Vinson & Elkins Hires Sebastian Tiller as Co-Head of Strategic M&A

Vinson & Elkins today announced that Sebastian Tiller has joined the firm as a New York-based partner and co-head of Strategic M&A.

Tiller represents corporations, private equity firms, and financial advisers in a range of M&A transactions and corporate governance matters. He has deep experience representing public and private companies in multi-billion-dollar strategic M&A, including numerous cross-border matters. Tiller has closed high-profile transactions involving the financial services, technology, energy, and consumer goods industries, among others. He is recognized as one of the country’s leading M&A lawyers.

“Our clients will benefit tremendously from Sebastian’s skill and experience leading complex, public company M&A matters, domestically and abroad,” said Vinson & Elkins Vice Chair Jim Fox. “We look forward to Sebastian sustaining and enhancing our reputation as the firm to which companies turn to handle their most important transactions.”

Tiller builds on Vinson & Elkins’ robust growth in New York City, led by its recent hiring of top talent in finance, private equity, shareholder activism, tax, and litigation.

He will team up with Houston Partner and Strategic M&A Co-Head Steve Gill in leading Vinson & Elkins’ prestigious M&A Practice. Chambers USA (2019-2024) ranks the firm among the nation’s best in “Corporate/M&A: The Elite.”

“Vinson & Elkins is the best platform for my practice, not just because the depth and breadth of its M&A capabilities but also its complementary strengths in such critical practice areas as tax, finance, intellectual property, antitrust, and real estate, and its exceptional client roster,” Tiller said. “Beyond that, what really drew me to the firm was its collaborative, pragmatic approach to handling transactions in a manner that delivers maximum value to clients. I look forward to joining the team and expanding our reach in the New York market and beyond.”

Tiller joins Vinson & Elkins from Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, where he was a New York-based partner in the firm’s Corporate Department. He is recognized by the 2024 IFLR1000 as a “Notable Practitioner” in M&A.

He was raised in Germany and earned a License en Droit (law degree) from Université Paris II – Panthéon Assas. He received a Masters in Law in 2005 from New York University School of Law, where he was an Arthur T. Vanderbilt Scholar, and he earned his Dr. jur. (German doctorate equivalent), summa cum laude, in 2005, from Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München.