Latham & Watkins Further Expands M&A and Private Equity Practices in Boston and Chicago

Latham & Watkins LLP¹ is pleased to announce that Neal Reenan and Ian Bushner have joined both the firm’s Boston and Chicago offices as partners in the Corporate Department and as members of the Mergers & Acquisitions Practice and the Private Equity Practice. Reenan and Bushner advise private equity sponsors and public and private companies on complex corporate transactions across a range of industries. 

“Neal and Ian are fantastic additions to our premier global M&A and Private Equity Practices and I am thrilled to welcome them to the firm,” said Marc Jaffe, Global Chair of Latham’s Corporate Department. “Their individual and combined experience executing innovative, highly complex domestic and cross-border transactions in a variety of active industry sectors perfectly complements our global platform. We are deeply committed to growing in line with our clients’ needs, and Neal and Ian’s arrival further underscores that priority.” 

Reenan advises financial sponsors, portfolio companies, and corporate clients on structuring, negotiating, and executing complex domestic and cross-border mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, leveraged buyouts, take-privates, joint ventures, recapitalizations, and restructuring transactions. His industry experience includes healthcare, financial services, consumer products, business services, manufacturing, entertainment, and technology. 

Bushner advises private equity sponsors and public and private companies in structuring, negotiating, and executing complex domestic and cross-border public and private mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, leveraged buyouts, take-privates, carve-outs, special situations, spinoffs, joint ventures, recapitalizations, restructurings, PIPE investments, and licensing transactions. His industry experience spans healthcare, financial services, biotechnology, aerospace and defense, automotive, chemicals, clean energy, consumer products, entertainment, industrials, insurance, life sciences, pharmaceuticals, real estate, retail, software, and technology. 

Cathy Birkeland, Office Managing Partner of Latham & Watkins in Chicago, added: “Neal and Ian are widely recognized as preeminent corporate transactional lawyers, particularly for executing high-stakes M&A deals on behalf of private equity sponsors and public and private companies. Their skill sets are perfectly aligned to our strong M&A and Private Equity Practices in Chicago, serving Midwestern, national, and international clients.” 

“Neal and Ian bring sophisticated M&A and private equity experience in a number of industries, including healthcare and life sciences, financial services, technology, and consumer products, for which clients look to our Boston office,” said Hans Brigham, Office Managing Partner of Latham & Watkins in Boston. “They are each a tremendous asset not only to clients in the Boston market but across Latham’s global platform.” 

“Latham is an international leader in M&A and private equity, known for advising clients on their most complicated and high-stakes deals,” said Reenan. “The firm has a well established footprint in key international financial centers and top-notch reputation across transactional practices that support private equity, such as capital markets, emerging companies, and debt finance. It is that integrated global platform combined with Latham’s collaborative culture that drew me here, and I look forward to providing my clients with the many resources of this tremendous firm.” 

“Latham’s deep industry knowledge and regulatory expertise in sectors such as healthcare, life sciences, financial services, fintech, and technology will be extremely beneficial to clients,” added Bushner. “As sophisticated and repeat consumers of legal services, our clients are increasingly seeking a one-stop firm for their complex transactions, and nobody integrates industry, regulatory, and deal lawyers better than Latham. I have worked across the table from many Latham lawyers in offices throughout the world and am continuously impressed with the high caliber advice and commercial approach that they provide. I am excited to join the team.”

Reenan and Bushner join Latham & Watkins from Kirkland & Ellis. They are the latest additions to an extensive group of prominent partners who have joined Latham’s Mergers & Acquisitions and Private Equity Practices since January 2019.

Reenan received his JD, magna cum laude, from the University of Michigan Law School and graduated Order of the Coif. Bushner received his JD, with honors, from the University of Chicago Law School.  

About Latham & Watkins 

Latham & Watkins delivers innovative solutions to complex legal and business challenges around the world. From a global platform, our lawyers advise clients on market shaping transactions, high-stakes litigation and trials, and sophisticated regulatory matters. Latham is one of the world’s largest providers of pro bono services, steadfastly supports initiatives designed to advance diversity within the firm and the legal profession, and is committed to exploring and promoting environmental sustainability.

Notes to Editors

¹ Latham & Watkins operates worldwide as a limited liability partnership organized under the laws of the State of Delaware (USA) with affiliated limited liability partnerships conducting the practice in France, Hong Kong, Italy, Singapore, and the United Kingdom and as an affiliated partnership conducting the practice in Japan. Latham & Watkins operates in South Korea as a Foreign Legal Consultant Office. Latham & Watkins works in cooperation with the Law Firm of Salman M. Al-Sudairi, a limited liability company, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.