Monica J. Shilling, P.C.
Overview
Shilling has the total skill set: she has extremely high levels of intellectual capacity, legal knowledge, common sense, people skills and M&A transactional experience. - The Legal 500 United States
Monica Shilling is a transactional partner in the Los Angeles office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. She has a broad corporate and securities law practice that focuses on advising asset managers, private equity funds, and their portfolio companies on the full lifecycle of transactions. She also represents public companies, financial advisors, investment banks and issuers. She is experienced with mergers and acquisitions, capital markets offerings, leveraged buyouts, general corporate law and corporate governance, securities laws, and NYSE/Nasdaq compliance.
Monica’s practice also has a particular focus involving specialty finance enterprises. She advises companies on the establishment of business development companies (BDCs) and other private and public equity vehicles. Monica is among a relatively limited number of attorneys in the country who actively represent BDCs. She also advises clients on special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) transactions, including IPOs, mergers and acquisitions, and business combinations.
Monica has been consistently recognized in Chambers USA and The Legal 500 since 2010. In the 2021 edition of Chambers USA, clients commented that "She is my go-to lawyer for strategic advice and I really rely on her opinion." "She is very responsive, very practical and very thorough." According to The Legal 500 United States, one client stated that Monica is “one of the three or four best transactional lawyers with whom I have ever worked. Shilling has the total skill set: she has extremely high levels of intellectual capacity, legal knowledge, common sense, people skills and M&A transactional experience.”
The Los Angeles Business Journal awarded Monica “Corporate Attorney of the Year” as part of their annual “Leaders in Law” series in 2021 and as one of the “Top Women Attorneys in Los Angeles” since 2020. In 2020, the Daily Journal recognized Monica as one of the “Top Women Lawyers” in California.
Monica is a frequent speaker at industry events including LACBA’s Annual Securities Regulation Seminar, the Women’s Private Equity Summit and the Harvard Association for Law and Business Women’s Leadership Series.
Experience
Representative Matters
Since joining Kirkland, Monica has been involved in the following transactions:
- Forest Road Acquisition Corp. II (NYSE: FRXB) in its proposed business combination with Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, Inc., a leading transportation and technology licensing company focused on realizing the hyperloop
- Crescent Capital BDC, Inc. (NASDAQ: CCAP) in its acquisition of First Eagle Alternative Capital BDC, Inc. (NASDAQ: FCRD)
- ALT Finance Foundation — established by Apollo, Ares and Oaktree — a 10-year, $90 million, industry-first nonprofit focused on developing curriculum, fellowships and scholarships available to students at historically black colleges and universities
- Ares Acquisition Corporation, a special purpose acquisition company, on its $1 billion initial public offering
- Forest Road Acquisition Corp. (NYSE: FRX), a special purpose acquisition company, on its definitive three-way merger agreement with The Beachbody Company Group, LLC and Myx Fitness Holdings, LLC
- LiveVox in its merger with Crescent Acquisition Corp., a special purpose acquisition company
- Owl Rock Capital Group in a business combination agreement with Dyal Capital Partners and Altimar Acquisition Corporation, a special purpose acquisition company, to form Blue Owl Capital Inc., an alternative asset management firm
- Linden Capital Partners and its portfolio company The HydraFacial™ Company in the combination with Vesper Healthcare Acquisition Corp., a special purpose acquisition company
- Ares Capital Corporation in its public and private debt and equity offerings with gross proceeds over $13.6 billion
- Crescent Capital BDC, Inc. in its acquisition of Alcentra Capital Corporation
- Shamrock Capital in its majority investment in DeCurtis Corporation, a provider of technology software solutions for the hospitality industry
- Neiman Marcus in its acquisition of a minority stake in Fashionphile, an e-commerce resale company focused on ultraluxury handbags and accessories
