Sheppard Mullin Adds New York Corporate Finance Partner Bijal Vira

NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwired - May 09, 2016) -  Bijal N. Vira has joined Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP as a corporate finance partner, based in the firm's New York office. Vira joins from Winston & Strawn.

"Bijal brings important strengths and a strong skill set that complements and further diversifies our existing Private Equity and Finance & Bankruptcy practices," said Guy N. Halgren, chairman of Sheppard Mullin.

Vira's practice is focused on representing investors and committed funds in their equity investment and/or lending activities, and his experience is comprehensive and covers all major investment classes. He advises leveraged buyout (LBO) funds and family wealth offices in platform and add-on acquisitions, senior and subordinate financing, and the subsequent harvesting of such investments; private credit funds, business development companies and small business investment company funds in secured and unsecured debt and debt-equity hybrid investments; credit opportunity funds and hedge funds in special situations, including acquiring and disposing of debt or equity investment positions; venture capital funds, corporate venture capital divisions, insurance companies and non-institutional investment groups and ultra-high-net-worth individuals in minority equity investments, co-investments and joint ventures; and real estate funds in the acquisition, development and sale, and related construction or permanent financing of real property assets either exclusively or in joint ventures.

"Sheppard Mullin's dynamic, competitive and progressive platform offers me a tremendous opportunity to grow my practice. I am excited to join a diverse group of extremely talented, collegial and entrepreneurial attorneys and a firm with an enviable growth trajectory and a lot of momentum," Vira commented.

"Bijal's strength in advising credit and special opportunity investment funds, which is an area that continues to grow, will bolster our leveraged finance practice," said Edward H. Tillinghast, III, partner and co-leader of the firm's Finance & Bankruptcy practice. "Bijal will be a significant asset to our Finance & Bankruptcy practice, here in New York and firmwide."

Vira received a J.D. in 2002 from the University of Chicago Law School, and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and a B.A. in Economics, cum laude, from the University of Rochester in 1999.

Sheppard Mullin has more than 80 attorneys based in its New York office. The firm's Finance & Bankruptcy practice includes more than 70 attorneys firmwide.

About Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP

Sheppard Mullin is a full service Global 100 firm with 770 attorneys in 15 offices located in the United States, Europe and Asia. Since 1927, companies have turned to Sheppard Mullin to handle corporate and technology matters, high stakes litigation and complex financial transactions. In the U.S., the firm's clients include more than half of the Fortune 100. For more information, please visit www.sheppardmullin.com.