DLA Piper issued the following announcement on Aug. 20.
DLA Piper announced that Stephen Ballas has joined the firm's Corporate practice as a partner in Los Angeles.
A former general counsel with a background across multiple sectors and industries, Ballas has extensive experience in strategic and financial-sponsor M&A and investment transactions, capital markets, SEC reporting and public-company corporate governance and compliance. This has included domestic and cross-border work for investment management, technology, media, aviation and maritime, satellite telecommunications and real estate services companies. He joins DLA Piper from a Los Angeles-based SEC-registered investment advisor, where he served as general counsel and was a member of that firm's management committee.
"Stephen's extensive public company governance and private equity and hedge fund experience on a global level will help us better serve the full gamut of transactional needs of clients across a number of sectors," said John Gilluly, global and US co-chair of DLA Piper's Corporate practice. "He has a proven ability to execute on high-end transactions and will be in an ideal position to guide companies through complex cross-border matters."
"Stephen's background and skillset, particularly his experience advising technology investors, will be a valuable addition as we aim to meet the demand for knowledgeable corporate counsel on the West Coast," said Stuart Liner, co-managing partner of DLA Piper in Los Angeles. "We are continuing to invest in California by bringing on lawyers whose skills and experience are directly tied to the needs of the market and our clients, and we look forward to Stephen's contributions."
"It is an honor to join DLA Piper," said Ballas. "I am incredibly excited to work with my new colleagues and to help the firm continue to provide exceptional service for our clients' complex legal needs."
Earlier in his career, Ballas served as executive vice president and general counsel at Global Eagle Entertainment, as a senior vice president and deputy general counsel at CBRE Group and as a senior counsel in CBRE Group's investment-management arm, and as a senior counsel at TPG-Axon Capital. He received his J.D. from Georgetown University and his B.A. from Duke University. He is currently admitted to practice law in New York, and is not yet admitted to practice law in California.
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