Debt Finance Lawyer Lucas Charleston Joins Akin Gump in New York
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(New York) – Akin Gump announced today that Lucas Charleston has joined the firm as a partner in its corporate practice in New York. Mr. Charleston is a debt finance lawyer with extensive experience in private credit, special situations and distressed financings and restructurings. He comes to Akin Gump from the law firm Stroock & Stroock & Lavan, where he was a partner in the firm’s corporate and restructuring practices.
“Luke’s skill set and background are a perfect fit for our debt finance practice,” said Akin Gump chairperson Kim Koopersmith. “His experience adds great depth as we serve the growing needs of our private credit, hedge fund and private equity clients on their finance and special situations transactions, and he’ll also be working closely with our market-leading restructuring practice. It is great to have him with us.”
Mr. Charleston advises credit funds, hedge funds, private equity funds and other alternative capital providers in complex financing transactions, including direct lending transactions; stressed, distressed and rescue financings; and other special situations transactions. In addition, Mr. Charleston has been the lead debt finance attorney for creditor groups in a number of high-profile restructurings, including the first-lien lenders in a multibillion-dollar restructuring of a large gaming and entertainment company. Mr. Charleston also has significant experience advising companies in leveraged loan and high yield bond financings.
Mr. Charleston’s experience extends across a wide range of industries, including energy, gaming, retail, media, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, technology, security and health care.
“Luke’s addition helps us further grow our private debt and direct lending platform, and he will also play a key role in our acquisition, corporate and restructuring-related financings,” said Jeffrey Kochian, head of Akin Gump’s corporate practice. “Luke has exactly the experience and background we are looking for as we grow our special situations practice, focusing on middle- and large-cap funds and alternative capital providers.”
“I have been very impressed with the growth of Akin Gump’s debt finance team over the years, and I am excited to be a part of it,” added Mr. Charleston. “This is a terrific opportunity to help the firm expand its private credit and special situations practice, and I look forward to being a key contributor to its continued growth.”
About Lucas Charleston
Prior to joining Stroock, Mr. Charleston was an associate in the leveraged finance practices of two large international law firms, where he structured, negotiated and executed debt financings on behalf of private credit funds, business development companies and investment banks.
Mr. Charleston received his J.D., magna cum laude, from New York Law School and his B.A., magna cum laude, from Monmouth University.
About Akin Gump’s Global Debt Finance Practice
Akin Gump’s global debt finance team assists some of the world’s leading investment funds, public and private companies and financial institutions to access and deploy capital and restructure debt across borders, industries and asset classes. The firm is at the center of many of today’s most innovative transactions, and its multidisciplinary team has advised on precedent-setting financings, including special situations investments, direct lending, and workouts and restructurings in the U.S. and the U.K. and throughout EMEA and Asia.
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP is a leading international law firm with more than 900 lawyers in offices throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
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