Top 100 U.S. law firm Akerman LLP is pleased to announce that it has expanded its Corporate Practice Group with the addition of debt finance partners Bryan Reese and Cristina Gonzalez. Together they bring experience in corporate financing transactions and financial restructurings. Reese joins Akerman from King & Spalding LLP, while Gonzalez joins the firm from Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP.
“We have increasing demand in the Corporate Financing space, especially from our private equity clients, and we are confident that Bryan and Cristina will aid us in meeting our clients’ immediate needs,” said Corporate Practice Co-Chair Jonathan Awner. “We are thrilled to welcome them both to our expanding national team.”
Reese specializes in finance and financial restructuring, and has strong capabilities in capital markets, leveraged finance, mergers and acquisitions, private credit & special situations investing and private equity. He represents administrative agents, lenders and borrowers in domestic and cross-border debt financings, including syndicated credit facilities; first lien, second lien, unitranche and mezzanine financings; acquisition and recapitalization financings; asset-based financings and workouts and restructurings. His clients consist of leading financial institutions and private credit funds, private equity funds and operating companies and other borrowers. Reese’s industrial experience is focused in energy, financial services, food and beverage, franchise and hospitality, and life sciences and healthcare.
Gonzalez specializes in commercial lending transactions, with an emphasis on acquisition finance. She regularly advises leading financial institutions, private equity funds, portfolio companies, credit funds and corporate borrowers in a wide variety of debt financing transactions, including syndicated credit facilities, leveraged financings, refinancings, distressed financings, and other corporate debt financings. Gonzalez has experience advising on both domestic and cross-border transactions and has represented clients in a variety of industries including telecommunications, technology, media and entertainment, retail, transportation and energy.
