Kirkland & Ellis announced today that Austin Witt has joined the Firm as a partner in the Debt Finance Group. Mr. Witt will be based in the Firm’s New York office.

“Austin is a very talented lawyer with varied experience in the debt finance space, specifically in restructuring, liability management and special situations transactions,” said Jon A. Ballis, Chairman of Kirkland’s Executive Committee. “His experience will further strengthen our market-leading debt finance, restructuring and special sits practices as we continue to attract leading talent to our platform.”

Mr. Witt represents borrowers, sponsors, direct lenders, distressed investors and creditors in a wide range of restructurings, liability management matters, direct lending transactions, rescue financings, DIP financings, exit financings and other high-yield financing transactions. He is particularly experienced in advising clients in credit opportunities and special situations transactions, and has worked on some of the largest and most sophisticated distressed transactions in history.

“Austin is known as a go-to advisor for private equity sponsors and alternative asset managers seeking cutting edge capital solutions,” said David Nemecek, a partner in Kirkland’s Debt Finance Group. “We are delighted to welcome him to the Firm and to our world-class debt finance team, as we continue to guide clients through the most complex and novel financing transactions.”

Mr. Witt joins Kirkland from the New York office of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, where he was a partner in the finance group and head of the special situations practice.

“Kirkland presented an extremely compelling opportunity with best-in-class debt finance, private equity and restructuring practices, and an exceptional platform for special situations and liability management work,” said Mr. Witt. “I am excited to continue to grow my practice here.”

Serving more than 450 private equity clients, Kirkland has a deep understanding of the national debt markets and has become a destination practice for private equity sponsors and their affiliates. According to Refinitiv, Kirkland’s more than 250 debt finance lawyers consistently handle more transactions for borrowers than any other law firm in the world and, for the last five years, have led the market in U.S. borrower transactions.