NEW YORK – Troutman Pepper’s Private Equity, Emerging Company + Venture Capital, and M&A practices achieved notable results in the latest league tables for the first half of 2024, advancing in several key categories as tracked by PitchBook.
“Our consistent recognition in the league tables is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our corporate attorneys,” said Matt Greenberg, who leads the firm’s Corporate Practice. “We are thrilled to see our efforts recognized, including in the M&A space outside the US and Europe. Our team remains focused on providing strategic, high-quality legal counsel to help our clients navigate complex transactions and achieve their business objectives.”
“Our private equity team continues to demonstrate exceptional versatility and capability across various markets and sectors,” said Bruce K. Fenton, Co-Leader of the Firm’s Private Equity Industry Group.” “These rankings reflect our commitment to delivering outstanding results for our clients, even in a challenging market environment.”
PitchBook Global League Tables: Q2 2024
VC Deals
Sector
Most active in HC Services and systems (#17)
Private Equity Deals
Representing
Most Active in US Companies: (#21)
Sector
Most Active in West Coast (#12)
Most Active in Great Lakes (#10)
M&A Deals
Geography
Most Active Companies Outside US/Europe (#18)
Representing
Most Active Companies Outside US/Europe (#12)
Consistently recognized as a top-tier national practice, Troutman Pepper’s corporate attorneys regularly handle multimillion- and multibillion-dollar transactions. Core areas of service include capital markets transactions and other significant domestic and cross-border transactions, mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, securities laws compliance, and corporate finance. The firm has particular expertise in the private equity and private fund services space, advising clients on matters from fund formation to investments and exit transactions.
About Troutman Pepper
Troutman Pepper is a national law firm with 1,100+ attorneys strategically located in more than 20 U.S. cities. The firm’s litigation, transactional, and regulatory practices advise a diverse client base, from startups to multinational enterprises. The firm provides sophisticated legal solutions to clients’ most pressing business challenges, with depth across industry sectors, including energy, financial services, health sciences, insurance, and private equity, among others. Learn more at troutman.com.
NEW YORK – In the year since the firmwide launch of Athena, Troutman Pepper’s generative AI assistant, the firm has experienced overwhelming success and adoption by over 1,000 users, representing more than 40% of attorneys and professional staff. More than 60% of Athena users have used it at least five times.
“We are proud to have been among the first large law firms to create and adopt a generative AI assistant and are excited to celebrate its first anniversary this month. Athena has increased efficiencies, enhanced client service, and is changing the practice of law,” said Troutman Pepper Chief Innovation Officer Will Gaus.
Among its many use cases, Athena has helped users summarize documents, analyze legal work, draft content, brainstorm ideas, visualize timelines, and create images. The tool has streamlined processes, effectively reducing the time attorneys spend on routine tasks so they can focus more on strategic legal work.
“We don’t want to waste any time doing busy work for things that could be done better by the technology, and that has been our philosophy, even before generative AI,” said Partner Alison Grounds, founder and managing partner of Troutman Pepper eMerge, the firm’s eDiscovery and legal technology subsidiary. “We have used Athena as a complement to other technologies the firm has invested in to create internal efficiencies that translate to real client value.”
“In addition to accelerated turnaround times, clients are telling us they appreciate the enhanced service quality, and the firm’s commitment to leveraging technology for continuous improvement,” said Dan Pulka, Troutman Pepper’s chief business development and marketing officer who also leads its client experience division.
Troutman Pepper’s marketing team was an early adopter of Athena, using it for press releases, social media posts, attorney bios, pitches and RFPs, award nominations, and graphic design, among other tasks.
“Another notable, perhaps less obvious, benefit of Athena is in our generative AI practice work,” Grounds said. “Say a client comes to us needing a global generative AI policy relating to data collection, use, and sharing. Not only do we have experience advising other clients in this need, but we personally have been in their position, and can help avoid pitfalls and create more opportunities as a result.”
