Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP is strengthening its presence in the Bay Area with the addition of private capital partner Eva Mak. Mak, formerly a partner at Kirkland & Ellis LLP, has joined Freshfields’ Silicon Valley office to enhance the firm’s West Coast private capital and M&A platform.
Eva Mak was named a non-share partner at Kirkland in 2021, focusing on private equity and M&A in Silicon Valley. Her expertise includes representing private equity, growth, and venture funds, alongside their portfolio companies, in a variety of transactions from large capital to mid-market and growth deals ( Bloomberg Law ).
“They’re in growth mode right now,” Mak said of Freshfields. She highlighted the opportunity in the Bay Area and praised the firm’s storied platform for its growth pace in the US. Freshfields has been actively recruiting in the private equity space over the past 18 months, bringing on several high-profile hires such as Neal Reenan and Ian Bushner from Latham & Watkins and Allison Liff from Weil Gotshal & Manges.
Freshfields’ private capital practice aims to service global asset managers expanding beyond traditional private equity, providing comprehensive legal support across leveraged buyouts, credit funds, and regulatory issues. Ian Bushner, head of US private capital, emphasized the importance of having a team capable of navigating diverse investment strategies and legal requirements.
Recently, the firm advised CVC Capital Partners on its $925 million acquisition of a business unit from Mallinckrodt. The deal team included several of Freshfields’ recent top-tier recruits, underscoring the firm’s commitment to building a formidable private capital practice ( Freshfields News ).
“You’ll continue to see first-class, top-tier lawyers joining our platform because they want to be part of what we’re doing,” Bushner concluded, highlighting Eva Mak as a key addition to their West Coast operations since the arrival of himself and Reenan.