DEAL ANNOUNCEMENT / PRESS RELEASE
McDermott Will & Schulte advises sellers – Ardian, the founders and management team – on the sale of Netco Group to Eurazeo
April 17, 2026
Read time: 3 min
McDermott Will & Schulte is advising Ardian, on the sale of its majority stake in Netco Group (Netco), a European leader in critical maintenance services for conveyor systems in essential industries, to Eurazeo. The firm is also advising the founders of Netco Group in connection with their reinvestment alongside Eurazeo.
Completion of the transaction is subject to obtaining the relevant regulatory approvals.
The McDermott Will & Schulte team, acting on behalf of the sellers, was composed of:
- Grégoire Andrieux and Marie-Muriel Barthelet, partners, Jordan Ohayon, associate in corporate
- Romain Desmonts, partner, and Fanny Le Pogam, associate, in tax
Leading organizations turn to global law firm McDermott Will & Schulte for a better way to address legal challenges, connect with those at the forefront, and drive stronger outcomes. Working across more than 20 offices globally, our 1,750+ lawyers act on data-driven insights, deep relationships, and unmatched industry experience to deliver on our commitment of Always Better.
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McDermott Will & Schulte named M&A Advisor of the Year finalist by The Insurer
AWARDS & RANKINGS / PRESS RELEASE
McDermott Will & Schulte named M&A Advisor of the Year finalist by The Insurer
April 16, 2026
Read time: 3 min
April 16, 2026 – International law firm McDermott Will & Schulte has once again been shortlisted for M&A Advisor of the Year as part of The Insurer’s Program Manager Awards 2026, marking the fourth year consecutive year of recognition in the category.
Led by Partners Michael Halsband and Mike Byrne, McDermott’s insurance transactions team brings decades of combined experience as both lawyers and trusted advisors. The team advises on the full spectrum of M&A and transactional matters and is widely recognized for its strong track record representing strategic buyers and private equity investors in acquisitions, dispositions, mergers, and investments involving companies, brokers, agents, MGAs, wholesalers, consultants, and TPAs.
Leading organizations turn to global law firm McDermott Will & Schulte for a better way to address legal challenges, connect with those at the forefront, and drive stronger outcomes. Working across more than 20 offices globally, our 1,750+ lawyers act on data-driven insights, deep relationships, and unmatched industry experience to deliver on our commitment of Always Better.
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McDermott Will & Schulte advises Mill Point and its portfolio company AeriTek in its acquisition of Continental Refrigerator and National Comfort Products
DEAL ANNOUNCEMENT / PRESS RELEASE
McDermott Will & Schulte advises Mill Point and its portfolio company AeriTek in its acquisition of Continental Refrigerator and National Comfort Products
April 15, 2026
Read time: 4 min
International law firm McDermott Will & Schulte represented Mill Point Capital LLC (Mill Point), a private equity firm focused on control investments in lower-middle market companies, and portfolio company AeriTek Global Holdings LLC (AeriTek), a trailblazer in the commercial refrigeration and foodservice equipment markets, in the acquisition of the foodservice refrigeration and HVAC assets of National Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Products, Inc., operating under the Continental Refrigerator (Continental) and National Comfort Products (NCP) brands. Continental and NCP are trusted providers of high-quality, configurable, build-to-order solutions for more than 850 customers across the US.
The transaction strengthens AeriTek’s US foodservice equipment footprint, positioning it as a leading commercial refrigeration manufacturer and marking its third North American acquisition in under eight months.
McDermott recently represented Mill Point and AeriTek in its acquisition of Federal Industries.
The McDermott team was led by Ben Kozinn and Lauren Troeller with invaluable support from Meredith Schwartz, Mitch DaSilva, Molly Moore, Theodore Keyes, Graham Hyman, Elai Katz, Lance Kodish, Adam Mazin, Haley Dow, Maxwell Preston, Moshe Mashitz, Grace Kirtland, Raymond Paretzky, Kelly Holloway, Hayley Yandoli, Wendy Phinny, Caitlin Drott, Katie Cross, Brian Casillas, Phoebe Hebson, Todd Solomon, Joseph Reich, and Sarah Bro.
Read Mill Point’s press release here.
About McDermott Will & Schulte’s Private Equity Group
With more than 150 private equity-focused lawyers working across offices globally, McDermott Will & Schulte’s Private Equity Group is poised to help you stay ahead of the curve on all types of PE transactions, including fund formation, mergers and acquisitions, minority and majority investments, and leveraged buyouts. At every stage, we manage and assess risks and opportunities while looking for the most efficient way to get the deal done. Our team of leading private equity practitioners offers deep industry experience in the healthcare, life sciences, food and beverage, energy, real estate, insurance, and technology sectors – along with the cross-border and cross-practice capabilities critical to facilitating business success.
