Willkie is one of the industry’s preeminent advisors to private equity funds, having counseled sponsors, targets and portfolio companies for more than 50 years. Our team handles transactions worldwide, with attorneys based in 15 key market centers across the United States and Europe. We are a destination firm for both large-cap and middle-market deals, and our clients include more than 300 private equity sponsors, as well as thousands of portfolio companies and management teams. Collaborating across geographies, industries, and practice disciplines, we provide a full-service, 360° private equity platform that serves clients’ needs. Clients told Chambers USA 2025 that “[t]hey are incredibly responsive and thoughtful in their approach” and “[t]hey’re more than just lawyers, they’re counselors to our entire team.” A client also reported to Legal 500 US 2024 that the Willkie team is “smart, hardworking, and experienced. They roll up their sleeves on complex and sophisticated matters to find the right solution to the problem.”
Our private equity practice advises on everything from fund structuring and formation, platform acquisitions, tuck-in acquisitions, co-invest structures and joint ventures, to bank credit, private credit, fund finance, hybrid capital, and other debt financings, IPOs, follow-on offerings, SPACs, PIPEs, other “bet-the-company” and lifecycle events, and ultimate exits. Our platform includes an exceptionally strong team of regulatory practitioners with deep experience in a wide range of compliance issues, including Investment Company Act, Investment Advisers Act, insurance, FCPA, sanctions, antitrust and competition, FINRA, CFTC, energy/FERC, bank, CFIUS and telecom matters, as well as related compliance practices, investigations, examinations, litigation and other proceedings. Our private equity team is also closely integrated with complementary practices, including leveraged finance, capital markets, tax, employee benefits and executive compensation, intellectual property, privacy, cybersecurity and data strategy, real estate, restructuring, environmental, ESG and technology/IT, among other areas. A client reported to Chambers Global 2025, “Willkie has very strong technical skills combined with efficiency and commercial understanding. It always has the required specialists at hand needed to opine on complex matters.”
As a result of this comprehensive service approach and our laser focus on providing timely and integrated advice, clients regularly grow with us over time as their business goals and challenges evolve. Clients told Legal 500 US 2024 that the “[o]verall team’s breadth of expertise, efficiency, and ability to be commercial is very strong. The team is able to address the heart of an issue succinctly and efficiently” and “‘[t]heir business-minded and partnership approach is what stand[s] out…They are extremely timely while also being thoughtful in their responses.”
Our experience includes representing:
- 3i Group in the sale of its investment in Weener Plastics, a leading provider of innovative plastic packaging solutions
- Aquiline Capital Partners portfolio company Accuserve Solutions, an independent managed repair services platform, in a majority investment from Flexpoint Ford
- Centerbridge Partners in the combination of its portfolio company Fairstone Bank of Canada with Home Trust Company
- FFL Partners in the sale of its investment in Ovarro, a leader in critical infrastructure technologies, to Indicor, LLC, a leading diversified industrial company specializing in mission-critical technologies across various niche markets
- Genstar Capital in a majority investment in First Eagle Investments, an independent, privately-owned investment management firm
- Insight Partners and its portfolio company Recorded Future, the world’s largest threat intelligence company, on the sale of Recorded Future to Mastercard
- PAI Partners in its acquisition of Nutripure, a holistic sport and wellness platform
- Shamrock Capital Advisors in its investment in DE-YAN, a leading global experiential consultancy known for its top-tier design, integrated creative strategy and digital innovation
- Warburg Pincus in its investment in Service Compression, LLC, a leading provider of natural gas compression services for exploration and production companies
For a more extensive list of our clients and representative transactions, please see the Private Equity and Venture Capital and Growth Equity Experience sections below.
Our clients –including private equity and venture capital firms as well as other sources of debt and equity capital – operate across a broad range of industries, including technology (including fintech and insurtech); healthcare and life sciences; financial services; insurance; business services; consumer products and retail; entertainment; energy; and industrials, to name just a few.
We represent many of the portfolio companies of our sponsor clients, from inbound investment/acquisition by the sponsor, throughout their lifecycle, to their eventual exits.
Willkie’s European private equity practice is a market leader in the UK and across the Continent. The team comprises dedicated partners and associates in five key European jurisdictions (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy and the UK), as well as private equity-focused practitioners with deep experience in leveraged finance, tax, regulatory and restructuring, among other areas. The client base of our European practice includes European and North American sponsors that are actively investing across Europe and the rest of the world. Clients highlighted to Chambers Global 2025 that the firm has “a strong team across Europe and good collaboration between countries” and “has a good bench across all levels and it always has the ability to pull in the right people to solve a problem.” Sources reported to The Legal 500 EMEA 2025 that Willkie has “[e]xcellent ability to adapt to the specificities of each transaction. Exceptional flexibility and availability that allows them to stand out on legal aspects compared to the competition. A strong ability to deliver a large quantity of work in a short time frame without compromising quality.”
