Making it through 2009 was no easy feat. A number of firms that began the year on solid footing came out the other end staggering from a recession that pulled no punches. Some firms, however, not only made it through the year—they excelled. These outliers generated healthy returns in a sickly market, raised lush funds in an arid environment and climbed league tables when so many others were in freefall. The following list is a celebration of the firms that marched into the headwinds and found success.
The winner in each category is identified by a pair of asterisks.
LARGE MARKET DEAL OF THE YEAR
• Cerberus (Talecris)
• TPG and GS Capital Partners (Alltel)
• Vestar Capital Partners (Birds Eye Foods) **
MIDDLE MARKET DEAL OF THE YEAR & DEAL OF THE YEAR
• Arcapita Inc. (Church’s Chicken)
• Castle Harlan Inc. (United Malt Holdings Inc.)
• DW Healthcare Partners and Rho Capital (Verathon Inc.)
• GTCR Golder Rauner LLC (Ovation Pharmaceuticals) **
• Oak Hill Capital Partners (Butler Schein Animal Health)
• TA Associates (Triumph HealthCare)
SMALL MARKET DEAL OF THE YEAR
• CCMP Capital Advisors (Nowaco)
• Hale Capital Partners (LocationLogic LLC)
• ICV Capital Partners (Sterling Foods Ltd.)
• Nautic Partners (Corporate Lodging Consultants Group Inc.)
• Sun Capital Partners (Timothy’s Coffees of the World)
• Webster Capital (CK Franchising Inc.)
• The Wicks Group of Companies (Penn Foster Education Group Inc.) **
TURNAROUND OF THE YEAR
• The Carlyle Group (SmarTrust)
• Littlejohn & Co. (Wyle Holdings)
• Sun Capital Partners (Tarami KK) **
• Sun Capital Partners (Timothy’s Coffee of the World)
BUYOUT FIRM OF THE YEAR
• Clayton Dubilier & Rice
• Kolhberg Kravis Roberts & Co.
• New Mountain Capital
• The Riverside Company **
BEST NEW FIRM
• Linden LLC **
• Hale Capital Partners
• Hudson Clean Energy Partners
• Webster Capital
LARGE LENDER OF THE YEAR
• Bank of America Merrill Lynch
• Barclays Bank PLC
• Deutsche Bank AG
• JP Morgan **
MIDDLE MARKET LENDER OF THE YEAR
• Ares Capital
• Fifth Street Finance Corp.
• Golub Capital **
• NewStar Financial
MIDDLE MARKET INVESTMENT BANK OF THE YEAR
• Harris Williams & Co.
• Raymond James & Associates **
• Robert W. Baird & Co.
LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR
• Jones Day
• Kirkland & Ellis LLP **
• Latham & Watkins LLP
• Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP