Willkie Expands West Coast Private Equity Practice with Addition of Partners Stephen Lee and Brian Raynor in Los Angeles and San Francisco

June 1, 2026

New York, NY (June 1, 2026) - Willkie Farr & Gallagher today announced that Stephen Lee and Brian Raynor have joined the Firm as partners in the Private Equity Practice Group. Stephen is based in Los Angeles and Brian is based in San Francisco.

Stephen and Brian bring decades of experience advising private equity funds, portfolio companies, entrepreneurs and corporate clients on sophisticated cross-border and domestic transactions, with a particular focus on the technology, software, industrials and healthcare industries.

Jeffrey Poss, Co-Chair of the Private Equity Practice Group and incoming joint Chairman of the Firm, commented: "Steve and Brian are outstanding additions to our market-leading global private equity platform and their additions build on the growth and momentum of our West Coast team, which has welcomed several lateral partners in recent months. They bring deep market knowledge and exceptional track records that will complement our premier transactional capabilities across the Firm."

A leader in the private equity industry with more than 25 years of experience, Steve advises clients on carve-outs of business divisions, asset and stock acquisitions and sales, mergers, leveraged buyouts and auction transactions. He regularly represents buyers and sellers in cross-border transactions and guides clients through joint venture, joint development, licensing and manufacturing arrangements. Steve also counsels clients on search fund and independent sponsor matters. He has significant experience across the aerospace, software, technology, automotive, medical device and healthcare industries.

Brian has led a variety of transactions, including acquisitions, divestitures, leveraged buyouts, recapitalizations, minority and growth equity investments and joint ventures and general corporate matters. His work has spanned a range of industries, most notably the technology, software, manufacturing and healthcare sectors.

Steve and Brian join Willkie from Goodwin Procter.

Steve commented: "Willkie's top-ranked private equity platform is one of the most diversified in the market and is a well-known destination for leading private equity sponsors and targets alike. Brian and I are excited to be part of the Firm's continued investment and growth in California and globally."

Brian added: "I'm delighted to join the exceptional team at Willkie, and I look forward to working with my new colleagues to further strengthen the wide-ranging capabilities offered to our private equity clients in the Bay Area, the West Coast more broadly and across markets around the world."

Willkie is one of the industry's preeminent advisors to private equity funds. We provide a full-service, 360° platform advising on everything from fund structuring and formation, platform and add-on investments and acquisitions, tuck-in acquisitions, co-invest structures and joint ventures, to bank credit, direct lending and other debt financings and offerings, IPOs, follow-on offerings, SPACs, PIPEs, other "bet-the-company" and lifecycle events, and ultimate exits.

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Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP provides leading-edge legal solutions on complex, business critical issues spanning markets and industries. Our approximately 1,300 attorneys across 16 offices worldwide deliver innovative, pragmatic and sophisticated legal services across approximately 45 practice areas. Learn more at https://www.willkie.com.