Andrew Friedman
(1981–2026)

It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our partner and friend, Andrew Friedman.

Andrew joined Gibson Dunn as an associate and dedicated his entire career to our firm, ultimately becoming a partner in our Century City office. A graduate of Stanford University and Harvard Law School, he built a practice spanning public and private M&A, investment funds, equity investments, joint ventures, and strategic partnerships across a broad range of industries.

Throughout his career, Andrew was consistently recognized as one of Southern California’s “Rising Stars” by Super Lawyers, and he served on the executive committee of the Business Law Section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. A brilliant lawyer across industries and disciplines, he earned the respect of colleagues, clients, and counterparties alike for his formidable intellect and the calm, creative manner with which he approached every transaction.

What those who worked with Andrew will remember most, however, is not the deals or the accolades — it is his character, his decency, his desire to help others, and his genuine kindness. Whatever challenges he faced, whether professional or personal, he met them with composure and treated everyone around him with the utmost respect. The grace and resilience with which Andrew carried himself through difficulty left a lasting impression on all whose lives he touched.

Andrew exemplified what we mean when we speak of Gibson Dunn’s culture of excellence and collaboration. We extend our deepest condolences to his family, who shared him with us so generously over the years. It was a privilege to know him, he will be profoundly missed, and his legacy will influence lawyers at Gibson Dunn and elsewhere for years to come.

Marwan Azzi is a partner in the New York office of Gibson Dunn and a member of the firm’s Private Equity Practice Group. Marwan’s practice focuses on representing companies, private equity and infrastructure funds, and management teams in global investments in the infrastructure space, including assisting clients with domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, project development, co-investments, and other corporate matters. Marwan’s infrastructure experience spans the energy space (power generation, energy transition, and midstream), transportation, digital infrastructure, and social infrastructure in North America and Latin America.

Marwan is recognized as a “Leading Lawyer” for M&A and Private Equity in the United States by Euromoney (2020). He is also a recipient of a “40 under 40 Emerging Leaders Award” by The M&A Advisor (2018).

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Marwan was a partner at an Am Law 100 firm. He serves as current Chairman of the Board of ABANA and also serves on the board of LIFE Lebanon.

Marwan received his LLM from Boston University and earned his LLB from St. Joseph University (Lebanon). He is admitted to practice in New York and Beirut.

Marwan’s experience includes the representation of:

Transportation Infrastructure

  • Blackstone in its acquisition of Safe Harbor Marinas, a marina and superyacht servicing business, for $5.65 billion.
  • Ardian in its acquisition of Aviation Facilities Company Management, LLC “AFCO” from Goldman Sachs Alternatives. AFCO is an independent industry leader in the investment, development, management, and operation of on-airport cargo facilities and other airport infrastructure in the United States.
  • Meridiam in its acquisition of an additional stake in LaGuardia Gateway Partners (LGP) from Skanska. 
  • Antin Infrastructure Partners in its acquisition of Lake State Railway Company, a Michigan-based regional freight railroad.
  • I Squared Capital in its:
    •  U.S.-based trailer lessor Transportation Equipment Network’s “TEN” (formerly, Star Leasing) acquisition of the Canadian business of TIP Group, a European-based truck and trailer leasing company.
    • U.S.-based trailer lessor Star Leasing’s acquisition of Commercial Trailer Leasing (CTL), a full-service trailer lessor.
    • U.S.-based trailer lessor Star Leasing’s acquisition of North East Trailer Services (NETS), a full-service trailer lessor.
    • Acquisition of a controlling stake in Colombian port concessionaire Sociedad Portuaria Regional de Barranquilla S.A. from private equity firm Southern Cross Group.
    • Acquisition of Star Leasing, a leading trailer lessor in the United States.
    • Acquisition of FlexiVan Leasing, the third-largest marine chassis provider in the United States.
  • UniSuper Ltd., as part of a consortium of investors, in the $2.1 billion acquisition of a 50 percent stake in Transurban’s toll roads in the U.S. Transurban sold a 50 percent interest in its U.S. toll roads located in the Chesapeake region, which was purchased in part by AustralianSuper, CPPIB, and UniSuper.

