Paul Hastings LLP

In addition to working closely with investors such as Accel-KKR, Cortec, and Citigroup, Paul Hastings LLP is very active in advising portfolio and target companies on a variety of merger deals, add-on acquisitions, and private equity- as well as venture capital-backed inbound investments. The team benefits from extensive cross-practice strengths to handle a large volume of multijurisdictional transactions and also regularly draws on the cross-practice expertise of key lawyers such as Ziemowit Smulkowski, who is noted for advising on the tax structuring of private equity deals, and Holly Snow, who represents private equity borrowers in debt finance transactions. Brian Richards, an expert on growth capital investments and leveraged buyouts, co-heads the practice with Palo Alto-based Scott Joachim, who joined from Goodwin in October 2023. Amit Mehta handles a variety of buyouts and distressed transactions for the likes of HIG, and San Francisco-based M&A experts Steve Camahort and Kelly Padgett are further key contacts. Unless otherwise stated, all mentioned lawyers are based in Chicago.