Professional Profile
Damon R. Fisher is a partner in the corporate practice of Kirkland & Ellis, with a focus on mergers and acquisitions, and private equity. He represents buyers and sellers in public and private M&A transactions, including leveraged buyouts, mergers, acquisitions, dispositions, recapitalizations, joint ventures, restructurings, and asset purchases and sales pursuant to Section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code. He also represents issuers, investors and investment banks in public and private securities transactions, including public offerings, Rule 144A high-yield debt offerings, exchange offers, tender offers and venture capital financings. In addition, he advises on executive compensation arrangements and corporate governance.
Damon has served as lead counsel in transactions involving a variety of industries, including manufacturing, technology, energy, apparel, internet, shipping, consumer products, business services, health care, restaurants and media. A significant portion of Damon's practice involves the representation of private equity funds and their portfolio companies. Representative private equity firm clients include The Carlyle Group, Oaktree Capital Management, Brentwood Associates, Shamrock Capital, Vicente Capital and Crescent Mezzanine, among others.
Representative Matters
Oaktree Capital Management and its portfolio companies in numerous transactions, including:
Oaktree's $1.13 billion acquisition, via a plan of reorganization under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code, of General Maritime Corporation;
the formation of, and Oaktree's $500 million commitment to, Jackson Square Aviation;
the acquisition of Excelsior Radio Networks by Triton Media Group, an Oaktree portfolio company;
the recapitalization of Rinker Boat by Oaktree and Silver Point;
the cross-border $400 million acquisition of a business from a subsidiary of The China National Cereals Oil and Foodstuffs Corp.;
the roll-up of numerous limited partnerships and the subsequent initial public offering of the parent company, General Maritime Corporation; and
several minority equity investments in connection with mezzanine debt financings, including Omniflight, Towne Air, Hallmark Entertainment and Truckpro.
The Carlyle Group and its portfolio companies in several transactions, including:
the acquisition of Metaldyne pursuant to Section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code, for a credit bid of more than $425 million plus $39.5 million of cash;
a joint venture with another private equity firm and that joint venture's acquisition of subprime residential mortgages; and
Metaldyne in a self tender offer and a dividend recapitalization.
Brentwood Associates and its portfolio companies in numerous transactions, including:
the acquisition of Zoe's Kitchen;
the acquisition of Paper Source, Inc.;
its equity investment in Ariat International;
the acquisition of Theo Davies Food Service Group;
the acquisition of C.C. Filson;
the recapitalization of Zumiez, Inc.;
Bell Automotive Products Inc. in its sale to JH Partners; and
Array Marketing Group, Inc. in its acquisitions of KCS Industries, Thomson Leeds, American Manufacturing and IDMD Manufacturing.
Shamrock Capital Advisors and its portfolio companies in numerous transactions, including:
Shamrock's acquisition of Learfield Communications;
the sale of Media Storm;
Shamrock's equity investment in Mojiva;
Shamrock's equity investment in Thought Equity Motion; and
the recapitalization of Publishing Group of America.
TCW / Crescent Mezzanine in several minority equity investments in connection with mezzanine loans, including:
TPG's $5.2 billion take-private of IMS Health;
TPG's $1.3 billion take-private of American Tire Distributors; and
Leonard Green's $1.6 billion take-private of Jo-Ann Stores.
Vicente Capital Partners in its acquisition of VXi.
GFI Energy Ventures and its portfolio companies in several matters, including the acquisition of GT Solar (f/k/a GT Equipment Technologies, Inc.).
Caltius Equity Partners in its acquisition of Starpoint Health, Inc.
American Racing Equipment, a Platinum Equity portfolio company, in its acquisition of Weld Wheel pursuant to Section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code.
Oversee.net in its acquisition of Moniker.
Calpine in the $242 million sale of its subsidiary, Power Systems Mfg., to Alstom pursuant to Section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code.
Shopzilla, Inc. (formerly known as BizRate) in its $525 million acquisition by The E.W. Scripps Company.
Juicy Couture, Inc. in its acquisition by Liz Claiborne, Inc.
Kline Hawkes & Co. in numerous transactions, including:
the acquisition of 02 Science from DVI;
the sale of 02 Science to Braden Partners; and
the sale of UFO Communications to Cogent Communications Group.
The underwriters in more than a dozen public offerings, including the initial public offering of Big 5 Sporting Goods Corporation and follow-on and/or secondary offerings by Big 5 Sporting Goods, CSK Auto Corporation, Avnet, Inc., Aradigm and Westcorp.
The initial purchasers in Rule 144A high-yield debt offerings by Gundle/SLT Environmental, Inc., The Titan Corporation, CSK Auto, Inc. and Penton Media, Inc.
The dealer-managers in exchange offers or tender offers by J. Crew Group, Inc., Avnet, Inc., Sun International Hotels and CSK Auto.
Memberships & Affiliations
Children’s Bureau, Board of Trustees
St. Matthew’s Parish School, Board of Trustees
Corporate
Mergers & Acquisitions
Leveraged Acquisitions
Corporate Finance
Capital Markets
Private Equity
Private Company
Corporate Governance & Counseling
Restructuring
1995, California
Loyola Law School Los Angeles, J.D., 1995
University of California at San Diego, B.A., Political Science, 1992
