Kramer Levin continues PE practice growth

Kramer Levin has hired Zachary Jacobs as a partner in the firm’s Private Equity practice.

He is based in the firm’s New York office.

Jacobs represents clients in public and private acquisitions, divestitures and joint ventures, focusing on representing private equity funds and their portfolio companies in a wide range of industries, including health care, life sciences, chemicals and manufacturing.

Jacobs joins Kramer Levin from Morrison Cohen, where he was a partner.

The firm also hired Scott Welkis as a partner in its banking and finance group. Welkis was also named chair of its special situations group. He counsels banks, credit funds, private equity funds and hedge funds on debt financing transactions, the firm said.

Welkis joins from Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, where he was a partner.

Kramer Levin Corporate Chair Ernie Wechsler said the firm’s private equity practice has grown dramatically in recent years.

“Much of our focus regarding our long-term PE strategy is on strengthening the core areas of fund formation and M&A. We will continue to assess our business and make investments at appropriate times in these areas,” Wechsler added.

Earlier this month, Kramer Levin added fund formation partners Yasho Lahiri and Robert Bendiner Weiss from K&L Gates, securitization and structured finance partner Terry Novetsky from King & Spalding and former Paul Weiss bankruptcy and restructuring partner Alexander Woolverton.