Global law firm K&L Gates LLP has again been ranked as a Tier 1 law firm in the M&A, middle-market ($500m-999m) category of the 2019 Legal 500 United States guide. K&L Gates is one of six law firms so recognized and has been ranked in this category for more than a decade.
The publication also selects Pittsburgh and New York partner Robert Zinn as a "Leading Lawyer" in this M&A category, one of 15 lawyers named in the United States. Zinn co-leads the firm's corporate and FinTech practices.
The publication recognizes other K&L Gates M&A lawyers including Seattle partner Annette Becker, Charlotte partner Rick Giovannelli, and Chicago partner Mark McMillan, all whom serve as co-leaders of the corporate practice. Others noted include New York partners James Lee, a co-leader alongside Giovannelli of the firm’s private equity practice; Whitney Smith; and Calvina Bostick, ranked as a “Next Generation Lawyer.” Seattle partner Stephan Coonrod is also noted, with Charlotte lawyer Leah Baucom identified as an associate to watch by Legal 500 through a “Rising Star” designation.
The practice advises a number of high-profile clients including Microsoft, Halliburton and Patricia Industries, and in the past year alone, has worked with many of them to complete deals that further the companies’ strategic goals. Recently completed deals mentioned in the publication’s ranking include a cash-and-stock transaction valued at approximately $3.2bn, where the firm led a team that advised II-VI Incorporated, a global leader in engineered materials and optoelectronic components, in its acquisition of leading optical communications developer Finisar Corporation and in II-VI’s related $2.4 billion syndicated acquisition financing. The firm also acted for Honeybee Robotics in the sale of all of its outstanding stock to a subsidiary of Ensign-Bickford Industries, and assisted Patricia Industries, a part of Investor AB, on the $903 million acquisition of a majority stake in health care product specialty distributor Sarnova Holdings, Inc. Additional highlights included acting as co-counsel for The Weir Group, which provides engineering solutions for the minerals, oil and gas, power and industrial markets, in its acquisition of Portland-based engineered metal wear parts and components manufacturer ESCO Corporation.
According to Legal 500, the corporate practice has “particular deal strength in FinTech and financial services, emerging companies, technology, healthcare and life sciences, along with advanced manufacturing, energy, infrastructure and natural resources, and transportation and logistics.”
“We are pleased that Legal 500 has recognized nine of our U.S. lawyers as industry leaders in upper-middle market M&A, embodying our geographic, practice and demographic diversity,” said Zinn. “Our deep appreciation for our clients’ concerns, challenges, and business objectives, matched with our unsurpassed industry experience and focus on collaboration and global markets, is what sets our team apart.”