McDermott Will & Schulte, a global law firm

Advises clients on private equity transactions, mergers & acquisitions, and general corporate matters

Represents private equity sponsors, strategic buyers, public corporations, and private companies in a range of transactions

Leads cross-border transactions teams

Andrew C. Liazos is the global head of McDermott’s Benefits & Compensation Practice Group and has practiced at McDermott for over twenty-five years.

Andrew is a nationally recognized leader representing boards and senior executives on significant, multi-disciplinary compensation and benefits related matters, with an emphasis on plan design, practice before regulators, litigation and governance. Chambers USA reports that Andrew is a “first-rate lawyer” and an “excellent, top-notch leader in his field.” Best Lawyers reports from clients that “Andrew’s responsiveness to problems is unequaled,” he “provides the utmost customer service,” “working with him is a great experience,” and that he has “a practical approach to issues.”

Andrew has held several leadership positions within the American Bar Association for over two decades, including serving as the chair of the Section of Taxation’s Employee Benefits Committee. He is the current co-chair for the American Law Institute’s Annual Symposium on Executive Compensation and a fellow of the American College of Employee Benefits Counsel, which recognizes lawyers who have made significant contributions to advance the employee benefits field for at least twenty years.

Andrew is a frequent speaker and the author of numerous articles on executive compensation and employee benefit issues for publications as Bloomberg Tax, Tax Notes, the Benefits Law Journal, CFO Magazine and Fortune. Andrew has also frequently submitted comments on behalf of trade associations and clients, including proposed tax regulations and securities law rules.

Set forth below is a representative list of Andrew’s practice.

Joshua Samis concentrates his practice in matters concerning corporate finance and private equity. He represents private equity sponsors, public and private companies and commercial lending institutions in connection with the negotiation and documentation of domestic and cross-border transactional matters, including credit facilities related to leveraged acquisitions, recapitalizations, and loan workouts and restructurings. Josh’s expansive knowledge in corporate finance and private equity makes him an asset to our lawyers across various practices and offices. Josh is also a current member of the Firm’s Income Partner Compensation Committee and Technology Committee.

Josh was highlighted as a leading finance lawyer by Chambers Global, where clients recognized him as someone who is “highly responsive and very well versed in the market”, “very commercial and efficient across a variety of financings”, “very detail-oriented and always available” and who “provides the client with a high degree of customer service.” He was also recommended in The Legal 500 United States.

Llewelyn Engel focuses her practice on government investigations, government contracts, lobbying, political contributions, government ethics, and public policy matters. Llewelyn has successfully represented clients in high-profile investigations by the Department of Justice and Congress that entail significant legal, political and reputational risks. Llewelyn is experienced in navigating the political vetting process and has helped a high-profile client nominated by the President undergo the confirmation process.

Llewelyn also advises government contractors in adhering to federal regulations, has litigated successful bid protests before the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and US Court of Federal Claims and advises government contractors in transactional matters. Llewelyn has extensive experience with the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). She has counseled hundreds of borrowers in connection with PPP loans and other Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act programs, including on eligibility issues, loan forgiveness, government audits and appeals of denials of PPP loan forgiveness.

Llewelyn assisted a client undergoing a global recall of a consumer product, which included developing a media strategy and working with regulatory authorities in a dozen countries. She has also represented a cryptocurrency company in litigation before the US District Court for the District of Columbia and advised other cryptocurrency clients on regulatory and contractual issues.

Llewelyn represented a leading e-cigarette company in a highly publicized and politically charged House Committee on Energy and Commerce investigation and hearing. Llewelyn has argued before the Court of Federal Claims in a bid protest case for a contract worth billions of dollars. She has successfully represented a defense contractor on numerous occasions in challenging the improper award of a contract. She frequently advises private equity clients looking to acquire government contractors or companies looking to enter the government contracting space.

Prior to joining the firm, Llewelyn served as the senior law clerk for the Honorable Judge Lydia K. Griggsby at the US Court of Federal Claims. Llewelyn was Judge Griggsby’s first law clerk, joining chambers in January 2015 just after Judge Griggsby was appointed to the court.

Llewelyn has significant federal legislative experience, most recently as a law fellow on Senator Dianne Feinstein’s Judiciary Committee staff, as well as considerable experience working in the offices of former Senator Carl Levin, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Congressman Gerry Connolly.

During law school, Llewelyn served as an intern at the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the US Department of Justice (DOJ), Environment and Natural Resources Division.