Law360 Names Ropes & Gray a Private Equity Group of the Year

Law360 highlights Ropes & Gray’s prominent standing as a leading, global private equity practice, naming it one of its 2018 Private Equity Groups of the Year, for a second straight year. The publication cites the firm’s completion of the Bain Capital-led consortium in its $18 billion deal to acquire Toshiba Corporation’s semiconductor business. The transaction received final approval from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, enabling the Bain-led group to move forward with the deal, which closed on June 1, 2018.

Law360 also refers to Ropes & Gray’s proven capabilities in its representation of Bain Capital in the creation of a new biopharmaceutical company focused on central nervous system disorders, called Cerevel Therapeutics, with Pfizer. The transaction included a $350 million commitment from Bain, with Pfizer holding a 25 percent in Cerevel. “The structure could be a model for life sciences industry deals, and it could be replicated,” private equity practice co-chair Will Shields told Law360. The publication also highlights counsel provided to Advent International in its acquisition of 80% stake in Walmart Brazil.

These transactions are characterized by Law360 as “a mere drop of water in the ocean of transactions Ropes & Gray advised on over the last 12 months,” calling out the firm’s commitment to clients such as Partners Group and CVC Capital. David Blittner, private equity practice co-chair emphasized that “Ropes & Gray’s ability to handle all these complicated deals in a timely manner for clients comes down to one thing: a deep and sophisticated bench of lawyers who are focused on helping clients achieve their goals.”

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