Orrick has announced a significant expansion of its premier Capital Markets practice with the addition of Michael Keeley, who joins as Global Head of Capital Markets. Keeley will be based in the firm’s New York office. He will be joined in the coming weeks by rising star partner Ben Richards, who will be based in San Francisco. Both attorneys join the firm from Kirkland & Ellis.
Keeley and Richards bring a formidable track record of advising issuers and leading investment banks on a comprehensive range of equity and debt capital markets transactions. Their extensive practice covers IPOs, PIPEs, high-yield, investment-grade and convertible debt offerings, preferred equity and hybrid offerings, as well as tender and exchange offers.
Recognized as heavy hitters in the financial community, the pair were recently named among American Lawyer’s Dealmakers of 2025 for their pivotal role in advising on Boeing’s $24.25 billion concurrent common stock and mandatory convertible preferred stock offering, which stands as the second-largest follow-on equity offering in U.S. history.
In addition to their transactional work, Keeley and Richards serve as trusted advisors to public companies, executive officers, and directors on complex corporate governance and compliance matters. They also bring substantial experience in public company M&A and act as strategic counsel for portfolio companies of several leading funds, with a strong emphasis on the rapidly evolving tech sector.
“Michael and Ben add a stellar capital markets record and are well-known in the marketplace for their highly effective and commercial approach to dealmaking,” said Orrick Chair Mitch Zuklie. “They are advisors of the highest quality, who are respected by the financial community and who understand the tech ecosystem and the increasingly complex legal and regulatory environment our clients must navigate.”
“I look forward to growing a premier Capital Markets practice and Orrick has all of the pieces in place to do just that,” said Keeley regarding his move. “The firm has an extraordinary portfolio of high-growth companies driving innovation today – across AI, nuclear and aerospace and throughout the tech landscape, including biotech, defense tech, energytech and fintech – and a comprehensive platform to help companies and their investors succeed in today’s complex landscape.”
Albert Vanderlaan, Orrick’s Capital Markets Practice Group Leader, added, “We are thrilled to add Michael and Ben’s talent to our capital markets team. I look forward to working with them to take our platform to the next level, supporting high-growth companies and funds.”
The strategic additions capitalize on Orrick’s immense recent momentum. In 2025, the firm ranked in the Top 3 for venture capital transactions in AI, nuclear, and energytech according to PitchBook. Furthermore, Orrick ranked in the Top 5 globally for M&A and tech M&A by deal volume in the first half of 2026, according to LSEG and Mergermarket data.
Source: www.orrick.com
