommunications and energy. She has acted in a range of commercial disputes, including those arising out of joint venture, shareholder, licensing and distribution agreements. She has experience of international arbitration under the main arbitral institutions, including the ICC, LCIA, NIAC and ICSID, and ad hoc arbitral proceedings under UNCITRAL rules. Ms. Sreckovic has also advised clients before international and regional human rights bodies, including the United Nations and the European Court of Human Rights. In particular, she has advised private individuals on claims arising under the European Convention of Human Rights (“ECHR”) and claims relating to violations of women’s rights under the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (“CEDAW”). 
Thomas Smith
Thomas Smith
Thomas Smith is an English-qualified partner in the Finance Group of the London office. He acts for borrowers, sponsors, funds and financial institutions on a wide range of financing transactions, including complex acquisition and leveraged finance transactions (both syndicated bank loan and high-yield transactions) at all levels of the capital structure, capital call facilities and other alternative capital transactions for investment funds. 
Timothy McIver
Timothy McIver is a partner in the London office. His practice focuses on EU and UK competition law and regulatory matters, including obtaining clearance for complex merger investigations before the European Commission and UK competition authorities, as well as coordinating merger approvals across multiple jurisdictions worldwide. On the contentious side, he has broad experience advising on behavioural matters, including EU and UK investigations of alleged abuses of dominance and market investigations and studies, as well as representing clients before various UK sectoral regulators. Much of his work is international in nature and involves counselling clients on their global antitrust strategy. He has particular experience advising in the fields of financial services, technology, chemicals, energy (electricity and gas), natural resources, aviation, communications and private equity.
Tony Dymond
Tony Dymond
Tony Dymond is a partner in the firm’s London and Hong Kong offices, and a member of the International Dispute Resolution Group. He is Co-Chair of the firm’s Asia Arbitration practice. His practice focuses on complex, multijurisdictional disputes, in both litigation and arbitration.
Uri Herzberg
Uri Herzberg
Mr. Herzberg has a broad-based transactional practice with extensive experience advising private equity firms and multinational corporations in structuring and negotiating mergers, acquisitions, investments, divestitures, joint ventures and other corporate transactions.
Vera Losonci
Vera Losonci
Vera Losonci is a U.S. and English qualified international counsel in the Corporate Department. Her practice covers a broad spectrum of cross-border transactions, with a special focus on capital markets and securities work and transactions in emerging market jurisdictions. She also advises clients in significant cross-border mergers and acquisitions and corporate finance transactions, as well as on corporate governance matters.