David Dantzic advises private equity firms and their portfolio companies on complex mergers and acquisitions.

David leverages nearly three decades of experience structuring and negotiating cross-border transactions to guide both US and non-US clients on:

  • Public and private M&A for both strategics and financial sponsors
  • Going-private transactions
  • Carve-out acquisitions
  • Consortium arrangements
  • Joint ventures

Drawing on his sophisticated understanding of multidimensional deals, he thrives on complexity and adeptly solves legal structural issues on all aspects of his clients’ transactions, including environmental, employment, tax, and regulatory.

He works closely with Latham colleagues worldwide to integrate solutions from across the global platform to address any multijurisdictional, multidisciplinary challenge that arises.

A recognized leader within and outside the firm, David is a former Chair of the firm’s Washington, D.C. Corporate Department and has served on the Initiatives Committee and the Associates Committee. 

In addition to his work for firm clients, he serves as President of the Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia, a role in which he received the 2023 Servant of Justice Award. He is also a founding Board Member and Treasurer of Hill Center, a nonprofit organization that provides arts, education, and cultural programs in Washington, D.C.

David's clients include:

  • Axalta Coatings
  • The Carlyle Group
  • Ciena Corporation
  • Darden Restaurants
  • Nobian
  • Nouryon
  • Platinum Equity
  • Sequa Corporation

David's experience includes representing:

Industrial and Specialty Chemicals

  • The Carlyle Group in its:
    • €10.1 billion leveraged acquisition of AkzoNobel’s specialty chemicals business
    • US$1.475 billion leveraged acquisition of Goodyear’s Engineered Products Division
    • Investment in Duravant, an engineered equipment and automation solutions provide
    • Investment in Asplundh Tree Expert, LLC, a vegetation management and utility services provider
    • Acquisition of Sciens Building Solutions, a commercial fire and life safety company
    • Acquisition and subsequent US$650 million sale of Horizon Lines, the largest domestic containerized shipping company in the US
  • Atotech, a Germany-based provider of specialty chemical processes and equipment, in its US$4.4 billion cash and stock sale to MKS Instruments
  • Veyance Technologies, Inc. in its US$1.9 billion sale to Continental AG

Aerospace/Defense and Government Services

  • PAE in its:
    • US$1.55 billion cash-and-stock merger with Gores Holdings III, a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC)
    • Bolt-on acquisitions of FCi and MacFadden & Associates
  • Platinum Equity in its US$860 million acquisition of PAE
  • The Carlyle Group in its:
    • US$2.8 billion take-private acquisition of NYSE-listed Sequa Corporation
    • US$1.75 billion sale of Standard Aero and Landmark Aviation to Dubai Aerospace Enterprises Limited
    • Acquisition of Garrett Aviation from General Electric
  • Sequa Corporation in its:
    • Sale to an affiliate of Veritas Capital
    • Sale of its Precoat Metals Business to AZZ

Automotive

  • Carlyle in its pending US$1.5 billion acquisition of WorldPac
  • Liberty Tire in its: 
    • Sale to Energy Capital Partners
    • Restructuring and subsequent acquisition of Lakin Tire
  • The Carlyle Group in its:
    • US$4.9 billion leveraged acquisition of DuPont’s Performance Coatings business
    • Investment in the US$15 billion buyout of Hertz
  • Sequa Corporation in its US$338 million sale of Sequa Automotive Group to The Jordan Group

Investment Advisory M&A

  • The Carlyle Group in acquiring:
    • A 47.5% revenue interest in NGP Energy Capital Management, an energy and natural resources investor
    • Dutch fund-of-funds manager, AlpInvest, with approximately US$43 billion of funds under management
    • Metropolitan Real Estate Equity Management, a US-based real estate investment firm specializing in fund-of-funds investments
  • Highstar in selling the Highstar Capital franchise, an infrastructure investment advisory business, to Oaktree Capital Management

Complex M&A

  • Cogent Communications acquiring T-Mobile’s Wireline Business, comprising Sprint’s long-haul fiber network
  • DigiPlex, a Norway-based developer and operator of data centers, in its sale to IPI Partners
  • The Carlyle Group in:
  • Its US$4 billion acquisition of NYSE-listed NBTY, a global manufacturer and retailer of nutritional supplements and subsequent sale to KKR
  • US$260 million sale of Jazz Semiconductor to a Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC)
  • CoreSite, a US-based data center operator that is organized as a real estate investment trust (REIT), in its initial public offering of common stock
  • Darden Restaurants in its US$2.1 billion sale of the Red Lobster restaurant chain to Golden Gate Capital
  • Ciena Corporation in its successful “stalking horse bid” and US$769 million acquisition of Nortel’s Metro Ethernet Networking business

Bar Qualification

  • District of Columbia

Education

  • JD, Harvard Law School, 1994
  • BA, Cornell University, 1989