Baker McKenzie announced today that Tobias (Toby) Knapp, an internationally recognized M&A and private equity lawyer, has joined the Firm's North America Transactional Practice and will serve as the co-head of the New York Transactional Group. Toby is the latest partner to join the Firm's global transactional group, which has seen the addition of 40 partners in key business markets over the past 18 months. He joins from O'Melveny & Myers, where he was head of the M&A and private equity practice of the United States.
Toby represents public and private companies as well as private equity sponsors and asset managers in their most important matters. He brings over 25 years of experience with a broad range of M&A and private equity transactions, public and private capital raising transactions and private investment funds. He also advises clients on corporate governance, fiduciary and investment advisory relationships and shareholder activism. Toby’s practice involves U.S. and multinational clients across a range of industries, including life sciences, healthcare, technology and financial services.
Baker McKenzie North America Transactional Practice Chair, Alan Zoccolillo, said: "Toby's strength in M&A and private equity make him an ideal addition to our team and our transactional growth strategy. Toby is an established, highly respected deal lawyer, and we are excited to grow our client relationships with him in North America and beyond."
Baker McKenzie Global M&A Chair, Jannan Crozier, added: "We are seeing increased deal activity in cross-border transactions and carveouts, two areas in which Baker McKenzie excels and has long been known for providing exceptional counsel. Toby's background and skill set will serve to enhance the team's ability to advise clients on sophisticated, multijurisdictional deals; I look forward to collaborating with him."
With unmatched experience leading complex cross-border transactions, Baker McKenzie's seasoned M&A and private equity lawyers provide seamless counsel through deep local and sector knowledge, commercial acumen and refined transactional techniques aimed at maximizing deal success.
"Baker McKenzie has a preeminent global transactional practice and has advised on some of the most significant cross-border deals in recent years," said Toby. "I am excited to join this dynamic group and contribute to the growth and development of the M&A and private equity teams."
Toby's move to Baker McKenzie follows the recent arrival of an elite transactional team in Los Angeles with two of the partners splitting time in Houston and Washington, DC. Baker McKenzie also welcomed, among others, Johannes Baumann (M&A – Frankfurt); Eric Schwartzman (Private Equity – San Francisco); Erika López (Private Equity – Chicago); Hannah Luqmani (Private Equity – London); Theodore Heng (Private Equity – Singapore); Mike Fitzgerald, Arturo Carrillo, Joy Gallup, Pedro Reyes, Steven Sandretto (Capital Markets – New York); Anthony Kay (Banking & Finance – London); and Kevin Whittam (Banking & Finance – New York).
Baker McKenzie is a transactional powerhouse, with more than 2,500 deal lawyers in 45 jurisdictions offering pragmatic counsel in the areas most critical for clients. The Firm excels in complex transactions and cross-border deals; over 65% of the deals are multi-jurisdictional. The teams are a hybrid of ‘local’ and ‘global’, combining money-market sophistication with local excellence.