Power & Energy

  • I Squared Capital in its:
    • Portfolio company’s Inkia Energy’s sale of Peruvian power generator Samay I SA, operator of the 724 MW Puerto Privado thermal power plant, to Grupo Romero.
    • Portfolio company’s Inkia Energy’s sale of Energuate, its electricity distribution asset in Guatemala, to Threelands Energy Ltd.
    • Portfolio company’s Inkia Energy’s sale of the Agua Clara wind farm in the Dominican Republic to AES.
    • Sale of interests in Kendall Green Energy, a cogeneration facility in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to Veolia Energy North America.
    • Portfolio company’s Inkia Energy’s sale of its Peruvian transmission line company Orazul Energy Group to Interconexión Eléctrica S.A. Orazul Energy Group operates three transmission lines in central and northern Peru with a combined length of 176km (109.4 miles) and three transmission lines in central Peru with a combined length of 394km.
    • $1.3 billion acquisition of Inkia Energy, which has a highly contracted portfolio of approximately 3,400 MW of gross installed capacity in nine countries, with a fleet of highly efficient hydroelectric, wind and thermal facilities.
    • $1.2 billion acquisition from Duke Energy of a portfolio of hydroelectric and natural gas generation plants, transmission infrastructure and natural gas processing facilities, totaling 2,300 MW in Peru, Chile, Ecuador, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Argentina.
    • Acquisition of an equity interest in Oleoducto Central, S.A. (OCENSA) from Advent International. OCENSA operates the largest crude oil pipeline in Colombia.
  • Ardian and Agr-Am in the acquisition of the Peruvian business of Latin America Power Holding B.V., a renewable energy company.
  • Sempra Energy in its:
    • $3.59 billion sale of its Peruvian businesses including its 83.6 percent in Luz Del Sur to China Yangtze Power International (Hongkong) Co., Limited. The transaction was named “M&A Deal of the Year” by China Business Law Journal in 2020.
    • $2.23 billion sale of its Chilean businesses, including its 100 percent stake in Chilquinta Energía S.A., to State Grid International Development Limited (SGID). The transaction was named “M&A Deal of the Year” by China Business Law Journal in 2020.
  • GE Energy Financial Services in its acquisition of 49 percent of EGPNA Renewable Energy Partners LLC from Enel Green Power SpA. The partnership has assets in North America with 760 MW of generating capacity.

Digital Infrastructure

  • I Squared Capital in the acquisition of KIO Networks, a leading digital infrastructure service provider in Mexico.
  • Ardian Infrastructure in the acquisition of a 50% co-control equity interest in MXT Holdings, a Mexico-based telecommunications infrastructure company and MXT’s follow-on acquisition of Centennial Towers Mexico from Madison Dearborn Partners.
  • InfraBridge and its portfolio company Everstream as a borrower in connection with a syndicated credit facility and in a potential bolt-on acquisition.

Sustainability

  • Antin Infrastructure Partners in its investment in PearlX Infrastructure LLC, an owner and operator of fully integrated smart grid infrastructure systems.
  • Blue Earth Capital AG in its investment in AMP Robotics Corp., a pioneer in artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and infrastructure for the waste and recycling industry.
  • Blue Water Energy LLP’s portfolio company in a joint venture with NextEra to develop, operate and market mobile and onsite gas liquefaction technology in the U.S. market.

Other M&A

  • Harkness Capital Partners, a private equity firm based in New York, in the sale of Kane Logistics to ID Logistics. Kane is a third-party logistics company (3PL) that provides value-added warehousing and distribution services.
  • Dominus Capital, L.P. a private equity firm based in New York, in the sale of W.F. Taylor, LLC to Meridian Adhesives Group. Taylor is a leading specialty flooring adhesives and sealants manufacturer with operations in Dalton, GA and Fontana, CA.
  • Pernod Ricard SA, the world’s second-largest distiller, in the acquisition of Rabbit Hole Spirits, LLC, a U.S. premium bourbon brand.
  • Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) in its $500 million minority investment in Mexican pharma business Sanfer.
  • Vale S.A. (NYSE: VALE), a Brazilian mining company and the largest producer of iron ore and nickel in the world, in the $550 million acquisition of Ferrous Resources Limited, a mid-sized iron ore company also located in Brazil.

