Steven J. Matays

Freshfields announced today that Nicole Cadman has joined the firm as a partner in Silicon Valley. Nicole was previously General Counsel at Y Combinator, the startup accelerator that has backed thousands of prominent companies, including Airbnb, Coinbase, DoorDash, Dropbox, Instacart, Reddit and Stripe. Nicole’s practice at Freshfields will focus on advising emerging companies and their founders across the corporate lifecycle, including on formation and governance, equity and debt financing, mergers and acquisitions and general corporate counseling. U.S. Managing Partner Sarah Solum said: “Nicole is a trusted advisor to leading emerging companies and their founders throughout the vast Y Combinator network, helping them navigate their greatest opportunities and challenges, as well as their day-to-day needs. We are thrilled that she chose to join Freshfields, which has become a destination for companies in the technology sector in Silicon Valley and around the world. Her experience and reputation will be invaluable to our clients and our continued growth in the U.S.” On joining the firm, Nicole noted: “Freshfields combines a preeminent global platform with forward-thinking lawyers who have a deep understanding of law, business and the regulatory landscape impacting the next generation of companies. I’m thrilled to be able to bring this to clients and continue my mission of providing companies a unique advantage as they grow.” This news is the latest in a series of curated strategic partner additions in the U.S. The Freshfields corporate team has expanded in Silicon Valley with the additions of private equity M&A partner Eva Mak and M&A partner Denny Kwon, and in New York with the additions of capital markets partners Chris DeCresce and Jackie Marino, tax partner Steven Matays, M&A partners Sanjay Murti, Steven Li, Joshua Ayal and private equity M&A partners Neal Reenan and Ian Bushner. Most recently, antitrust partner Kevin Yingling joined in Washington.

Sep 13

1 min

Clients to Benefit from Combination of New Partner’s Financial Institutions and Fintech Experience with Firm’s Global Financial Regulatory Strength Freshfields announced today that Christopher (Chris) DeCresce has joined the firm as a capital markets partner based in New York. Chris’s practice focuses on capital markets, SEC reporting and securities law compliance. He has extensive experience representing companies in capital markets transactions, including SEC-registered and exempt equity and debt offerings, with a focus on clients in the financial services, banking and fintech sectors. U.S. Managing Partner and U.S. Head of Capital Markets Sarah Solum said: “Chris brings to the firm a wealth of experience in the financial services, banking and fintech sectors, representing companies on a wide variety of transactions through both frothy and challenging economic cycles. His relentless dedication to clients and infectious entrepreneurialism align perfectly with our team, and we’re thrilled he has joined Freshfields.” Head of Global Transactions Julian Pritchard added: “Chris is an outstanding addition to our top tier transactions talent bench. Clients in the financial institutions and fintech spaces will benefit greatly from the combination of Chris’s experience and expertise with our unparalleled, global financial regulatory practice. His former positions in investment banking, alongside his significant experience leading the full spectrum of capital markets matters across the financial institutions sector and other key industries further strengthens our capital markets offering for clients in the U.S. and around the globe.” On joining the firm, Chris noted: “The collaborative culture at Freshfields was immediately attractive and I am excited to join my practice with the firm’s market leading capital markets and global financial regulatory practices. I am excited to partner with clients from global financial institutions to early stage fintech innovators – each of whom will benefit from Freshfields’ energy, dynamism and global platform over the coming years.” Chris joining Freshfields follows the recent addition of capital markets partner Jackie Marino, as well as financial services regulatory partners David Sewell and Alison Hashmall in New York this past year. The wider U.S. transactions practice has also continued to grow with the recent additions of tax partner Steven Matays and private equity M&A partners Neal Reenan and Ian Bushner in New York and M&A partner Denny Kwon in Silicon Valley.

