Private Equity

Skadden advises private equity sponsors and their investment funds and portfolio companies at all stages of the investment cycle, including fund formation, management incentive plans, financings and refinancings, bolt-on investments, management change, recaps, and corporate restructurings and exits, such as IPOs. Skadden also supports portfolio companies on legal issues that typically arise under private equity ownership and leveraged structures, including issues relating to real estate, intellectual property, information technology, employment, litigation, compliance and finance.

Rankings and Recognition

Skadden has consistently been recognized for our work in private equity across multiple regions and outlets. The firm or our attorneys were:

  • Ranked among the top law firms for global, U.S., Asia Pacific and Europe private equity deals by volume in 2025, according to Bloomberg league tables.
  • Ranked by LSEG as one of the leading law firms globally and in the Americas by round value for all private equity stages, as well as globally for LBO and related rounds, acting as adviser to the company, during Q1-Q3 2025.
  • Recognized for private equity work in Chambers Global, Chambers USA, Chambers Asia Pacific, Chambers Europe, Chambers France, Chambers Germany, Chambers Greater China Region and Chambers UK.
  • Listed in the top tier for leveraged buyouts and private equity law by Best Lawyers Best Law Firms 2026.
  • Repeatedly named a Law360 Private Equity Group of the Year.
  • Honored as Private Equity Team of the Year at the IFLR Americas Awards 2023.

Mergers and Acquisitions

For many years, Skadden’s private equity clients have benefited from our experience in strategic and financial sponsor-led M&A, including with related antitrust, tax, restructuring, capital markets, employment and regulatory issues. Our global practice represents private equity sponsors and other transaction participants in all of our major offices in the Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe and the Middle East. We also have advised numerous target companies, boards of directors and special committees in leveraged buyout transactions.

Leveraged Finance

Our finance and capital markets lawyers advise private equity sponsors and portfolio companies worldwide on all types of financings, including integrated bank and bond financings, bridge financings and refinancings. Our attorneys are located in major financial centers on five continents and offer our clients in North America, Asia, Australia, Europe and South America with an in-depth understanding of the global markets. Our perspective on leveraged financing structures is enhanced by our extensive experience representing lenders and underwriters of all types, including bank and nonbank lenders, and providing or arranging bank and bond financing in private equity transactions.

Our finance-related capabilities are enhanced by our leading corporate restructuring practice, which has extensive experience in the special issues private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies face in workouts, bankruptcies and similar situations.

Fund Formation and Sponsor Representations

With more than two decades of in-depth experience representing the sponsors and investors in private equity funds, Skadden provides advice on the formation and ongoing operations of funds and the companies organized to sponsor and manage them. We have structured numerous U.S. and offshore private equity funds and funds of funds (including merchant banking, mezzanine and venture capital funds) involving a variety of structures and jurisdictions.

Our law firm works extensively on every category of private equity funds, including hedge funds, leveraged buyout or merchant banking funds, venture capital funds, real estate funds, including REITs, and hybrid funds that meld attributes usually linked either to traditional venture capital or buyout funds or to hedge funds.