ELEANOR SHANKS is an experienced private equity partner and is highly regarded for her work in the cross-border transactional market.
Eleanor advises clients on complex business transactions, including domestic and cross-border acquisitions and disposals, real estate, infrastructure and life sciences transactions, and joint ventures. In addition, she advises clients in shareholder arrangements and managed equity plans, co-investments, corporate governance and general corporate matters. Her clients include leading private equity sponsors, investors and funds, financial institutions, corporates and management teams.
She also has extensive experience advising on regulatory matters, including securities and financial services regulatory matters, in particular in transactions with a U.S. or other cross-border dimension, as well as ongoing corporate governance, public company and regulatory compliance matters.
Eleanor has advised leading private equity sponsors, other investors and funds (including family offices and sovereign wealth funds), financial institutions, corporates and management teams. Amongst the private equity houses and other investors she has acted for are: Arcapita, The Blackstone Group, Cerberus European Capital, Colony Capital, CVC, EQT, First Reserve, GIC, Goldman Sachs, Hamilton Lane, Investcorp, L1 Energy, LetterOne, Oaktree Capital Management, Olympia, Round Hill Capital, Partners Group, Pamplona Capital Management, Schroders Real Estate Investment Trust and Third Point.
In 2016, Eleanor was named in the Financial News “Top 40 Under 40 Rising Stars in Legal Services.” She was also named the “Most Distinguished Winner” and awarded “Best Private Equity Lawyer” at the Women in Private Equity Awards 2015. Eleanor has also been recommended by The Legal 500 for Private Equity: Transactions and for M&A, with clients commenting that she “works tirelessly to get deals done” and “provides well-thought through, holistic advice.”
Prior to joining Sidley in 2019, Eleanor was a partner in the corporate practice of another international law firm.