Practice Profile: Corporate partner Gareth Clark focuses on international private equity and M&A deals, such as leveraged buyouts, carve-out transactions, growth capital investments, going-private transactions and divestitures. Over the past year, Mr. Clark has guided Cerberus Capital Management through the sale of California biotech PaxVax to Emergent Biosolutions, a complex cross-border deal touching on multiple jurisdictions, and coordinated the global team shepherding One Equity Partners and its portfolio company, PeroxyChem, through the pending $625 million sale of PeroxyChem to Germany's Evonik Industries. Also over the past year, he played a key role in representing NASDAQ-listed Centric Brands (f/k/a Differential Brands Group) in its acquisition of a significant part of the North American licensing business of Hong Kong-listed Global Brands Group, a US$1.2 billion carve-out deal that spanned three continents and multiple practice areas.

Leadership, Pro Bono and Civic Work: Mr. Clark sits on Dechert's hiring committee and co-chairs its LGBTQ affinity group, which recently launched a mentoring program for LGBTQ law students at various New York law schools, including Columbia, Fordham and NYU. He also serves as Co-Diversity Liaison Partner for the firm's corporate department, which helps him ensure that diverse attorneys are considered for leadership positions and included on client pitches and key deals.

Prior Experience: Born and educated in Australia, Mr. Clark was elevated to partnership at Kirkland & Ellis in 2012. After gaining additional experience at Paul, Weiss, he joined the partnership of Dechert in March 2017.

Education:

Bachelor of Laws (LLB), Monash University, Melbourne

Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com.), Monash University, Melbourne

What advice would you give to young lawyers?

At heart, this job is about serving clients effectively. From day one, make the effort to build a relationship with your client peers—stay in front of them, and take the time to understand how they look at the world. It will ultimately allow you to be well positioned to provide them with commercial, pragmatic advice. There is no better aspect of this job than becoming part of someone's think tank.