Private Equity

Weil's global private equity practice is recognized by the industry as being one of only a very small number of elite, market leaders in this field. Our clients include the majority of the largest and highest profile private equity funds, sovereign wealth funds and pension funds, as well as family offices and other equity financial investors. Weil advises more than 200 private equity clients worldwide, including 9 out of the 10 largest global private equity funds and 70% of the top 25, as ranked by PEI 300 2018. Our advice covers all aspects of the full life cycle of investments.

Notable Representations, Key Contacts

Our clients benefit from our:

Global platform

Across the United States, Europe and Asia, our lawyers work together to provide a seamless service to market leading players of all sizes, across all sectors. Our global private equity practice and our international offices are ranked in the top tiers by the leading legal directories (Chambers & Partners, Legal 500 and IFLR1000).

Fully integrated offering

In addition to providing best-in-class transactional advice, we also provide our private equity clients with market leading expertise across a range of disciplines including the ability to:

Execute across all financing structures in coordination with our private equity finance team
Help clients raise funds in time critical situations and efficiently through our fund formation team
Provide clients tax and executive compensation and employee benefits advice
In addition, we provide a full service to our private equity clients encompassing restructuring, governance, antitrust, employment, litigation, and intellectual property.

Multi-asset offering

With the increasing trend of private equity houses diversifying into new asset classes, our fully integrated offering means that we can advise multi-asset managers on the full spectrum of their investment products, including distressed debt, infrastructure, real estate, and structured products.

Ability to execute private equity transactions for new types of buyers

We apply techniques used successfully in traditional private equity transactions to meet the needs of newer entrants to the direct market including sovereign wealth funds, pension funds and family offices. Weil has been at the forefront of this evolution and acts for a range of such investors, alongside the more traditional private equity funds.

Strong partnering skills

We work in partnership with our clients to offer a range of value-added services including bespoke training and market trend comparisons. More importantly we develop products and services designed to support our clients at different points in the life cycle of their portfolio companies.

Deep bench of private equity lawyers

With more than 200 lawyers worldwide, Weil has a strong and deep bench of lawyers dedicated exclusively to private equity. Having been steeped in the industry from the start of their legal careers, our clients benefit from our sophisticated market knowledge of our team and their ability to provide insight that goes beyond just transactional advice.

Selected Representations

Major buyouts and exits

Advent International and Bain Capital, together with Clessidra, in their €2.15 billion acquisition of Istituto Centrale delle Banche Popolari Italiane, and subsequently €1.1 billion acquisition of Setefi Services and Intesa Sanpaolo Card
Avolon Holdings Limited (a portfolio company of Cinven Partners, CVC Capital Partners and Oak Hill Capital Partners) in its $7.6 billion sale to Bohai Leasing Co., Ltd.
Blackstone and Goldman Sachs Merchant Banking Division in their $1.9 billion sale of Ipreo Holdings LLC to IHS Markit Ltd.
Centerbridge Partners in its $1.2 billion acquisition of IPC Systems, Inc., €1 billion acquisition of Senvion SE and sale of A.T.U. Group
EQT Infrastructure in its acquisition of Direct ChassisLink Inc.
inVentiv Health, Inc. (a portfolio company of Thomas H. Lee Partners and Advent International) in its $4.6 billion merger with INC Research Holdings, Inc. creating Syneos Health, Inc.
Lindsay Goldberg and Bluegrass Materials Company, LLC in the $1.625 billion sale of Bluegrass to Marietta Materials, Inc.
Metaldyne Performance Group Inc. (a portfolio company of American Securities) in its $3.3 billion sale to American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc.
OMERS Private Equity in its acquisition, with management, of Inmar, Inc. from ABRY Partners
PAI Partners in its €1.8 billion sale of its majority stake in Cerba HealthCare to Partners Group and Public Sector Pension Investment Board
Technology Crossover Ventures in its $1 billion sale of Dollar Shave Club, Inc. and sales of Merkle Group Inc. and Sitecore Corporation A/S
Universal Hospital Services, Inc., a portfolio company of Irving Place Capital, in its combination with Federal Street Acquisition Corp., a SPAC sponsored by Thomas H. Lee Partners, in a new holding company named Agiliti, Inc. having an initial enterprise value of approximately $1.74 billion

