After nearly two decades and many, many billions of dollars in deals closed at Shearman & Sterling, Robert Katz is taking his practice to Latham & Watkins in New York.

Among Katz' clients in recent years are Liberty Global, Textron, Warner Music Group and CVS, including its $69 billion Aetna acquisition in 2017. He joins Latham as a partner in the firm's mergers and acquisitions and private equity practices.

Robert Katz Robert Katz of Latham & Watkins (courtesy photo)

“Rob is a widely respected and accomplished M&A practitioner who is extremely knowledgeable in a range of industries that are very active in the current deal landscape,” said Marc Jaffe, global chairman of Latham's corporate department. “We are thrilled to welcome him to our expanding practice in New York.”

Katz said that while he enjoyed his tenure at Shearman, where he'd been since 2001, the timing was right for a change. After years of working in parallel with and getting to know various Latham partners, Katz said he was ready to join their ranks.

“I was impressed with their depth and expertise,” Katz said. “It was a good fit for me personally.”

He cited Latham's larger reach as another reason for the move, stating that it could open up new avenues in his practice. “With any kind of a move you take a look at what's available,” Katz said. “Latham can help broaden and add depth,” he said, referring to both the firm's client base and its larger geographic footprint.

As for his clients, Katz said he felt comfortable that they would make the choice that is right for them, whether that meant coming with him over to Latham or staying at Shearman. “Clients are going to hire whoever they think can do the best job,” he said. “I'm going to engage in the same types of transactions, and I'm confident they will see the benefits I have to offer.”

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