*Includes representations prior to Marwan’s association with Gibson Dunn.

Emily Harvey is a corporate associate in the New York office of Gibson Dunn.

She received her Juris Doctor with High Honors from Emory University School of Law, where she was elected to the Order of the Coif and earned the Transactional Law Certificate. She also served as the Executive Articles Editor of the Emory Law Journal and as a Dean’s Teaching Fellow. Emily graduated, summa cum laude, with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Law & Public Policy from Mercer University, where she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.

Emily is admitted to practice in the State of New York.

Matt Staugaard is an associate in the Orange County office of Gibson Dunn, where he is a member of the firm’s Securities Regulation and Corporate Governance, Mergers & Acquisitions, and Investment Funds Practice Groups.

Matt received a Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, from the University of Notre Dame. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Loyola Marymount University in Economics, with minors in Political Science and History.

Matt is admitted to practice in the State of California.

Michael Holmes is a corporate associate in the Houston office of Gibson Dunn and a member of the Private Equity, Mergers and Acquisitions, and Oil and Gas Practice Groups.

Michael advises and represents private equity clients as well their portfolio companies and management teams in connection with a variety of transactions, including mergers, equity and asset acquisitions, joint venture arrangements, and other general corporate matters.

He earned his Juris Doctor, cum laude, from the University of Houston Law Center, where he served as the Executive Editor for the Houston Business and Tax Law Journal.

Prior to law school, Michael received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting and a Master of Science in Finance from Texas A&M University, and was a Tax Consultant for the Houston office of Deloitte Tax LLP.

Hunter Michielson is a corporate associate in the Houston office of Gibson Dunn and a member of the Private Equity, Mergers & Acquisitions, and Energy Practice Groups.

He advises and represents clients with respect to mergers and acquisitions, project development, joint ventures, and other general corporate matters.

Hunter received a J.D. from The University of Chicago Law School. He also received a B.A., magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, from Duke University, where he double majored in Philosophy and German.

Prior to joining the firm, Hunter served as a law clerk to The Honorable Stephen N. Limbaugh, Jr. of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, and he worked in the corporate and energy practice groups of another international law firm.

Hunter is admitted to practice law in the State of Texas.

David Koch-Weser is of counsel in the Los Angeles office of Gibson Dunn, where he practices in the firm’s Mergers and Acquisitions, Private Equity, and Securities Regulation and Corporate Governance Practice Groups. He advises companies, private equity firms and investment banks across a wide range of industries, focusing on public and private merger transactions, stock and asset sales and joint ventures and strategic partnerships. David also advises public companies with respect to certain corporate governance matters.

Representative Transactions:

