November 29, 2010… Latham & Watkins LLP1 is pleased to announce that 22 attorneys have been elected to the partnership, and 20 associates have been elected to the role of counsel, effective January 1, 2011.
“These talented new partners and counsel have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to client service and have made significant contributions to the management and growth of our firm’s business across a range of transactional, litigation and regulatory practice areas,” said Robert M. Dell, Chairman and Managing Partner of Latham & Watkins. “We congratulate the attorneys on their accomplishments and know they will continue to uphold the high standards of quality and collaboration that are hallmarks of Latham & Watkins.”
The attorneys elected to the partnership are:
CHICAGO
Timothy FitzSimons is a corporate attorney whose practice focuses on public and private mergers and acquisitions with an emphasis on friendly and unsolicited tender offers and advising independent directors in conflict of interest transactions, financial sponsor and portfolio company representation in venture capital and private equity transactions and public company representation. He received a JD from the Northwestern University School of Law in 2002.
Scott Hairston is a corporate attorney with a focus on mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructurings and general company representation, with particular expertise with companies and transactions in the hospitality industry. He received a JD from the University of Michigan in 2001.
Zachary Judd is a corporate attorney whose practice focuses on public and private mergers and acquisitions both in the US and across the world, and general company representation. He has broad transactional experience representing both buyers and sellers in connection with stock and asset sales, managing auction sale processes, working with financially troubled companies and their lenders in connection with out-of-court restructurings and in-court bankruptcies, and has particular expertise in the areas of life sciences and distressed M&A. He received a JD from the University of Illinois College of Law in 2002.
Caroline Reckler is an insolvency attorney and has experience in a wide range of restructuring matters, both in and outside of bankruptcy, including representations of private and public companies in all aspects of chapter 11 proceedings, including prepackaged, prearranged, and involuntary bankruptcies. Her practice also regularly involves representing purchasers of distressed companies in bankruptcy, advising boards of directors and management of financially distressed companies and representing financial institutions in connection with debtor-in-possession financings. She received a JD from the University of Michigan Law School in 2001.
Noah Weiss is a finance attorney with a focus on senior secured lending and leveraged finance. He represents financial institutions, borrowers and private equity sponsors in US and cross-border asset-based and cash-flow loan transactions, typically in the context of acquisition financings, workouts and restructurings. He also has US and international experience in public and private mergers, acquisitions and securities offerings, and corporate governance matters. He received a JD from Columbia Law School in 2000.
DUBAI
Kai Schneider is a corporate attorney focused on investment funds, joint ventures and private equity. He has extensive experience advising clients in the MENA region and globally on the formation of, and investment in, a wide variety of Shari’ah-compliant and conventional private investment funds, including private equity, infrastructure, real estate, mezzanine, distressed debt, funds-of-funds, secondary, venture capital, hedge and other regionally focused and sector-specific funds. He received an LLM from Georgetown University Law Center in 2004 and a JD from the University of Baltimore School of Law in 2001.
FRANKFURT
Marcus Funke is a corporate securities attorney who advises issuers and underwriters in complex capital markets transactions, including initial public offerings, rights offerings and bond issuances, as well as in general corporate matters. His practice focuses on equity and debt capital markets transactions, and he has particular expertise in equity capital markets and high yield work. He advises financial industry participants as principals in securities transactions as well as in regulatory and deposit protection matters. He received an LL.M. from the University of Chicago Law School in 1999, and completed the Second German State Exam in Berlin’s Higher Regional Court in 1998 and the First German State Exam at the University of Heidelberg in 1996.
Markus Krüger is a corporate attorney who specializes in complex mergers & acquisitions, with a particular focus on private equity transactions and transactions in the financial industry. He also frequently advises clients in corporate restructurings and general corporate law matters and has significant expertise with bank regulatory and restructuring matters. Krüger received a Dr. jur. from the University of Constance in 2005, an LLM from New York University School of Law in 2000, and he completed the Second German State Exam at Munich’s Higher Regional Court in 1999 and the First German State Exam at the University of Passau in 1997.
Georg Weidenbach’s practice focuses on German and European antitrust law, including multi-jurisdictional merger control proceedings, cartel proceedings, abuse-of-dominance proceedings, contractual advice, and litigation. In addition, he has significant experience regarding compliance programs and antitrust audits. He has handled significant matters in various industries, including the petro-chemical, chemical, automotive, packaging, IT, freight and banking sector. He completed the Second German State Exam at Frankfurt’s Higher Regional Court in 2002, received a Dr. jur. from the University of Konstanz, Germany in 2001, received an M.Jur from the University of Oxford (Christ Church) in 2000, and completed the First German State Exam at the University of Konstanz, Germany in 1998.
HONG KONG
Timothy Gardner is a corporate attorney focused on mergers and acquisitions, including those involving public companies and private equity investors. He handles a wide range of public and private deals in the Asian markets, has counseled non-US incorporated public companies on the adoption of shareholder rights plans and other takeover defenses, and has handled complex special purpose acquisition company acquisitions of Chinese businesses. He received an LLM from the Northwestern University School of Law in 1994 and an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand in 1992.
LONDON
Matthew Brown is a finance attorney who focuses on all aspects of project development and project finance. He represents borrowers, sponsors, financial institutions and export credit agencies. Brown has extensive experience leading and coordinating transactions involving multiple sources and tiers of financing. He has deep industry experience, in particular in the oil and gas, power and water sectors, both in established and developing markets. He received a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Adelaide in 2000.
Scott Colwell is a corporate attorney focused on international capital markets, in particular complex debt capital markets financings and bridge lending. He has significant experience representing issuers and major investment banks across Europe in connection with cross-border public and private debt and equity offerings. He received a JD from Northwestern University School of Law in 2001.
Catherine Drinnan is an employment and benefits attorney focused on employment law, pensions law and the HR and pensions aspects of complex cross-border transactions. She has deep experience working with the corporate, finance and outsourcing practices advising on M&A transactions, lender risk management matters, and issues regarding transferring employees and pension liabilities respectively. Drinnan also advises investment banks, private equity firms and corporates on a wide range of benefits and compensation matters, including: recruitment and severance; downsizing; transfers of undertakings; UK Pensions Regulator issues; and day-to-day pensions and employment law issues. Her practice spans a wide range of industry sectors, but she focuses particularly on financial institutions, aerospace and defense, and internet and digital media. She received an LPC from the London College of Law in 2000.
