Cleary Gottlieb Grows Capital Solutions and Private Credit Group With Addition of Partner Brett Pearlman

Cleary Gottlieb announced today that Brett Pearlman joined the firm as a partner in its expanding Capital Solutions and Private Credit group. Brett will focus on private credit, special situations, and liability management exercises (LMEs).

“We are thrilled to welcome Brett to Cleary,” said Cleary Managing Partner Michael Gerstenzang. “Brett’s investment experience and legal prowess will enhance our services for investors facing complex challenges related to liability management, an area where we’re seeing growing needs and opportunities.”

Cleary’s Capital Solutions and Private Credit group draws from the firm’s array of premier lawyers with experience in debt finance, restructuring, capital markets, structured finance, tax, M&A, real estate, funds, and litigation. Brett will advise investors, borrowers, and sponsors in transactions involving private credit as part of his work with the practice. He will also work with clients on special situations and liability management—areas that have seen significant growth in the past five years.

“Brett’s experience sitting on the buy side, coupled with his sophisticated approach to legal problem-solving, is the type of unique value add skill set we have been adding to an already incredibly strong private credit and capital solutions platform,” said Rich Cooper, Partner & Group Leader, Capital Solutions and Private Credit. “He has joined a growing team of professionals – bringing together a range of experiences and disciplines – to offer best-in-class service and creative, precedent-setting solutions for our clients.”

Brett joins partners Josh Brody and Humayun Khalid, who became part of Cleary’s restructuring and private credit teams in April and May, respectively. Working closely with Brett in the private credit space, Humayun is focused on private credit origination and advising investors across the credit spectrum.

In addition to his extensive legal experience at international law firms, Brett accumulated more than a decade of experience at several investment firms. He acted as a principal at an independent investment firm focused on providing financing solutions to middle-market companies. He also served as a senior vice president at a global private equity firm, where he oversaw its private debt portfolio of over 150 companies and served as a director on several portfolio company boards across asset classes.

“I am proud to join Cleary,” said Brett. “There is a profound opportunity to capitalize on the firm’s existing reputation for excellent client service in the capital solutions and private credit space. I look forward to further enhancing our already strong domestic footprint advising investors, creditors, borrowers, and other key players in the domestic and global markets.”

Brett received a J.D. from Duke University School of Law and a B.A. from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.