Latham & Watkins Adds Leading Hospitality Partner to Firm's Expanding Real Estate Practice

Meghan Cocci brings 20 years of experience advising on major real estate transactions in the hospitality sector

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Jan 23, 2020, 12:16 ET

NEW YORK, Jan. 23, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Latham & Watkins LLP¹is pleased to announce that Meghan Cocci has joined the firm as a partner in the Corporate Department and member of the Real Estate Practice. She will serve as a Global Co-Chair of the firm's Hospitality, Gaming & Leisure Industry Group. Cocci has joined the firm's New York office with targeted plans to expand her practice into California.

Cocci advises real estate owners, investors, and operators on complex transactions in connection with the management, acquisition, joint venture, financing, and development of hotels, resorts, spas, restaurants, golf courses, and mixed-use projects in the US, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

"Meghan is a nationally recognized hospitality and real estate practitioner of the highest caliber, and we are thrilled to welcome her to the firm," said Marc Jaffe, Global Chair of Latham's Corporate Department. "Meghan's arrival reflects our continued focus on expanding our premier Real Estate Practice nationally and globally, and our steadfast commitment to continue evolving with our clients' needs."

"Meghan's experience leading extremely sophisticated and complex real estate transactions is perfectly aligned with the type of work for which clients turn to Latham," said Robert Buday, Global Co-Chair of Latham's Real Estate Practice. "She is a tremendous addition to our premier global Real Estate Practice, and her targeted expansion into California also complements our leading Hospitality and REITs Industry Groups in that market."

Gary Axelrod, Global Co-Chair of Latham's Hospitality, Gaming & Leisure Industry Group added: "Meghan is one of a small group of nationally recognized, premier hospitality lawyers and I am very excited to welcome her as a member of our team. I have worked across the table from Meghan many times over the years and am continuously impressed not only by her superb legal work, but by her obvious passion and knowledge of the hospitality industry. She is a skilled negotiator and understands the complexities and nuances involved in this specialized sector."

"I look forward to leveraging Latham's integrated, global platform and deep experience in the real estate and hospitality spaces to better serve my clients," said Cocci. "The firm has an excellent reputation globally for serving as a strategic advisor to clients on their most high-stakes transactions, and that reputation, combined with the extraordinary culture, drew me to Latham."

Cocci joins Latham & Watkins from Dentons. She earned her JD from the University of Arizona and her BBA from the University of Texas at Austin.

About Latham & Watkins (lw.com)

Latham & Watkins delivers innovative solutions to complex legal and business challenges around the world. From a global platform, our lawyers advise clients on market-shaping transactions, high-stakes litigation and trials, and sophisticated regulatory matters. Latham is one of the world's largest providers of pro bono services, steadfastly supports initiatives designed to advance diversity within the firm and the legal profession, and is committed to exploring and promoting environmental sustainability.

Notes to Editors

¹Latham & Watkins operates worldwide as a limited liability partnership organized under the laws of the State of Delaware (USA) with affiliated limited liability partnerships conducting the practice in France, Hong Kong, Italy, Singapore, and the United Kingdom and as an affiliated partnership conducting the practice in Japan. Latham & Watkins operates in South Korea as a Foreign Legal Consultant Office. Latham & Watkins works in cooperation with the Law Office of Salman M. Al-Sudairi in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Contacts

Marc Jaffe, Global Chair, Corporate Department, 212.906.1281
Robert Buday, Global Co-Chair, Real Estate Practice, 312.777.7050
Gary Axelrod, Global Co-Chair, Hospitality, Gaming & Leisure Industry Group, 312.777.7051

SOURCE Latham & Watkins LLP