Troutman Pepper attorneys are regularly advising on the full spectrum of legal issues presented by GenAI – including privacy and data security, information governance, intellectual property, compliance, labor and employment, contractual, and risk management concerns.
While Troutman Pepper was among the first large law firms to roll out a GenAI assistant, it did so meticulously by forming a Generative AI Task Force. This task force established essential guardrails, including a comprehensive training program and stringent ethics requirements. Task force members also help test new Athena features – the platform is continuously updated to meet user needs. For instance, since launch, Athena has seen significant enhancements and new features, including:
- AthenaIQ: A document database capability that allows administrators to upload documents for retrieval augmented generation (RAG), enhancing the accuracy and relevance of responses.
- MobileOne: Extending Athena’s general chat skill to the entire firm via a mobile app, making it accessible anytime, anywhere.
- Document Insights: Enabling users to load and interact with up to 20 documents for a more comprehensive analysis within a specific conversation.
- Create Timeline and Diagram: Agents that use information from uploaded documents to create visual timelines and corporate structure diagrams, respectively.
“Our approach has always been to build a broad platform that allows our attorneys and business professionals to solve many different types of problems,” said Director of Innovation Andrew Medeiros. “We continuously listen to our users and evolve Athena to meet their needs, ensuring it remains an invaluable tool in their daily workflows.”
In addition to Athena, Troutman Pepper has invested in numerous AI solutions, including many proprietary AI platforms developed by its Innovation division and eMerge, and has in-house talent well-versed in the technologies. The firm’s commitment to continuous innovation has been recognized nationally. Most recently, the Financial Times recognized it among the top 25 most innovative law firms and The Legal Intelligencer named it among the 2024 Law Firm Innovators.
To learn more about Athena and Troutman Pepper’s expertise in GenAI, visit www.troutman.com/athena.
About Troutman Pepper
Troutman Pepper is a national law firm with more than 1,100 attorneys strategically located in 20+ U.S. cities. The firm’s litigation, transactional, and regulatory practices advise a diverse client base, from startups to multinational enterprises. The firm provides sophisticated legal solutions to clients’ most pressing business challenges, with depth across industry sectors, including energy, financial services, health sciences, insurance, and private equity, among others. Learn more at troutman.com.
ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. – Troutman Pepper Partners Sadia Mirza and Ron Raether have been recognized by Law.com’s California Legal Awards program. Mirza was named among the winners for the Lawyers on the Fast Track Award, and Raether is a finalist for the Mentorship Award.
The annual awards program honors the California law firms and legal departments driving the state’s dynamic legal landscape. All winners will be named and recognized at an October 15 awards event in Los Angeles.
Winner
Sadia Mirza – Lawyers on the Fast Track Award
Mirza was recognized among the next generation of legal leaders receiving a 2024 Lawyers on the Fast Track Award. Mirza leads Troutman Pepper’s Incidents + Investigations team, advising clients on all aspects of data security and privacy issues. She is the first point of contact when a security incident or data breach is suspected and plays a central role in her clients’ cybersecurity strategies.
Finalist
Ron Raether – Mentorship Award
Raether, who leads the firm’s Privacy + Cyber team, is among a handful of finalists for the Mentorship Award, which recognizes attorneys whose guidance and support are sculpting the next generation. Raether provides holistic advice to clients at the intersection of the law and technology. Balancing privacy, cyber security, and business functionality, his approach adapts to the ever-evolving landscape while helping clients achieve their goals.
Troutman Pepper’s Privacy + Cyber practice has pioneered emerging issues relating to implementation and compliance, litigation, regulatory investigations, and incident response. The team has led some of the most high-profile litigation matters and regulatory enforcement actions and is uniquely positioned to address emerging privacy and cyber issues that the world — and the law — have never had to confront before.
About Troutman Pepper
Troutman Pepper is a national law firm with more than 1,100 attorneys strategically located in 20+ U.S. cities. The firm’s litigation, transactional, and regulatory practices advise a diverse client base, from startups to multinational enterprises. The firm provides sophisticated legal solutions to clients’ most pressing business challenges, with depth across industry sectors, including energy, financial services, health sciences, insurance, and private equity, among others. Learn more at troutman.com.
