Frankfurt
Dr. Oliver Sutter is a partner in the Banking & Finance practice, based in Frankfurt. He advises banks, sponsors and corporates on complex acquisition financings and corporate loan transactions.
He has more than 20 years of experience advising on financing matters. His practice focuses on acquisition, real estate and corporate financings as well as recapitalisations and restructurings. He regularly advises on the structuring and negotiation of domestic and cross-border financing transactions.
- Chambers Europe, Band 4 in Germany: Banking & Finance, 2025-2026
- Bielefeld University, Law
- Chemnitz University of Technology, Investment Banking
- Germany
- Certified Corporate Treasurer (VdT)
- English
- German
Steven T. Knipfelberg
New York – One Vanderbilt Avenue
Steven (Steve) T. Knipfelberg advises cryptocurrency and other digital asset, FinTech, and blockchain companies on complex regulatory, enforcement, and litigation matters. As a member of the industry’s only crypto-exclusive team whose lawyers devote 100% of their time to crypto-related matters, Steve combines deep regulatory knowledge with prior in-house leadership experience to deliver practical, business-focused advice.
- New Jersey State Bar Association, Banking, Fintech, and Digital Assets Law Section, chair
- Seton Hall University School of Law, JD
- University of Massachusetts Amherst, BA
- New Jersey
- New York
- US District Court for the District of New Jersey
- US District Court for the Eastern District of New York
- English
Kristina Nordlander
London – 22 Bishopsgate
Kristina Nordlander has a leading EU antitrust, litigation, and regulatory practice, with a particular focus on technology and life sciences. She advises clients on complex EU competition law matters, including antitrust investigations, merger control, regulatory challenges, and litigation before the European Commission and the EU courts.
With more than two decades of experience, Kristina is known for her deep understanding of how EU institutions operate and for her strategic use of EU law tools to address competition and market access issues. Her practice focuses on competition law enforcement matters affecting the digital single market, online selling, mobile and electronic payments, app stores, antitrust aspects of AI and other technology-driven sectors. She regularly advises online marketplaces and digital platforms on EU antitrust compliance and on new regulatory regimes, including the EU Digital Markets Act.
- Represented clients in antitrust investigations and complaints before the European Commission.*
- Acted in high-profile proceedings before the EU courts in Luxembourg challenging competition and regulatory decisions. *
- Advised online platforms and marketplaces on EU antitrust compliance and Digital Markets Act implementation.*
- Successfully used EU free movement rules and infringement procedures to secure and improve market access for clients.*
- Advised on EU state aid matters, including complex tax-related state aid issues.*
*Matter handled prior to joining the firm.
- Chambers Europe, Belgium: Competition: EU, 2011-2026
- Recognised in Global Competition Review, Women in Antitrust, 2021, 2016, 2013, 2009
- Named a Global Elite Thought Leader by Who’s Who Legal: Competition, 2022
- Named a Top 10 Innovator in Europe by the Financial Times (2017) for Court of Justice litigation using EU free movement rules to open markets for an online pharmacy.
- Regular speaker and writer on EU antitrust and competition law issues.
- Lecturer on AI and antitrust at Oxford University
- Officer of IBA Antitrust Committee
- ABA Vice Chair International Cartels Task Force
- Founder Women’s Competition Network
- Trustee Alliance for Lawyers at Risk
- Harvard Law School LLM (Fulbright Scholar)
- LLM Law & Economics from Hamburg, Gent and Vienna universities
- Stockholm University
- Sweden
- Brussels
- New York
- English
- French
- Swedish
Leel Sinai
New York – 919 Third Avenue
A seasoned and versatile lawyer, Leel Sinai focuses his practice on banking, financial services regulation, and FinTech, with an emphasis on emerging areas such as cryptocurrency and payment system innovations. With a practice spanning domestic and international financial markets, Leel also has comprehensive experience in in-house legal roles and regulatory consulting.
Leel serves as a trusted advisor to premier financial institutions and FinTech enterprises, delivering nuanced insights across multiple regulatory domains. He advises clients on a wide spectrum of regulatory frameworks, including federal and state banking, trust company oversight, money transmission, lending compliance, and anti-money laundering (AML) protocols. He provides strategic guidance on licensing processes, product development, partnership strategies, and comprehensive compliance approaches.
