June 20, 2007
The firm as a whole and many of its attorneys individually are recognized for outstanding work in the areas of Antitrust; Asset Management Regulation; Bankruptcy/Restructuring; Corporate/M&A; Environmental; Insurance (Transactional and Regulatory, Dispute Resolution); Intellectual Property; Litigation (General Commercial, Securities, White Collar Crime & Government Investigations); Private Equity (Buyouts); Real Estate; Tax; Telecom, Broadcast & Satellite (Regulatory); and Technology & IT Outsourcing.
The firm is prominently featured in the 2007 edition of Chambers USA - America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, including being ranked in the number one category for Asset Management Regulation. The annual directory, which is compiled from independent peer reviews, highlights the top law firms and attorneys in the United States.
The firm as a whole and many of its attorneys individually are recognized for outstanding work in the areas of Antitrust; Asset Management Regulation; Bankruptcy/Restructuring; Corporate/M&A; Environmental; Insurance (Transactional and Regulatory, Dispute Resolution); Intellectual Property; Litigation (General Commercial, Securities, White Collar Crime & Government Investigations); Private Equity (Buyouts); Real Estate; Tax; Telecom, Broadcast & Satellite (Regulatory); and Technology & IT Outsourcing.
Chambers also nominated Willkie among a short list of firms for the “Chambers Awards for Excellence” in the area of Bankruptcy.
Below are highlights of the firm’s listings, rankings and commentary.
Antitrust - New York
The Firm: “An excellent and highly responsive service is the defining tenet of a group ethos that attracts - and keeps - a clientele consisting of major players in the pharmaceutical, credit card and insurance industries.”
William Rooney: Described as “one of the brightest guys you’ll come across,” Chambers writes that Mr. Rooney is “a prominent figure in the New York antitrust environment, his assured grasp of legal theory is well suited to the nuances of complex litigation and M&A work.”
Bankruptcy/Restructuring – National, New York
The Firm: Praised as “a popular port of call for debtors,” the firm’s “technically skilled, business-savvy and practical attorneys” are recognized for their significant “expertise in handling complex, wide-ranging matters.”
Myron Trepper (Senior Statesman): The “formidable” Myron Trepper is lauded for his “wealth of experience,” which is “a source of comfort in complex matters.”
Marc Abrams (Rank #1): “Widely commended for his skillful handling of the Adelphia Chapter 11 reorganization and its subsequent sale to Comcast and Time Warner,” Mr. Abrams is called “a fabulous creative thinker,” who is “trusted by clients to carry the ball on big strategic issues,” and admired by peers for his “success in protecting the integrity of his client’s assets.”
Matthew Feldman: Mr. Feldman is recognized for his considerable work on the company side, as well as his growing practice coming out of the hedge fund market.
Michael Kelly: “One of the brightest bankruptcy lawyers around, Michael Kelly is held in high regard for his intellectually sound advice.” He is particularly applauded for playing a “key role in the group development of private equity client and distress fund manager relationships.”
Corporate/M&A – National, New York
The Firm: “This firm has enjoyed an extremely busy year, maintaining a good market profile, which stems from good business sense and judgment you can trust.” Chambers writes, “The group's attorneys are commended for the consistency of their client service: They take the time to really understand us. Universally strong negotiation skills are married with skillful drafting and knowledge of the marketplace. Sources also appreciate the ability of its lawyers to use humor and intelligence to reduce complicated matters for clients.”
Jack Nusbaum (Senior Statesman): “Jack Nusbaum maintains a strong profile for his sound judgment on M&A.”
David Boston: “David Boston creates a positive working experience for clients who highlight his feel for the markets and negotiation skills. He knows how to protect us and sees the forest for the trees, said sources.”
Thomas Cerabino: “The practical Thomas Cerabino wins acclaim for his excellent judgment. He is effective when it comes to sizing up a complex situation and knows exactly what to do in the client’s best interests, sources said.”
Steven Seidman: Mr. Seidman is lauded for his significant work on hostile takeovers and his considerable experience representing investment banks on high-end M&A work.
Environmental - District of Columbia
E. Donald Elliott: “A former general counsel of the EPA, [Mr. Elliott] brings this experience to bear in his current dealings: He is someone who knows the agency inside-out.” Mr. Elliott is further profiled for his expertise in toxic tort litigation and Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) matters.
Financial Services Regulation: Asset Management Regulation - National
The Firm (Rank #1): “Consistently described by interviewees as a top-quality firm, [Willkie’s] reputation rests especially on work with hedge funds and other unregistered products, for which it is first choice for prestigious clients.”