NEW YORK – The Best Lawyers in America® — the oldest peer-reviewed publication in the legal profession — has recognized 242 Troutman Pepper attorneys as Best Lawyers in America in its 2025 edition. Notably, Best Lawyers® honored 21 Troutman Pepper partners as “Lawyers of the Year,” a distinction held by very few practicing attorneys nationwide, with only one lawyer recognized as the “Lawyer of the Year” for each specialty and location.
The firm also has 163 attorneys recognized as Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America®. This recognition highlights the exceptional abilities of attorneys with less than a decade of private practice and is a testament to the firm’s commitment to nurturing exceptional legal talent.
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Attorneys must be nominated for consideration and then voted on and recommended by their peers for inclusion. Those recognized must also be in good standing with their local bar associations.
Troutman Pepper’s full list of recognized attorneys can be found here.
Lawyers of the Year
Atlanta
Hazen H. Dempster (Securitization and Structured Finance Law)
Andrea M. Farley (Mergers and Acquisitions Law)
Steve J. Hewitson (Energy Regulatory Law)
Eric A. Koontz (Energy Law)
Charles F. Palmer (Administrative / Regulatory Law)
Charlotte
Kiran H. Mehta (Litigation – Environmental)
Paul A. Steffens (Mergers and Acquisitions Law)
Lynne Wakefield (Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law)
Harrisburg
David J. Tshudy (Real Estate Law)
Norfolk
John C. Lynch (Litigation – Banking and Finance)
Philadelphia
Michael E. Baughman (Media Law)
Thomas J. Cole, Jr. (Labor Law – Management)
Joseph T. Imperiale (Construction Law)
Pittsburgh
Eric D. Kline (Banking and Finance Law + Securities / Capital Markets Law)
Richmond
Robert A. Angle (Litigation – Patent)
John Owen Gwathmey (Securities / Capital Markets Law)
Brooks M. Smith (Water Law)
Chris Vinyard (Banking and Finance Law)
John S. West (Criminal Defense: White-Collar)
Andrea Wortzel (Environmental Law)
Rochester-NY
Andrew P. Zappia (Litigation – Patent)
About Troutman Pepper
Troutman Pepper is a national law firm with more than 1,100 attorneys strategically located in 20+ U.S. cities. The firm’s litigation, transactional, and regulatory practices advise a diverse client base, from startups to multinational enterprises. The firm provides sophisticated legal solutions to clients’ most pressing business challenges, with depth across industry sectors, including energy, financial services, health sciences, insurance, and private equity, among others. Learn more at troutman.com.
PHILADELPHIA/ATLANTA – Troutman Pepper’s Hiring to Firing Podcast has been named a finalist for the prestigious PRNEWS Platinum Award in the Digital & Social Media – Podcast category. This recognition underscores the podcast’s innovative approach to exploring key labor and employment issues through the lens of popular culture. Winners will be announced at an October awards event.
Launched in May 2022, Hiring to Firing is hosted by Partners Tracey Diamond and Evan Gibbs. The podcast delves into a variety of common and not-so-common issues facing employers and employees, leveraging references from popular shows like “Emily in Paris,” “Moneyball,” “Squid Game,” and “Severance” to make complex legal topics accessible and engaging.
“We are honored to be recognized as a finalist for a PRNEWS Platinum Award,” Diamond said. “Our goal always has been to provide valuable insights in an entertaining format, and this nomination validates our efforts.”
Gibbs added, “Having written on the intersection of popular culture and the law for many years, it’s been incredibly rewarding to bring these discussions to life with Tracey and our esteemed guests. This recognition from PRNEWS is a testament to the hard work and creativity of our entire team.”
The PRNEWS Platinum Awards have been celebrated for over two decades as the pinnacle of achievement in the communications industry. Winners are recognized for their exceptional innovation and industry knowledge, representing the best of the best in the field.