In addition to assisting clients in designing and implementing robust regulatory compliance and risk management frameworks, Leel supports complex regulatory diligence for significant corporate acquisitions and offerings.
Leel also has experience conducting thorough internal investigations and spearheading remediation efforts in response to examination findings, helping clients take a proactive, risk-minimization approach to regulatory challenges.
- Provided regulatory advice on new products and services offered by banks, payments companies, and crypto exchanges*
- Conducted bank regulatory, money transmission, and AML diligence and provided regulatory advice on mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and capital markets transactions*
- Analyzed a foreign banking organization’s ability to engage in physically settled carbon credit derivatives transactions outside the United States under Regulation K*
- Advised on bank regulatory issues related to control regulations applicable to bank M&A*
- Analyzed bank regulatory requirements and prohibitions, such as those relating to inter-affiliate transactions, tying arrangements, and the Volcker Rule*
- New York City Bar Association, Banking Law Committee, member
- American Bar Association, Banking Law Committee, member
- American Jewish Committee, member
- Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University, JD
- Hofstra University, MBA
- Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, MA
- University at Buffalo, BA
- New York
- New Jersey
- English
Emily T. Chen
New York – One Vanderbilt Avenue
Emily T. Chen represents organizations in complex, high-stakes commercial disputes and internal investigations, with a focus on antitrust class action litigation and securities enforcement matters.
Clients across the higher education, energy, technology, media and entertainment, healthcare, financial services, and accounting and consulting services industries rely on Emily for her experience handling high-profile litigation and investigations. She has defended major accounting firms in significant investigations led by federal and state regulators, including the US Department of Justice (DOJ), the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Federal Trade Commission, and state attorneys general.
- Represented higher education institutions in putative antitrust class actions alleging price-fixing of student financial aid awards*
- Secured a multimillion-dollar jury verdict for BASF Corporation following a six-day jury trial of a patent and antitrust litigation case*
- Represented a large accounting firm in a Delaware Court of Chancery shareholder derivative action related to a social media company’s privacy program and brought by the company’s shareholders*
- Represented Peloton Interactive, Inc. in copyright litigation brought by music publishers*
- Represented a multinational technology company in music copyright litigation*
- Super Lawyers, New York Metro Rising Star, 2022-2025
- Asian American Bar Association of New York, Membership Committee co-chair
- American Bar Association, Antitrust Section, member
- New York State Bar Association, member
- New York City Bar Association, member
- Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, JD
- Columbia University, BA
- New York
- US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
- US District Court for the Eastern District of New York
- US District Court for the Northern District of New York
- US District Court for the Southern District of New York
- US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
- English
- Chinese (Mandarin)
- Spanish
- Taiwanese
Hilton Mervis
London – 22 Bishopsgate
Hilton Mervis has nearly 30 years’ experience of litigating and resolving high-value, complex and multi-jurisdictional disputes. He represents corporations, private equity firms, hedge funds and high-net-worth individuals on a wide variety of disputes and has particular experience in the alternative investment sector, covering private equity and hedge fund litigation, partnership disputes, complex civil fraud, contractual and banking disputes, shareholder and corporate governance disputes, and financial services matters.
Hilton is a solicitor advocate and member of the Commercial Court Users Committee by appointment. He is a founding member and Chair of the London Commercial Litigators’ Forum. He is also the editor of the authoritative text Managing Private Fund Disputes (PEI Media) and of Global Legal Post’s Commercial Litigation Guide.
