WilmerHale is pleased to announce the arrival of Michael O’Brien as its newest partner. Mr. O’Brien joins the firm’s Corporate Department in the New York office where he will focus on M&A and private equity transactions.

Mr. O’Brien joins the firm from King & Spalding LLP, where he was Managing Partner of the New York office since 2003 and a partner in the Corporate Department since 2001. He was responsible for overall operations of the office, including key client development and growth strategy. Previously, Mr. O’Brien was a partner with O’Sullivan Graev & Karabell LLP and an associate at Cravath, Swaine & Moore.

Mr. O’Brien has counseled private equity firms on investment transactions for over 20 years and has represented clients in complex M&A transactions, including in 2007 the representation of Caremark Rx, Inc., in the $26 billion merger with CVS Corporation and Wellsford Real Properties, Inc. in the merger with REIS, Inc.

“Mike’s vast M&A and private equity experience will play a significant role as we continue to deepen our corporate practice in New York. His leadership qualities and deep knowledge of the New York market will benefit our clients and the firm as we plan for further growth in New York,” said William Lee, co-managing partner of WilmerHale.

Mr. O'Brien is the second partner to join WilmerHale's corporate practice in its New York office in 2007. Brian Margolis joined the firm in early May and has a broad background in public offerings, private placements, M&A, and corporate governance issues. WilmerHale continues to look toward deepening all of its practice areas in New York with a specific focus on securities regulation and enforcement, intellectual property, patent and trademark litigation, trial and appellate litigation, white collar defense, corporate, bankruptcy and financial institutions.

WilmerHale’s Corporate Department is widely known for its representation of technology and life sciences companies in the US and Europe. The firm has handled more IPOs from 1996-2006 for eastern US companies than any other law firm in the US. In the past five years, WilmerHale has served as issuers’ counsel or underwriters’ counsel in more than 250 public offerings and Rule 144A placements raising over $100 billion, including as issuer’s counsel in deals such as CIT Group’s $4.6 billion IPO, the fourth largest in history, and the IPO of Wolfson Microelectronics. Also during the past five years, WilmerHale’s Corporate Department acted as company counsel in more than 750 venture financings raising over $10 billion and advised on more than 800 M&A deals valued in excess of $400 billion.

“I am excited by the opportunities that come along with joining WilmerHale,” said Mr. O’Brien, “and I look forward to assisting in the development of its already strong capabilities.”

Mr. O’Brien is a member of the Board of Directors at Polytechnic University; the Lincoln Center Consolidated Corporate Fund’s Leadership Committee; and the Board of Directors of the Friends of the Highline (a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and reuse of the High Line—a 1.5 mile, elevated railway that runs along the West Side of Manhattan). He also served on the advisory committee at The Hetrick-Martin Institute; and was a member of the Executive Committee and the Board of Directors of the Aluminum Association.