Recognized by Chambers USA as a leading law firm in labor and employment, Troutman Pepper has extensive experience handling clients’ most sensitive workplace employment matters. The firm’s Labor + Employment Practice Group advises on workplace compliance issues, wage/hour and employment-discrimination class actions, ERISA litigation, OFCCP issues, restrictive covenants, and collective bargaining agreements, among other key areas.
About Troutman Pepper
Troutman Pepper is a national law firm with more than 1,100 attorneys strategically located in 20+ U.S. cities. The firm’s litigation, transactional, and regulatory practices advise a diverse client base, from startups to multinational enterprises. The firm provides sophisticated legal solutions to clients’ most pressing business challenges, with depth across industry sectors, including energy, financial services, health sciences, insurance, and private equity, among others. Learn more at troutman.com.
NEW YORK – Eight Troutman Pepper partners have been named to Benchmark Litigation’s 2024 U.S. 40 & Under List. The annual list recognizes the best and brightest litigators across the United States based on market analyses, peer review, and casework.
Honorees represent the firm’s Atlanta, Charlotte, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. offices and span diverse practices including Business Litigation, Construction, Consumer Financial Services, Insurance + Reinsurance, Health Sciences, Intellectual Property, and White Collar + Government Investigations, among other areas.
Recognized Attorneys:
Andrew Atkins
Thomas Kinney
Puja Patel Lea
Brett Ashton Mason
Melissa Hatch O’Donnell
R. Zachary Torres-Fowler
Kevin Wallace
Mary Weeks
Benchmark Litigation focuses exclusively on dispute resolution and litigation. Law firm and lawyer rankings are based on extensive interviews with litigators, dispute resolution specialists, and their clients, as well as analysis of recent casework and specific areas of the U.S. disputes market.
About Troutman Pepper
Troutman Pepper is a national law firm with more than 1,100 attorneys strategically located in 20+ U.S. cities. The firm’s litigation, transactional, and regulatory practices advise a diverse client base, from startups to multinational enterprises. The firm provides sophisticated legal solutions to clients’ most pressing business challenges, with depth across industry sectors, including energy, financial services, health sciences, insurance, and private equity, among others. Learn more at troutman.com.
NEW YORK – Troutman Pepper and 11 attorneys have been recognized by the 2024 IFLR1000, a guide to the world’s leading financial and corporate law firms produced by the International Financial Law Review (IFLR). The firm was noted for its work in practice areas across the nation and locally. In addition, 11 attorneys were recognized as highly regarded or notable practitioners in their fields.
Recognized Practice Areas
United States
Banking
Capital Markets: Debt
Mergers + Acquisitions
Private Equity
Project Development: Energy
Project Finance
Restructuring + Insolvency
Delaware
Financial and Corporate
Georgia
Banking
Mergers + Acquisitions
New York
Mergers + Acquisitions
North Carolina
Banking
Mergers + Acquisitions
Pennsylvania
Capital Markets
Mergers + Acquisitions
Southern California
Mergers + Acquisitions
Virginia
Financial and Corporate
Recognized Attorneys
Barry Abelson (M&A)
Hazen Dempster (Banking)
Brinkley Dickerson (M&A)
David Ghegan (Capital Markets: Debt + Equity, M&A)
Steven Khadavi (Capital Markets: Debt, M&A)
John Leonti (Project Development: Energy)
Lloyd MacNeil (Project Development)
Gary Marsh (M&A)
Ann-Marie Notaro (M&A)
Shona Smith (Banking, Capital Markets: Debt, M&A, Mining, Oil & Gas, Technology & Telecommunications)
Alec Watson (M&A, Private Equity)
Since 1990, the IFLR1000 has evaluated firms based on transactions and client feedback. Through in-depth research, peer review, and client feedback, it honors the best-performing law firms and lawyers and highlights the most impressive domestic deals of the year.