Further examples of Hilton’s work include:
- Represented minority shareholders in a major, high-value unfair prejudice shareholder dispute relating to the affairs of the holding company of the well-known Radisson Edwardian Hotel chain in the London High Court and successfully obtained a buyout order against majority holders.*
- Acted as advocate before the Court of Appeal in a freezing injunction case establishing case law in that area.*
- Acted in a constructive trust case arising from an alleged illegal transfer of a business.*
- Acted in multi-jurisdictional fraud proceedings involving taking evidence under s1782 of the Federal Code in support of proceedings in Europe.*
- Chambers UK, Partnership: Contentious, UK-wide, 2017-2025, 2027, Commercial and Corporate Litigation, London, 2018-2025, 2027, Litigation, London, 2016-2018
- Best Lawyers in the UK, Litigation, 2018-2025
- Legal 500 UK, Leading Partner, Commercial Litigation Premium, 2020-2025, International Arbitration, 2022-2023, Commercial Litigation, 2015, 2017-2021, Banking Litigation: Investment and Retail, London, 2015; Recommended, Commercial Litigation: Mid-Market, 2027
- Chambers Global, Commercial and Corporate Litigation, UK, 2023-2025
- Chambers Europe, Commercial and Corporate Litigation, UK, 2023-2025, Litigation, UK, 2017-2018; “Recommended” Litigation, UK, 2015
- Who’s Who Legal UK, Litigation, 2016-2017
- Chair, London Commercial Litigators’ Forum
- Member, Commercial Court Users Committee
- ADR Group Accredited Mediator
- One of the founder sponsors for Pro Bono Centre offices in Chancery Lane
- University College London, LLB, Honours
- England and Wales
- Solicitor Advocate
- English
Karen Butler
London – One Eagle Place
Karen is highly experienced in advising clients on UK and EU financial services regulation, providing practical and solutions-driven advice on a broad range of issues including authorisation, marketing, governance, prudential rules, senior managers regime, conduct, custody, trading, AML, regulatory reporting, clearing, and regulatory change.
Karen’s practice covers a wide range of matters, including assisting clients in developing and implementing compliance strategies that align with regulatory expectations.
She regularly advises funds and fund managers on the requirements under the UK AIFM Regulation and the EU AIFMD. This includes assisting clients in navigating the UK and EU authorisation, marketing regimes (e.g., passporting, pre-marketing and NPPR notification frameworks, as well as UK financial promotion rules) and ESG disclosure requirements under the SFDR and UK SDR. She works with clients in interacting with local regulators including the UK Financial Conduct Authority and the EU European Securities and Markets Authority.
Karen brings notable experience in providing regulatory support to clients in the context of M&A transactions (including assisting with change in control approvals and conducting regulatory due diligence), capital markets fundraising, cross-border regulatory approvals, and derivatives regulations.
Further examples of Karen’s work include:
- Advised a bank on developing an inventory of rules applicable to their various UK financial service businesses from a prudential, governance, systems and controls, and bank resolution and recovery perspective pursuant to UK CRR, UK CRD IV, UK BRRD and UK implementation of Basel 3.1.*
- Assisted clients register with the FCA or HMRC for AML purposes. Drafting AML policies, procedures and controls and providing training to the MLRO and the senior management team.*
- Provided strategic advice to fund managers on cross-border lending activities, cross border marketing (NPPR notifications), authorisation and registration requirements, drafting investor disclosures (FUND 3.2/Article 23 disclosure), and ESG disclosures under the EU SFDR (including drafting pre-contractual disclosures, website disclosures, side letters with investors and periodic disclosures) and UK SDR.*
- Conducting a large-scale review of governance, procedures, and controls for a leading investment fund business. This included identifying applicable laws, updating various policies, procedures and controls and delivering training to employees and senior management.*
- Advising clients on EU and UK OTC derivatives requirements under EMIR, including reporting obligations, risk mitigation techniques and clearing thresholds.
*Matters handled prior to joining the firm.
- Legal 500 UK, Leading Partner, Financial Services: Non-contentious/Regulatory, 2025-2027
- Chambers UK, Financial Services: Non-contentious Regulatory, 2021-2027
- Birkbeck, University of London, MSc, Merit
- BPP Law School, LPC
- City University, CPE, Law
- University of Edinburgh, MA, Economic and Social History
- England and Wales
- English
Ronald E. Richman
New York – 919 Third Avenue
Concentrates on the litigation of employee benefits, partnership cases, disputes involving hedge and private equity funds, employment disputes between employers and key employees, and restrictive covenant cases in federal and state courts throughout the United States.
Ron defends employee benefit plans, fiduciaries and employers in class actions and in cases brought by individual plaintiffs. He also represents employers, employee benefit plans, fiduciaries and investment managers before the US Department of Labor, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation and the Internal Revenue Service in connection with novel issues of law concerning plan mergers, terminations, spinoffs, fiduciary duties and prohibited transactions, and various aspects of withdrawal liability and mass withdrawal liability.
