Ilan Nissan

Ilan Nissan is the firm’s Head of Private Equity/M&A and is based in New York City and Miami. Mr. Nissan's clients include the most sophisticated and well-known asset managers in the world including top-tier private equity and venture capital funds, hedge funds, family offices and multi-strategy investors. Mr. Nissan also represents multiple Fortune 50 founders and CEOs, media personalities, and "A" list celebrities in their investing and related activities.

With more than 36 years of experience, Mr. Nissan is widely recognized as one of the nation’s most preeminent advisors in mergers and acquisitions, private equity, and technology investing. His expertise includes:

• Analyzing and simplifying complex situations
• Providing advice uniquely tailored to the client’s particular legal and business sensitivities
• Leading diverse teams of the best lawyers and other professionals to effectively resolve the most intractable matters

Experience

Mr. Nissan's robust experience encompasses the following areas:

Mergers and Acquisitions/Private Equity. Advise leading private equity and investment firms on complex mergers and acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, recapitalizations, sales and divestitures, securities offerings and strategic investments.

Strategic Advice. Provide senior counseling concerning strategic business/legal issues (including advice on acquisitions, high stakes litigation, governmental inquiries and investigations, and liquidity strategies), execution of business plans, complex regulatory concerns and other strategic matters. Mr. Nissan also has substantial international experience including cross-border acquisitions, investments, and joint ventures. 

Growth Equity and Venture Capital. Represent growth and venture capital funds and family offices in connection with investments with a concentration on software, internet, and technology generally. Since its infancy, Mr. Nissan has also been very active in advising on investing strategies in the artificial intelligence and machine learning space.

Fund Formation. Formation and restructuring of private equity, venture capital and hedge funds, co-investment vehicles and pledge funds, including all varieties of “secondaries” transactions. Advise on internal carry, compensation, and governance arrangements among fund sponsors and investment professionals. Mr. Nissan’s advice has been sought by the most senior partners in many asset managers with regard to internal negotiations concerning economics and governance rights.

Executive Compensation. Represent investors and management groups in all aspects of compensation arrangements, including executive employment and consulting agreements, stock option plans, restricted stock plans, bonus plans, and other management incentive arrangements.

Real Estate.  Advise in real estate including proptech, infrastructure, and project finance.

Related Activities

Since 2003, Mr. Nissan has been an Adjunct Professor of Law at Columbia University Law School, where he teaches a course focusing on mergers and acquisitions, private equity, venture capital, and legal transactional strategies. Mr. Nissan is moderately proficient in speaking Arabic, French, Hebrew, and Spanish and is proudly from Ramat-Gan, Israel.

Professional Experience

Previously, Mr. Nissan was Chairman of the Mergers & Acquisitions group at O’Melveny & Myers. Mr. Nissan also was a partner at O’Sullivan Graev & Karabell LLP and began his career with Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, each in New York City.

Recognition & Awards

Mr. Nissan was named Lawyer of the Year for Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity by The Best Lawyers in America in 2021 and continues to be regularly recognized. He is also consistently named as a leading lawyer in his fields of expertise by The Legal 500 U.S., Super Lawyers, International Financial Law Review, and Best Lawyers in America.

Publications

Mr. Nissan is regularly quoted in The Wall Street Journal and other financial and popular press. He is also a frequent lecturer and panelist at private equity, venture capital and hedge fund conferences.

Admissions

Mr. Nissan is admitted to practice in New York State.