About Troutman Pepper
Troutman Pepper is a national law firm with more than 1,100 attorneys strategically located in 20+ U.S. cities. The firm’s litigation, transactional, and regulatory practices advise a diverse client base, from startups to multinational enterprises. The firm provides sophisticated legal solutions to clients’ most pressing business challenges, with depth across industry sectors, including energy, financial services, health sciences, insurance, and private equity, among others. Learn more at troutman.com.
ATLANTA –Georgia Lawyers for the Arts (GLA), a nonprofit organization that provides legal assistance and educational programming to artists and arts organizations, recently announced the appointment of Michael Hobbs, a partner in Troutman Pepper’s Intellectual Property Practice Group, to its Board of Directors. Hobbs has been actively involved with GLA since 1995.
Founded in 1975, GLA is a nonprofit dedicated to providing legal support, fostering connections between the legal and arts communities, and educating artists about their legal rights and responsibilities. Hobbs, along with many other Atlanta-based Troutman Pepper attorneys, has volunteered with GLA for years. As a Board Member, Hobbs will support the board in its mission to serve the legal needs of artists and arts organizations, promote closer contact and understanding among members of the legal profession and the arts community, and educate artists about their legal rights and responsibilities.
“For over the past thirty years, I have been a volunteer lawyer for GLA and a passionate advocate for the value of its services and importance in the community,” Hobbs said. “As a board member for GLA, I aspire to make a positive impact by helping to create opportunities for all Georgia artists and inventors to get the education and representation they need to protect their art and ideas. The GLA’s mission to promote and sustain the arts aligns with my personal values, and I believe my skills and experience can contribute to the organization’s success.”
At Troutman Pepper, Hobbs is a seasoned intellectual property attorney with extensive experience in negotiating complex trademark and copyright licenses, litigating in federal court and before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, and managing large-scale trademark clearance and registration projects. His approach to working with clients allows him to develop a strong knowledge of their objectives and advance their goals efficiently.
Each year, Troutman Pepper attorneys dedicate thousands of pro bono hours in support of nonprofits, immigrants, military veterans, children, the wrongfully convicted, civil rights and social justice initiatives, and so many more. Learn more at troutman.com/pro-bono.
About Troutman Pepper
Troutman Pepper is a national law firm with 1,100+ attorneys strategically located in more than 20 U.S. cities. The firm’s litigation, transactional, and regulatory practices advise a diverse client base, from startups to multinational enterprises. The firm provides sophisticated legal solutions to clients’ most pressing business challenges, with depth across industry sectors, including energy, financial services, health sciences, insurance, and private equity, among others. Learn more at troutman.com.
BOSTON – The Connecticut Law Tribune has recognized Troutman Pepper’s William Belanger, Max Gladstone, Mayisha Khan, and Gwendolyn Tawresey with New England Legal Awards in three categories, and the firm is a finalist for two additional awards. All winners will be announced at a September 26 awards ceremony.
The annual awards program celebrates professional excellence within the legal community across Connecticut, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. The event honors the outstanding contributions and achievements made by legal professionals within the region.
Winners:
Distinguished Leaders – William Belanger
William Belanger, Chair of Troutman Pepper’s Specialized Litigation Department, received the Distinguished Leader award, which recognizes attorneys who achieved impressive career results and demonstrated clear leadership skills. Belanger is celebrated for his exceptional ability to navigate complex transitions, foster collaboration, and drive strategic growth, both at Troutman Pepper and within the Boston legal community.
Unsung Heroes – Max Gladstone and Mayisha Khan
Troutman Pepper’s Max Gladstone, Director of Innovation, and Mayisha Khan, Senior Innovation Solutions Analyst, have been named Unsung Heroes for their significant contributions to advancing the firm’s client service capabilities through innovative technology solutions. Gladstone and Khan played key roles in developing a system for the Education Law Center pro bono project, which streamlined the process for former Glen Mills Schools students to receive settlement awards. Their technical expertise and dedication have significantly supported the firm’s efforts to leverage technology for improved legal services.
