Eric Zabinski
Partner
Eric Zabinski, Chair of O’Melveny’s Mergers & Acquisitions Practice Group, is an experienced M&A lawyer who represents private and public companies on mergers, acquisitions, carve-outs, joint ventures, minority investments, and equity and debt financings. He also works with a wide range of investors—principally middle-market private equity sponsors, venture capital funds, and other institutional sponsors—on investments, leveraged acquisitions, and general corporate support for their portfolio companies. The breadth of his experience allows him to provide practical advice to these clients at all stages of the corporate life cycle, from early stage companies seeking initial financing to established global companies undertaking complex cross-border transactions.
Eric offers clients especially deep knowledge of legal, transactional, and commercial issues in the technology, media, entertainment, healthcare, manufacturing, and retail sectors. He is also well-versed in cross-border transactions, particularly US-Asia deals, leveraging several years spent working out of O’Melveny’s China offices.
National and international legal ranking guides regularly cite Eric as a leading lawyer. The Legal 500 recommends him in its M&A and Venture Capital and Emerging Companies section, and Los Angeles Magazine named him a Rising Star in its Super Lawyers guide. Chambers and Partners awarded Eric a Band 1 ranking for Venture Capital in China, and lists him as a foreign-based expert for China M&A.
Admissions
Bar Admission
- California
Education
- Stanford University, J.D., 1998: Order of the Coif
- University of Pennsylvania, The Wharton School of Business, B.S., 1992: summa cum laude; Beta Gamma Sigma
- University of Pennsylvania, School of Engineering and Applied Science, B.S.E., Computer Engineering, 1992: summa cum laude; Tau Beta Pi
Honors & Awards
- Recognized by Legal 500 in M&A/Corporate and Commercial - Venture Capital and Emerging Companies; Media and Entertainment: Transactional (2022)
- Los Angeles Magazine featured Eric as a Southern California Super Lawyers’ Rising Star
- Chambers Asia has rated Eric with a Band 1 ranking in the category of “Venture Capital Investment (International Firms): China”
- Chambers Global lists Eric as a foreign-based expert in the category of “China: Corporate/M&A (International Firms)”
Professional Activities
Speaking Engagements
- Moderator, “The Waking of a Tech Giant – How investors are working with tech companies to fuel and transform LA’s Tech Industry,” Select LA Investment Summit (May 2018)
Co-Author
- “Assessing the State of M&A in China” in Inside the Minds: Best Practices for International Business Transactions in China, 2011 edition, published by Aspatore
- “Ministry of Culture Issues Comprehensive Regulation on Online Games,” Asia IP (September 2010)
- “Navigating the Challenges of Cross-Border M&A,” The Deal Magazine (May 29, 2009)
- “New Opportunities and Challenges When Doing Business with the Government,” Government Contract Litigation Reporter (April 6, 2009)
- “Cram-Downs Present Conflict of Interest for Interested Directors,” Los Angeles Daily Journal (April 5, 2002)
- “From Formation to First Financing: A Guide for Technology Startups,” Los Angeles Business Journal (May 15, 2000)
- “Your Web Page Could Be Giving You Customers You Don't Want,” Boston Business Journal (June 20, 1997)