Willkie Adds Paul Hastings Partner As Co-Chair of Finance Group

Willkie Farr & Gallagher is picking up Paul Hastings partner Andres Mena in New York as the new co-chair of its finance practice.

Mena, who specializes in private equity-backed debt finance transactions, had joined Paul Hastings in 2018 after nearly 18 years at Kirkland & Ellis.

His addition comes just a week after Willkie announced it would be opening up an office in Los Angeles with a trio of partners from Venable. They included Alan Epstein, chair of Venable’s media and entertainment practice, and Michele Mulrooney who served as chair of Venable’s West Coast estate planning group.

“Andres is a well-established practitioner in the market and a great addition to our global finance team,” Viktor Okasmaa, who serves as the co-chair of Willkie’s finance practice group, said in a statement.

Mena works with private equity firms, corporate borrowers and lenders on an array of domestic and cross-border transactions, including leveraged buyouts, recapitalizations and in- and out-of-court workouts and reorganizations.

“His strong cross-border dealmaking and transactional background, and his workout experience, is a perfect fit for our global finance work,” Okasmaa added.

Willkie has also expanded its financial services practice on the West Coast with the addition of Paul Hastings of counsel Erik Lindemann in Palo Alto late last month.

Earlier this year, the firm picked up Kirkland & Ellis private equity partner Dvir Oren in New York as well as a trio of restructuring partners from Morrison & Foerster, including Brett Miller, who led MoFo’s New York office.