Fenwick Expands Fast-Growing Capital Markets & Public Companies Practice, Adding Partners Per Chilstrom, Michael Pilo
New York, NY (March 10, 2021) – Fenwick today announced that Per Chilstrom and Michael Pilo are joining the firm as capital markets partners in its New York office.
Chilstrom and Pilo bring extensive experience representing technology and life sciences companies and investment banks in a full range of capital markets transactions and public company matters.
“Fenwick is in an exciting period of growth with gross revenue up 45 percent over three years, driven by demand from our technology and life sciences clients,” said Fenwick chair Richard Dickson. “We are making investments to meet that growing demand now and well into the future, and Per and Michael bolster our long-term trajectory, particularly in the New York market.”
“Per and Michael’s arrivals come as we’re expanding and accelerating our capital markets and public companies services to meet client demand,” said Alan Smith, Fenwick corporate practice chair. “The second half of 2020 was the most active six months for the tech and life sciences IPO space since Fenwick began tracking the data in 2012, and the market appears poised for a post-pandemic boom.
“That reflects what we’re seeing in our practices, as clients are pursuing alternatives to access capital markets, whether through IPOs, direct listings or through a merger with a SPAC—all of which is creating a very dynamic playing field for our capital markets team,” Smith noted.
Chilstrom has substantial experience advising large corporate and financial institutions in the technology and life sciences industries. His practice is focused on U.S. and cross-border capital markets services, advising issuers and underwriters in connection with both public and private offerings of equity and debt securities—including high-yield and convertible bonds—and transactions involving special purpose acquisition companies.
Pilo focuses his practice on complex corporate transactions, with particular emphasis on representing issuers and investment banks in the life sciences and technology sectors in public and private capital markets deals, such as initial public offerings, high-yield bond offerings, private placements of equity and debt securities and specialty finance transactions involving SPACs. He regularly counsels public company clients and their advisors on issues including securities law compliance, corporate governance practices and disclosure obligations.
“Fenwick’s platform and market position present enormous opportunities to grow my capital markets practice,” Chilstrom said. “My technology and life sciences experience is closely aligned with the firm's singular focus in those areas. I’m excited to join the New York office and help the firm continue its amazing growth in the region.”
“I’m thrilled to be joining Fenwick and be part of a Capital Markets & Public Companies team that has so much forward momentum,” Pilo said. “Fenwick has exceptional resources and capabilities across practices in the technology and life sciences industries, and its collaborative culture offers clients exciting opportunities to scale as they grow.”
Chilstrom and Pilo boost Fenwick’s Capital Markets & Public Companies team, which is routinely involved in some of the most high-profile IPOs and other equity offerings for the technology and life sciences industries. The team has been named Capital Markets Group of the Year by Law360 and listed among California’s leading firms for capital markets in Chambers USA.
Chilstrom and Pilo are the latest partners to be joining Fenwick’s New York office, which is nearing the five-year anniversary of its opening. The office has grown quickly to 85 attorneys and 140 total employees, and recently was listed among Crain’s 2020 Best Places to Work in New York City for the second year in a row—and was the only law firm in the top 10.
Fenwick’s IPO Survey and Report
Fenwick released its semi-annual report and analysis of the IPO landscape based on a survey of 366 executives and investors in the technology and life sciences sectors conducted in January 2021. The findings—from 2020 milestones to the 2021 outlook—are shared in the custom report: IPO Landscape: Surging SPACs and a Pandemic Boom Ahead.
About Fenwick
Fenwick provides comprehensive legal services to leading technology and life sciences companies—at every stage of their lifecycle—and the investors that partner with them. We craft innovative, cost-effective and practical solutions in areas ranging from venture capital, public offerings, joint ventures, M&A and strategic relationships, to intellectual property, litigation and dispute resolution, taxation, antitrust and employment and labor law. For more than four decades, Fenwick has helped some of the world's most recognized companies become and remain market leaders. For more information, please explore fenwick.com.