Akerman Expands Domestic and Cross-border M&A and Private Equity Strengths, Brazil Capabilities

Akerman LLP announced that it has added to its domestic and cross-border M&A, private equity and capital markets transactions practices with partners Peter Eccles from Foley & Lardner in New York and Karyn Koiffman from Baker McKenzie in Washington, D.C. and New York. Prior to that, Koiffman was at Kirkland & Ellis.

“Peter and Karyn are consummate corporate lawyers with decades of combined experience handling highly complex transactions,” said Jonathan Awner, co-chair of the Corporate Practice Group. “With them, we continue to expand our robust New York presence while adding significant bench strength to our national team of M&A and private equity lawyers, who represent clients in all facets of their transactions across markets sectors and jurisdictions.”

“Despite the upcoming presidential elections and political uncertainty, we at Akerman are bullish on Brazil and believe opportunities abound for clients to take advantage of competitive asset valuations to drive international deal flow,” said Brazil trade and transactional partner Felipe Berer. “Peter and Karyn are great additions to our Brazil team and will strengthen our ability to advise corporate and individual investors, private equity and venture capital funds involved in cross-border transactions and financings in Brazil, the U.S. and beyond.”

In a release, the firm said:

Eccles focuses his practice on M&A, joint ventures, private equity and venture capital transactions and other corporate and commercial arrangements, with an emphasis on cross-border transactions in Latin America, particularly Brazil. In addition to advising private equity, venture capital, strategic and family office investors on investments in Latin America, Eccles has advised leading companies in the region in the energy, shipping, oil and gas, food and agriculture, real estate, auto, retail, banking, media, technology and telecom industries on novel financings, including the first ever Rule 144A capital markets transactions involving Brazilian issuers.

Koiffman represents private equity funds, private companies and public corporations in domestic and cross-border middle market deals. Her practice focuses on acquisitions and divestitures, including leveraged buyout transactions, follow-on acquisitions, mergers, and stock and asset transactions. Related to her M&A practice, Koiffman also handles joint venture arrangements, minority investments, recapitalizations, financing agreements, related equity arrangements, as well as expansions and other commercial transactions. She also counsels clients on general corporate and contractual related matters. Koiffman leverages her prior experience of 14 years in transactional practices at international law firms in the United States, as well as four years of practice in the São Paulo office of a Brazilian law firm, in all client matters.

In addition to Eccles and Koiffman, Akerman’s national Corporate Practice Group most recently welcomed four additional M&A and private equity partners in New York, including Michael O’Brien from Vedder Price, Ted Rosen from Fox Rothschild and Corporate Finance, Lending Practice Co-Chair Robert Stein from Kirkland & Ellis, and Robert Winner from Seyfarth Shaw in Chicago. Together with today’s lateral partners, they bolster Akerman’s middle market focus toward domestic and international client ventures across dynamic sectors.