Sidley Austin hires Simpson Thacher exec Dan Clivner

Sidley Austin LLP has hired Dan Clivner as co-managing partner of the Los Angeles office and a member of the mergers and acquisitions and private equity practices. Clivner joined Sidley Austin from Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, where he worked as the Los Angeles managing partner since 1998.

Press Release

Sidley Austin LLP announced today that Dan Clivner will join the firm as co-managing partner of the Los Angeles office and a key member of the firm’s M&A and Private Equity practices. Mr. Clivner regularly leads high-profile transactions in private equity, telecom, media and entertainment and retailing, including more than $18 billion of such transactions since 2012. He joins Sidley from Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, where he served as the Los Angeles office managing partner since 1998. His arrival expands Sidley’s long-standing presence in the Los Angeles market and the continued growth of its M&A and Private Equity practices.

“Dan is a tremendously talented lawyer and we are delighted he is joining our leading team of M&A and private equity lawyers, especially as these practice areas are strategically important to the firm not only in Los Angeles but also in other major U.S. and international markets,” said Larry Barden, chair of Sidley’s Management Committee. “Dan has a marquee M&A practice, outstanding leadership skills and a collaborative nature, which make him a perfect fit for Sidley.”

Mr. Clivner will be the fifth partner to join Sidley’s rapidly growing global M&A practice in 2015 and is expected to play a leading role in the continued growth of both the M&A and Private Equity practices, as well as the firm’s expansion in Los Angeles. In conjunction with Mr. Clivner joining the firm, Sidley will open an office in Century City to better serve clients, including those in the media and entertainment and asset management industries.

Mr. Clivner regularly handles significant transactions for clients in the media and entertainment, telecommunications, technology, financial services and retail industries. He also has extensive experience counseling domestic and international private equity and corporate clients on M&A, corporate governance and securities law matters, such as leveraged buyouts, joint ventures, public company acquisitions and restructuring of media and other companies. In addition, Mr. Clivner advises boards, management, special committees and investment banking firms on domestic and international corporate transactions.

Among the many notable corporate and private equity clients Mr. Clivner has represented are Siris Capital, ZelnickMedia, Universal Studios, Inc., Fast Retailing, Pinnacle Foods, CBS Corporation and Herbalife Ltd.

Mr. Clivner serves as the Chair of Public Counsel, the largest pro bono law firm in the nation, and previously served as the director of Aids Project Los Angeles (APLA). He has been ranked in Chambers USA for Corporate/M&A: Private Equity in California multiple times.

“Dan brings a wealth of experience and skills to Sidley and his new leadership position here in Los Angeles,” said Mike Kelley, co-managing partner of Sidley’s Los Angeles office and member of the firm’s Executive Committee. “In particular, as global media, entertainment and digital technology companies continue to evolve and become more connected, Dan’s deep knowledge and experience as a trusted adviser in the industry will help position Sidley as one of the few firms that can handle the most sophisticated transactions in this space. As Sidley celebrates its 35th anniversary in Los Angeles this year, I look forward to working with Dan to expand our capabilities and presence in this market.”

Sidley’s Los Angeles office is the firm’s fourth largest and one of the largest law offices in Los Angeles County. The firm’s 150 lawyers in Los Angeles regularly handle matters of substance for Fortune 500 corporations, government agencies, entrepreneurial businesses and associations.

With 1,900 lawyers in 18 offices worldwide, Sidley has built a reputation as a premier legal adviser for global businesses and financial institutions. For the fifth consecutive year, and every year since the survey’s inception, Sidley received the most first-tier national rankings in the 2015 U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” survey. On Law360’s list of Global 20 Firms, Sidley was ranked among the top law firms “with the greatest global reach and expertise.” To stay up-to-date with the latest Sidley news, please follow us on Twitter at @SidleyNewsroom or download the Sidley Mobile App.