Leading organizations turn to global law firm McDermott Will & Schulte for a better way to address legal challenges, connect with those at the forefront, and drive stronger outcomes. Working across more than 20 offices globally, our 1,750+ lawyers act on data-driven insights, deep relationships, and unmatched industry experience to deliver on our commitment of Always Better.
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McDermott Will & Schulte welcomes PGA of America Chief Legal Officer Henry Smokler to expand sports, transactional platforms
PRESS RELEASE
McDermott Will & Schulte welcomes PGA of America Chief Legal Officer Henry Smokler to expand sports, transactional platforms
April 15, 2026
Read time: 4 min
International law firm McDermott Will & Schulte announced that Henry Smokler has joined the firm as a Partner, strengthening its capabilities at the intersection of sports, media, governance, and high-stakes deals. He will work closely with McDermott’s Transactions and Media, Entertainment & Sports practices, counseling boards, executives, and investors on complex regulatory, transactional, and reputational risk matters.
As a skilled lawyer, senior business leader, and strategic advisor, Henry brings elite in-house leadership, market-shaping deal experience, and crisis-management acumen across sports, media, and nonprofit organizations. He advises on governance, enterprise risk, high-value commercial matters, and emerging challenges that can threaten an organization’s long-term viability.
“Henry’s background is exceptional and highly complementary to our global platform,” said Harris Siskind, global head of McDermott’s Transactions Practice Group. “He has led some of the most consequential media rights and commercial negotiations in sports, navigated governance reform and crisis situations at the highest levels, and built trusted relationships across governing bodies, media companies, and private equity firms. Henry will be an immediate value add for our clients and a powerful connector across our practices.”
Henry joins McDermott after serving more than a decade as General Counsel, Chief Legal and Risk Officer, and Senior Advisor for the Professional Golfers’ Association of America. In that capacity, he acted as principal legal and strategic advisor to executive leadership and the board of directors, directed the organization’s response to high-profile reputational and operational crises, and led enterprise-wide litigation and investigations. He also co-led the negotiation of long-term national media rights agreements with CBS and other broadcasting platforms, overseeing acquisitions and strategic investments and driving governance reform and nonprofit compliance initiatives.
Earlier, as a senior legal and commercial leader for the United States Golf Association, Henry negotiated and executed a landmark multiyear media rights agreement totaling more than $1 billion. He has also led transformative headquarters and mixed-use development projects and advised on complex public policy, competition, and regulatory matters affecting sporting associations. Prior to his in-house career, Henry advised on capital markets, executive compensation, and mergers and acquisitions in the advertising, media, and technology sectors.
“I am thrilled to join McDermott,” said Henry. “The firm has an outstanding reputation for practical, business-focused counsel, deep industry knowledge, and a collaborative culture. McDermott’s global reach and integrated platform are uniquely suited to support the increasingly complex intersection of sports, media, investment, and regulation. I’m excited to help clients navigate high stakes challenges, while working alongside such a talented group of lawyers.”
Leading organizations turn to global law firm McDermott Will & Schulte for a better way to address legal challenges, connect with those at the forefront, and drive stronger outcomes. Working across more than 20 offices globally, our 1,750+ lawyers act on data-driven insights, deep relationships, and unmatched industry experience to deliver on our commitment of Always Better.
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McDermott advises NORD Holding on the acquisition of VisionmaxX
DEAL ANNOUNCEMENT / PRESS RELEASE
McDermott advises NORD Holding on the acquisition of VisionmaxX
April 15, 2026
Read time: 3 min
Munich, April 15, 2026 — With a team led by Holger Ebersberger and Hanno Witt, McDermott Will & Schulte has represented funds advised by NORD Holding on the acquisition of VisionmaxX Group, a provider of managed IT services for medical practices.
With NORD Holding’s support, VisionmaxX aims to continue organic growth and become the leading digital IT infrastructure platform for outpatient healthcare in the DACH region by expanding into related medical specialties and care segments, as well as through targeted partnerships and acquisitions.
VisionmaxX was founded in 2004 and has evolved over the last two decades to become the leading specialized managed service provider for IT services in German and Austrian medical practices, with a focus on dentistry. VisionmaxX is headquartered in Pfungstadt, Germany, and employs around 150 people.
The McDermott team was led by partners Holger H. Ebersberger and Hanno M. Witt and comprised partners Jana Grieb, Steffen Woitz, Florian Schiefer and counsel Manuel Weiß as well as associates Tobias Thiemann, Julia Külzer, Parsin Walsi, Macha Dinga, Lennart Neumann and Annalena Oblinger.
