Jonathan Kim
Partner | New York
Jonathan Kim

Jonathan Kim represents strategic buyers and sellers and financial sponsors in mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures. His experience includes both domestic and cross-border transactions spanning various industry sectors including technology, healthcare, consumer services, financial services and business services. Mr. Kim has worked on some of the market’s most significant transactions in recent years, including the second largest private equity-backed acquisition in the past three years and the largest private equity exit in 2019, according to Bloomberg.  

Mr. Kim has been recognized as a leading lawyer for Corporate/M&A in New York and Nationwide Private Equity Buyouts by Chambers USA, a legal directory based on the opinions of clients and peers. Chambers USA has cited him as being a "terrific” and "tireless worker" “who garners praise for his strategic thinking.” Clients have also noted he is a “trusted, go-to partner” whose “attention to detail and drive in a transaction is fantastic” and that he is "extremely diligent, always available and solutions oriented." Additionally, Mr. Kim is listed as a recommended lawyer for both M&A and Private Equity Buyouts in The Legal 500 (U.S.) where he is cited as being “an exceptional attorney” and “terrific to work with.” He was recently selected as a Rising Star for M&A in the IFLR1000.  Mr. Kim has also been recognized from 2015 - 2018 as one of Legal Media Group’s Rising Stars, which represents a listing of the brightest and most talented practitioners in the area of business law and related practices. In addition, he was selected as an Emerging Leader by The M&A Advisor in its 8th Annual Emerging Leaders Awards and was recognized as a 2017 Rising Star by the New York Law Journal.

Examples of recent transactions on which Mr. Kim has counseled include:

  • CVC Capital Partners as the lead investor in a consortium that is sponsoring the proposed combination of Worldwide Express, LLC and GlobalTranz Enterprises, LLC to create an industry leader with unique technology capabilities and market-leading solutions for the freight and parcel markets. Other consortium members include GlobalTranz's current lead investors, Providence Equity Partners and PSG, while current Worldwide Express lead investor, Ridgemont Equity Partners, will also retain a significant stake in the combined entity.
  • Quilvest Capital Partners and its portfolio company, Command Alkon, a construction supplier collaboration platform, in the sale of Command Alkon to private equity firm Thoma Bravo.
  • GIC in connection with the combination of Alight Solutions with Foley Trasimene Acquisition Corp., which implies a pro-forma enterprise value for Alight of approximately $7.3 billion.
  • GIC in connection with the merger of Ultimate Software and Kronos Incorporated for an enterprise value of US$22 billion. 
  • GIC in the US$27 billion sale of Refinitiv by a consortium (consisting of Blackstone, an affiliate of GIC, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and Thomson Reuters) to London Stock Exchange Group plc, representing the largest PE exit in 2019, according to Bloomberg
  • Centre Partners Management LLC in its acquisition of Wisconsin Cheese Group (since rebranded as Sabrosura Foods) and affiliates. 
  • Centre Partners Management LLC in its acquisition of a majority interest in New England Fitness and affiliates, now doing business as One World Fitness PFF, LLC, a leading owner and operator of fitness clubs under the Planet Fitness banner. 
  • Further Global Capital Management on its acquisition of U.S.-headquartered Payment Alliance International (PAI), the nation’s largest privately-held ATM provider. 
  • Further Global Capital Management on its cross-border, take-private acquisition of the entire issued share capital of GBGI Limited, a Guernsey domiciled AIM-listed insurance company. 
  • Public Pension Capital (PPC) in connection with its acquisition of Viteos Fund Services, a leading provider of middle- and back-office technology and services for the investment management industry which was recognized as one of India Business Law Journal's “Deal of the Year” in 2017. Subsequently advised Viteos and its sponsors on its sale to Intertrust N.V.
  • Affiliates of Centre Partners in connection with the sale of USRP Holdings, Inc. to Kohlberg & Company.
  • GIC in its strategic partnership between Blackstone-led consortium and Thomson Reuters for Refinitiv (f/k/a Thomson Reuters’ Financial & Risk business) at overall valuation of US$20 billion.
  • Centre Partners on its investment in Chesapeake Eye Care (now branded as Vision Innovation Partners). 
  • Affiliates of Centre Partners in connection with the sale of Captain D’s Seafood Restaurant to Sentinel Capital Partners.
  • GIC in its acquisition of a substantial equity stake (along with Silver Lake) in Ancestry.com.
  • Affiliates of Bregal Partners in connection with its investment in American Seafoods Group, LLC, the largest harvester of wild-caught fish for human consumption in the United States, as part of a broader deleveraging recapitalization of American Seafoods Group, LLC.
  • Affiliates of Centre Partners in connection with the sale of Monte Nido, a leading provider of treatment for eating disorders and exercise addiction to adults and adolescents, to Levine Leichtman Capital Partners.
  • Doosan Infracore Co., Ltd., the global producer of excavators, loaders and diesel engines, as U.S. counsel in connection with the sale of its global machine tools business to MBK Partners, a private equity firm based in Korea. 

 

Services
    • Binghamton University, State University of New York, B.S., 1999
    • Georgetown University Law Center, J.D., 2002
    • New York
    • Member, Private Equity Editorial Advisory Board for 2023, Law360
    • Corporate Law Committee, Asian American Bar Association of New York