Our private equity buyouts practice and team members have been recognized by a number of leading third-party organizations in the United States and Europe, including Chambers, The Legal 500, The Deal, IFLR1000, Best Lawyers/Best Law Firms, Le Point and JUVE. Select accolades include:
- Ranked on a global-wide basis by Chambers Global 2025 for Private Equity
- Ranked #6 globally among all law firms involved in private equity-backed buyout deals for the period H2 2023 through 2024 by Preqin
- Named “Firm of the Year” for Private Equity Law by The Best Lawyers in France™ 2025
- Shortlisted for “Law Firm of the Year – Transactions” at the 2024 Mergermarket British Private Equity Awards
- Shortlisted for “Best Law Firm – Overall” and “Best Law Firm – Transactions” at the Private Equity Wire US Awards 2023
- Practices and attorneys ranked for Private Equity by Chambers UK 2025, Chambers France 2025, Chambers Germany 2025 and Chambers Europe 2025 in each of the UK, France, Germany, and Europe-wide
- Ranked by Chambers USA 2025 for Private Equity: Buyouts in both the Nationwide – High-end Capability and Nationwide – Mid-Market categories (one of only two firms ranked in both categories)
- Ranked #8 among law firms advising the target/seller on global private equity exit deals, by number of deals, for deals announced in 2024 by Mergermarket
Venture Capital and Growth Equity
We are a leading advisor to the most active venture and growth-stage investors in the world, as well as to high-growth companies. Our clients range from financial sponsors to family offices and strategic businesses. We have provided counsel on significant investments in emerging companies across a range of industries and sectors, including software, fintech, insurtech, financial services, healthcare, biotech, entertainment, media, gaming and sports. Our work includes domestic and cross-border capital markets and M&A transactions from inception to realization across North America, Europe, Latin America and the Asia-Pacific region. This diverse, lifecycle experience allows us to bring extensive market knowledge to each transaction and efficiency in execution.
Willkie was ranked by Preqin as one of the most prominent law firms involved in venture capital deals, by deal size, for the period 2023 through the first half of 2024 in the $50-99 million category. In addition, Willkie was shortlisted for “Law Firm of the Year for Private Equity and Venture Capital” at the JUVE Awards 2024.
Experience
Our experience includes representing:
- 3i Group in the sale of its investment in Weener Plastics, a leading provider of innovative plastic packaging solutions
- Ardian and its portfolio company AD Education, a leading European higher education platform, in the acquisition of Pôle Léonard de Vinci, a higher education provider in France
- Aquiline Capital Partners portfolio company Accuserve Solutions, an independent managed repair services platform, in a majority investment from Flexpoint Ford
- ASG, a portfolio company of Alpine Investors that buys and builds vertical SaaS companies, in its acquisition of ThinkLP, a leading provider of loss prevention and safety case, audit and analytics management software
- Atlas Holdings portfolio company Lakeside Book Company in its acquisition of Marquis Book Printing, Inc., a premier book manufacturer in Canada providing high-quality print services to the publishing and communications industries in Canada, the United States and Europe
- Blackstone and its portfolio company Clarion Events on Clarion’s joint venture with gfu Consumer & Home Electronics GmbH to host leading consumer electronics and home appliances trade show IFA
- Blue Wolf Capital Partners LLC in its take-private acquisition of LOGISTEC Corporation, a leading North American marine terminal operator
- Capstreet in its acquisition of Analytic Stress Relieving, Inc. (ASR), a provider of on-site heat-treating services
- CapVest in its acquisition of Recochem, a leading global manufacturer, marketer, and distributor of aftermarket transportation and household fluids, from H.I.G Capital
- Carrix in a growth-oriented investment by, and subsequent sale of a controlling interest to, funds affiliated with Blackstone Infrastructure Partners
- Centerbridge Partners in the combination of its portfolio company Fairstone Bank of Canada with Home Trust Company
- Court Square in the sale of Knipper Health, a leading health care solutions company, to Frazier Healthcare Partners
- CVC in its acquisition of a stake in Sunday Natural, a leading brand for premium vitamins, minerals and supplements
- Dubin Clark in the sale of its portfolio company United Safety & Survivability Corporation (USSC), a global manufacturer of safety and survivability solutions, to Cogenuity Partners
- Eden Capital Management LLC and its portfolio company Wall Street Prep, Inc., a leading provider of training programs for the financial services industry, on the sale of Wall Street Prep to The Riverside Company
- FFL Partners in the sale of its investment in Ovarro, a leader in critical infrastructure technologies, to Indicor, LLC, a leading diversified industrial company specializing in mission-critical technologies across various niche markets
- FTV Capital in its investment in Orbus Software, a market-leading provider of SaaS enterprise transformation software
- Genstar Capital in a majority investment in First Eagle Investments, an independent, privately owned investment management firm
- IK Partners on its acquisition of a minority stake in Seventeen Group, a leading independent insurance and risk management organization in the UK
- Insight Partners and its portfolio company Recorded Future, the world’s largest threat intelligence company, on the sale of Recorded Future to Mastercard
- Levine Leichtman Capital Partners in sale of its portfolio company Law Business Research to global asset manager Intermediate Capital Group (ICG)
- LS Power in its $12 billion sale of a portfolio of natural gas generation facilities and a commercial and industrial virtual power plant platform to NRG Energy Inc. (NYSE: NRG)
- Numerix, a portfolio company of Genstar Capital, in its acquisition of Kynex, a leading convertible securities platform
- NXMH in the sale of its portfolio company Whitebridge Pet Brands’ North American premium cat feeding and pet treating business to General Mills, Inc.
