Press Release 03.18.25
Nikolas J. Orfanedes
Associate
Associate, Washington, DC & New York
T: +1.202.663.8138
T: +1.212.858.1000
Niko Orfanedes represents clients in mergers and acquisitions, private equity, and venture capital transactions across the sport and entertainment, technology, and artificial intelligence industries.
Representative Experience
- Represented the San Francisco Giants in connection with strategic partnership with Sixth Street Partners.
- Represented The Raine Group, as lead financial advisor to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), in connection with WWE’s $21+ billion definitive agreement with Endeavor Group Holdings Inc. to merge with Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), forming a new publicly listed entity (TKO Group Holdings).
- Represented The Raine Group, as financial advisor to Manchester United, in connection with tender offer and sale of controlling equity stake to Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
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- Represented the Delaware Attorney General, on behalf of the public beneficiaries of the OpenAI nonprofit, in connection with the recapitalization of OpenAI’s for-profit enterprise into a newly formed Delaware public benefit corporation. At closing, the nonprofit held a 26% equity stake in the for-profit valued at approximately $130 billion.
- Represented syndicate of minority owners of NBA franchise in connection with third-party sale process and ultimate redemption of ownership interests.
- Represented Greenhill as financial advisor to Evernorth, a subsidiary of CIGNA, in its $3.5 billion investment in Shields Health Solutions, contemporaneously with Shields’ separation from Walgreen Boots Alliance in connection with Sycamore Partners’ take-private acquisition of Walgreens.
- Represented publicly traded technology company in connection with Securities and Exchange Commission investigation into alleged market manipulation by hostile international shareholder.
- Represented AlleyCorp Partners in connection with formation of its $250 million inaugural venture capital fund.
- Represented CVC DIF in connection with strategic acquisition of Arizona utilities.
- Represented Discerning Capital in connection with its investment in Yaspa Ltd’s $12 million Series A financing.
- Represented Obviant Inc. in connection with its $7.1 million Series Seed financing.
- Represented Lavrock Ventures in connection with its investment in Fabri Inc.’s $5 million Series Seed financing.
Education
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J.D., University of Virginia School of Law, 2022
President, Student Bar AssociationB.S., Sport & Entertainment Management, University of South Carolina, 2018
summa cum laude
Admissions
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District of Columbia
New York