The Legal Intelligencer Honors Dechert Lawyers for Professional Excellence

Dechert LLP and two of its Philadelphia-based partners have been recognized by The Legal Intelligencer in its Pennsylvania Legal Awards for 2024. The awards were established to celebrate the achievements of lawyers who have left an indelible mark on the legal community in Pennsylvania.

Kenneth E. Young, co-chair of Dechert’s corporate and securities practice and co-head of the firm’s private equity group, was named The Legal Intelligencer’s 2024 “Most Effective Dealmaker” after advising on a memorable series of private equity and asset management transactions for clients including AIG, Centerbridge Partners, Estancia Capital Partners, KKR, and Stifel Financial Corp. Mr. Young has carved out a reputation not only for leading private equity firms and other investment managers through business-critical buyouts and other transactions, but also for advising clients as they consolidate and diversify their businesses. In 2023, he helped Centerbridge enter the direct lending business through a strategic partnership with Wells Fargo, the U.S.’s fourth largest bank. The tie-in centers on the formation of a new private credit platform, Overland Advisors, which will engage in direct lending to primarily non-sponsor North American middle-market companies. Mr. Young also advised on KKR’s acquisition of Industrial Physics, one of the first investments made by KKR’s new middle market private equity strategy, and on Estancia’s recapitalization of R&T Deposit Solutions (R&T) to partner with leading investment firm GTCR on R&T’s next stage of growth.

Stephanie Haas, a Philadelphia-based corporate partner, was honored by The Legal Intelligencer as a “Lawyer on the Fast Track”. Ms. Haas, who was named to the partnership at Dechert in January 2024, focuses on mergers and acquisitions, with an emphasis on private equity and public company M&A. She is particularly known for advising private equity sponsors on sophisticated acquisitions and divestitures and for guiding her clients’ portfolio companies through complex commercial negotiations, add-on acquisitions and other strategic matters. She was recognized as “One to Watch in PA” in Pennsylvania’s Best Lawyers 2022.

In the “Law Firm Innovators” category, Dechert was recognized as a finalist for the success of the firm’s Innovation Team in the development of generative AI initiatives. Led by Philadelphia-based chief information officer Michael Rinehart and driven by associate director for innovation Thor Alden, the team launched Dechert’s first generative AI tool in January 2023, merely nine days after the relevant capabilities became available, and has continued to push the envelope in supporting the development of new technologies and harnessing the potential of generative AI ever since.

In the “ESG Impact” category, Dechert was named a finalist for the success of the firm’s Philadelphia-based lawyers in providing sophisticated and practical advice to clients on ESG and sustainability matters, which has included closing multiple ESG-related corporate and real estate finance deals.

Winners in The Legal Intelligencer awards were honored at a ceremony on May 15 at Loews Philadelphia.

About Dechert

 Dechert is a global law firm that advises asset managers, financial institutions and corporations on issues critical to managing their business and their capital – from high-stakes litigation to complex transactions and regulatory matters. We answer questions that seem unsolvable, develop deal structures that are new to the market and protect clients’ rights in extreme situations. Our 1,000+ lawyers across 20 offices globally focus on the financial services, private equity, private credit, real estate, life sciences and technology sectors.