Leading organizations turn to global law firm McDermott Will & Schulte for a better way to address legal challenges, connect with those at the forefront, and drive stronger outcomes. Working across more than 20 offices globally, our 1,750+ lawyers act on data-driven insights, deep relationships, and unmatched industry experience to deliver on our commitment of Always Better.
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McDermott Will & Schulte advises Surgery Partners in its acquisition of Preferred Vascular Group
DEAL ANNOUNCEMENT / PRESS RELEASE
McDermott Will & Schulte advises Surgery Partners in its acquisition of Preferred Vascular Group
April 13, 2026
Read time: 3 min
International law firm McDermott Will & Schulte represented Surgery Partners, a leading US healthcare services company that specializes in the ownership, development and management of a nationwide network of surgical facilities, in its acquisition of Preferred Vascular Group (PVG), an operator of ambulatory surgical centers focused on specialty dialysis access procedures.
Surgery Partners’ partnership with PVG provides entry into the $6 billion dialysis access market while strategically expanding its broader vascular footprint by leveraging PVG’s expertise across its network of surgical centers.
The McDermott team was led by Danielle Golino and Chelsea Rogers with invaluable assistance from Morgan Pollard, Lara Kimmel, Dexter Golinghorst, Kyle Hafkey, Jeffrey Holdvogt, Melis Solaksubasi, Tony Maida, Carole Becker, Maxwell Preston, Larissa Mussi, Alex Ruiz, and Sam Siegfried.
About McDermott Will & Schulte’s Health & Life Sciences Group
McDermott Will & Schulte’s internationally recognized health and life sciences practice addresses the critical legal and business needs of leading industry players. You can turn to us to drive innovative deals and navigate high-stakes disputes, enforcement risks, and complex regulatory issues. Our global team leverages deep market intelligence and decades of experience representing clients across all subsectors, including health systems and other providers, payors, private equity and other investors, major healthcare and life sciences companies, health technology developers, and new market entrants. We stand as the only healthcare practice to receive top rankings from Best Law Firms, Chambers, Legal 500, and Law360, while also ranking among the leading life sciences law firms.
Leading organizations turn to global law firm McDermott Will & Schulte for a better way to address legal challenges, connect with those at the forefront, and drive stronger outcomes. Working across more than 20 offices globally, our 1,750+ lawyers act on data-driven insights, deep relationships, and unmatched industry experience to deliver on our commitment of Always Better.
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McDermott Will & Schulte partners recognized to India Business Law Journal’s International A-List
AWARDS & RANKINGS / PRESS RELEASE
McDermott Will & Schulte partners recognized to India Business Law Journal’s International A-List
Read time: 3 min
April, 2026 – International law firm McDermott Will & Schulte is proud to announce Sam Snider and Priya Taneja have been named to India Business Law Journal’s International A-List 2026.
The recognition reflects McDermott’s strong commitment to India and its role advising global companies and financial institutions investing in or expanding into India, as well as Indian clients pursuing outbound investments and navigating regulatory matters across international markets. Working closely with India’s leading law firms, McDermott is particularly active in areas shaping the next phase of cross-border activity, including international trade, digital assets, sophisticated financing structures, investigations, and real assets and infrastructure.
The International A-List features the world’s top 100 lawyers outside India most recommended by clients, and peers for their work on international aspects of India-related matters.
For further information on McDermott’s India-related capabilities, please contact Priya Taneja.
Leading organizations turn to global law firm McDermott Will & Schulte for a better way to address legal challenges, connect with those at the forefront, and drive stronger outcomes. Working across more than 20 offices globally, our 1,750+ lawyers act on data-driven insights, deep relationships, and unmatched industry experience to deliver on our commitment of Always Better.
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McDermott Will & Schulte Lawyers Recognized in Variety’s 2026 Legal Impact Report
AWARDS & RANKINGS / PRESS RELEASE
McDermott Will & Schulte Lawyers Recognized in Variety’s 2026 Legal Impact Report
April 8, 2026
Read time: 4 min
April 8, 2026 – International law firm McDermott Will & Schulte is delighted to share that Tom Conaghan, Alexei Cowett, and Maria Rodriguez have once again been recognized in Variety‘s 2026 Legal Impact Report.
The report profiles the top entertainment and media lawyers across the US who are making a significant impact on the legal industry, featuring litigators and transactional lawyers who focus their practices on film, television, music, theater, and digital media.
McDermott’s Media, Entertainment & Sports Group continues to represent clients on groundbreaking deals and precedent-setting litigation across the entertainment landscape, including representing:
- Disney, ABC, and Twentieth Century Fox in a high-profile Hollywood case brought by actor Rockmond Dunbar following his departure from 9-1-1. Over three years, the team dismantled 12 of 13 claims, defeated punitive damages, prevailed on 15 of 16 pretrial motions (including ABC’s dismissal), and secured a complete defense verdict for Fox after a two-hour jury deliberation.
