Best Lawyers in California, United States for Mergers and Acquisitions Law
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Allison M. Leopold Tilley is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law. Allison M. Leopold, who practices law in Palo Alto, California, has been recognized since 2013. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Allison M. Leopold is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Christian Salaman is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law. Christian, who practices law in San Diego, California, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Christian is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Kenton J. King is the partner in charge of Skadden’s Palo Alto office. He serves on the firm’s top governing body, the Policy Committee. Mr. King represents clients in a broad range of corporate and securities law matters, including corporate governance, cross-border mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, investment and capital markets transactions and restructurings. In the United States, Mr. King concentrates on corporate governance and mergers and acquisitions, as well as eq...
Ken Kohler's practice involves a broad range of corporate and capital markets work, including public offerings and private placements of equity and debt securities, mergers and acquisitions of public and private companies, and disclosure and reporting matters under the federal securities laws. Mr. Kohler also has extensive experience representing banks, REITs, mortgage bankers and others in corporate finance, structured finance and securitization transactions. He is experienced in cross-borde...
Michael O’Bryan is a partner in the firm’s Corporate Department. His practice focuses on U.S. and international mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, and other strategic transactions, including “going private” and other related party transactions. He has been involved in more than 350 M&A transactions, advising companies, boards, and special committees, as well as investment banks, in both negotiated and contested transactions. Mr. O’Bryan has worked extensive...
Michelle Hallsten is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law and Venture Capital Law. Michelle, who practices law in Sacramento, California, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Michelle is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Andrew Apfelberg, a Partner at Greenberg Glusker LLP, is a corporate and finance attorney for middle-market companies throughout the United States. Andrew often acts as outside general counsel to his clients, providing advice on a business’ significant transactions whether it’s a merger or acquisition, private equity or other financing, joint venture or licensing deal. He has a considerable depth of experience in the branded consumer products and manufacturing & distribution i...
Jim Krenn is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Mergers and Acquisitions Law. Jim, who practices law in San Diego, California, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Jim is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Ari Lanin is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Mergers and Acquisitions Law. Ari, who practices law in Los Angeles, California, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Ari is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Ed Wes is a partner in the firm's Business practice, who focuses his practice on emerging growth companies. Ed's practice includes capital formation (including private financings of debt and equity securities, as well as public offerings), mergers and acquisitions and business transactions including joint ventures and technology transfer transactions. In his position as general counsel for many of his clients Ed also oversees the work of litigation and IP law specialists. Ed particularly valu...
Jonathan Ko is a partner in the Securities and Capital Markets practice and is based in the Los Angeles office. Mr. Ko represents private and public companies, investment banks, private equity firms and other institutional investors in a wide range of capital market transactions across various industries, including financial services, gaming, hospitality, real estate, retail and technology. These transactions include initial public offerings, follow on and secondary offerings, and public and ...
Nathaniel M. Cartmell III is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Corporate Compliance Law, Corporate Governance Law, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law and Securities / Capital Markets Law. Nathaniel M., who practices law in San Francisco, California, has been recognized since 2005. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Nathaniel M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and leg...
Gordon Bava is a senior partner of the firm after serving for a decade as its Chief Executive and Managing Partner. Gordon’s practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions, special committee representation, private and underwritten securities offerings and general corporate representation of clients in a variety of industries. Gordon has conducted these services for public entertainment, utility and healthcare companies, local, regional and multinational financial institutions and holding...
Eva is a “savvy dealmaker” who is consistently named a top California lawyer by national and regional publications. With over 20 years of experience, Eva works with some of the most active private equity funds in the country and provides “astute commercial advice” alongside her strategic M&A counseling when negotiating on behalf of U.S. and global public and private companies, boards of directors, and private equity funds involving their most significant transactio...
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.