A&O Shearman U.S. and Americas

We are excited to share that our professional development team successfully hosted our inaugural “Making Your Mark” workshop! This two-day program brought together junior associates from various offices and practice groups, fostering collaboration and growth. Participants engaged in enriching discussions on enhancing self-awareness and personal impact, building strong client relationships by understanding their industry and goals, and taking ownership of career development through constructive feedback. The workshop provided guidance on effective problem-solving techniques for delivering the best client solutions and utilized critical thinking to influence without authority. A huge thank you to everyone who participated and contributed to making this workshop a success! Together, let’s continue to make our mark! #ProfessionalDevelopment #LegalCareer #Leadership

Ardagh Metal Packaging S.A. and certain of its subsidiaries completed a €269 million (approximately USD 300 million) senior secured term loan facility, funded by investment funds and entities managed by affiliates of Apollo Capital Management, L.P., with guidance from our team. This transaction was led by our U.S. finance team, Gus Atiyah and Michael Steinberg, alongside Magnus Wieslander, Ashley S., and Sean Davenport and our European/UK finance team, Sara Couling, Trevor Ingram and Walter Uebelhoer, alongside Woo Suk Hong, Nils Holzgrefe, Persis Bhalla, Evangelia Andronikou, Ping Ho, Hans-Joachim Jaehnichen and Athanasios Giannakakos, and trainees Rachel Byrne, Josie Archer and Jonathon Macnab. Based in Luxembourg, Ardagh Metal Packaging supplies metal beverage cans in Europe, the United States and Brazil. #AOShearman #LeveragedFinance #PrivateCredit

We’re excited to share that Doreen Lilienfeld, our U.S. co-managing partner and executive committee member, recently spoke at the Equilar and Nasdaq Private Equity Value Creation Summit in New York.   Joined by Jackson Vaught, Jeannie Diefenderfer, NACD.DC, Dave Tayeh, and Bessie Watts, Doreen participated in the panel “Private Equity Boards – Expectations and Opportunities.” The discussion explored key topics such as recruiting for private equity boards, implementing impactful strategies, and aligning incentives with shareholder value. During the conversation, Doreen emphasized how a diverse board with a variety of skill sets can be a catalyst for growth and value creation in private equity companies.   Watch the replay to hear more insights: https://lnkd.in/gmPjtKzU #ValueCreationSummit #PrivateEquity #AOShearman 

In celebration of Hispanic & Latin Heritage Month 2024, our U.S. offices hosted a variety of events to celebrate the contributions of Latin and Hispanic Americans. We kicked things off in New York with Alianza for a vibrant Hispanic & Latin Heritage Month social with cultural foods and engaging conversations. The D.C. office hosted a lunch and learn event, “All About Alebrijes,” where attendees learned about Mexican folk art and painted their own vibrant sculptures. Our celebrations concluded in New York with a keynote presentation and fireside chat with Ricardo Ernst, Baratta chair in global business, professor, and former deputy dean of Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business. Led by of counsel Antonia Stolper alongside associates Sara Douki and Gonzalo Robles, the discussion, titled "Unlocking Latin America’s Potential: Transforming Challenges into Catalysts for Investment Attraction & Long-term Growth," explored how Latin America can harness opportunities for growth through innovation and investment attraction, political stability, and capitalizing on nearshoring dynamics. Throughout the month, we also enjoyed celebratory lunches and treats across our Los Angeles, Silicon Valley, San Francisco, and Texas offices. Thank you to everyone who participated as we continue to honor the resilience and achievements of the Hispanic and Latin community today and every day. #HispanicHeritageMonth #AOShearman

Diwali symbolizes the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil. It is a time to express gratitude and spread happiness. In this spirit, we are honored to partner with Increasing Diversity by Increasing Access (IDIA), who work tirelessly to make legal education more accessible and inclusive for students from less privileged and underrepresented communities in India. We are delighted to contribute to their training and sensitization program, and we hope this will help more students pursue their dreams of becoming lawyers and agents of change. To learn more about IDIA and how you can support them, please visit their website: https://www.idialaw.org/ #AOShearman #SocialImpact #Diwali

