Akerman LLP, a top 100 U.S. law firm serving clients across the Americas, continues the rapid expansion of the M&A and Private Practice in New York with experienced corporate partner Michael O’Brien. Joining from Vedder Price, he brings more than three decades of experience in advising a wide range of public and private companies, with an emphasis on the private equity, life sciences and fintech sectors. O’Brien is the third New York partner to join Akerman’s national M&A and Private Equity Practice in the last four months, following the team’s continuing national expansion across major U.S. business centers.

“Michael is a superb corporate lawyer, respected by clients and peers for his valuable experience as a skilled negotiator and sophisticated business partner across a variety of transactions,” said Carl Roston, co-chair of Akerman’s Corporate Practice Group.

“With Michael’s arrival, we continue to grow our core strengths in New York, and nationwide, with quality lawyers especially dedicated to serve the needs of middle market clients across various strategic sectors,” said Jonathan Awner, co-chair of Akerman’s Corporate Practice Group.

O’Brien represents strategic corporate buyers, financial institutions and private equity firms in investment transactions. For more than 30 years, he has guided investors and companies in mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and private equity transactions, with an emphasis on the fintech and life sciences sectors. O’Brien also counsels companies in general corporate and securities matters, including financing transactions. He has represented creditors and debtors in the corporate aspects of restructuring transactions, including the issuance and exchange of securities and negotiation of new shareholder arrangements.

A leader in civic and charitable endeavors, O’Brien also has served on the board of directors of the Polytechnic Institute at New York University, the Lincoln Center Consolidated Corporate Funds Leadership Committee and the board of directors of the Friends of the Highline. He has been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America annually since 2005.

O’Brien is the latest addition to a prestigious laterals’ class of M&A and private equity partners in the New York office, which has recently welcomed seasoned corporate partner Ted Rosen from Fox Rothschild and Corporate Finance and Lending Practice Co-Chair Robert Stein from Kirkland and Ellis.

In addition to its continuing New York growth, Akerman’s national Corporate Practice Group also continues to expand across other major U.S. business centers, most recently in Austin, Texas, with office managing partner Todd Reed and partner Bentley Harris from Reed & Scardino and in Chicago with partner Robert Winner from Seyfarth Shaw.