Chris Barbuto, GE M&A Lawyer, Joins Sidley Austin

New York — Sidley Austin LLP announced today that Christopher Barbuto, one of General Electric Company’s (NYSE: GE) senior M&A lawyers, has joined Sidley’s New York office as a partner and member of the firm’s global M&A practice.

During his nine-year tenure at GE, Mr. Barbuto had significant roles in some of GE’s most noteworthy M&A matters, including GE’s auction of its global Plastics business and its investment in and worldwide alliance with China’s XD Electric Group. Mr. Barbuto spent four years with GE Capital’s Energy Financial Services business, where he counseled on GE’spower generation joint venture with ArcLight Capital Partners and the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation, GE’s ownership and eventual sale of a controlling stake in Regency Energy Partners L.P., and numerous other infrastructure, energy, project finance, M&A and “clean tech” venture capital transactions. 

“Chris’s experience will enable him to provide practical advice to clients seeking to execute on complex M&A, joint ventures, strategic alliances and divestitures,” said Scott Freeman, a member of the firm’s Executive Committee and global co-coordinator of Sidley’s M&A practice. “We are excited to welcome Chris to the team.”

“Chris brings a client’s perspective on strategic transactions,” said Brian Fahrney, a member of the firm’s Executive Committee and the Chicago Corporate Group head. “He’ll be a strong addition to our global team of M&A lawyers.”

Early in his career, Mr. Barbuto was an associate at an international law firm, where he practiced in the areas of M&A and securities law in New York and Paris. He began his career with a clerkship for the Honorable Alfred J. Lechner, Jr., of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey. Mr. Barbuto is a graduate of the University of Virginia and Fordham Law School, where he was an editor of the Fordham Law Review. Mr. Barbuto is currently an adjunct associate professor of law at Fordham Law School.

With more than 1,800 lawyers in 19 offices worldwide, Sidley has built a reputation as a premier legal adviser for global businesses and financial institutions. For the fourth consecutive year, and every year since the survey’s inception, Sidley received the most first-tier national rankings of any U.S. law firm in the 2014 U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” survey. On Law360’s list of Global 20 Firms, Sidley was ranked among the top law firms “with the greatest global reach and expertise.” To stay up-to-date with the latest Sidley news, please follow us on Twitter at @SidleyNewsroom or download the Sidley Mobile App.