Carve-outs

Dual-track processes

Minority investments

Public to private

SPACs

Key Contacts

Marco Compagnoni

Partner

London

+44 20 7903 1547
marco.compagnoni@weil.com

Douglas P. Warner

Partner

New York

+1 (212) 310-8751
doug.warner@weil.com

See list of lawyers globally

Visit Weil’s Global Private Equity Watch, highlighting recent market trends and legal developments

Weil advises 9 out of the 10 largest global private equity funds

PEI 300 2018

Band 1 for Private Equity Globally and across Asia and Europe

Chambers Global 2018, Chambers Asia-Pacific 2018, Chambers Europe 2018, Chambers UK 2018

Ranked Tier 1 for Private Equity in the U.S., U.K., France, China and Hong Kong

IFRL1000 2018

Named Private Equity “Practice Group of the Year”

Law360 2017, 2016, 2014 & 2012

Harvey Eisenberg Named a “Dealmaker of the Year”

The American Lawyer 2018

Ranked Top 5 for Global Private Equity by Deal Volume

The Deal Full Year 2017 League Tables

Ranked Tier 1 Nationwide for Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law

U.S. News – Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms” 2018*

* Best Lawyers (in America) is by Levine Leichtman Capital Partners

Band 1 for Private Equity – UK

Chambers UK 2018, Legal 500 UK 2018 and IFLR1000 UK 2018

Tier 1 for Private Equity – Hong Kong

Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2018 and IFLR1000 2018

Named “Asset and Investment Management Team of the Year”

Financial News’ Legal Services Awards Europe 2017

Named “Pan-European Legal Adviser of the Year”

Real Deals’ Private Equity Awards 2017

Named “Law Firm of the Year” in Asia (Transactions)

PEI 2017

Received “commended” ranking in category of Enabling Business Growth for its role advising SoftBank on its $3.3B take-private of Fortress Investment Group — marking the first instance of a diversified alternative asset manager returning to a private company.

Financial Times Innovative Lawyers Report North America 2017

Private Equity “Law Firm of the Year”

Best Lawyers in Germany 2016*

* Best Lawyers is by Levine Leichtman Capital Partners

Private Equity Client Program and Global Private Equity Watch blog named among the most “Innovative” Business of Law Initiatives of the Year

FT North America Innovative Lawyers Report 2015

Awards and Recognition, Speaking Engagements, Latest Thinking, Firm News & Announcements

Awards and Recognition

Weil Named 2017 Private Equity Practice Group of the Year Award Brief — Law360 2017
Chris Machera Named Among 2018 Emerging Leaders Award Brief — M&A Advisor 2018
Harvey Eisenberg Named a “Dealmaker of the Year” Award Brief — The American Lawyer 2018
Weil Named “Asset and Investment Management Team of the Year” Award Brief — Financial News’ Legal Services Awards Europe 2017
Weil Ranked Tier 1 for Private Equity in the U.S., U.K., France, China and Hong Kong Award Brief — IFLR1000 2018
Weil Ranked Band 1 for Private Equity Global-wide Award Brief — Chambers Global 2018
Weil Named “Pan-European Legal Adviser of the Year” Award Brief — Real Deals’ Private Equity Awards 2017
Stephanie Srulowitz Named 2018 Rising Star for Asset Management by Law360 Award Brief — Law360 2018

View all

Speaking Engagements

Introduction to Private Equity Speaker(s): Kyle C. Krpata, Christopher R. Machera and Ramona Y. Nee
October 29, 2018 — Durham, NC — Weil partners Kyle Krpata, Christopher Machera and Ramona Nee presented on the fundamentals of private equity to Duke Law School’s Business Law Society.
Daily Journal Western M&A/Private Equity Forum Speaker(s): Craig W. Adas and Matt Stewart
October 11, 2018 — San Francisco — Silicon Valley managing partner Craig Adas moderated a panel entitled “Private Equity Acquisitions,” which discussed the current private equity and M&A environments. Private Equity partner Matt Stewart served as a panelist on “M&A Tips and Tactics for Private Target Deals,” which focused on the issues counsel for private companies face and offer negotiating strategies.
PLI’s Nineteenth Annual Private Equity Forum Speaker(s): Jonathon G. Soler
July 16-17, 2018 — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania — Weil’s U.S. Head of Private Funds Jonathon Soler speaks on “General Partner Arrangements: Structure and Terms” as part of PLI’s Nineteenth Annual Private Equity Forum.