Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer elected William Cavanagh, Darina F. Delappe, Nicole Fenton, John Lagrou and Megan M. Wasson to the firm’s partnership in the United States. All five are based in New York.
“This has been a pivotal year following our combination to become HSF Kramer, and each of these remarkable lawyers has made a meaningful impact on our firm,” Paul Schoeman, executive partner, U.S. for the firm, said. “They exemplify dedication, skill, and commitment to our clients, and we are proud to support their continued growth and success as part of our partnership.”
William Cavanagh — Structured Finance
Cavanagh represents issuers, underwriters, borrowers, lenders, loan purchasers and service providers in structured finance transactions, including capital market securitizations, private placement transactions and warehouse securitizations.
Cavanagh’s experience includes a broad range of esoteric asset classes including residential and commercial solar assets, clean energy land leases, venture loans, recurring revenue loans, healthcare and life sciences loans, timeshare loans, home improvement loans, equipment leases, consumer loans, auto loans, structured settlements, life settlements and commercial mortgage loans.
He earned his J.D., cum laude, from the Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University in 2012 and holds a B.A. in Philosophy, Politics and Law from Binghamton University, which he received in 2009.
Darina F. Delappe — Investment Funds
Delappe advises and represents fund managers in connection with the structuring, formation and ongoing management of domestic and international investment funds spanning a broad range of strategies, including private equity funds, private credit funds and hedge funds.
In addition, Delappe has significant experience in the co-investment market, representing both sponsors and leading institutional investors in the negotiation and execution of complex co-investment arrangements. She also regularly counsels clients on regulatory and compliance matters, secondary transactions, seed investments, and the establishment of joint ventures, bringing a commercial, solutions-oriented approach to each engagement.
She earned her LL.M. in commercial law from University College Dublin in 2000, holds a Graduate Diploma in arbitration from University College Dublin (2002), and received her Bachelor of Civil Law from University College Dublin in 1999.
Nicole Fenton — Real Estate
Fenton brings more than 25 years of experience to her work advising US and international investors in real estate transactions across the country involving virtually every type of asset class, including multifamily, mixed-use, retail, office and hospitality projects.
Fenton’s clients include owners, developers, investors and lenders, and she counsels and represents them in acquisitions and dispositions, development, construction and mezzanine financing, joint ventures and preferred equity investments. She also advises developers, family offices, private equity funds and institutional investors through every stage of financing, from capital raise to development, leasing, marketing and disposition.
Fenton’s work often involves ground-up development transactions, advising on all aspects, including structuring, acquisition, joint venture, financing (including acquisition/land loans, construction loans and permanent financing) and construction management agreements. She regularly deals with complicated development issues, including development agreements, entitlements and related issues.
She earned her J.D. from New York University School of Law in 1993 and graduated with a B.A. from Brandeis University in 1990.
John Lagrou — Private Equity & M&A
Lagrou represents private equity sponsors, their portfolio companies and strategic businesses in mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, equity financings, minority investments, carve-outs, restructurings, recapitalizations and other complex domestic and cross-border transactions.
Lagrou advises on primarily middle-market transactions for private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies, guiding them throughout the full investment life cycle, including initial platform acquisition, add-on and tuck-in acquisitions, and exit. His recent work spans diverse industries and market sectors, including financial services, insurance, health care, technology, human resources outsourcing, real estate, manufacturing and retail. Clients, colleagues and deal partners look to him for his deft handling of challenging, intricate issues with a clear eye on commercial outcomes.
He earned his J.D., summa cum laude, from the University of Illinois College of Law in 2015, where he was elected to the Order of the Coif, and holds a B.A. in history and political science from the University of Michigan, which he received in 2011.
Megan M. Wasson — Bankruptcy & Restructuring
Wasson works on bankruptcy and restructuring matters. She represents significant parties, including companies (including boards and c-suite executives), bondholders, indenture trustees, secured and unsecured creditors, and creditors’ committees, in complex Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases, out-of-court restructurings and other distressed situations.
Wasson currently represents Del Monte Foods, a U.S. producer, distributor and marketer of branded food products, in its Chapter 11 cases, including its value-maximizing section 363 sale process as part of an overall strategic restructuring. Her other work recent includes representing the State of Connecticut in the bankruptcy proceedings of Prospect Medical, as well as the Official Committees of Unsecured Creditors in the bankruptcy cases of Omnicare, a subsidiary of CVS Health, Endo International, a pharmaceutical company, and Rite Aid, a large pharmacy, both of which involved numerous cutting-edge litigations and lien challenges as well as issues attendant to mass tort cases. Prior to that, Wasson was involved in the representation of an ad hoc committee of governmental entities holding opioid-related claims in connection with the Chapter 11 proceedings commenced by Mallinckrodt, a manufacturer and distributor of opioids.
She earned her J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law in 2016, and graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in international relations and Spanish from Tufts University in 2013.
