Global law firm Goodwin today announced that Stephen (Steve) Howard has joined the firm’s Debt Finance practice as a partner in the Hong Kong office, further expanding its private equity team in Asia. Howard arrives at Goodwin from White & Case LLP.
“Steve brings more than 15 years of experience in leveraged finance to our global private equity platform, having practiced in London and Hong Kong,” said Yash Rana, Global Co-chair of Goodwin’s Private Equity group and leader of the firm’s Asia practice. “His relationships with lenders and his market insights will be great assets to our clients. We are pleased to welcome him to the firm.”
Steve advises private equity sponsors, corporates, asset managers, alternative finance and capital providers and banks across a broad range of capital structures and financing solutions, with a focus on leveraged finance, direct lending, equity margin financing and bank/bond transactions across Asia. His commercial experience includes front-office roles in Deutsche Bank (London)’s acquisition and leveraged finance team and Nomura International (London)’s leveraged finance and debt capital markets team. Steve is recognized as a Next Generation Partner for Hong Kong Banking & Finance by Legal 500 Asia Pacific.
Goodwin’s Asia practice focuses on private equity, mergers and acquisitions, venture capital, fund formation, capital markets, joint ventures, and strategic transactions across a broad range of sectors. The firm is ranked for outstanding private equity, corporate and mergers and acquisitions expertise in China and India by Chambers Global, Chambers Asia Pacific, Chambers Greater China Region, Legal 500 Asia Pacific and IFLR1000.
Goodwin has the world’s most active private equity practice. The firm has been named the number one firm for global M&A deal volume by Refinitiv for three years running. According to the latest full-year league tables, Goodwin advised clients on more than 1,000 transactions – 20 percent more than any other law firm. The practice focuses on buyouts, growth equity, private investment fund formation, debt finance, and portfolio companies representation. It offers unparalleled support across litigation, intellectual property, privacy and cybersecurity, executive compensation, labor and employment, and tax.