- PAI Partners in its acquisition of Nutripure, a holistic sport and wellness platform
- Pearl Energy Investments in its investment in Wild Basin Energy, a mineral and royalty acquisition company
- Platinum Equity in its acquisition of Sunrise Medical, a world leader in advanced assistive mobility solutions, from Nordic Capital
- Recognize Partners in its significant majority investment in Blue Mantis, a premier IT services provider with deep expertise in managed services, cybersecurity and cloud solutions
- Searchlight Capital Partners in a consortium investment in RSK Group Limited, a leading provider of environmental consulting and engineering solutions
- Shamrock Capital Advisors in its investment in DE-YAN, a leading global experiential consultancy known for its top-tier design, integrated creative strategy and digital innovation
- Stone Point Capital in its acquisition of SambaSafety, the market-leading provider of mobility risk management technology for auto insurance carriers, brokers and employers
- Tenex Capital Management in the sale of Team Select Home Care, a leading home care platform that provides care primarily to protected pediatric patient populations, to Court Square Capital Partners
- Trive Capital in its investment in Independent Forgings and Alloys (IFA), a leading integrated manufacturer of complex, multi-step forgings with a focus on advanced alloys and sections of commercial aero engines and military defense systems
- Warburg Pincus in its investment in Service Compression, LLC, a leading provider of natural gas compression services for exploration and production companies
Our experience includes representing:
- 73 Strings, a financial intelligence platform in the alternative asset management space, in a recently closed $55m Series B
- AIRNA Corporation in its formation and financing with ARCH Ventures, NanoDimension and Fast Track Initiative
- Aquiline Technology Growth in its investment in FinDox, which provides software and data analytics to CLO managers in the leveraged loan market, and in a funding round for Treasury Intelligence Solutions, a leading cloud platform for managing corporate payments and cash flows
- Cosmo Media Labs, Inc., a multi-functional production studio for content, gaming and brand partnerships, in its formation and investment from The Sandbox
- Cowen Inc. in several seed and growth equity investments, including in Kyber Data Science, a next-gen healthcare data platform for institutional investors, and in PolySign, a developer of secure and scalable infrastructure for financial institutions to fully leverage their digital assets
- Enlightened Hospitality Investments in its growth equity investment in ConverseNow, the leading voice AI technology platform for restaurants
- EvHead in multiple financing rounds with A Medium Corporation, including a recapitalization, and in multiple investments in early stage technology companies and venture capital funds, including Obvious Ventures, Obsidian Investment Partners, Kid Distro Management, Pumpkin Pie, Level Man, and Branch Out Productions
- FMZ Venture Fund in multiple investments in early stage companies, including XBP, Endel Sound, HeyJobs, Brightline, Better Place Forests, Sesame, Trusted, Fever Labs, MerxU, and Farmer’s Business Network
- Henry Crown & Co. in a number of venture capital investments
- Insellerate, Inc. in connection with a financing round led by Argentum Capital Partners
- Insight Partners as lead investor in several hundred seed, venture and growth equity-stage investments, including:
- its investment in CentralReach, a leading provider of autism and IDD care software, and in the sale of the company to Roper Technologies, Inc.
- its investment in Databricks, a leader in data and AI
- its investment in Featurespace, a leader in payments protection technology, and subsequent sale of the company to Visa
- its investment with Sixth Street Growth in Kiteworks, a leader in secure content communications
- multiple rounds of financing for nCino, a leader in secure, cloud-based operating solutions to the financial services industry
- its investments in Own Company (formerly known as OwnBackup), a leading provider of data protection and data management, and in the sale of the company to Salesforce
- its investments in, and the subsequent IPO of, SentinelOne, an autonomous endpoint protection company
- Joopiter, a global digital-first auction house and content platform founded by Pharrell Williams, in connection with seed financing from Lightspeed Venture Partners
- Magnetar Capital as lead investor in a funding round for Enable Injections, a company specializing in wearable drug delivery systems
- Mint House, a leading tech-enabled residential hospitality company, in connection with a round of funding
- Shamrock Capital in its investment in Religion of Sports, a leading sports media production company
- Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. in a number of venture capital investments
- The Chernin Group (TCG) as lead investor in a funding round for the Premier Lacrosse League, and in its investment in Audiochuck, the true crime and mystery media company
- WeatherPromise Inc. in its formation and seed financing led by Lerer Hippeau and 1Sharpe Ventures