  • Odyssey Investment Partners, LLC, a private equity firm, in its approximately $900,000,000 sale of Wencor Group, LLC to Warburg Pincus LLC.
  • Ducommun Incorporated, a publicly-traded aerospace company, in its $340,000,000 acquisition of LaBarge Inc., a publicly traded aerospace company.
  • Ducommun Incorporated’s $200,000,000 offering of senior notes and subsequent note exchange.
  • Dole Food Co. Inc., in the restructuring of its foreign subsidiaries in connection with its $1,700,000,000 divestiture of its worldwide packaged foods and Asia fresh businesses to Itochu Corporation.
  • Aurora Capital Group, a private equity firm, in its acquisition of Restaurant Technologies, Inc., the largest national provider of closed-loop automated cooking oil solutions to the U.S. restaurant and hospitality markets.
  • Aurora Capital Group, in its approximately $270,000,000 acquisition of, and subsequent going-private transaction with, National Technical Systems, Inc., a leading provider of testing and engineering services to the aerospace, defense, telecommunications, automotive, energy and high technology markets.
  • Aurora Capital Group, in its acquisition of Pace Analytical Services, a leading provider of U.S. environmental and life sciences testing.
  • Wencor Group, LLC, a specialized aftermarket aircraft parts and services company, in its acquisition of substantially all of the assets of Flight Line Products, Inc., a leading provider of aircraft parts and services.
  • Wencor Group, LLC, in its acquisition of Star Aero, LLC, an independent provider of commercial aircraft parts and services.
  • Wencor Group, LLC, in its acquisition of Xtra Aerospace, Inc., a leading provider of specialized repair services for a wide variety of electrical and mechanical systems for commercial aircraft.
  • Leslie’s Poolmart, in its acquisition of In the Swim, a leading retailer of aftermarket pool and spa supplies.
  • THQ, a developer and publisher of video games, in the chapter 11 sale of substantially all of its assets to various buyers, including Take-Two Interactive, Sega Corporation, Koch Media and Ubisoft.
  • Fortress Investment Group LLC, a financial investment group, in its joint venture and acquisition of large retail centers.
  • Future Ads LLC, an advertising technology industry company focused on performance marketing, in its merger with Kitara Media, a publicly-traded digital media and technology company providing video solutions to advertisers, digital marketers and publishers.
  • PDL BioPharma, Inc.’s exchange of up to $180,000,000 in convertible senior notes.
  • PDL BioPharma, Inc., in connection with its acquisition of $150,000,000 in notes from a wholly-owned subsidiary of kaleo, Inc. and related revenue interest purchase arrangement.
  • A leading mobile phone-based verification company’s acquisition of an Israeli company and related intellectual property spin-off transactions.
  • The Core Group, Inc., in connection with its acquisitions of several sales and marketing support companies in the food services industry.
  • A growth stage solar power generation company, in connection with multiple bridge financings leading up to an anticipated sale.
  • Acumen Fund, in its investment in Azahar Coffee, a Colombian specialty coffee processor and distributor.
  • Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Los Angeles in its acquisition and consolidation of several Los Angeles area Boys & Girls Clubs.

David earned his Juris Doctor degree, cum laude, from Cornell University Law School in 2010. He graduated cum laude from the University of California, San Diego in 2004, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology.

David is admitted to practice law in the State of California and the United States District Court, Central District of California.

Kevin H.W. Kim is an English qualified associate in the London office of Gibson Dunn. He is a member of the firm’s Private Equity, Mergers & Acquisitions, and ESG Practice Groups.

Kevin advises on a broad range of corporate transactional and advisory matters and has experience representing private and public companies, private equity funds, banks, and other financial institutions on a variety of corporate transactions.

He received his LL.B. from the University of Cambridge and completed the Legal Practice Course at BPP after which he finished his training contract at Gibson Dunn.
 

Sam Harris is an associate in the Orange County office of Gibson Dunn, where he practices in the firm’s Transactional Department. His practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions, and his experience includes representation of both public and private equity clients in general corporate governance matters and complex business transactions.

Sam earned his law degree from Georgetown University Law Center in 2021, where he competed with, and sat on the board of, the Alternative Dispute Resolution team. While in law school, Sam served as Managing Editor for the Georgetown Environmental Law Review, and as an editor on the Annual Review of Criminal Procedure. Sam served as a legal extern for United States District Court for the Southern District of California Judge Janis L. Sammartino, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s Division of Enforcement, and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s Division of Corporation Finance. Sam earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, and his Bachelor of Arts degree in History from the University of California Los Angeles in 2017.

Sam is admitted to practice in both the State of California and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Andrew M. Herman is a partner in the firm’s Private Equity and Mergers and Acquisitions Practice Groups.

Andrew’s practice focuses on advising private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies on leveraged buyouts, growth equity investments, and other transactions. He also advises public companies on public and private mergers and acquisitions. He is experienced in advising on the acquisition and sale of sports franchises.

