Skadden has recruited Navneeta “Nav” Rekhi, Steve Argeris, and Max Scott as partners, strengthening its private equity, sports, and intellectual property and technology transactions practices. All three attorneys will join from Weil, Gotshal & Manges.
Rekhi will join Skadden’s Bay Area offices as a private equity partner. She advises private equity funds and privately held companies on leveraged buyouts, carve-outs, divestitures, minority investments, recapitalizations, and distressed acquisitions.
Her practice has a particular focus on middle-market sponsors and emerging fund managers. Skadden expects her relationships with developing private equity firms to support the continued expansion of its private capital platform.
Emerging managers can require support across fund formation, fundraising, acquisitions, financing, portfolio-company matters, and exits. Rekhi’s arrival gives Skadden an attorney experienced in developing long-term relationships with sponsors as those organizations increase their assets and transaction activity.
Argeris will join the firm in Washington, D.C., as a partner working across private equity and sports. His clients include investors, professional teams, universities, sponsors, and brands.
His experience includes major M&A and sponsorship transactions involving the National Football League, Major League Soccer, and the National Women’s Soccer League. He also handles sensitive operational matters such as internal investigations and the hiring or departure of senior business and sporting personnel.
Argeris serves as vice chairman of USA Rugby’s board. He previously worked as vice president and general counsel of Tepper Sports & Entertainment, the owner of the Carolina Panthers and Charlotte FC.
The appointment comes as institutional and private capital investors increase their activity in professional sports, media rights, venues, women’s sports, technology, and related assets. Argeris adds operating and in-house experience to Skadden’s established sports, media, entertainment, M&A, and private equity capabilities.
Scott will join Skadden’s Bay Area intellectual property and technology transactions practice. He advises on commercial arrangements involving technology and IP, including the intellectual property components of M&A and venture capital deals.
He also handles strategic licenses, joint development arrangements, technology services agreements, reseller relationships, outsourcing, and distribution contracts. His work includes diligence and transaction negotiations for financial sponsors and portfolio companies.
Scott’s practice is relevant to transactions where software, patents, data, content, technical expertise, and commercial agreements represent a substantial portion of enterprise value. His experience will support Skadden’s ability to integrate corporate and intellectual property advice within major technology transactions.
The three appointments expand different practices but share a connection to private capital and technology-driven transactions. Rekhi strengthens sponsor relationships, Argeris adds sports-sector transactional and operational experience, and Scott addresses the IP and commercial issues underlying technology investments.
Skadden said the hires reflect its objective of adding partners whose practices complement the firm’s global platform and support continued growth in strategically important sectors.
KEY QUOTES
“We are thrilled to welcome Nav, Steve and Max to the firm. They each bring market-leading experience that complements our existing capabilities and will enhance the strategic advice we provide to our clients. Despite coming from different practices, all three recognize the same distinctive strengths in the firm and are excited by the opportunity to build on and contribute to our continued growth and success.”
Jeremy London, Executive Partner of Skadden
“Nav has built an exceptional practice advising middle market and emerging fund managers and has developed relationships with sponsors who are shaping the future of private equity. Her entrepreneurial approach and ability to identify and grow alongside the next generation of market leaders make her an extraordinary addition to Skadden, and her arrival reflects our commitment to enhancing our private capital offering.”
Allison Schneirov, Global Head of Skadden’s Transactions Practices
“I am incredibly excited to join a world-class partnership with such a strong global platform, a collaborative and entrepreneurial culture and a clear ambition for continued growth. I have built my career on partnering with emerging managers and helping them grow. Skadden’s depth and breadth of capabilities provide an exciting opportunity for me to expand the reach and impact of my practice. I look forward to working with my new colleagues to build something truly differentiated in the private capital ecosystem.”
Nav Rekhi, Incoming Private Equity Partner at Skadden
“Steve is one of the top sports, media and entertainment lawyers in the country, and he enhances our ability to serve our clients on sophisticated matters in sectors that increasingly are a focus of private capital investment. Steve’s deep experience will be of tremendous value to our clients and will further cement our standing as a premier adviser in this rapidly evolving sector.”
Allison Schneirov, Global Head of Skadden’s Transactions Practices
“Skadden is an exceptional firm with a leading global sports, media and entertainment practice and a strong reputation for handling the most complex, high-stakes matters. I am honored to join this partnership and am looking forward to leveraging the full breadth of the firm’s resources and capabilities to deliver results for clients across the sports, media and entertainment landscape.”
Steve Argeris, Incoming Private Equity and Sports Partner at Skadden
“Max is an outstanding addition to our team. As innovation drives more of our clients’ most important deals, Max’s experience advising on many of the most complex, high-profile transactions in the technology sector further strengthens our ability to provide the comprehensive support clients need.”
Resa Schlossberg, Head of Skadden’s Intellectual Property and Technology Transactions Practice
“Joining a partnership of Skadden’s caliber presents an exciting opportunity. The firm’s collaborative culture and market-leading technology practice will allow me to provide clients with integrated advice on their most important transactions, and I am thrilled to build on the firm’s tremendous strength in the technology sector and contribute to its next chapter of growth.”
Max Scott, Incoming Intellectual Property and Technology Transactions Partner at Skadden