He has litigated, arbitrated and advised on several hundred withdrawal liability matters for multiemployer pension funds and employers. He has been very active in advising and representing employers and multiemployer pension plans in connection with the pension provisions of the American Rescue Plan Act.
Ron has litigated and advised on numerous restrictive covenant cases involving trade secrets, non-competition, nonsolicit, and breach of confidentiality and breach of loyalty issues. He has extensive experience in complex litigation, including class actions and disputes involving numerous parties.
- Chambers USA
- Benchmark Litigation
- Best Lawyers in America, Litigation – Labor and Employment, 2026-2027
- New York Super Lawyers
- Lawyers Alliance for New York – 15-Year Circle Honoree
- CPR Employment Dispute Committee, CPR Institute for Dispute Resolution
- Fellow, American College of Employee Benefits Counsel
- Board of Directors, Lawyers Alliance for New York (former)
- Columbia Law School, JD, Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar, Emil Schlesinger Labor Law Prize
- Cornell University, BS
- New York
- Supreme Court of the United States
- US Court of Appeals, First Circuit
- US Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
- US Court of Appeals, Third Circuit
- US Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
- US Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit
- US Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit
- US Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
- US District Court, Northern District of New York
- US District Court, Southern District of New York
- US District Court, Eastern District of New York
- US District Court, Western District of New York
- US District Court, Eastern District of Michigan
Ele Klein
New York – 919 Third Avenue
Shareholder activism strategy
Proxy contests and defensive strategies
Mergers and acquisitions
Securities law and regulatory compliance, including Sections 13 and 16, Rules 144 and 105, Schedules 13G and 13D, Form 13F, Reg SHO, MNPI
Ele Klein leads McDermott’s shareholder activism practice and serves on the firm’s Management Committee, advising clients on activism, M&A, securities law and regulatory compliance.
He represents activists, companies and investment banks in corporate governance and control matters, including proxy contests and defensive strategies.
He also guides PIPEs, IPOs, secondary offerings, venture capital financings and complex securities trading and reporting issues for major investment groups and banks in the United States and abroad.
Ranked in
Financier Worldwide, 2025
Ranked in
Chambers USA
Ranked in
The American Lawyer, 2022
- Represented JANA Partners at Six Flags, Lamb Weston Holdings, Rapid7 and Freshpet
- Represented Anson Funds at Match Group and Twilio
- Represented Strategic Organizing Center at Starbucks
- Represented Elliott Management at Southwest
- Represented Trian Fund Management in The Walt Disney Company
- Chambers USA, Band 1 in Corporate/M&A: Shareholder Activism, 2025-2026
- Legal 500 US, Recommended Lawyer in New York Elite: Corporate and M&A, 2026
- Legal 500 US, Leading Partner in Shareholder Activism, 2026
- Financier Worldwide Magazine, Shareholder Activism Power Player, 2025
- The American Lawyer, Dealmaker of the Year, 2022
- American Bar Association
- Board of Advisors, Yale Law School Center for the Study of Corporate Law
- McDermott Will & Schulte Management Committee, member
- Yale Law School, JD
- Brooklyn College, BS, summa cum laude
- Connecticut
- New York
- English
Kristine Manoukian
New York – 919 Third Avenue
Advises ad hoc groups, creditors, purchasers and other investors on all aspects of restructurings (in- and out-of-court), recapitalizations, exchanges, workouts and distressed situations, with a particular focus on the representation of investment funds and financial institutions.
In addition to representing ad hoc groups, creditors, purchasers and investors in distressed situations, Kristine has represented debtors and official committees in Chapter 11 cases and companies in post-restructuring matters.