Andrew’s representative clients include MidOcean Partners, Quad-C Management, Arlington Capital, Rhone Capital, ATL Partners, and their portfolio companies. Andrew also advises Monumental Sports and Entertainment, the holding company of the Washington Wizards, Washington Capitals, and Washington Mystics.

 Andrew has been recognized as a top lawyer by Chambers USA from 2011 to present and has been named by Lawdragon Leading Dealmakers in America 2025, which honors “the eminents of M&A and power players of private equity”. He also has been recognized as a Notable practitioner in IFLR1000 2020-2024 in the areas of mergers and acquisitions and private equity and was listed in the 2013-2018 editions of Super Lawyers. In Chambers, Andrew is described as “a good, detail-oriented lawyer,” with clients noting that he “works really well with other attorneys.”

Representative Clients and Transactions

Private Equity Sponsor Transactions

  • MidOcean Partners in numerous transactions, including:
    • Investment in GridHawk Holdings, a premier provider of damage prevention services for critical utility infrastructure
    • Leveraged buy out of The Re-Sourcing Group, a professional services firm to the finance, accounting, compliance, and IT sectors
    • Formation of MPearlRock, a strategic collaboration to introduce emerging consumer packaged goods brands to new customers
    • Acquisition of GSTV, the national on-the-go video network engaging and entertaining targeted audiences at scale across tens of thousands of fuel retailers
    • Sale of InterVision Systems, a managed services provider helping mid-market, enterprise, and public sector organizations across the U.S. modernize and secure their IT operations
    • Acquisition of Cloyes, a leading manufacturer and distributor of timing drive systems and engine components for original equipment manufacturers and the automotive aftermarket
    • Acquisition of LYNX Franchising
    • Significant majority investment in InterVision Systems
    • Acquisition of Hanley Wood
    • Acquisition of Florida Food Products and follow-on acquisition of Amelia Bay
  • Rhone Group in numerous transactions, including:
    • Acquisition by HBC, parent company of Saks Fifth Avenue, of Neiman Marcus Group, parent company of Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman
    • Take-private transaction of Hudson’s Bay Company
    • Acquisition of Lummus Technology
  • Arlington Capital Partners in numerous transactions, including:
    • Formation of Kinetic Engine Systems, including the acquisitions of Walbar Engine Components, Numet Machining Techniques and AeroCision
    • Acquisition of Exostar, a leader in trusted, secure business collaboration in highly regulated industries
    • Formation of Tyto Athene, including the acquisition of NextiraOne Federal from Black Box Corporation and the follow-on acquisition of the Government Solutions Business of Black Box Corporation, forming Tyto Athene
  • Quad-C Management in numerous transactions, including:
    • Investment in holding company Legacy Food Group’s acquisitions of foodservice distributors Keck’s Food Service, M&V Provisions, Thomsen Foodservice, and Legacy Foodservice Alliance
    • Sale of its investment in S.i. System, one of Canada’s largest information technology staffing companies, to Cornell Capital and Torquest Partners
    • Investment in Synoptek, a leading global business and digital transformation advisory and consulting firm.
    • Investment and strategic recapitalization of HaystackID and follow-on acquisition of NightOwl Global
  • ATL Partners and Public Sector Pension Investment Board in the formation of a new aircraft leasing platform, SKY Leasing, and the subsequent sale of its international operations to Goshawk Aviation

Public Companies

  • SES, the Luxembourg-based satellite telecommunication network group, on the acquisition of its Virginia-based counterpart, Intelsat
  • CEB in its $3.3 billion sale to Gartner*
  • Piedmont Natural Gas in its $4.9 billion sale to Duke Energy*
  • Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets as the leader of a consortium of investors in the $4.7 billion acquisition of Cleco Corporation*
  • Exelon Corporation in its $7 billion acquisition of Pepco Holdings*
  • Freshpet in its Initial Public Offering*
  • Constellation Energy in $4.5 billion sale of 49.99% of its nuclear generation business and $2.6 billion of related liquidity enhancement transactions with Électricité de France SA*