- Aditya Mittal and the trustees of the Mittal family trusts in the William Chisholm–led buying group’s $6.1 billion acquisition of the Boston Celtics, the largest sale of an American professional sports team.
- MrBeast in several high-profile deals, including the opening of the Beast Land amusement park in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and various matters relating to Season 2 of Beast Games, the most-watched unscripted show in the history of Amazon Prime.
- Monumental Sports & Entertainment in connection with minority investments by Arctos Partners and the Qatar Investment Authority.
- Octagon in a federal court case against sports agent challenging industry standard fee tail provision as restraint on trade under California law.
- Calvin Ford in his acquisition of a controlling stake in Livingston Football Club, marking a significant milestone in Ford’s investment portfolio and underscoring McDermott’s cross-border capabilities.
- Kewsong Lee and BellTower Partners in the establishment and capital raise for a single-purpose investment vehicle and its investment in United Soccer Leagues, LLC, the largest and fastest-growing U.S. soccer organization.
- Stephen Curry’s companies, including Unanimous Media, Underrated Golf, and SC30, in corporate governance, transactions, intellectual property, tax, and employment matters.
View McDermott’s honoree profile.
Leading organizations turn to global law firm McDermott Will & Schulte for a better way to address legal challenges, connect with those at the forefront, and drive stronger outcomes. Working across more than 20 offices globally, our 1,750+ lawyers act on data-driven insights, deep relationships, and unmatched industry experience to deliver on our commitment of Always Better.
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McDermott advises Rubicon Partners on its acquisition of Erodex Graphite Systems
DEAL ANNOUNCEMENT / PRESS RELEASE
McDermott advises Rubicon Partners on its acquisition of Erodex Graphite Systems
April 8, 2026
Read time: 3 min
International law firm McDermott Will & Schulte represented Rubicon Partners on its acquisition of Erodex Graphite Systems Limited (Erodex) from its family shareholders. Erodex represents Rubicon’s 85th industrial investment and the second investment made through Rubicon Partners Fund VI SCSp.
McDermott’s cross-border team was led by partner Fatema Orjela and included counsel Zoe Woodhouse and associates Tom Johnson, Arjun Sehgal and Raees Khan with trainee solicitor Sofia Vargas (all private equity). The team were supported by partner Mark Fine, senior associate Chris Smith, associates Hannah Samuel and Emily Rees with trainee solicitors Louis Gregory and Catherine MacDonald (all corporate finance). Partners Alex Jupp and Hannah Hollingworth, counsel Elizabeth Spencer and associate Lucy Foulkes (all tax). In New York, partners Riley Orloff (corporate finance) and James Parry (private equity) also advised.
Headquartered in Halesowen, UK, Erodex is a leading global supplier of graphite and brass tube electrodes, EDM consumables, and carbon products, primarily used for the manufacturing of turbine blades and aerofoil structures for aircraft engines and industrial gas turbines. Erodex has in-house design, tooling and manufacturing capabilities through its state-of-the-art machine shops in both the UK and the USA. The business is best known for its manufactured premium graphite electrodes and brass tubes that support global OEM and Tier 1 manufacturers.
Rubicon Partners is a London-based, specialist investment partnership founded in 1993 that focuses on acquiring and actively managing industrial businesses across Europe and North America.
Leading organizations turn to global law firm McDermott Will & Schulte for a better way to address legal challenges, connect with those at the forefront, and drive stronger outcomes. Working across more than 20 offices globally, our 1,750+ lawyers act on data-driven insights, deep relationships, and unmatched industry experience to deliver on our commitment of Always Better.
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McDermott Will & Schulte advises AI6 Technologies on a fundraising led by Generali and Socadif
DEAL ANNOUNCEMENT / PRESS RELEASE
McDermott Will & Schulte advises AI6 Technologies on a fundraising led by Generali and Socadif
April 7, 2026
Read time: 3 min
McDermott Will & Schulte advised AI6 Technologies, an insurtech company specializing in risk prevention and claims resolution optimization, on a fundraising led by Generali France and SOCADIF Capital Investissement (Crédit Agricole Île-de-France).
Through this transaction, AI6 Technologies aims to become a leader in France by strengthening its innovation capabilities and restructuring its organization, while accelerating its international expansion.
The McDermott Will & Schulte team involved in the transaction consisted of:
- Henri Pieyre de Mandiargues, Partner
- Auriane Tournay, Associate
- Gauthier Marchand, Associate
Leading organizations turn to global law firm McDermott Will & Schulte for a better way to address legal challenges, connect with those at the forefront, and drive stronger outcomes. Working across more than 20 offices globally, our 1,750+ lawyers act on data-driven insights, deep relationships, and unmatched industry experience to deliver on our commitment of Always Better.
