Key Takeaways
- • Sullivan & Cromwell recruited four leading private equity M&A partners from Kirkland & Ellis—Hamed Meshki, Luke Guerra, Guirgis Nasief, and Y. Michael Chung—to expand its U.S. and global PE practice across Los Angeles and New York offices.
- • Hamed Meshki, who spent over 20 years at Kirkland & Ellis and is recognized as one of the U.S.'s top private equity lawyers, will lead Sullivan & Cromwell's global Private Equity Practice and co-lead the Los Angeles office alongside Patrick Brown.
- • The four partners bring collectively nearly six decades of combined experience advising major private equity sponsors and asset managers on hundreds of high-stakes, complex transactions globally.
- • This expansion follows Sullivan & Cromwell's recent build-out in London and represents a strategic acceleration of its private equity capabilities as part of its broader global strategic plan.
- • The hire signals competitive pressure in elite legal services as major law firms vie for senior PE talent and market share in the lucrative private capital advisory space.
Summary
Sullivan & Cromwell LLP announced on September 15, 2026, a significant expansion of its private equity M&A practice through the lateral hire of four partners from rival firm Kirkland & Ellis. The four recruits—Hamed Meshki, Luke Guerra, Guirgis Nasief, and Y. Michael Chung—will join Sullivan & Cromwell as partners in the Los Angeles and New York offices, adding substantial depth to the firm's capabilities in advising private equity sponsors, asset managers, and their portfolio companies on complex, high-value transactions.
Hamed Meshki emerges as the centerpiece of this recruitment, assuming leadership of Sullivan & Cromwell's global Private Equity Practice while also co-leading the Los Angeles office alongside Patrick Brown. Meshki, recognized as one of the country's leading private equity lawyers, spent more than two decades at Kirkland & Ellis before joining Sullivan & Cromwell. Luke Guerra, who like Meshki has built a market-leading private equity practice at his previous firm, also plays a prominent role in the new team. Guirgis Nasief and Y. Michael Chung, positioned as the next generation of leaders in the field, round out the group.
Collectively, the four partners bring nearly six decades of experience advising global private equity clients and have led hundreds of significant transactions for premier financial sponsors and asset management firms. According to Sullivan & Cromwell Co-Chairs Robert Giuffra and Scott Miller, the group's "commercial judgment, collaborative approach and deep market knowledge will strengthen our private equity and M&A capabilities in the U.S. and globally." The firm emphasized that Meshki and Guerra have each cultivated longstanding relationships with leading financial sponsors.
This recruitment represents a strategic acceleration of Sullivan & Cromwell's private equity platform, building on recent expansion efforts in London. The hire underscores intensifying competition among elite law firms for senior PE talent as the private capital market remains robust and complex transactions continue to demand specialized expertise from leading advisors.
Hamed Meshki emerges as the centerpiece of this recruitment, assuming leadership of Sullivan & Cromwell's global Private Equity Practice while also co-leading the Los Angeles office alongside Patrick Brown. Meshki, recognized as one of the country's leading private equity lawyers, spent more than two decades at Kirkland & Ellis before joining Sullivan & Cromwell. Luke Guerra, who like Meshki has built a market-leading private equity practice at his previous firm, also plays a prominent role in the new team. Guirgis Nasief and Y. Michael Chung, positioned as the next generation of leaders in the field, round out the group.
Collectively, the four partners bring nearly six decades of experience advising global private equity clients and have led hundreds of significant transactions for premier financial sponsors and asset management firms. According to Sullivan & Cromwell Co-Chairs Robert Giuffra and Scott Miller, the group's "commercial judgment, collaborative approach and deep market knowledge will strengthen our private equity and M&A capabilities in the U.S. and globally." The firm emphasized that Meshki and Guerra have each cultivated longstanding relationships with leading financial sponsors.
This recruitment represents a strategic acceleration of Sullivan & Cromwell's private equity platform, building on recent expansion efforts in London. The hire underscores intensifying competition among elite law firms for senior PE talent as the private capital market remains robust and complex transactions continue to demand specialized expertise from leading advisors.
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