
Kirkland & Ellis LLP
Client SatisfactionPraised as ‘a perfect match for tackling both local and transnational issues’, the ’dynamic, young’ team at Kirkland & Ellis LLP is well-versed in large cap LBOs, minority and majority investments, carve-outs, exits and IPOs. The group is frequently instructed by US and European private equity houses, financial sponsors and sovereign wealth fund clients. Practice co-heads Vincent Ponsonnaille and Laurent Victor-Michel boast extensive transactional experience; Ponsonnaille is lauded for his availability and ‘excellent advice’. Also noted are Louis Gosset and the ’very proactive and thoughtful’ Emmanuel Enrici, both of whom handle transactions and corporate governance mandates.
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Vincent Ponsonnaille and Louis Gosset are the lawyers we prefer to have at our side rather than across from us on complicated subjects. They do haute couture: tailor-made work, of great quality with a remarkable team at their side. They are always available and offer excellent advice.'
‘The office benefits from K&E's international reach, a very detailed technical knowledge of its files (in line with the firm's excellence at the global level), while having a strong local anchoring allowing it to respond to the specificities of French operations. A perfect match for tackling both local and transnational issues. Dynamic, young team with proactive and very competent young partners.'
‘Vincent Ponsonnaille: track record, technicality, patience. Emmanuel Enrici: very proactive and thoughtful, with a strong commercial DNA and a very good understanding of the complexities of private equity operations (both on the legal level and in their strategic and transactional aspects).'
‘Responsiveness, high technical quality and pragmatism. Emmanuel Enrici: pragmatic and excellent legal practitioner.'
‘Unequalled sense of customer service. Excellent level, great availability, responsiveness, ability to create value on complex issues.'
Generally speaking, the entire Kirkland team is of a very high level, the best of the various councils with which we work. Laurent Victor-Michel and Nadine Gelli are recommended.'
‘Very responsive and always available team. Very technical.'
Key clients
- AXA Investment Management
- Advent International
- Arctos Sports Partners
- ArisGlobal
- Antin Infrastructure Partners
- Ares Management Corporation
- Cinven
- CPP Investments
- EQS Group
- Five Arrows PE
- Gallant Capital
- GIC Private Limited
- Groupe Bruxelles Lambert
- IK Partners
- MACOM
- Metaco
- PAI Partners
- Partners Group
- Platinum Private Equity
- Providence Equity Partners
- Searchlight Capital
- Silver Lake
- SK Capital Partners
- Thoma Bravo
- Vista Equity Partners
- Warburg Pincus
- Wendel
Work highlights
- Advising CD&R and the consortium with Everest UK HoldCo Limited, an entity controlled by the Permira funds and the majority shareholder of Exclusive Networks, formed with a view to acquiring the shares of Exclusive Networks held by Everest UK HoldCo Limited and Olivier Breittmayer.
- Advised IK Partners on the sale of a controlling interest in the firm to Wendel.
- Advising Arctos Sports Partners on a partnership and investment deal with Qatar Sports Investments that will see Arctos acquire a minority equity stake in the football club Paris Saint-Germain.
Lawyers
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Vincent Ponsonnaille, Laurent Victor-Michel