Overview
London (6 June, 2016) – International law firm McDermott Will & Emery announced today that it welcomed Michael Holter as a partner in its London office. The appointment is another step in the dynamic growth of the Firm’s London transactions practice.
Michael Holter joins from WilmerHale where he spent over 20 years, some 18 of which as a partner and 2 years as Managing Partner of that firm’s London office.
Mr. Holter specializes in international transactions with a particular focus on new media and aviation. He has acted on a broad range of international transactions spanning cross-border M&A, international joint ventures and commercial agreements.
“This appointment is yet another milestone in our strategy of significant growth in the corporate space in London,” said Ira Coleman, global head of McDermott’s Corporate & Transactional Practice. “Michael Holter is a seasoned international transactions lawyer who will bring a wealth of experience to our expanding team.”
“We are delighted to welcome Michael on board,” said Andrew Vergunst, partner in charge of McDermott’s London office. “As our expansion in London is gathering momentum with a spate of new appointments in recent months, this is clearly a very exciting time to join us.”
In the media and communications sector, Mr. Holter has advised Internet, cable, satellite and pay-TV companies in acquiring and putting in place their communications networks and infrastructure across a number of jurisdictions. He has acted for the leading international mobile handset providers in the negotiation of a major joint venture. More recently, his practice focuses on Internet and e-commerce technology.
In the aviation sector, Mr. Holter helped found the Star Alliance of more than 15 major airlines, led by Lufthansa of Germany and United in the US. He negotiated Lufthansa’s acquisition of BMI in the UK. He has also worked extensively in the area of aviation cargo and technical support. His work has included joint ventures, corporate restructurings, aircraft purchases, financings and airport projects and concessions.
Mark Davis, who heads London’s Corporate & Transactional practice group, added: “We believe that Michael will be a great fit for us, both in terms of the caliber of his clients, and his broad international portfolio. At the same time, given the Firm’s strategic commitment to develop a vibrant transactional practice in London, we believe that McDermott offers an increasingly attractive platform for top transactional practitioners and their clients.”
Bilingual in English and German, Mr. Holter is a member of the British-German Chamber of Commerce and the British-German Jurists’ Association.
The Firm’s Corporate & Transactional practice in London works with major corporate clients (such as Olam International, Honeywell and Universal Health Services), private equity funds (such as H.I.G. Capital Partners, Great Point Partners and Levine Leichtman) and family offices. The team advises on M&A, capital markets and structured finance, private equity and corporate restructuring transactions providing clients with cross border and multi-jurisdictional transaction management. The team is highly rated by market commentators and clients. It complements McDermott’s US, Chinese, German, French and Italian practices, providing a strong English law capability for the Firm’s work in the international financial markets.
McDermott’s Corporate & Transactional Practice represents a wide spectrum of business interests around the world, from global corporations and industry-leading companies to privately funded and entrepreneurial driven enterprises, as well as the financial institutions that support them. Acting as strategic partners for our clients, McDermott advises on a full range of corporate needs.
About McDermott Will & Emery
McDermott Will & Emery is a premier international law firm with a diversified business practice. Numbering more than 1,000 lawyers, we have offices in Boston, Brussels, Chicago, Dallas, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Houston, London, Los Angeles, Miami, Milan, Munich, New York, Orange County, Paris, Rome, Seoul, Silicon Valley and Washington, DC. Further extending our reach into Asia, we have a strategic alliance with MWE China Law Offices in Shanghai.
