A private equity team led by Mehdi Khodadad has joined Sidley Austin from Cooley. The team consists of Khodadad, partners Josh DuClos and Eric Kauffman, counsel Stacy Crosnicker and several associates. Khodadad, DuClos and Kauffmann are in Sidley’s Century City office, while Crosnicker is in Washington DC.
Khodadad and DuClos represent corporations and entrepreneurs along with their private equity and venture capital sponsors in matters related to private and public financings, mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructurings, leveraged buy-outs, cross-border and other related private equity transactions. While their practice spans many industries, they are particularly active in technology and healthcare. Clearlake Capital Group is a long-standing client.
“Mehdi and his team are a force in the private equity market and their reputation as trusted advisers to Clearlake and a number of peer firms is widely recognised,” says Dan Clivner, co-leader of the firm’s global M&A and Private Equity practice and managing partner of the greater Los Angeles offices. “They have embraced the opportunity to join Sidley and merge their extraordinary legal talent, creativity and client relationships with our growing global team. We look forward to partnering together in LA and around the world.”
Kauffman concentrates on labor and employment matters, providing strategic support to the technology and life sciences sectors and their private equity and venture capital sponsors. He advises on a wide array of matters, including transactional matters, mergers and acquisitions (both buy-side and sell-side), financings, spinoffs and divestitures, and corporate structuring.
Crosnicker counsels private equity clients and their portfolio companies on issues related to employee benefits that arise in mergers and acquisitions, and guides employers through the transition of employee benefits. She designs and implements equity incentive plans and other compensation arrangements for private and public companies.
The addition of Khodadad and his team to the firm’s M&A and Private Equity group follows the notable hires of Ken Baronsky in Greater Los Angeles and Adam Weinstein, Tony Feuerstein and John Butler in New York, all within the last twelve months. These hires continue Sidley’s demonstrated commitment to growing its M&A and Private Equity practice across key markets.
“Our recent recruiting success is the result of a very intentional push to become a dominant player in private equity,” says Brian Fahrney, global co-leader of Sidley’s M&A and Private Equity practice. “We’ve grown our global practice significantly in recent years, adding talent, resources and gaining critical client work. Sidley is a leading global firm with long-standing strengths in the energy, life sciences, insurance, technology and media industries.”
