Press Release
Elite Capital Markets Partners to Join Latham & Watkins, Further Expanding Firm’s Market Leadership
July 10, 2026
Byron Rooney and Dan Gibbons will further solidify Latham’s position as the preeminent capital markets firm in the US and worldwide.
- Accomplished partners will bring extensive experience advising companies, investment banks, and other market participants on a broad range of public and private capital-raising transactions and corporate matters, with a particular focus on fintech, digital assets, and other innovative technologies.
- Rooney will join as Global Vice Chair of the firm’s Capital Markets Practice.
- Rooney and Gibbons will add more expertise and depth to the firm’s singular Capital Strategies offering.
Latham & Watkins LLP is pleased to announce that prominent capital markets partner Byron Rooney will be joining the firm along with partner Dan Gibbons who has joined. Nationally recognized leader Rooney will join as Global Vice Chair of the firm’s Capital Markets Practice. The addition of these highly regarded partners extends Latham’s position as the preeminent capital markets firm in the US and worldwide.
Rooney and Gibbons bring market-leading experience advising late-stage private and public company clients, as well as investment banks, on a broad range of general corporate and securities matters, with a particular focus on capital-raising transactions, public company disclosure, and corporate governance. They represent issuers and financial institutions in IPOs, direct listings, private placements, and other equity offerings, as well as on investment-grade, high-yield, and convertible debt offerings. They have broad industry experience, with a particularly strong focus on fintech, digital assets, aerospace & defense, and other innovative technologies.
“We are delighted to welcome Byron and Dan to our firm,” said Rich Trobman, Chair and Managing Partner of Latham & Watkins. “They are among a small group of leading practitioners operating at the top of the market. Adding partners with their cutting-edge expertise and standout market profile marks another significant and exciting milestone for our singular platform. Their boardroom experience and track record of excellent client service will greatly enhance our already dominant position as the premier capital markets firm, while expanding our leadership in advising clients navigating increasingly complex and technology-driven markets.”
Marc Jaffe, Managing Partner of Latham’s New York office, said: “We are deeply committed to being the destination firm in New York and globally for clients’ most sophisticated matters. We’ve been adding tremendous talent to our practice, and Byron and Dan are another powerful testament to the success of our strategy. Their track record of advising on marquee capital markets transactions, combined with their deep sector knowledge spanning financial services, technology and digital assets, creates a uniquely powerful offering for clients and will be highly accretive to our firm.”
“The addition of Byron and Dan further cements our clear market leadership as the only firm with a fully integrated offering spanning the entire capital spectrum and the strategic advisor for the most sophisticated market participants,” said Stelios Saffos, Global Co-Chair of Latham’s Capital Markets and Public Company Representation Practices, Global Chair of the Hybrid Capital Practice, and a leader of the firm’s Capital Strategies group. “This combination of scale and excellence — with elite talent across every segment of the capital structure, an unrivaled regulatory platform, and the deepest relationships with both corporates and capital providers — cannot be replicated, and the addition of partners of this caliber further solidifies our status as the premier destination for both the market’s top talent and clients.”
Ian Schuman, Global Co-Chair of Latham’s Capital Markets and Public Company Representation Practices and a leader of the firm’s Capital Strategies group, added: “As our market leadership continues to expand across our platform generally, we fully expect to continue to attract the very best talent looking to achieve a similar level of strategic partnership with clients. This is a deliberate focus for Latham, and the addition of Byron and Dan is another important step as we continue to press our significant competitive advantage across the capital landscape.”
Latham’s Capital Markets Practice is widely regarded as the premier US and global practice, with a reputation for innovation and a track record of excellence. In 2025, Latham continued its decade-plus leadership as the #1 US IPO Combined Issuer and Underwriter Legal Advisor by deal value and deal count, and was the #1 advisor for US IPOs across major industries, including Technology, Energy, Financial Services, Retail, and Insurance. Latham continues to dominate the market as the #1 US IPO advisor by deal count through the first half of 2026 (Deal Point Data: traditional IPOs exceeding US$75 million in gross proceeds).
Latham is at the forefront of the Fintech and Digital Assets & Web3 space. With over 1,000 lawyers engaged in Fintech matters in 2025, no other law firm matches Latham’s ability to guide clients through all aspects of transactions, disputes, product development, and regulatory matters shaping the future of global finance. Latham is ranked Band 1 for Fintech Legal in the US, UK, Germany, and UAE by Chambers Fintech 2026, as well as ranked Tier 1 for Fintech in the US, UK, and Hong Kong by Legal 500 2026 — the only firm ranked Tier 1 on both sides of the Atlantic and into Asia.
Rooney and Gibbons are joining Latham & Watkins from Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP. Rooney received his LLM from Boston University School of Law, BCom from Bond University, and LLB from Bond University Faculty of Law in Australia. Gibbons received his JD from New York University School of Law and BS from George Washington University.