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North America - United States • Tax

Paul Hastings LLP

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With a strong presence on both the East and West Coasts as well as in major cities such as New York and Chicago, Paul Hastings LLP’s transactional tax group is well placed to advise clients in a broad range of key sectors, including tech, real estate, media, private equity, biotech, and pharma. Joseph Opich in New York has a broad practice covering structured finance, CLOs, investment funds, mergers, capital markets offerings, and restructurings. Los Angeles-based Michael Haun advises domestic and international clients on partnership and limited liability company formation, restructurings, acquisitions, and dispositions, among other matters. New York’s David Makso specializes in cross-border and leveraged finance transactions. Douglas Schaaf in Orange County is strong in the private equity space, while Ziemowit Smulkowski in Chicago focuses on federal income tax issues arising in the context of private equity-backed investments, M&A deals, and management compensation. Thomas Wisialowski, based in the firm’s Palo Alto office, specializes in structuring venture capital and real estate transactions. Chicago's Paul Patrow joined the firm in April 2023 from Kirkland & Ellis LLP.

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Key clients

  • Francisco Partners
  • Artemis Real Estate Partner
  • Primary Wave
  • Cresco Labs
  • Oak Hill Advisors L.P.
  • Scilex Holding Company
  • SD Biosensor and SJL Partners
  • Ad Hoc Noteholder Group of TPC Group
  • Symphony Technology Group
  • Baker Hughes
  • Nuveen
  • FTX
  • Output Services Group
  • Jefferies Finance LLC
  • Paramount Global, Warner Bros. Discovery, and The CW Network

Work highlights

  • Advised Francisco Partners and TPG in the take-private of New Relic at an equity valuation of approximately US$6.5 billion.
  • Advised Primary Wave on the tax aspect of its strategic partnership with Brookfield Asset Management valued in excess of US$2 billion.
  • Representing the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors of FTX and its 100+ affiliates that have filed for chapter 11 protection in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Joseph Opich

Other key lawyers

Michael Haun, David Makso, Ziemowit Smulkowski, Douglas Schaaf, Thomas Wisialowski, Paul Patrow