Tom Wuchenich is the Managing Partner of Simpson Thacher’s Los Angeles office, Co-Administrative Partner of the Firm, and member of the Executive committee, the Firm’s highest governing body. Tom represents a broad range of alternative asset management firms in the formation and ongoing operation of their private investment funds and separate accounts across a variety of asset classes. He also has significant experience in strategic transactions for asset management firms. Tom’s regular clients include such sponsors as Canyon Capital, Charger Investment Partners, CIM Group, Coral Tree Partners, Francisco Partners, Hellman & Friedman, KSL Capital Partners, Oaktree Capital Management, Platinum Equity, Prime Group and Revelstoke Partners. He has represented Oaktree Capital Group in its initial public and follow-on offerings, in its sale to Brookfield Asset Management and its acquisition of a majority interest in 17Capital, as well as Clearlake Capital Partners and Platinum Equity in their sales of minority stakes to third parties. Tom was named a Fund Formation “MVP” by Law360 (2022). He is regularly recognized as one of the leading private funds lawyers in The International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers, and was named to the “LA500: The Most Influential People in Los Angeles” by the Los Angeles Business Journal (2019).
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Work Highlights
- Oaktree in its IPO and follow-on offerings, and in the establishment of the Oaktree Emerging Market Opportunities Fund, the Oaktree Real Estate Debt Fund IV and its predecessor funds, the Oaktree Strategic Credit Strategy, the Oaktree Global Credit Fund, the Oaktree Global Credit Plus Fund, the Oaktree Life Sciences Lending Fund and the Oaktree Strategic Income Fund
- KSL Capital in the formation of KSL Capital Partners V and its predecessor funds, KSL Capital Partners Credit Opportunities Fund III and its predecessor funds, KSL Capital Partners Tactical Opportunities Fund and in multiple GP-led secondary transactions
- Oaktree in its sale of 62% of the Oaktree business to Brookfield Asset Management and its acquisition of a controlling stake in 17Capital
- Coral Tree Partners in the establishment of the firm and formation of its inaugural fund
- Platinum Equity in the formation of the Platinum Equity Small Cap Fund, and the Platinum Equity Capital Partners V and its predecessor funds, as well as in Platinum Equity’s sale of a minority stake to Dyal Capital Partners
- Revelstoke Capital in the formation of Revelstoke Capital Partners Fund II and its predecessor fund and in multiple GP-led secondary transactions
Accolades
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2022 "MVP" in Fund Formation, Law360
Education
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Columbia Law School, 1996 J.D.
Columbia Journal of Transnational Law; Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar
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Columbia University School of International & Public Affairs, 1996 M.I.A.
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Bucknell University, 1992 B.A.
cum laude
Admissions
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California 2000
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New York 1998
Tom Wuchenich is the Managing Partner of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP’s Los Angeles office, Co-Administrative Partner of the Firm, and member of the Executive committee, the Firm’s highest governing body. Tom’s practice focuses on the representation of sponsors of private investment funds across a wide variety of asset classes. He also has significant experience in strategic transactions for asset management firms.
Tom’s recent experience includes the representation of sponsors such as Canyon Capital, Charger Investment Partners, CIM Group, Coral Tree Partners, Francisco Partners, Hellman & Friedman, KSL Capital Partners, Oaktree Capital Management, Platinum Equity, Prime Group and Revelstoke Partners. He also has significant experience in structuring the portfolio investments of private equity funds.
Tom represented Oaktree Capital Group in connection with its initial public offering and follow-on offerings, in its sale of a 62% interest to Brookfield Asset Management and in its acquisition of a majority interest in 17Capital. In addition, he has represented Clearlake Capital Group in its sale of a minority stake to Dyal Capital Partners and Petershill, and Platinum Equity in its sale of a minority stake to Dyal Capital Partners.
Tom was named a Fund Formation “MVP” by Law360 (2022). He was also profiled as one of the “LA500: The Most Influential People in Los Angeles” in the Law category by the Los Angeles Business Journal (2019). The list recognizes 500 individuals for their contributions to the business community in the Los Angeles County. He was also previously named one of California’s Top 100 Leading Lawyers by the Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journal and has been recognized as one of the leading private funds lawyers for the past several years by The International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers.
Tom has been with Simpson Thacher since his graduation from Columbia Law School in 1996, where he was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar and a member of the Journal of Transnational Law. He received his B.A. from Bucknell University in 1992 and a Masters in International Affairs from Columbia University in 1996.