O’Melveny announced that acclaimed technology dealmaker Craig Menden has joined the firm as a partner in the Mergers & Acquisitions Practice Group and Emerging Technologies Industry Group. Based dually in the firm’s Silicon Valley and Newport Beach offices, Menden bolsters O’Melveny’s West Coast M&A capabilities and expands its nationwide roster of leading tech-focused dealmakers.

Menden brings nearly 30 years of experience to O’Melveny advising corporate clients on their most consequential and complex mergers and acquisitions involving technology and life sciences companies. Over the course of his career, he has handled more than 1,000 successful M&A transactions for a wide range of clients—from innovative start-ups to established tech giants. He has extensive experience with a broad range of deal structures, including public company acquisitions, venture capital-backed private acquisitions, and strategic investments.

A respected leader in the technology M&A arena, Menden has been recognized by The Legal 500 US for his work on deals in the US$1 billion–$5 billion range. He is an active member of the American Bar Association’s M&A Committee, and he recently served as chair of the ABA’s Market Trends Subcommittee, which oversees publication of the ABA’s widely cited Market Trends Survey.

Menden comes to O’Melveny from Willkie Farr & Gallagher, where he was a partner in that firm’s Corporate & Financial Services Department. His addition accelerates O’Melveny’s continued strategic growth. With his arrival, 32 lateral partners have joined the firm since 2023, including 21 corporate partners based in the firm’s Silicon Valley, Newport Beach, Los Angeles, Century City, New York, Dallas, Houston, Singapore, and London offices.

“We are delighted to welcome Craig to O’Melveny,” said O’Melveny chair Bradley J. Butwin. “He is a talented M&A partner with impressive technical skills and extensive experience in the technology sector—in both Silicon Valley and Southern California. He is a wonderful addition to our M&A Practice Group, and it is a pleasure to welcome him aboard.”

“I’m excited to join the O’Melveny team. The firm has a strong global platform, a collaborative and collegial culture, and a growth strategy that aligns perfectly with my practice. I look forward to working with my new colleagues and providing my clients with O’Melveny’s first-class legal services,” said Menden.

Menden earned his J.D. from the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law and his B.S. from Brigham Young University.

This news story was originally published on the firm’s website.