Key Takeaways
- • Larissa Cespedes-Yaffar joined Goodwin as a partner in its Boston private equity practice, effective May 18, 2026, joining from Kirkland & Ellis.
- • Cespedes-Yaffar advises private equity and growth equity sponsors on platform and add-on acquisitions, growth investments, minority stakes, divestitures, and strategic corporate transactions.
- • Her practice covers cross-border and domestic matters across technology, healthcare, industrials, aerospace and defense, and telecommunications sectors.
- • The hire represents Goodwin's continued investment in expanding its private equity legal capabilities in the mid-market dealmaking segment.
Summary
Goodwin announced the addition of Larissa Cespedes-Yaffar as a partner in its private equity practice based in Boston, marking another expansion of the firm's PE legal capabilities. Cespedes-Yaffar transitioned to Goodwin from Kirkland & Ellis, where she built a practice advising institutional investors and their portfolio companies on complex M&A transactions and corporate governance matters.
Her expertise spans the full lifecycle of private equity dealmaking, including platform acquisitions, add-on consolidations, growth equity investments, minority stake purchases, and portfolio company divestitures. She also provides general corporate and governance counsel to PE sponsors and their investments, positioning her as a full-service transactional advisor to the sponsor community.
The hire reinforces Goodwin's strategic positioning in the mid-market private equity market, a segment experiencing intensified competition among BigLaw firms. Cespedes-Yaffar's sector focus—encompassing technology, tech-enabled services, healthcare, industrials, aerospace and defense, and telecommunications—aligns with core verticals where PE sponsors are actively deploying capital. Her ability to handle cross-border transactions adds particular value for sponsors with international expansion aspirations or platform companies with global operations.
This addition reflects ongoing talent competition in PE law, with major firms actively recruiting specialized practitioners from competitors to strengthen their deal capabilities and client relationships in this high-volume practice area.
Her expertise spans the full lifecycle of private equity dealmaking, including platform acquisitions, add-on consolidations, growth equity investments, minority stake purchases, and portfolio company divestitures. She also provides general corporate and governance counsel to PE sponsors and their investments, positioning her as a full-service transactional advisor to the sponsor community.
The hire reinforces Goodwin's strategic positioning in the mid-market private equity market, a segment experiencing intensified competition among BigLaw firms. Cespedes-Yaffar's sector focus—encompassing technology, tech-enabled services, healthcare, industrials, aerospace and defense, and telecommunications—aligns with core verticals where PE sponsors are actively deploying capital. Her ability to handle cross-border transactions adds particular value for sponsors with international expansion aspirations or platform companies with global operations.
This addition reflects ongoing talent competition in PE law, with major firms actively recruiting specialized practitioners from competitors to strengthen their deal capabilities and client relationships in this high-volume practice area.
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