Kirkland & Ellis LLP is at the forefront of US IPOs for issuers. Its deal pipeline is fuelled by its client base of private equity houses and their portfolio companies, along with a multitude of other major corporates. Chicago partner Robert Hayward is a leader in equity offerings, particularly those involving issuers based in the Midwest. Christian Nagler is at the forefront of SPAC-related offerings, notably advising Ares Acquisition Corp II on its $500m upsized IPO in 2023. Joshua Korff and Sophia Hudson are also highly-rated partners that cover both debt and equity offerings. Named individuals are based in New York unless stated otherwise.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Key clients
- Alight, Inc.
- Allegion
- Ares Management
- At Home
- Bed Bath & Beyond
- Blue Owl Capital Inc.
- Callon Petroleum Company
- Carvana Co.
- Charter Communications
- Civitas Resources
- Eli Lilly
- GTCR
- Intuitive Machines
- John Deere
- Kellogg
- Kodiak Gas Services
- Shoals Technologies Group
- Vericast Corp.
- Vista Equity Partners
- WeWork
Work highlights
- Advised Bed Bath & Beyond on multiple out-of-court transactions that allowed it to avoid an immediate “free-fall” Chapter 11 filing, which included a novel equity capital markets transaction.
Lawyers
Hall of Fame
The lawyers at the very top of the profession, widely known and respected by peers and clients for their longstanding involvement in market-leading work.
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Robert Hayward
Kirkland & Ellis LLP