Other Representative Matters

  • Dr. Barbara Sturm, the German molecular cosmetics brand, on its sale to Puig, a global leader in premium beauty
  • Monumental Sports & Entertainment on its 100% acquisition of the equity interests in NBC Sports Washington by acquiring NBCUniversal’s 67% stake in the network
  • Monumental Sports & Entertainment in the investment by Laurene Powell Jobs in the partnership that owns the Washington Capitals, Washington Wizards, Washington Mystics, Capital One Arena, and other sports and entertainment assets and businesses*
  • Monumental Sports & Entertainment in its acquisition of a 33% equity interest in Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic Holdings and the sale of a 33% equity interest in Monumental Sports Network to NBCUniversal Media*
  • BofA Merrill Lynch, as financial advisor to The Sterling Family Trust, in the $2 billion sale of the Los Angeles Clippers basketball franchise to Steve Ballmer, former CEO of Microsoft Corp.*
  • Carolina Hurricanes in the sale of control to Tom Dundon, managing partner of Dundon Capital Partners*
  • Monumental Sports & Entertainment in its acquisition of the Washington Wizards, Washington Mystics, Capital One Arena (f/k/a Verizon Center) and related businesses*
  • Longwing Real Estate Ventures in connection with acquisition with minority interest in New Jersey Nets and of hotel and commercial properties*
  • A number of clients seeking opportunities to acquire potential ownership of professional sports franchises

Andrew graduated in 1995 from Columbia University School of Law, where he was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar and the submissions editor of the Journal of Transactional Law. He received a master’s degree with honors in accounting from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill in 1992.

*Engagements prior to joining Gibson Dunn.

Wim De Vlieger is a partner in the London office of Gibson Dunn. Wim is Co-Chair of Private Equity in Europe and a member of the Mergers and Acquisitions and Capital Markets Practice Groups.

Wim advises private equity investors and their portfolio companies on a wide range of corporate transactions, including growth equity and control investments and co-investments, structured transactions, buy-out transactions, mergers and acquisitions, and exits. He also has considerable experience advising on strategic cross-border M&A transactions and on international capital market transactions. He has broad experience counselling clients across a wide range of European jurisdictions, with a focus on transactions in the technology and life sciences sectors.

Wim is recognised by The Legal 500 UK 2024 for Private Equity: Transactions – High-Value Deals, M&A: Upper Mid-Market and Premium Deals £750 million+. He is also recognised by the 2025 edition of Best Lawyers in the United Kingdom as a leading lawyer for Private Equity Law.

Wim received an LL.M. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 2007, a M.S. from HEC Paris in 2003 and a Masters of Law (cum laude) from the University of Leuven in 2002. He is admitted to practice in New York. He speaks Dutch and French.

Selected experience:*

  • Arvelle Therapeutics, a Swiss-based biopharmaceutical company, on its sale to Angelini Pharma for a total cash consideration of up to $960 million.
  • Gilde Buy Out Partners in its investment in Caseking, a supplier of high-performance PC gaming equipment and peripherals.
  • Goldman Sachs Private Capital, including on its:
    • investment and follow-on investment in Wolt, a delivery platform active in 18 countries;
    • investment in DocPlanner Group, an international healthcare booking platform provider; and
    • investment in technology platform LumApps.
  • Kiniciti, a Welsh Carson, Anderson & Stowe platform, in its control investment in Ncardia, a company focused on developing stem cell-based solutions for drug discovery and cell therapy.
  • KKR, including on its:
    • control investment in Biosynth Carbosynth, a life sciences reagents and custom synthesis and manufacturing services company headquartered in Switzerland;
    • investment in Leapwork, a Danish no-code automation platform;
    • investment and follow-on investment in Feedzai, a leading cloud-based financial risk management platform based in Portugal;
    • acquisition of Argenta, a leading animal pharmaceutical research and manufacturing company;
    • control investment in ReliaQuest, a cybersecurity technology company;
    • investment in Zwift, the at home training game connecting cyclists around the world;
    • investment and follow-on investment in music platform Artlist in Israel, and on Artlist’s acquisition of Motion Array in the U.S.;
    • exit from Paris-based company Ivalua; and
    • initial investment in, follow-on investment in and exit from KnowBe4, a security awareness training and simulated phishing platform provider.
  • KKR and Goldman Sachs Private Capital on their respective investments in OutSystems, the global leader in low-code rapid application development, as part of a $360 million investment round.
  • NXP Semiconductors, on its merger with Freescale, on various issuances of senior cross-over notes and secured and unsecured high-yield notes, and on its initial public offering on NASDAQ and subsequent secondary offerings.