Barry Barbash (Rank #1): “Luminaries of the unregistered fund world describe Barry Barbash as one of the biggest names in the industry.”
Karen McMillan: Ms. McMillan is said to be greatly respected for her expertise in advising the managers of both unregistered and registered funds.
Insurance: Dispute Resolution - New York
Insurance: Transactional & Regulatory - New York
The Firm: Willkie is said to enjoy a “top-notch reputation” among its peers for its insurance and reinsurance practice, and is acclaimed for acting on both a national and an international level on behalf of some of the world’s foremost insurance brokers and insurance companies.
Intellectual Property: Patent - New York
John DiMatteo: “Technical genius John DiMatteo impresses with his sharp mind, quick strategic thinking and ability to solve problems effectively.”
Litigation: General Commercial - New York
Litigation: Securities - New York
Litigation: White Collar Crime & Government Investigations - District of Columbia
The Firm: The firm is recommended for its “strong presence in general commercial disputes” and for its “prowess in securities-related proceedings.” Praised for forging ahead in litigation shaped by financial reporting and Sarbanes-Oxley, the firm is called a “standard-bearer” especially for its expertise handling accounting fraud issues. Chambers states: “As well as handling insurance, IP and FCPA cases before the SEC and supervising internal investigations, Willkie Farr has made a substantial - and deepening - impression on the New York antitrust landscape.”
Mitchell Auslander: Mr. Auslander receives high accolades for his representation of insurance broker Marsh & McLennan - principally in the civil litigation arising from the government’s strident investigations of the insurance industry.
Richard Posen: “Known as a great litigator, Richard Posen’s portfolio of work covers representing boards of directors in corporate securities litigation and advising the likes of Morgan Stanley, KPMG and MetLife on a variety of matters.”
Michael Young: “Michael Young is, observers agree, the best lawyer in the city for accounting firm-related disputes. An influential presence in this sector, he holds a position on the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and advises clients on government regulatory issues.”
Martin Weinstein: The “hard-working” and “highly-skilled” Martin Weinstein is said to be “taking the city by storm.” He is praised for his FCPA practice and for handling a large number of complex and sensitive investigations.
Private Equity: Buyouts - New York
The Firm: Chambers writes that the firm is “admired” for its domestic and international corporate capability, with an “established” private equity and venture capital investment practice that cooperates closely with the firm’s public M&A specialists." The group is renowned for its expertise in the technology sector, where it does fantastic work for great clients in the software, biotech, medical devices, communications and media industry sectors.”
Steven Gartner: Noting Mr. Gartner’s representation of Warburg Pincus, he is heralded as “an illustrious figure in the private equity and hedge fund markets.”
Real Estate (and Real Estate: Corporate) - New York
The Firm: "With booming work in sectors such as hotels, office, residential, shopping centers and senior living facilities, the team has a wide skill base. Peers commend the impressive partner involvement in transactions, while clients are completely and utterly satisfied by the service on offer."
Eugene Pinover (Rank #1): "One of the best businessman’s attorneys in New York City, Eugene Pinover has built up a wonderful reputation across the market….Peers say he is methodical and easy to mesh gears with, and a very bright and outstanding attorney."
Steven Klein: "Steven Klein is a great hands-on lawyer who is playing a very prominent role in transactions for REITs. Peers laud him as an intelligent guy who keeps his cool.”
Tax - New York
Richard Reinhold: “Richard Reinhold is described as “a classic Wall Street M&A lawyer” and “an efficient, no-nonsense” attorney.
Technology & IT Outsourcing - New York
The Firm: “Noted for its strength in the corporate arena and its representation of a host of telecommunications and technology companies, this practice’s expertise includes advising on technology licensing, procurement and outsourcing transactions.”
Gordon Caplan: "Gordon Caplan can do everything. He can do outsourcing, but he also does venture capital and private equity work in the technology area - he knows the space very well."
Bruce Kraus (Rank #1): “Noted for his telecom-related M&A and corporate finance work, Bruce Kraus calls it as he sees it, and he’s always right!”
Telecom, Broadcast & Satellite: Regulatory - District of Columbia
The Firm: “The group has a strong reputation in the market as a full-service shop that offers corporate expertise and depth, as well as the regulatory side.” Chambers noted the firm’s ongoing work for the newly merged Sprint Nextel.
James Casserly: Mr. Casserly is recognized for attracting “widespread praise for his skilled handling” of wireline and cable matters.
Philip Verveer (Rank #1): “Philip Verveer is well-respected for his broadcast and cable expertise. With a deep understanding of the communications territory, he also knows how to present to the FCC and how to fulfill client expectations.”
