Representing domestic and international clients across the finance, aviation, and insurance sectors, the team at Debevoise & Plimpton LLP boasts a network of offices across the US and is highly adept at handling high-value cross-border M&A. Overseeing the San Francisco offering, global co-chair Michael Diz has broad-based transactional expertise, frequently advising public companies and special committees on complex governance issues, whilst the ‘top-notch’ Kevin Rinker co-heads the team from New York and is noted for advising on impactful transactions in the healthcare and banking sectors. Further key contacts in the New York office include Paul Bird, who is highly knowledgeable on leveraged buyouts, and Jennifer Chu, who focuses on joint ventures. Similarly based in New York, Jonathan Levitsky is an expert in the tech and media fields, while both William Regner and Jeffrey Rosen handle critical governance matters on behalf of global corporations.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘They have a top-tier M&A group that handles all manner of complex public and private M&A transactions. Very knowledgeable and commercial.’

  • ‘Kevin Rinker is really top-notch and probably their best M&A lawyer right now. He is an effective negotiator, a great communicator and has a great mix of advocacy and problem solving. He's very commercial and I enjoy doing deals with him.’

Key clients

  • Albertsons Companies
  • American International Group
  • Brookfield Reinsurance
  • BradyIFS
  • Clayton, Dubilier & Rice
  • Dolan Family
  • INDICOR
  • Inovar Packaging Group
  • J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.
  • Mitsui & Co.
  • Nuveen
  • Pernod Ricard
  • Prosperity Life Insurance
  • SiriusXM
  • Spirit Airlines Inc.
  • Cohen Private Ventures

Work highlights

  • Advised Albertsons Companies on key aspects of its sale to Kroger at a total enterprise value of approximately $24.6bn .
  • Advised Spirit Airlines, Inc. on its sale to JetBlue Airways Corporation for $6.6bn.
  • Advised Brookfield Reinsurance on its acquisition of American Equity Investment Life Holding Company in a transaction valued at approximately $4.3bn.

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Practice head

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Michael Diz, Kevin Rinker