New Leaders in the Law – Gwendolyn Tawresey
Gwen Tawresey, a partner in Troutman Pepper’s Intellectual Property Practice Group, was honored as a New Leader in the Law for her exceptional contributions to patent litigation, particularly in the International Trade Commission and the Court of Federal Claims. Her dedication to pro bono work, including advocacy for veterans and Afghan families seeking asylum, further exemplifies her commitment to leveraging her legal skills for the greater good.
Finalists:
Social Impact – Troutman Pepper’s Education Law Center Partnership
Troutman Pepper was named a finalist in the Social Impact category for its partnership with the Education Law Center to support former students of Glen Mills Schools, who allege abuse and education deprivation while attending the school. The firm’s innovative approach combined legal expertise and technology to streamline the claim submission process, assisting over 600 former students in securing compensation and demonstrating a deep commitment to social justice, diversity, and pro bono service.
Legal Innovators & Disrupters – Troutman Pepper’s ”Athena”
Troutman Pepper was shortlisted for the Legal Innovators & Disruptors award for its groundbreaking work in developing and implementing Athena, a custom GPT-powered application designed to enhance the firm’s legal services. By leveraging generative AI within a secure environment, the firm has significantly improved internal processes, client service, and pro bono efforts.
About Troutman Pepper
Troutman Pepper is a national law firm with 1,100+ attorneys strategically located in more than 20 U.S. cities. The firm’s litigation, transactional, and regulatory practices advise a diverse client base, from startups to multinational enterprises. The firm provides sophisticated legal solutions to clients’ most pressing business challenges, with depth across industry sectors, including energy, financial services, health sciences, insurance, and private equity, among others. Learn more at troutman.com.
NEW YORK – Troutman Pepper client Hull Street Energy, a private equity firm that specializes in deploying capital into the power sector as it decarbonizes, has agreed to acquire four New York thermal power plants from J-Power USA. Read a company press release about the deal.
The portfolio includes Edgewood Energy, LLC, Shoreham Energy, LLC, Pinelawn Power LLC, and Equus Power I, L.P. Located on Long Island, the portfolio provides 300 megawatts of critical power generation to support New York customers. Upon the close of this transaction, Hull Street Energy affiliates will own approximately 2,650 megawatts of strategically located gas-fired and dual-fueled generation capacity operating as part of the Milepost Power fleet to provide meaningful grid reliability support to the decarbonizing United States grid.
Troutman Pepper attorneys Andrew Schifrin, Steven Khadavi, Wallace Bao, Joshua Gelfand, Anne Loomis, Paul Porretta, Gregory Narsh, Jessica X.Y. Rothenberg, Randy Varner, Nickolas Guttman, Karina Miranda, Russell Kooistra, Dixon Wallace, Morgan Gerard, Víctor Noriega, and Tricia McNeil advised Hull Street Energy in the transaction.
Troutman Pepper’s nationally recognized Capital Projects and Infrastructure Practice Group facilitates projects for investors, utilities, sponsors, private investment funds, lenders, developers, and other stakeholders. The firm’s corporate attorneys regularly handle multimillion- and multibillion-dollar transactions. Core areas of service include capital markets transactions and other significant domestic and cross-border transactions, mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, securities laws compliance, and corporate finance.
Troutman Pepper’s market-leading energy practices help clients with their most important and complex matters throughout the United States. From renewables to conventional and emerging technologies, the cross-disciplinary team has extensive experience across the energy landscape. The firm regularly advises independent power producers, banks, utilities, private equity funds, and large corporations. Learn more at energylawinsights.com.
About Troutman Pepper
Troutman Pepper is a national law firm with 1,100+ attorneys strategically located in more than 20 U.S. cities. The firm’s litigation, transactional, and regulatory practices advise a diverse client base, from startups to multinational enterprises. The firm provides sophisticated legal solutions to clients’ most pressing business challenges, with depth across industry sectors, including energy, financial services, health sciences, insurance, and private equity, among others. Learn more at troutman.com.