Debevoise, Cleary Gottlieb, Sullivan & Cromwell Announce Key Partner Appointments in New York Offices

Debevoise & Plimpton LLP has promoted Brianna van Kan to partner within its Intellectual Property & Technology Transactions Group, based in New York. Van Kan advises clients on a broad range of complex corporate matters including mergers and acquisitions, carve-outs, joint ventures, restructurings, and financings. Her experience spans multiple sectors such as technology, entertainment, financial services, industrial, life sciences, and consumer industries.

Peter Furci, Presiding Partner at Debevoise, emphasized the growing importance of technology, data, and artificial intelligence in client strategies and operations. He remarked, “Brianna’s deep experience advising on these issues in complex transactions strengthens our practice and the counsel we provide our clients.”

Henry Lebowitz, chair of the Intellectual Property & Technology Transactions Group, highlighted van Kan’s valuable perspective on technology matters ranging from corporate transactions to licensing and commercial arrangements.

Van Kan joined Debevoise after serving as a partner at another international law firm. She expressed enthusiasm about the firm’s corporate strength and its integrated approach to technology and intellectual property matters, stating, “The synergy arising from the firm’s depth across corporate, data and AI expertise has created an exciting and robust platform for advising clients on the transactional issues these areas increasingly present.”

Van Kan earned her J.D. from Yale Law School in 2015 and is admitted to the New York bar.

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP announced the addition of Mark Pflug as a partner in its Americas M&A and Private Equity Transactions groups, also based in New York. Pflug brings nearly two decades of experience advising private equity sponsors throughout the entire lifecycle of their portfolio company engagements, including investments, consortium and partnership arrangements, acquisitions, refinancing, recapitalizations, and sales dispositions.

Jeff Karpf, Cleary’s Managing Partner, noted the firm’s strategic effort to build a deep bench of private equity M&A professionals to meet the demands of an increasingly competitive and cross-border dealmaking environment. He stated, “Mark’s two decades of experience strengthens our ability to execute our client’s highest-value transactions.”

Before joining Cleary Gottlieb, Pflug was a partner at a major international law firm with extensive experience handling transactions across Europe and Asia. Pflug commented, “It is an honor to join Cleary’s world-class M&A and private equity teams, which regularly top the league tables. Cleary has a long-standing reputation for technical excellence and a strong culture of collaboration, values that closely match my own approach to serving clients.”

Sullivan & Cromwell LLP has welcomed Christopher B. Lacaria as a partner in its Estates & Personal Group in New York. Lacaria advises high-net-worth individuals and families on estate and tax planning, business succession and governance, philanthropy, and trust and estate administration.

Sullivan & Cromwell Co-Chairs Robert Giuffra and Scott Miller expressed their enthusiasm about Lacaria’s arrival, stating, “His arrival reflects our continued commitment to investing in our preeminent Estates & Personal Group. Chris will be a superb addition to our team as we continue to build on the Firm’s longstanding practice advising the world’s leading families and family businesses.”

Prior to private practice, Lacaria clerked for Judge Diarmuid F. O’Scannlain of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

These partner appointments underscore the firms’ ongoing efforts to enhance their legal expertise and client service capabilities in key practice areas amid evolving market demands.