Key Takeaways
- • Holland & Knight appointed Emma Dowell as a partner in its Corporate, M&A and Securities practice in Tysons, Virginia, marking the firm's 19th private equity-focused partner recruitment in 2026.
- • Dowell brings 12+ years of transactional experience advising strategic buyers, sellers, and private equity clients, with deep expertise in government contracting, technology, healthcare services, and sports and entertainment sectors.
- • The hire directly addresses elevated M&A and private equity transaction activity in government contracting and technology, two sectors experiencing significant deal flow.
- • Holland & Knight ranked as the second-most active law firm in Mid-Atlantic private equity according to PitchBook's year-end 2025 league tables, positioning this recruitment as part of a deliberate expansion strategy.
- • Dowell's appointment strengthens the firm's Mid-Atlantic corporate practice and its ability to serve businesses operating at the intersection of technology, government contracting, and private capital.
Summary
Holland & Knight has recruited Emma Dowell as a partner in its Corporate, M&A and Securities practice in Tysons, Virginia, continuing an aggressive expansion strategy in private equity and transactional law. Dowell's addition represents the firm's 19th private equity-focused partner hired during 2026, underscoring a sustained commitment to bolstering deal-making capabilities across key sectors.
Dowell brings 12 years of transactional experience advising a diverse client base including strategic buyers, sellers, and private equity sponsors on complex M&A and corporate governance matters. Her practice focuses on government contracting, technology, healthcare services, and sports and entertainment industries—sectors where transaction activity has intensified. According to the firm, her appointment directly addresses robust demand for experienced M&A and finance attorneys capable of assuming leadership roles on sophisticated deals, particularly as deal flow accelerates in government contracting and technology spaces.
The hire strengthens Holland & Knight's Mid-Atlantic corporate platform and deepens its competitive positioning at the nexus of technology, government contracting, and private capital—a strategic combination increasingly relevant to institutional investors and PE sponsors evaluating regional legal counsel. Holland & Knight's prominence in the region is reflected in its ranking as the second-most active law firm in Mid-Atlantic private equity per PitchBook's year-end 2025 league tables, a positioning that this recruitment further reinforces.
Dowell holds a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law and a B.S. from Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business.
Dowell brings 12 years of transactional experience advising a diverse client base including strategic buyers, sellers, and private equity sponsors on complex M&A and corporate governance matters. Her practice focuses on government contracting, technology, healthcare services, and sports and entertainment industries—sectors where transaction activity has intensified. According to the firm, her appointment directly addresses robust demand for experienced M&A and finance attorneys capable of assuming leadership roles on sophisticated deals, particularly as deal flow accelerates in government contracting and technology spaces.
The hire strengthens Holland & Knight's Mid-Atlantic corporate platform and deepens its competitive positioning at the nexus of technology, government contracting, and private capital—a strategic combination increasingly relevant to institutional investors and PE sponsors evaluating regional legal counsel. Holland & Knight's prominence in the region is reflected in its ranking as the second-most active law firm in Mid-Atlantic private equity per PitchBook's year-end 2025 league tables, a positioning that this recruitment further reinforces.
Dowell holds a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law and a B.S. from Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business.
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