Milbank LLP is pleased to announce that highly respected M&A attorney Lisa O’Neill has joined the firm’s London office as a partner, further strengthening Milbank’s global corporate capabilities. Ms. O’Neill joins Milbank from McDermott Will & Emery LLP, where she was a partner. 

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Recently recognized by Legal 500 UK as “Individual of the Year” for Corporate and Commercial M&A, Ms. O’Neill’s practice focuses on advising companies on a wide range of transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, takeovers, joint ventures, reorganizations and commercial contracts. She advises a broad range of clients listed in the FSTE 100, Fortune 250, international energy companies, infrastructure funds, private equity funds, and financial institutions.

Among Ms. O’Neill’s notable transactional matters, she recently advised global industrial gases company Praxair, Inc. on the $6 billion sale of the majority of its businesses in Europe to Taiyo Nippon Sanso Corporation and the $3.3 billion divestment of North American and South American assets by Praxair and Linde AG to Messer and CVC Capital Partners Fund VII. The divestments were required for the consummation of the $90 billion Praxair-Linde merger.

“Lisa is an exceptionally talented lawyer and we are pleased to welcome her to the firm,” said Milbank Chairman Scott A. Edelman. “Lisa’s addition to the firm marks an important milestone in the continued growth of the firm’s transactional capabilities globally and our commitment to growing to meet the evolving business goals of our clients.”

Norbert Rieger, Global Head of Corporate Group, added: “The addition of Lisa underscores our commitment to growing our global M&A practice at the highest levels in the market. She is well respected and knowledgeable in a range of industries, and her depth of experience advising corporates on sophisticated M&A transactions will be invaluable to our clients. We are thrilled to welcome her.”

“Lisa has a terrific blend of both public and private M&A experience that complements our transactional practice and will be of great value to our clients in Europe and globally,” added Suhrud Mehta, Co-Managing Partner of the firm’s London office. “Her prominence in the City is well-earned. She is a talented and entrepreneurial practice builder and will play a major role in helping to grow our London team.”

Ms. O’Neill has been consistently recognized for her corporate work and was most recently named “Best in Mergers & Acquisitions” by Euromoney LMG’s Women in Business Law Awards, 2019; The M&A Advisor’s 2019 International M&A Awards in the “M&A Deal of the Year” category; and was honored by Law360 as “Most Valuable Player, Mergers & Acquisitions” in 2019.

“I am excited to join Milbank’s premier transactional practice,” said Ms. O’Neill. “The firm has an excellent reputation for its deep industry knowledge, and that, combined with its global, integrated platform, will be of tremendous value to clients.”

Milbank celebrated its 40th anniversary in London this year, which has been marked by explosive growth. With over 140 lawyers in London advising on UK, pan-European, Asian, African and other global matters, the firm can offer clients a depth of strong expertise coupled with first-rate client service. The strong connection between Milbank’s global practices enables the firm to handle the most complex transatlantic mandates in the world.