*Some of these representations occurred prior to Wim’s association with Gibson Dunn.

Percy Gao is a corporate associate in the New York office of Gibson Dunn. He is a member of Gibson Dunn’s Mergers and Acquisitions and Private Equity Practice Groups.

Percy received his Juris Doctor from New York University School of Law, where he served as language chair of the Asia Law Society. He graduated from Fudan University in 2016 with a Bachelor of Law degree in Science of Law.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, he practiced with a global firm as a member of the Corporate and M&A groups, from 2019 to 2022.

Percy is admitted to practice in the State of New York, and is fluent in English and Mandarin.

Romain Tourenne is an associate in the London office of Gibson Dunn and a member of the Private Equity, Mergers and Acquisitions, and Capital Markets Practice Groups.

He has experience acting on a broad range of private equity and corporate matters, including acquisitions, capital markets transactions and general corporate work.

Romain trained and qualified as a solicitor at another international law firm, where he also gained experience with the firm’s real estate finance and competition groups.

He is a French national and regularly advises on transactions involving French buyers, sellers, target companies and issuers.

Selected experience:*

  • KKR on its investment and follow-on investment in music platform Artlist in Israel, and on Artlist’s acquisition of Motion Array in the U.S.
  • KKR on its control investment in Biosynth Carbosynth, a life sciences reagents and custom synthesis and manufacturing services company headquartered in Switzerland and several bolt-on acquisitions by Biosynth Carbosynth.
  • KKR on its investment in Ornikar, a European provider of road safety education.
  • KKR on its participation in a US$530 million funding round in Wolt, a leading European food delivery business based in Finland.
  • KKR on its acquisition of Argenta, a leading animal pharmaceutical research and manufacturing company.
  • Fnac Darty S.A., a leading European retailer of consumer electronics, editorial products, and household appliances, in connection with its offering of €300 million 1.875% Senior Notes due 2024 and €350 million 2.625% Senior Notes due 2026.
  • Goldman Sachs on its investment in tech platform LumApps.

*Some of these representations occurred prior to Romain’s association with Gibson Dunn.

Willem van Hootegem is an associate in the London office of Gibson Dunn and is a member of the firm’s Mergers and Acquisitions and Private Equity Practice Groups.

Willem advises clients on a wide range of corporate matters, including mergers and acquisitions, private equity, joint ventures, and corporate reorganisations.

Willem received a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B., cum laude) and a Master of Laws (LL.M., cum laude) from Leiden Law School in the Netherlands, and an LL.M. from Harvard Law School. He is admitted to the New York bar.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Willem worked in the Luxembourg office of a leading Benelux law firm. He speaks Dutch, Portuguese, and French.

Freddie Wright is an associate in the London office of Gibson Dunn. He is a member of the Private Equity and Mergers and Acquisitions Practice Groups.

His practice focuses on private equity M&A and cross-border infrastructure M&A transactions. He has assisted on a range of cross-border transactions as well as advising on domestic company formations and related matters. He has previously completed a secondment at Helios Towers plc.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Freddie trained and practised in the London office of another international law firm. He is admitted to practice in England and Wales.

