Hamed Meshki, P.C.

Kirkland & Ellis is advising consumer brand owner WHP Global on the joint acquisition of New York-based fashion brand rag & bone. WHP is partnering with Guess?, Inc. (NYSE: GES) to purchase the brand and will jointly own rag & bone’s intellectual property. The transaction was announced on February 16, 2024. The brand directly operates 34 stores in the U.S. and two stores in the U.K., and is also sold in retail stores globally. The transaction is expected to close during the first quarter of Guess?’ 2025 fiscal year subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approval. Read the transaction press release The Kirkland team is being led by corporate partners Keri Schick Norton, Michael Chung and Hamed Meshki and associates Kristie Shu, Joseph Grib and Ellen Jeong; intellectual property partner Shellie Freedman and associates Nisha Chandra and Jeremy Korn; tax partners Vivek Ratnam and Mike Beinus; and debt finance partners Andrew Hurley and Thomas Dobleman and associate Andrew Won.

Feb 16

1 min

Kirkland & Ellis is advising Oaktree Capital Management, L.P. on the $420 million acquisition of Ambac Financial Group, Inc.’s (NYSE: AMBC) legacy financial guarantee insurance businesses, Ambac Assurance Corporation and Ambac UK. Oaktree will also receive warrants to acquire up to 9.9% of Ambac common stock at a strike price of $18.50. The transaction’s closing is subject to customary conditions, including regulatory approvals in the U.S. and U.K. and approval by Ambac’s shareholders, and is expected to take place in the fourth quarter of 2024 or first quarter of 2025. Read the transaction press release The Kirkland team was led by corporate partners Rajab Abbassi, Hamed Meshki and Kimberly Meng Han and associates Spencer Brass, Tammy Adereti, Joanne Moon and Jorge Arias; capital markets partners Rachel Sheridan, Shagufa Hossain and Anthony Sanderson and associate Aaron Simons; executive compensation partner Jack Stratton and associate Ambra Casonato; technology & IP transactions partner Matt Lovell and associate Justin Garfinkle; regulatory partners Parimah Hassouri and Daniel Fallon; tax partners Mike Beinus, Vivek Ratnam and Jake Jung; litigation partners Josh Greenblatt and Amal El Bakhar and associate Mary Guyer; employee benefits partners Matthew Antinossi; employment & labor partner Mari Stonebraker; and debt finance partners Katrina Levy and David Nemecek.

Jun 5

1 min

Kirkland & Ellis counseled Oaktree Capital Management L.P. on its partnership with Electro-Mechanical, LLC, a leading manufacturer of engineered electrical equipment. In partnership with management, Oaktree’s investment will support the company’s strategic vision and growth plans by leveraging Electro-Mechanical’s brand and portfolio of innovative power products. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Read Electro-Mechanical’s press release The Kirkland team was led by corporate partners Hamed Meshki and Karen Flanagan and associate Spencer Brass; debt finance partner Brian Ford; and tax partners Mike Beinus and Vivek Ratnam.

Mar 15

1 min

Kirkland & Ellis advised WHP Global, a leading brand management firm based in New York, on its definitive agreement to acquire the IP of the iconic VERA WANG fashion brand. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close in January 2025. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Read WHP’s press release The Kirkland team included corporate lawyers Hamed Meshki and Michael Chung; tax lawyers Mike Beinus and Vivek Ratnam; and debt finance lawyer Katrina Levy.

Dec 18

1 min

Kirkland & Ellis advised Swedish casino game provider Evolution AB (EVO:STO) on the acquisition of Galaxy Gaming Inc., which was announced July 18, 2024. Galaxy Gaming is a leading developer and distributor of innovative casino table games and enhanced gaming technology solutions. The transaction will help Evolution solidify its presence in the U.S. market and enhance its position as a leading licensor of proprietary table games to the online gaming industry. The transaction has been approved by Galaxy Gaming’s board of directors and is expected to close in mid-2025 subject to stockholder approval and certain required gaming regulatory approvals. Read the transaction press release The Kirkland team was led by corporate partners Hamed Meshki, Carlo Zenkner and Andrew Norwich; executive compensation partner Rohit Nafday; tax partners Mike Beinus and Vivek Ratnam; debt finance partners Nisha Kanchanapoomi and  Caitlin Bouey; capital markets partners Pippa Bond and Ashley Sinclair; employee benefits partner Justin Coddington; employment & labor partner Jackie Heffernan; technology and IP transactions partners Seth Traxler and Joanna Schlingbaum; international trade & national security partner Luci Hague; antitrust & competition partners Andrea Murino, Matthew Sinclair-Thomson and Shahrzad Sadjadi.

Jul 19

1 min