Sep 4

2 min

Freshfields has earned recognition across practices in the Chambers USA 2025 guide: Nationwide – Antitrust Nationwide – Corporate Crime & Investigations: Highly Regarded Nationwide – Corporate Governance Nationwide – Corporate/M&A: Elite Nationwide – Financial Services Regulatory: Bank Compliance Nationwide – International Arbitration: Elite Nationwide – International Trade: CFIUS Experts Nationwide – International Trade: Exports and Sanctions: Elite Nationwide – Life Sciences Nationwide – Litigation: Securities Nationwide – Privacy & Data Security: Highly Regarded California – Capital Markets: Debt & Equity California – Life Sciences: Corporate/Commercial California – Litigation: Securities District of Columbia – Antitrust District of Columbia – Litigation: White Collar Crime & Government Investigations New York – Banking & Finance New York – Bankruptcy/Restructuring: Highly Regarded New York – Corporate/M&A: Elite New York – Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation New York – Litigation: General Commercial: Highly Regarded New York – Litigation: Securities New York – Litigation: White Collar Crime & Government Investigations: Elite New York – Tax Additional highlights include Elite-level Band 1 ranking for the Nationwide – International Arbitration practice and Band 1 ranking for the New York – Bankruptcy/Restructuring and Elite-level for rankings the New York: Corporate/M&A and New York Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations practices, and Nationwide – Corporate/M&A and Nationwide – International Trade: Export Controls & Economic Sanctions practices. Freshfields lawyers received 64 individual rankings: Nigel Blackaby KC, International Arbitration: Counsel – Nationwide Elizabeth Bieber (Up & Coming), Corporate/M&A: Takeover Defense – New York Ian Bushner (Up & Coming), Private Equity: Buyouts – New York Stephanie Brown Cripps, International Trade: Exports and Sanctions – Nationwide Eric Bruce, Litigation: White Collar Crime & Government Investigations – District of Columbia Calise Cheng, Capital Markets: Debt & Equity – California; Capital Markets: Debt & Equity: Western United States – Nationwide Timothy Clark, Private Equity: Fund Formation – Nationwide Colin Costello (Up & Coming), International Trade: CFIUS Experts – Nationwide Mary Eaton, Litigation: Securities – New York Julie Elmer, Antitrust: Litigation Specialists – District of Columbia Boris Feldman (Star Individual), Litigation: Securities – California John Fisher, Corporate/M&A – California Nicole Foster, Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation – New York Elliot Friedman, International Arbitration: Counsel – Nationwide Doru Gavril, Litigation: Securities – California Beth George, Privacy & Data Security: Privacy – Nationwide Adam Golden, Life Science: Corporate/Commercial – Nationwide Lori Goodman, Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation – New York Alison Hashmall, Financial Service Regulatory: Bank Compliance – Nationwide Timothy Harkness, Litigation: General Commercial – New York Jenny Hochenberg, Corporate/M&A – New York Timothy Howard, Privacy & Data Security: Cybersecurity – Nationwide Valerie Ford Jacob (Senior Statesperson), Cap Mkts: Debt & Equity: Eastern United States – Nationwide Menachem Kaplan, Technology – New York Gayle Klein, Litigation: General Commercial – New York Ethan Klingsberg, Corporate/M&A – New York Meredith Kotler, Litigation: Securities – New York Christine Laciak, International Trade: CFIUS Experts – Nationwide Kyle Lakin (Up & Coming), Banking & Finance – New York Heather Lamberg, Antitrust: Cartel – Nationwide Mary Lehner, Antitrust – District of Columbia Allison Liff, Banking & Finance – New York Mark Liscio, Bankruptcy/Restructuring – New York David Livshiz, Litigation: General Commercial – New York Jennifer Loeb (Up & Coming), Litigation: White Collar Crime & Government Investigations – District of Columbia Alessandra Love, Corporate/M&A – California Christine Lyon, Privacy & Data Security: Privacy – Nationwide Eric Mahr, Antitrust: Litigation Specialists – District of Columbia Pamela Marcogliese, Corporate Governance – Nationwide Aaron Marcu (Senior Statesperson), Litigation: White Collar Crime & Government Investigations – New York Noiana Marigo, International Arbitration: Counsel – Nationwide Steven Matays, Tax – New York Paige von Mehren (Associate to Watch), International Arbitration: Counsel – Nationwide Jennifer Mellott, Antitrust – District of Columbia Aimen Mir, International Trade: CFIUS Experts – Nationwide Madlyn Primoff, Bankruptcy Litigation – New York; Bankruptcy/Restructuring – New York Melissa Raciti-Knapp, Projects – Nationwide Neal Reenan, Private Equity: Buyouts – New York Meghan Rissmiller, Antitrust – District of Columbia Caroline Richard, International Arbitration: Counsel – Nationwide Lee Rovinescu, International Arbitration: Counsel – Nationwide Jordan Salzman (Up & Coming), Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation – New York Justina Sessions, Antitrust – California David Sewell, Financial Services Regulatory: Bank Compliance – Nationwide Adam Siegel, Litigation: White Collar Crime & Government Investigations – New York Sarah Solum, Capital Markets: Debt & Equity – California; Capital Markets: Debt & Equity: Western United States – Nationwide Claude Stansbury, Tax – District of Columbia Christine Wilson (Eminent Practitioner), Antitrust – District of Columbia Nabeel Yousef, International Trade: Exports and Sanctions – Nationwide Kimberly Zelnick, Litigation: White Collar Crime & Government Investigations – New York Damien Zoubek, Corporate/M&A – New York

Jun 5

3 min

Thirty-three Freshfields partners have been named to Lawdragon’s 500 Dealmakers in America guide. The guide recognizes the M&A, corporate, securities, finance, private equity, tax, corporate governance and ESG leaders and other transactional lawyers handling the biggest deals. The lawyers recognized are: Andrea Merediz Basham – Corporate/M&A Elizabeth Bieber – Shareholder Engagement and Activism Defense Oliver Board – Corporate/M&A Ian Bushner – Private Capital Timothy Clark - Private Funds & Secondaries Chris DeCresce – Capital Markets Sebastian Fain – Corporate/M&A John Fisher – Corporate/M&A Adam Golden – M&A (Life Sciences) Alison Hashmall – Financial Services Regulatory Jenny Hochenberg – Corporate/M&A Paul Humphreys – Corporate/M&A Valerie Ford Jacob – Capital Markets Vinita Kailasanath – M&A (Life Sciences) Menachem Kaplan – IP and Tech Transactions Ethan Klingsberg – Corporate/M&A Denny Kwon – Corporate/M&A Kyle Lakin – Finance Michael Levitt – Capital Markets Allison Liff – Leveraged Finance Pamela Marcogliese – Capital Markets and Corporate Governance Steven Matays – Tax Melissa Raciti-Knapp – Project Finance Jerome Ranawake – Finance Brian Rance - Finance Neal Reenan – Private Capital Damian Ridealgh – Private Credit and Capital Solutions Kristen Riemenschneider – M&A (Life Sciences) David Sewell – Financial Services Regulatory Sarah Solum – Capital Markets Paul Tiger – Corporate/M&A Zheng 'Jonathan' Zhou – Corporate/M&A Damien Zoubek - Corporate/M&A

Oct 18

1 min

Three Freshfields partners have been selected to Lawdragon’s inaugural 500 Leading Global Tax Lawyers guide. The guide recognizes outstanding leaders who specialize in the tax aspects of M&A and other complex transactions, tax-related disputes and litigation and other key areas of tax law. The recognized partners are: Steven J. Matays Joe Soltis Claude Stansbury Learn more about our global tax practice here.

May 19

1 min