Our capital markets team, led by partner Alejandro A. Gordano, advised the initial purchasers in connection with Telecom Argentina’s USD200 million bond reopening. Earlier this year, we advised the initial purchasers on the original offering, conducted concurrently with an exchange offer and a tender offer. This bond reopening represents a significant price improvement from the original offering in July 2024, showing renewed interest by investors in both the company and in Argentina. Telecom Argentina is a leading telecommunications company providing fixed and mobile connectivity, cable, internet, and tech solutions across Argentina, with growing operations in Paraguay and Uruguay. Proceeds from this transaction will be used to prepay certain notes, loans, transaction expenses and any remainder for general corporate purposes. Support was provided by partner Lorenz Haselberger, associates Gonzalo Robles and Daniel Kachmar, and visiting attorneys Moises Gonzalez Arroyo and Delfina Meccia. Read more about the deal here: https://lnkd.in/eM-Z36ra #AOShearman #CapitalMarkets

October marks Cybersecurity Awareness Month, an international initiative dedicated to empowering individuals and businesses with the knowledge to protect their digital spaces from cyber threats. To honor this month, we hosted a dynamic fireside chat in our Houston office featuring Tyler Bridegan, director of Data Privacy & Security Enforcement at the Texas Attorney General’s Office, partner Anna Rudawski, and associate Alexis Wilpon. Tyler shared invaluable insights on Texas’ recent regulatory developments, the state’s approach to privacy and cybersecurity enforcement, and how Texas aligns with the broader regulatory landscape across the U.S. Thank you to everyone who joined us! We look forward to continuing these vital conversations to help strengthen cybersecurity practices worldwide. #CybersecurityAwarenessMonth #Privacy #AOShearman

Congratulations to our Latin America team on their fantastic achievements in the Legal 500 Latin America 2025 rankings! This year, our Latin America team earned five practice area recognitions, including Tier 1 rankings in Banking and Finance and Projects and Energy. We also gained a new practice ranking in Corporate and Mergers and Acquisitions and received rankings in Capital Markets and International Arbitration. We are especially proud of our talented team, with seven partners earning nine individual recognitions. Notably, Antonia Stolper has been named to the Legal 500 Hall of Fame for her continued excellence in Capital Markets. Additionally, Denise M. Grant, Sami Asad Mir, Cynthia Urda Kassis, and Dorina Yessios have been recognized as Leading Individuals for being true market leaders in their respective fields, while Alejandro A. Gordano and Augusto Ruiloba have been honored as Next Generation Partners for playing a leading role in multiple matters and receiving significant recognition from clients and peers in the market. These rankings highlight our dedication to delivering exceptional legal services and insight to our clients. Thank you for this recognition, Legal 500! Read more on our rankings: https://lnkd.in/e_yy3vSX #AOShearman #Legal500

We represented Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and the Fondo de la Iniciativa para las Americas of El Salvador (FIAES) in connection with El Salvador’s USD1 billion debt conversion for watershed conservation—the world’s largest debt conversion transaction for watershed conservation. El Salvador is expected to realize more than USD352 million in lifetime savings, USD350 million of which will fund the Rio Lempa Conservation and Restoration Program over the next 20 years, supporting the country’s commitment to watershed conservation. The Rio Lempa watershed, one of the longest rivers in Central America, is crucial to El Salvador’s drinking water supply, industry, hydropower generation, and irrigation. The funded projects aim to strengthen climate resilience, mitigate water security risk, and promote biodiversity and regenerative agriculture in the region. The A&O Shearman team was led by of counsel Antonia Stolper, with support from partner Alejandro A. Gordano, associate Gonzalo Robles, and visiting attorney Regina Odar. Read more about the deal here: https://lnkd.in/enfSGcMt #AOShearman #CapitalMarkets #DebtConversion

In recognition of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, we were honored to host a screening of Surpassing Sight, a compelling film produced by Lukas Behnken of Sterling Light Productions that highlights the achievements of a team, including Jack Chen, Legal Counsel at Meta, who have demonstrated that individuals who are blind can excel both in competitive cycling and the professional world. After the screening, we had the pleasure of an engaging Q&A session with Jack Chen and Lukas Behnken, followed by a reception where meaningful discussions continued. At A&O Shearman, we are committed to ensuring that disability is never a barrier to success. Our global disability inclusion network, AccessAbility, aims to support our colleagues, eliminate stigma, and celebrate everyone’s unique talents. Learn more about our commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion here: https://ow.ly/WnEO50TTrm7 #NationalDisabilityEmploymentAwarenessMonth #Inclusion #AOShearman