Sidley’s M&A Haul From Jones Day Continues With Partner Hire

Sidley Austin has continued to recruit M&A partners from Jones Day with the hire of George Hunter.

Hunter started at Sidley March 20 after concluding a 13-year tenure at Jones Day, he said in an interview this week. Jones Day did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Hunter’s move to Sidley sees him reunite with colleagues from Jones Day who recently joined his new firm, including David Grubman, Adam Cromie, and Justin Macke.

“The opportunity to reunite with colleagues who I’ve known for 15 years is really exciting,” Hunter said. “The fact that they have rave reviews about the firm and what Sidley offers to clients made it an extremely easy decision.”

Sidley advised on $37.7 billion in M&A deals during the first quarter to land in the top 20 on Bloomberg Law’s league tables.

Hunter represents public companies on the sale-side of transactions, while also working with private equity sponsors in deals. He advised FirstEnergy Corp. in a share sale to North American Transmission Company in 2023, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

“We like the versatility that he brings, being able to do public and private deals and bring some of the relationships he has from his prior firm in the Midwest and Ohio,” said Brian Fahrney, chair-elect of Sidley’s executive committee. “We think he has great client relationships that we can work with.”

Sidley’s hires out of Jones Day and other rival firms manifest the firm’s buying power after a standout financial year in 2024, executive committee chair Yvette Ostolaza said in an interview earlier this year. Sidley’s profits per equity partner exceeded $5 million in 2024, up from $4.5 million the year prior.