McGuireWoods adds new partner to Houston PE team

Law firm McGuireWoods has hired Garrett Johnston as a partner for its private equity team in Houston. Previously, he worked at Willkie Farr & Gallagher.

Correction: A previous version of this news report misspelled Johnston’s name. It has since been corrected. 

PRESS RELEASE

HOUSTON – McGuireWoods continues expanding its client service capabilities in Houston with the addition of partner Garrett Johnston, who advises private equity funds, their portfolio companies, independent sponsors and family offices in transactional matters.
Johnston represents clients in leveraged buyouts, acquisitions, divestitures, recapitalizations, joint ventures and securities transactions. His deal experience covers a wide variety of industries, including energy, healthcare and technology. He comes to McGuireWoods from Willkie Farr & Gallagher.

Johnston joins a McGuireWoods practice that consistently ranks among the leaders in U.S. and global M&A deals — including private equity transactions — in league tables published by Bloomberg and Refinitiv. He adds depth to the firm’s nationally recognized independent sponsor program, a first-of-its-kind law firm enterprise that connects independent sponsors with capital partners, senior executives and other market participants.

“Garrett’s deal experience and business acumen will be tremendous assets for our practice and our clients,” said Thomas Zahn, chair of the firm’s Corporate & Private Equity Department. “He will be a key contributor to the powerful private equity team we have assembled in Texas and throughout the United States.”

“Garrett is a highly respected dealmaker who adds an important dimension to our Houston practice, and we are delighted to have him on board,” added Yasser Madriz, managing partner of the Houston office.

Johnston is the fourth partner to join McGuireWoods’ Houston office this year. His arrival follows the recent additions of labor and employment partner Jason Huebinger and healthcare partners Janice Suchyta and Jonathan Ishee.

“McGuireWoods has an innovative and entrepreneurial private equity team that has distinguished itself as a leader in middle market private equity across a variety of industries,” Johnston said. “I am excited to help strengthen and grow our presence in Houston while collaborating with outstanding lawyers nationwide.”

McGuireWoods LLP is a leading international law firm with 1,100 lawyers in 21 offices worldwide. It continuously ranks among the top firms in Financial Times’ prestigious North America Innovative Lawyers report. The firm has been recognized 14 times on BTI Consulting’s Client Service A-Team — elite firms singled out for client service excellence based on unprompted feedback from clients in major companies. Its full-service public affairs arm, McGuireWoods Consulting LLC, offers infrastructure and economic development, strategic communications and grassroots advocacy, and government relations solutions. For more information, visit www.mcguirewoods.com.