Prior to joining Kirkland, Monica was involved in the following transactions:
- IPOs and other public and private equity offerings (including PIPEs) by Ares Capital Corporation, Cherokee International Corporation, Jacor Communications, Inc. and Westwood One
- Public and private debt offerings by American Restaurant Group, AmeriQual Group, CNF Transportation, Harbor Freight, Jacor Communications, Key Plastics, Neways International, PETCO Animal Supplies, Inc., Phoenix Scientific, Sun Healthcare Group, Telemundo Communications Group and Wynn Resorts
- Acquisitions and dispositions by numerous private equity funds, including funds managed by Apollo Management, Ares Management, The Gores Group, Leonard Green, Oaktree, and Texas Pacific Group
- Ares Capital Corporation’s acquisition of Allied Capital Corporation
- Multiple private investment funds managed by Ares Management in their investment in LyondellBasell Industries N.V. in connection with Lyondell's restructuring of $24.6 billion of indebtedness
- Liberty Media Corporation’s and Sony Pictures Entertainment’s leveraged acquisition of Telemundo Communications Group, Inc. and the subsequent $2.7 billion sale of Telemundo to NBC
- The Milestone Aviation Group, Limited in its up to $500 million financing transaction
- Wynn Resorts’ strategic business alliance with Société des Bains de Mer et du Cercle des Étrangers à Monaco (“SBM”), a company that has the exclusive rights to operate casinos in the Principality of Monaco
- Sony Pictures Imageworks’ majority equity investment in FrameFlow, an Indian visual effects and animation studio
- Several acquisitions and dispositions by Family Restaurants, including its merger with Koo Koo Roo and its disposition of a restaurant chain
- Premier Healthcare Services, a multi-state, leading provider of pediatric and adult home nursing services, therapies, and behavioral health benefit administration services, in its sale to Aveanna Healthcare, the preeminent and largest pediatric home health care company in the nation
Prior Experience
More
Thought Leadership
Seminars
Moderator, “Emerging Trends in Mergers and Acquisitions” Panel, LACBA 53rd Annual Securities Regulation Seminar, October 29, 2021
Panelist, "How Can Women Succeed at Corporate Law Firms?" Harvard Association for Law and Business, Women’s Leadership Series Panel, October 2, 2020 (Webinar)
Recognition
Chambers Global: Capital Markets: Debt & Equity: Western United States, 2020–2024
Chambers USA: Western US: Capital Markets: Debt & Equity, 2020–2024
Chambers USA: California: Capital Markets: Debt & Equity, 2014–2019, 2021–2024
Chambers USA: Southern California: Corporate/M&A, 2010–2017
Chambers USA: California: Corporate/M&A: Private Equity, 2013–2018
Chambers USA: Women in Law Awards: Up & Coming Corporate/M&A Lawyer of the Year, 2012
Top Women Lawyers, Daily Journal, 2011, 2014, 2020
“Leaders of Influence: Private Equity, Investors & Advisors,” Los Angeles Business Journal, 2022
“Corporate Attorney of the Year,” Los Angeles Business Journal, 2021
“Women of Influence: Attorneys,” Los Angeles Business Journal, 2020–2023
“Who's Who in LA Law,” Los Angeles Business Journal, 2011
One of five finalists for “Philanthropist of the Year,” Los Angeles Business Journal’s 2015 Women Making a Difference Awards
The Legal 500 United States: Capital Markets: High-Yield Debt Offerings, 2010–2011, 2013, 2021–2024
The Legal 500 United States: Finance: Capital Markets: Equity Offerings, 2010–2015
The Legal 500 United States: Mergers & Acquisitions: National Firms: Large Deals, 2010–2014, 2019
The Legal 500 United States: Mergers & Acquisitions and Buyouts: Private Equity Buyouts, 2009–2020
The Legal 500 United States: Capital Markets: Debt Offerings, 2013–2014, 2016–2020
The Legal 500 United States: Capital Markets: Equity Offerings, 2018–2019
The Legal 500 United States: Investment Fund Formation and Management – REITS, 2013
Southern California Super Lawyers, 2014–2015
Southern California Super Lawyers Rising Star, 2006–2008
Memberships & Affiliations
Fellow, American Bar Foundation (inducted 2021)
Chair, Board of Directors, KCRW Foundation
Credentials
Admissions & Qualifications
- 1995California
Languages
- English
- French
Education
- Georgetown University Law CenterJ.D.magna cum laude1995Order of the Coif
- University of Redlands, Johnston Center for Integrative StudiesB.A.1992Phi Beta Kappa