Overview
Shearman & Sterling has a strong and growing record of working with private equity funds, portfolio companies, management teams, and investors often in cross border and international transactions. From fund inception to exit strategies, deal execution and financing to portfolio company management, we are actively involved in all aspects of the private equity life cycle. Our global footprint combined with our tightly-knit partnership, allows us to help clients achieve their objectives on time and to pursue assets under highly competitive auctions and other complex or other challenging circumstances. We take a business-minded approach in providing practical and solutions-oriented legal advice and we work efficiently to achieve client objectives.
Experience
- Apse Capital | in its acquisition of Kallidus Holdings Limited, a provider of learning, recruitment, performance, and talent management software.
- The Blackstone Group | to acquire a minority shareholding in the Italian real estate Kryalos Group.
- Brentwood Associates | in its acquisition of Parchment Inc., a digital credential service.
- Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) | in its US$6.1 billion acquisition of Pattern Energy, and as a member of a consortium of investors led by Energy Capital Partners in its acquisition of Calpine Corporation, the largest generator of electricity from natural gas and geothermal resources in the United States.
- Deutsche Beteiligungs AG (DBAG) | in its majority stake in Cartonplast Group, a provider that processes and services reusable plastic layer-pads
- EnCap Flatrock Midstream (EFM) | in multiple transactions including its investment in Eagle Ford and Midland basins through acquisition of Ironwood Midstream Energy Partners LLC and affiliated entities
- EQT Partners | in multiple transactions, including its acquisitions of a water services software company Innovyze, Inc., XP Solutions, and Focusvision Worldwide, an insights and analytics technology solutions provider.
- Epiris Managers LLP | as manager on behalf of Electra Private Equity PLC in its sale of its investment in Retirement Bridge group to Patron Capital Partners
- Francisco Partners | in its acquisition of QuadraMed, as well as the subsequent acquisition, alongside Elliott Management Corporation, of Dell Software.
- Investcorp | in it its preferred equity investment in Kindstar Globalgene Technology, Inc., a clinical special inspection service provider.
- Oaktree Capital Management | in its investment in Mail Boxes Etc., a third-party provider of shipping, fulfillment, print and marketing via a network of franchised locations.
- OMERS Infrastructure Management | in its acquisition of Leeward Renewable Energy from affiliates of ArcLight Capital Partners, and the related financing; and its acquisition of a 49% equity interest in a portfolio of wind farms from EDP Renováveis, S.A.
- Oryx Midstream | in it’s acquisition of Targa Resources’ crude business, a midstream energy infrastructure corporation. Oryx is a portfolio company of Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners.
- Silver Hill Energy Partners | in connection with its acquisition of upstream assets in the Eagle Ford, a hydrocarbon-producing geological formation across the Mexican border and Texas.
- Stone Point Capital | in its acquisition of Cortview Capital Securities LLC, TechEssential Holdings, Inc. and AMC Holdings, Inc.; and in its investment in First Data Corporation and in the merger of Pierpont Securities LLC with Amherst Securities Group LP.
- Symphony Technology Group | in its acquisition of the Simmons business from Experian Marketing Solutions, Inc.
- TPG Capital | in it’s acquisition of Abengoa’s electricity transmission assets located in Brazil.
Fund Formation and Co-Investments
- Artius Management LLC and its affiliates | in ongoing general corporate advice in connection with their roles as the manager of a private equity fund and the sponsor of a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC)
- Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. | in the formation of a real estate private equity fund investing in office, retail, industrial and multi-family properties
- Horizon Capital Advisors | in the formation of a $400 million private equity fund targeting investments in Ukraine and the surrounding region
- IFC Asset Management Company | in the formation of a $700 million private equity fund targeting investments in the Asia region and formation of IFC Financial Institutions Growth Fund LP, a $1 billion fund with a mandate focused on emerging market financial institutions
- Innisfree Limited | on the formation of Innisfree PFI Secondary Fund and Innisfree PFI Secondary Fund 2 LP, English limited partnerships investing in PFI and PPP infrastructure projects
- Miller/Howard Funds, a family of SEC-registered funds | in the IPO of their closed-end Fund, Miller/Howard High income Equity Fund, and the launch of their open-end funds, Miller/Howard Funds Trust
- NGP Capital Management | in the formation of (i) NGP Natural Resources X, L.P., a $3.6 billion private equity fund formed to make natural resource investments and (ii) Natural Gas Partners IX, L.P., a $4 billion natural gas energy fund
- Shorenstein Properties LLC | in the formation of its fifth ($280 million), sixth ($610 million), seventh ($775 million), eighth ($1.1 billion), ninth ($2.1 billion), tenth ($1.0 billion) and eleventh ($1.2 billion) real estate investment funds
- Torchlight Investors | in the formation of its PE funds, including Torchlight Debt Opportunity Funds I, II, III, IV and V, Torchlight CMBS Value Fund, Inc. and Torchlight Value Fund Master, LLC
- TRG Management | in the formation of TRG Latin America Private Equity Fund I, L.P. a private equity fund targeting investments in medium-sized companies in Latin America, with a focus on Chile, Colombia, Peru, Brazil and Mexico, together with a parallel Chilean fund
Accolades
We are actively growing our private equity practice to align with market opportunities and better serve our clients. In addition to several key lateral hires this year, our renewed (or recent) focus in this area is reflected in legal rankings including:
- Recognized as a Leading Firm in Private Equity Funds (including venture capital) in the U.S. by Legal 500 USA 2021
- Recognized as a Leading Firm in Private Equity in the Asia Pacific region by Chambers Global 2021
- Recognized as a Leading Firm in Corporate/M&A in the U.S., Latin America, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific by Chambers and Partners 2021
Global M&A Market Review Legal Rankings – Q1 2021
- Top 10 – Global Private Equity Deals (By Volume) (#10 up from #44 in 2020)
- Top 10 – U.S. Private Equity Deals (By Volume) (#9 up from #40 in 2020)
- Top 5 – Europe Private Equity Deals (By Volume) (#4 up from #42 in 2020)
The Deal Q1 and Q2
- Top 20 Legal Advisor Private Equity