Ashley Whittington is a corporate associate in the Houston office of Gibson Dunn and a member of the Private Equity, Mergers and Acquisitions, Energy, and Oil and Gas Practice Groups.

She advises and represents private and public companies as well as private equity clients and their portfolio companies and management teams in connection with various corporate transactions, including mergers, equity and asset acquisitions, recapitalizations, dispositions, joint ventures, and other strategic business combinations.

Ashley received her Juris Doctor from the University of Houston in 2016, where she served as the Managing Editor for Houston Business and Tax Law Journal, as well as her Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Taxation from the University of Houston in 2018. She earned her B.A. in Business Administration, Finance, from The University of Texas in 2013.

Chris Ayers is an associate in the Orange County office of Gibson Dunn. He currently practices in the firm’s Transactional Department.

He earned his law degree from the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law in 2021, where he was elected to the Order of the Coif. Prior to law school, Chris graduated summa cum laude from the University of California, Irvine, earning Bachelor of Arts degrees in Business Administration and Political Science.

Chris is admitted to practice law in the State of California.

Valeriya is an associate in the London office of Gibson Dunn and is a member of the firm’s Mergers and Acquisitions and Private Equity Practice Groups.

Valeriya focuses on advising private equity firms and financial sponsors on a range of corporate matters, including acquisitions, divestitures, co-investments, reorganisations, and general corporate advisory matters.

Prior to joining the firm, Valeriya worked at another leading international law firm in London, where she completed a secondment to Antin Infrastructure Partners.

Valeriya’s experience includes advising: *

  • Oaktree Capital Management on its acquisition of OEG Group and its disposal of Avenga.
  • The Carlyle Group on its acquisition of marketing agency Incubeta.
  • Providence Equity Partners on its sale of a 50% stake in Globeducate.
  • atomos, a UK-based wealth manager backed by funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management, on WTW’s acquisition of a minority stake in atomos.
  • Triton on its £1.2 billion recommended takeover of Clinigen Group plc.
  • Anchorage Capital Group on its disposal of LS Retail.
  • Institutional investors advised by J.P. Morgan Asset Management on the acquisition of GETEC, one of Europe’s leading sustainable energy service companies.

* Some of these representations occurred prior to Valeriya’s association with Gibson Dunn.

Lena Tarrin is an English law qualified associate in the London office of Gibson Dunn and is a member of the firm’s Private Equity and Mergers & Acquisitions Practice Groups.

She has experience advising clients on a wide range of corporate matters, including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and reorganisations.

Lena received a first class Law degree at Durham University in 2019. She then went on to complete her LLM at the London School of Economics and Political Science and her LPC at BBP University before joining Gibson Dunn in 2022.

Jenn Katz is an associate in the New York office of Gibson Dunn. Her practice focuses on the intersection of law and technology, frequently on issues related to artificial intelligence and data privacy and security.

Jenn advises clients on the full product development lifecycle, commercial agreements, terms and policies, compliance programs, and incident response, including in relation to international and state privacy laws, emerging artificial intelligence regulation, and consumer protection laws. She regularly represents clients before federal and state regulators related to these issues, including the Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and multiple state Attorneys General.

Jenn works collaboratively with technical, business, legal, and other stakeholders to balance regulatory and legal considerations with core business needs and goals. She helps clients understand key risks and delivers practical and strategic guidance. Jenn is a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/US).

Jenn maintains an active pro bono practice, including successfully obtaining asylum for a client and advising non-profit organizations and small businesses on privacy programs and policies.

Jenn serves on the Board of Directors of Unique People Services, a non-profit organization focused on providing transitional and supportive housing to individuals with mental illness and developmental disabilities. 

In 2022, Jenn served as a law clerk to the Honorable Nicholas G. Garaufis of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York. She graduated from Columbia Law School in 2020, where she was a James Kent Scholar and Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar and served as a Forum Editor of the Columbia Law Review. Jenn graduated cum laude from Northwestern University in 2015 with a degree in Social Policy. She is admitted to practice in the State of New York.