Latham & Watkins Adds M&A Partners in NY
The law firm Latham & Watkins announced that esteemed finance and public M&A partners Emily Johnson and Mark Stagliano have joined its New York office. The additions are intended to enhance the firm's corporate and finance practice.
- Both partners were hired from Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, an elite and historically insular New York firm, making this a rare and significant lateral move from a direct competitor. - The move is part of a wider, aggressive recruitment strategy by Latham in New York, where the firm has grown to 830 lawyers by hiring senior partners from rival Wall Street firms. - Latham & Watkins holds a dominant position in the dealmaking landscape, ranking #1 globally for M&A by deal value in 2025, having advised on transactions worth $740.4 billion. - Emily Johnson has advised on financing for deals totaling nearly $85 billion and was previously named the #1 Financing Lawyer in North America by MergerLinks in 2024. - Mark Stagliano, recognized as a "Rising Star" by Law360, has represented major clients such as Blackstone, Danone, and Carlyle in acquisitions, divestitures, and other significant corporate matters. - This talent acquisition follows a period of major financial success for Latham, which recently saw its profit per equity partner increase by 30% to over $7 million. - Johnson specializes in the complex financing aspects of corporate transactions, including M&A and spin-offs, while Stagliano focuses on public company M&A, corporate governance, and takeover defense.
