WilmerHale is pleased to announce that Richard Andersen and Lisa Firenze have joined the firm’s New York office as partners in the Transactional Department and members of the Tax Group and Corporate Group, respectively. With a combined 50 years of experience handling transactional matters for a variety of clients, their arrival denotes the firm’s commitment to the strategic expansion of its New York office.
Andersen joins WilmerHale from Patton Boggs, where he served as the managing partner of its New York office. He has practiced tax law for nearly 30 years, with a focus on international transactions. Anderson, who is fluent in German and French, represents clients in domestic and international corporate reorganizations, acquisitions and divestitures, and joint ventures and fund formation matters. In addition, he regularly counsels clients with regard to corporate, partnership and financial products tax matters. Andersen has taught international tax at the NYU Graduate Tax Program and is the author of several well-known treatises on international tax issues.
Firenze joins the firm from UBS Investment Bank, where she had served as executive director and senior counsel since 2005. At UBS, Firenze provided senior legal support to business management and group heads across all industry sectors on a wide range of investment banking matters, including, in particular, securities offerings and capital markets as well as mergers and acquisitions, liability management transactions, closed-end funds and corporate restructuring transactions, in addition to providing advice on general securities law issues and securities regulatory matters. Prior to UBS, Firenze was at Davis Polk & Wardwell in New York and London, where she regularly represented major investment banking firms and large corporations on a variety of corporate transactions, including numerous cross-border deals.
“We couldn’t be more pleased to welcome Rich and Lisa to the firm,” said Steve Singer, chair of WilmerHale’s Transactional Department. “With Rich’s wide-ranging experience in domestic and international tax matters and Lisa’s proven skillful handling of a variety of corporate transactions, we welcome two ideal additions to our transactional practice in New York.”
“The addition of Rich and Lisa, as well as Bill Perlstein—who recently ended his term as co-managing partner and is now working in the New York office in our Bankruptcy and Financial Restructuring Group—brings significant expertise in areas of critical importance to our New York corporate practice,” added Charles Platt, partner-in-charge of WilmerHale’s New York office.
WilmerHale’s New York office has more than 160 lawyers and a significant focus on corporate and transactional work. The Transactional Department—which encompasses the firm’s Bankruptcy and Financial Restructuring, Corporate, Fund Formation, Labor and Employment, Real Estate, Tax, Technology Transactions and Licensing, and Venture Group practices—has exceptional depth and breadth of experience across a broad range of domestic and international transactions. Widely renowned as a leader in corporate and transactional work, WilmerHale was recently ranked by U.S. News/Best Lawyers in the national categories of Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Corporate Law; Mergers & Acquisitions Law; and Tax Law, among others.
“I really value a law firm that provides not only highly competent and client-oriented lawyers, but also a capital markets practice that has depth and coordination with other practice areas in order to address the full range of issues associated with corporate transactions,” said Firenze. “WilmerHale has just these components, along with an excellent reputation, a strong network of top lawyers and a capital markets platform that is positioned for future growth.”
Andersen added: “Having spent nearly three decades practicing law in this city, I am particularly impressed by WilmerHale's commitment to expanding its transactional practice in New York. I look forward to further strengthening the firm’s already robust Tax Group.”
Andersen earned his LLM in taxation from New York University, his JD from Columbia Law School and his BA, magna cum laude, from Columbia University. He is admitted to practice in New York and in the US Tax Court.
Firenze received her JD from Columbia Law School, where she was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar. She graduated magna cum laude from Yale University, and is admitted to practice in New York and Connecticut as well as in the Federal Districts of Southern and Eastern New York.