Ken Wiggins, Santiago J. Assalini, and Sam Ramos transition from US firm Akerman LLP
Mergers and acquisitions specialists Ken Wiggins, Santiago J. Assalini, and Sam Ramos have been announced as the founding partners of global firm Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP’s new Miami office.
The three partners hail from top 100 US firm Akerman LLP. They advise public and private companies and private equity funds, such as those concentrating on tech and E&I.
Wiggins had co-led Akerman’s M&A and private equity practice. He has tackled matters involving M&A, private equity and leveraged buyouts, venture and growth investments, and recapitalizations.
Assalini has handled M&A, complex corporate transactions, general corporate matters, corporate governance, and financial services. Ramos has worked on matters involving acquisitions, divestitures, strategic investments, and corporate governance.
Joining Wiggins, Assalini, and Ramos in Miami are venture capital partner Andrew Erskine and five other Orrick lawyers. The new office will cater to the city’s burgeoning tech and innovation ecosystem and tackle issues related to AI, fintech, cryptocurrency, healthtech and energytech.
“South Florida is a magnet for top innovators, companies and funds in the four sectors we are focused on: tech, energy and infrastructure, finance, and life sciences,” Orrick chair Mitch Zuklie said in a statement. “With Ken, Santi and Sam, we are adding a stellar team of builders to continue our growth, while we help connect South Florida’s sophisticated and fast-maturing private equity, financial services and tech and innovation community to markets worldwide.”
Wiggins added that the South Florida market was “undergoing a moment of transformation, with a large influx of PE funds and other companies.” Orrick’s expertise in tech and AI, energy, finance, and life sciences made it an ideal fit for the market, he said.
Orrick’s new Miami office is located within the city’s Wynwood district at 215 NW 24th Street (The Annex). It will be the firm’s fifth branch in the US east coast.
