Overview
Luke Guerra is a partner in Kirkland's corporate group focusing in the areas of private equity, mergers and acquisitions, corporate securities and finance and corporate governance. Luke represents buyers, sellers, and private equity funds in a variety of corporate transactions, including leveraged buyouts, public and private mergers and acquisitions, equity investments, restructurings and recapitalizations.
Luke previously served as in-house counsel to The Walton Group, a privately owned group of real estate and asset management companies with its U.S. headquarters in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Chambers USA recognized Luke in 2016–2018 in California Corporate/M&A: Private Equity, with sources commenting that “he is very responsive, available all the time, knows the market well and can handle a variety of different matters." He is “someone that you can rely on for answers."
Experience
Representative Matters
Clearlake Capital Group in numerous transactions, including:
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the acquisition of Team Technologies Holding Company;
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the acquisition of ASP Unifrax Holdings, Inc.;
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the sale of Sage Automotive Interiors, Inc.;
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the acquisition of Wheel Pro Holdings, LLC;
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the investment in Lytx, Inc.;
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the acquisition of Perforce Software;
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the sale of Futuris Global Holdings LLC;
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the acquisition of LANDESK Software from Thoma Bravo; and
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the acquisition of Syncsort, Inc.
H.I.G. Capital in numerous transactions, including:
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the acquisition of HelpSystems, LLC; and
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the acquisition of the Quicken™ business from Intuit Inc. (NASDAQ: INTU)
Lovell Minnick Partners in numerous transactions, including:
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the sale of Commercial Credit Group;
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the majority investment in SRS Acquiom;
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the acquisition of Tortoise Investments;
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the growth capital investment in Currency Capital, LLC; and
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the acquisition of LSQ Funding Group, L.C.
Vista Equity Partners and its portfolio companies in numerous transactions, including:
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the sale of Sunquest Information Systems to Roper Industries (NYSE: ROP);
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the acquisition of the anatomic pathology business of Sweden-based Elekta AB by Sunquest Information Systems; and
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the equity recapitalization of Aderant Holdings.
Shamrock Capital Advisors and its portfolio companies in numerous transactions, including:
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the sale of Giant Creative Strategy LLC;
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the acquisition of Recorded Books Holdings Inc.;
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the sale of Learfield Communications to Providence Equity Partners;
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the acquisition of Giant Creative Strategy;
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the acquisition of Learfield Communications;
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an equity investment in Thought Equity Motion; and
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the recapitalization of Publishing Group of America.
Oaktree Capital Management and its portfolio companies in numerous transactions, including:
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numerous equity investments in reinsurance vehicles sponsored by the Lancashire Group;
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the equity investment in Vesta Corporation; and
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the equity investment in General Maritime Corporation (NYSE: GMR).
GFI Energy Group and its portfolio companies in a number of transactions, including:
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the acquisitions of Bluestone Energy Services and Energy Controls by OpTerra Energy Group, an energy services company (ESCO) acquisition vehicle and holding company.
Industrial Growth Partners and its portfolio companies in numerous transactions, including:
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the sale of IOTA Engineering;
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the acquisition of Cetek Ceramic Technologies;
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the acquisition of IOTA Engineering;
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the acquisition of SPL, a leading provider of critical outsourced hydrocarbon measurement, analysis and reporting services for oil and gas production and transport;
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the acquisition of the parent company of Des-Case Corporation;
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the acquisition of Cambridge International, and its subsequent sale to Rexnord (NYSE: RXN);
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the acquisition of Integrated Global Services;
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the acquisition of North American Substation Services;
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the acquisition of Climax Portable Machine Tools;
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the sale of the publishing business of Group360; and
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the acquisition of AmerCable.
Mycom Group Limited in its sale to Inflexion Private Equity.
Valence Media, a diversified media company (with an enterprise value approaching $3 billion) with divisions or investments in premium television, wide release film, specialty film, live entertainment and digital media, in its creation through a combination of Billboard-Hollywood Reporter Media Group, dick clark productions and MRC.
Ideal Tridon in its acquisition by Snow Phipps Group.
Unify, a joint venture between The Gores Group and Siemens AG, in the sale of Enterasys Networks to Extreme Networks (Nasdaq: EXTR).
TPG Growth in its acquisition of PJ United, the largest franchisee of Papa John's Pizza.
MTS Health Investors, LLC in its sale of Florida Gulf-to-Bay Anesthesiology Associates to TeamHealth Holdings Inc. (NYSE: TMH).
Pegasus Capital Partners in its acquisition of Climatec.
Lincolnshire Management in its acquisition of PADI Worldwide, and in its subsequent sale of PADI Worldwide to Providence Equity Partners.
Media Rights Capital, an independent film and television studio, in:
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a recapitalization transaction with Goldman Sachs, AT&T and WPP Group; and
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an equity investment by ABRY Partners.
J Brand, a leading contemporary fashion brand, in its sale to Fast Retailing Co. (TYO: 9983).
Brentwood Associates and its portfolio companies in:
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the acquisition of Excelligence Holdings Corp.; and
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the sale of Paper Source to Investcorp.
Platinum Equity's portfolio company, American Racing Equipment, in its acquisition of Weld Wheel pursuant to Section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code.
Stirling Square Capital Partners in its acquisition of 3SI Security Systems.
Chevys, Inc.,an operator of Mexican food restaurants, in the sale of substantially all of its assets to Real Mex Restaurants, Inc., a portfolio company of Bruckmann, Rosser, Sherrill & Co.
Prior Experience
Walton International Group, Scottsdale, Arizona, 2009–2010
Dentons LLP (formerly Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP), Phoenix, Arizona, 2007–2009
Kirkland & Ellis LLP, Los Angeles, California, 2004–2007
More
Recognition
"Leaders Of Influence: Minority Attorneys,” Los Angeles Business Journal, 2018 and 2022
“Most Influential Private Equity Advisors,” Los Angeles Business Journal, 2019 and 2022
Recognized as an "Up and Coming" lawyer in Chambers USA, America's Leading Lawyers for Business, 2016–2018 and 2023
Recipient of Stakeholders 100 Award recognizing top performing minority associates, 2007
Memberships & Affiliations
Law360's 2022 California Editorial Advisory Board
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles — Board Member
Mexican American Bar Foundation — Board Member
Firmwide Diversity Committee — Member
Read to a Child (Los Angeles) — Advisory Board Member
Credentials
Admissions & Qualifications
- 2004California
Education
- Stanford Law SchoolJ.D.2004
- Princeton UniversityB.A., Politics1999