News
26 Feb 2007
Roger Meltzer joins DLA Piper as Global Chair of the Corporate and Finance practice
Meltzer Attracted to DLA Piper’s Unique Global Platform and Strategy; Brings Depth of Corporate, Capital Markets and Firm Leadership Experience to New York Office
Press Release
(New York) – DLA Piper today announced that Roger Meltzer, regarded as one of the leading corporate and securities lawyers in the country, will join the firm as Global Chair of Corporate and Finance. He will also be named a member of the firm’s Executive Committee.
In his new role, Meltzer will work closely with the leaders of the firm’s existing practices and with the firm’s joint CEOs on the continued execution of DLA Piper’s strategic plan in New York and around the world. Meltzer’s primary focus for the near term will be to attract and manage significant engagements in New York and to lead the efforts to recruit additional corporate and finance lawyers in that market.
"Roger is an extraordinary attorney and we are honored to welcome him to the firm," said Senator George J. Mitchell, Chairman of DLA Piper. "His vast knowledge and years of experience will add to the growth and development of our Corporate and Finance practice while complementing the tremendous strengths of the leadership team. Further, he understands the firm’s singular culture and embraces what our core practices can offer clients on a global and regional scale."
"Any firm with our ambitions must have a significant position in the corporate and capital markets practices in the world’s leading developed and emerging money centers," said Francis B. Burch, Jr., Joint Chief Executive Officer of DLA Piper. "Roger will have significant responsibility for driving toward that goal and will work closely with the leaders of our already strong Corporate and Finance practices. As cross-border transactions continue at an accelerated pace, the need for highly coordinated legal teams to structure and manage transactions across geographies will be vitally important. Our platform allows us to serve clients with a great deal of sophistication and consistency across the leading financial centers and jurisdictions of the world."
Building a Leading Global Corporate and Finance Practice DLA Piper’s Corporate and Finance practice includes more than 800 attorneys worldwide. Recognized as one of the world’s leading emerging growth, venture capital and technology law firms, DLA Piper lawyers advise clients on public and private equity and debt securities offerings, mergers and acquisitions, and reorganizations, in addition to corporate governance, IT, tax, compensation, and technology issues. Lawyers in the firm’s Finance practice counsel clients on syndicated loans, asset-based and cash flow loans, mezzanine and private equity investments, transportation finance and leveraged lease transactions, as well as specialty areas such as projects and infrastructure, and real estate structured finance products.
DLA Piper made a significant investment in its Real Estate Capital Markets practice in 2005 that has created one of the world’s leading fund formation and real estate structured finance practices. The firm has also been retained to handle a number of major IPOs in China based on its expanding capital markets capabilities in the region while also rapidly growing its project finance practice in Europe, South America, the U.S. and Africa.
"Roger is excited about contributing to the development of a law firm with a platform unlike any other in the world today," said Lee I. Miller, Joint Chief Executive Officer of DLA Piper. "He shares our vision that there will be a small number of truly global law firms serving companies in the world’s leading markets, and we are confident he will make a significant contribution to our global strategy. Roger’s addition will enhance the firm’s credibility for sophisticated investment work with large multi-national clients."
About Roger Meltzer Meltzer has been practicing law for his entire career at Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP. He was a member of Cahill’s Executive Committee, Chairman of the Hiring Committee and a partner in its Corporate practice group. He was also heavily involved in the firm’s recruiting efforts and mentorship program.
"DLA Piper offered a rare opportunity to play an integral role in the growth and development of their worldwide Corporate and Finance practice," said Meltzer. "I believe in DLA Piper’s vision and think the firm’s leadership has the right strategy for building a global law firm with preeminent practices in its key areas."
Meltzer has represented a variety of corporations, significant investment banking firms, commercial banks, and private equity and investment funds in most types of finance transactions, including: mergers, acquisitions and dispositions, public offerings, and public and private placements of debt and equity securities.
"I look forward to working closely with the talented practice group leadership team to continue to build the practice," Meltzer added.
Meltzer earned a J.D. cum laude, Order of the Coif, from New York University School of Law and an A.B. cum laude, from Harvard University.
About DLA PiperDLA Piper has 3,200 lawyers in 24 countries and 63 offices throughout the U.S., U.K., Continental Europe, Middle East and Asia. It has leading practices in corporate, finance, human resources, litigation, real estate, regulatory and legislative, tax, and technology, media and communications. In certain jurisdictions, this information may be considered attorney advertising.
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CONTACTS:
Jason Costa, Media Relations, DLA Piper, 212.776.3739
Marcia Horowitz, Media Relations, Rubenstein Associates, 212.843.8014
John Corey, Media Relations, GreenTarget Global Group, 312.252.4102