Ad Hoc Groups/Steering Committees
- Ad hoc group of noteholders in connection with the restructuring and amendment of Veradigm convertible Notes
- Senior Secured noteholders in connection with the debt-for-equity exchange and recapitalization of Associated Materials
- Ad hoc group of noteholders in connection with the consent solicitation and exchange offer by SLACK related to the SLACK/Salesforce merger
- Ad hoc group of noteholders in connection with the consent solicitation and exchange offer by Caesars Entertainment
- Ad hoc group of noteholders in connection with the consent solicitation and exchange offer by Northern Oil & Gas
- Ad hoc group of hospitals in connection with the Purdue Pharma Chapter 11 cases
- Ad hoc group of MLP lenders and purchasers of MLP assets in connection with the Westmoreland Coal Company Chapter 11 cases
- Ad hoc group of senior secured lenders, DIP lenders and purchasers of substantially all the assets in connection with the Relativity Media Chapter 11 cases
- Ad hoc group of noteholders and new money lenders in connection with Abengoa group companies’ global restructuring (including Chapter 11 cases of US subsidiaries)
- Ad hoc group of project finance lenders in connection with the Seadrill Limited Chapter 11 cases
- Ad hoc group of second lien lenders and DIP lenders in connection with the SunEdison Chapter 11 cases
- Steering Committee of first lien lenders and noteholders, DIP lenders and purchasers of substantially all the assets in connection with the Walter Energy (Warrior Met Coal) Chapter 11 cases
- Steering Committee of first lien lenders and DIP Lenders in connection with the Longview Power Chapter 11 cases
- Ad Hoc Group of senior secured noteholders in connection with the Catalyst Paper Corp. Chapter 15 proceedings (and related Canadian proceedings)
Creditors/Investors
- Greenvale Capital and its affiliated funds as the largest bondholder, DIP lender and exit lender in the pre-packaged chapter 11 cases of 2U, Inc. and in connection with 2U’s post-restructuring matters.
- Foundry Digital LLC as significant unsecured creditor and equity holder in connection with the Core Scientific Chapter 11 cases
- Sixth Street as fist lien lender and cash collateral lender in connection with the Energy Alloys Chapter 11 cases
- Sixth Street as a first lien lender in connection with the Barney’s Chapter 11 cases
- MGG Investment Group as first lien lender and DIP lender in connection with the GenCanna Global Chapter 11 cases
- Blue Torch Capital as exit lender in the chapter 11 cases of Payless Holdings and its affiliates
- Wilmington Trust as second lien agent in connection with the True Religion Chapter 11 cases
- Centerbridge as secured creditor in connection with the Lehman Brothers Chapter 11 cases
Purchasers
- Foundry Digital LLC as purchaser of crypto mining sites and related assets in connection with Compute North Chapter 11 cases
- Bluestar Alliance as purchaser of the Justice brand assets in connection with the Ascena Retail Group Chapter 11 cases
- Potential purchasers/bidders in connection with the Celsius, Voyager, BlockFi, GWG and Purdue Pharma Chapter 11 cases
Companies and Official Committees
- Represent Sunnova TEP Holdings and its subsidiaries and respective boards of directors in connection with Sunnova Energy Corp. et al. Chapter 11 Cases and non-restructuring matters
- Associated Materials and its board of managers in the sale/merger with funds managed by SVP Global
- Staple Street Capital in the sale of a portfolio company
- Cambridge Analytica and its U.S. affiliates as ch. 7 debtors
- Debtors in the Allied Nevada, Atari, Quiznos, and Archbrook Laguna Chapter 11 cases
- Official Committees of Unsecured Creditors in the Hawker Beechcraft, Friendly Ice Cream Corp. and Vitro America Chapter 11 cases
- Best Lawyers in America, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, 2023-2026
- Global Restructuring Review GRR 30, Recommended, 2025
- Chambers USA
- The Deal ̶ Ranked as one of the Top Women in Dealmaking
- New York Metro Super Lawyers ̶ Rising Star
- Immigration Equality’s 2012 Safe Haven Award for excellence in pro bono representation
- American Bankruptcy Institute
- IWIRC, International Women’s Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation
- INSOL International
- Armenian Bar Association
- Board of Directors, Harlem School of the Arts
- Board Member, Armenian Church Endowment Fund (ACEF)
- Member, Board of Trustees, The Hovanian School
- University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, JD
- Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs, MA
- Brigham Young University, BA
- New York
- Delaware
- US District Court, Southern District of New York
- Hon. William T. Thurman, Chief Judge, US Bankruptcy Court, District of Utah
- Russian
- Armenian
