Weil snags private equity partner from Willkie Farr in N.Y.

February 7, 20228:51 PM UTCUpdated ago

The logo of law firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP outside of their office in Washington, D.C., U.S., August 31, 2020. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly

Summary
Law Firms

Robert Rizzo spent almost a decade at Willkie Farr & Gallagher
Rizzo represents private equity clients and portfolio companies

(Reuters) - Private equity attorney Robert Rizzo has joined Weil, Gotshal & Manges as a partner in New York, the firm said Monday.

Rizzo spent more than eight years as a partner at Willkie Farr & Gallagher where he handled complex business transactions for private equity clients and portfolio companies, according to Weil.

He's handled mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, debt and equity financing and deals involving special purpose acquisition companies, Weil said.

SPACs raise money through initial public offerings to combine with private companies and take them public.

In August, Rizzo led a Willkie Farr team that represented French private equity firm PAI Partners in its acquisition of juice brands like Tropicana and Naked, from PepsiCo Inc.

Before joining Willkie Farr, Rizzo was a deputy general counsel at online ad exchange company AppNexus, according to his LinkedIn profile. The company later became Xandr and was sold to Microsoft Corp in December.

A representative from Willkie Farr did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Rizzo's move.

Gibson Dunn, Willkie Farr headline PepsiCo's sale of Tropicana, other brands