Key Takeaways
- • Latham & Watkins elected 36 associates to its partnership, with promotions effective January 1, 2027, bringing its 2026 total of new partners to 58 including 22 counsel elected earlier in the year.
- • The promotion class spans major financial and commercial centers in Europe and the United States, with significant representation in M&A and Private Equity, Banking & Private Credit, and Capital Markets.
- • Several newly elected partners advise private equity sponsors, lenders, and financial institutions on transactions ranging from leveraged buyouts and acquisition finance to private credit and fund finance.
- • The class also includes partners in antitrust, tax, restructuring, litigation, executive compensation, and technology transactions, reflecting the firm's breadth across regulatory and commercial practices.
Summary
Latham & Watkins has elected 36 associates to its partnership in its annual promotion class, with the promotions taking effect January 1, 2027, according to the firm's announcement. The election brings the total number of new partners the firm has announced in 2026 to 58, following the earlier election of 22 counsel to the partnership.
The new partners are based across major financial and commercial centers in Europe and the United States and practice in areas including M&A and private equity, banking and private credit, capital markets, litigation, antitrust, restructuring, tax, emerging companies, executive compensation, intellectual property, and technology transactions. The largest concentration of promotions is in M&A and Private Equity and Banking & Private Credit.
In Europe, Aaron Bradley (London) joins the Transactional Tax Practice, advising private equity firms and financial sponsors on structuring matters including IPOs and restructurings. Jean-Baptiste Douchy (Brussels) joins the Antitrust & Competition Practice, covering M&A clearances and the European Commission's Digital Markets Act and Digital Services Act. Corinna Freudenmacher (Munich) and Michael Houlder (London) are members of the M&A and Private Equity Practice, advising sponsors through acquisitions, exits, take-privates and management equity arrangements. Philipp Hagenbuch (London) and Anna-Maria Kuckerz (Hamburg) join the Banking & Private Credit Practice, advising banks, credit funds and lenders on acquisition and leveraged finance. Harry Redford (London) is also a member of the M&A and Private Equity Practice, focusing on cross-border public and private company transactions and shareholder activism.
In the United States, the class includes Kyle Adams (New York) and Marc Klepner (New York) in M&A and Private Equity, Rachelle Polsky (Bay Area) in M&A and Private Equity, and Ted Bantle (Los Angeles), Max Fin (Houston), Julio Martinez Rivas (New York), Ashley Rose (New York), Jeff Najjar (Los Angeles) and Tulika Sinha (New York) in Banking & Private Credit. Andrew Abokhair (Austin) joins the Data & Technology Transactions Practice, working on AI infrastructure, GPU financings and compute offtake agreements. Omar Ammash (Chicago) is in the Emerging Companies & Growth Practice, Megan Ampe (Los Angeles) in Executive Compensation, Employment & Benefits, and Joe Celentino (New York and Chicago) in Restructuring. Other U.S. promotions span litigation, intellectual property, tax, public company representation and antitrust. Claire Solimine (New York) joins the Capital Markets Practice.
The new partners are based across major financial and commercial centers in Europe and the United States and practice in areas including M&A and private equity, banking and private credit, capital markets, litigation, antitrust, restructuring, tax, emerging companies, executive compensation, intellectual property, and technology transactions. The largest concentration of promotions is in M&A and Private Equity and Banking & Private Credit.
In Europe, Aaron Bradley (London) joins the Transactional Tax Practice, advising private equity firms and financial sponsors on structuring matters including IPOs and restructurings. Jean-Baptiste Douchy (Brussels) joins the Antitrust & Competition Practice, covering M&A clearances and the European Commission's Digital Markets Act and Digital Services Act. Corinna Freudenmacher (Munich) and Michael Houlder (London) are members of the M&A and Private Equity Practice, advising sponsors through acquisitions, exits, take-privates and management equity arrangements. Philipp Hagenbuch (London) and Anna-Maria Kuckerz (Hamburg) join the Banking & Private Credit Practice, advising banks, credit funds and lenders on acquisition and leveraged finance. Harry Redford (London) is also a member of the M&A and Private Equity Practice, focusing on cross-border public and private company transactions and shareholder activism.
In the United States, the class includes Kyle Adams (New York) and Marc Klepner (New York) in M&A and Private Equity, Rachelle Polsky (Bay Area) in M&A and Private Equity, and Ted Bantle (Los Angeles), Max Fin (Houston), Julio Martinez Rivas (New York), Ashley Rose (New York), Jeff Najjar (Los Angeles) and Tulika Sinha (New York) in Banking & Private Credit. Andrew Abokhair (Austin) joins the Data & Technology Transactions Practice, working on AI infrastructure, GPU financings and compute offtake agreements. Omar Ammash (Chicago) is in the Emerging Companies & Growth Practice, Megan Ampe (Los Angeles) in Executive Compensation, Employment & Benefits, and Joe Celentino (New York and Chicago) in Restructuring. Other U.S. promotions span litigation, intellectual property, tax, public company representation and antitrust. Claire Solimine (New York) joins the Capital Markets Practice.
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