Akin announced the addition of a high-profile private equity team in New York and London, bringing back Gerald Brant, Jeffrey Kochian, and Brittany Harrison to the firm alongside Jonathon Hamill. The expansion is designed to strengthen the firm’s capabilities across control private equity, complex mergers and acquisitions, and capital solutions transactions.
Gerald Brant has been appointed head of Akin’s U.S. private equity practice. The firm said the hires significantly expand its ability to advise sponsors on sophisticated transactions involving platform acquisitions, carve-outs, divestitures, governance matters, hybrid capital structures, and special situations.
Brant is recognized for advising leading private equity firms on transformative sponsor transactions and governance matters. Jeffrey Kochian focuses on control acquisitions, joint ventures, capital markets, shareholder activism, and M&A transactions involving sponsors, financial institutions, and public companies. Jonathon Hamill advises sponsors on leveraged buyouts, carve-outs, and hybrid capital transactions across Europe, while Brittany Harrison counsels sponsors and portfolio companies on control acquisitions, M&A transactions, and structured investments.
The team’s recent deal experience includes advising Apollo-managed funds on agreements to acquire Emerald Holding and Questex, along with the acquisition of a majority stake in Prosol Group. The lawyers also advised Spire in its acquisition of the Tennessee Piedmont Natural Gas business from Duke Energy.
According to the firm, the expansion aligns with growing demand from private equity sponsors for integrated legal advice spanning traditional buyouts, capital solutions, restructuring, and liability management strategies. Akin said its private equity practice works closely with the firm’s restructuring, tax, fund formation, and capital solutions teams to support clients throughout the lifecycle of private capital investments.
KEY QUOTES:
“Private equity has become a multi-dimensional business, and the firms that lead will be those with the scale and integration to advise sponsors across strategies and structures. Gerald, Jeff, and their team massively accelerate our private equity growth strategy. This is a defining addition for our platform.”
Abid Qureshi, Co-Chair, Akin
“The most complex transactions today require counsel who can operate across the full capital structure—from control equity through hybrid capital and special situations. This team brings world-class execution and deep sponsor relationships to a platform already recognized for leadership in capital solutions and liability management. The combination is built for where the market is going.”
Dan Fisher, Co-Head Of Akin’s Capital Solutions Practice
“I came back to Akin to help build something—a practice defined by the complexity of the work and the sophistication of the clients. Akin’s capital solutions platform is built for that reality—and this is the most powerful opportunity in the market to grow a premier and complementary private equity platform that meets our clients’ capital solutions needs.”
Gerald Brant, Head Of U.S. Private Equity, Akin
“I am thrilled to be back at Akin for so many reasons, but most importantly because it gives us the foundation to do what we do best—execute the most complex transactions for the most sophisticated clients in the market. Our ability to service our clients on this platform is unparalleled, while also giving us a significant opportunity to expand what we can offer.”
Jeffrey Kochian, Partner, Akin
