Baker Botts Nabs Hughes Hubbard M&A Leader

Texas-based Baker Botts has turned to a smaller, New York-based rival to bolster its cross-border transactions bench, bringing on the chair of Hughes Hubbard & Reed’s mergers and acquisitions group.

Avner Bengera has joined Baker Botts’ New York office as the co-head of its cross-border mergers & acquisitions group, the firm said Thursday. In that role, Bengera said he will help strengthen the firm’s M&A capabilities in New York, California and Europe. “I operate in that axis,” Bengera said.

“Avner is a premier cross-border M&A lawyer who is an ideal fit with both our growth strategy in New York and our global M&A practice,” said John Martin, Managing Partner of Baker Botts. “The broad array of high-profile, cross-border and U.S. transactions he has handled throughout his career will help raise our prominence in this important space even further.”

“Avner’s impressive track record in leading high-profile cross-border and domestic transactions will increase our global M&A footprint even further, particularly between the U.S. and Europe,” said Mike Bengtson, Corporate Department Chair of Baker Botts. “We expect him to hit the ground running and are delighted to welcome him to the firm.”

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