Neill Jakobe

Neill Jakobe is vice chair of Ropes & Gray and a member of the firm’s management committee. He previously served as co-head of the firm’s global private equity practice and as managing partner of the Chicago office. Focusing on private equity buyouts and strategic M&A, Neill has helped steer an international roster of private equity and strategic clients through complex deals ranging in size up to billions of dollars.

Neill is one of the most in-demand transactions lawyers in the country, particularly for complex and challenging private equity and M&A deals. Clients have described Neill as “super client-focused, responsive and commercial.” He has been recognized as a Band 1 ranked lawyer by Chambers and Partners and as a leading lawyer by both Legal 500 and IFLR1000. Crain’s Chicago Business named Neill to its 2025 Notable M&A Dealmakers list and its 2024 Notable Leaders in Accounting, Consulting & Law list. He was also named a Midwest Trailblazer by The American Lawyer in 2021.

Neill offers clients rare insight into the dealmaking process. In addition to his legal experience structuring, negotiating and closing complex deals, Neill has firsthand transactional experience from his work as an investment banker with the Financial Sponsors Group at Morgan Stanley. Earlier in his career, Neill also was a member of litigation teams handling high-profile securities fraud matters, including actions arising from Enron’s bankruptcy.

Neill offers clients rare insight into the dealmaking process. In addition to his legal experience structuring, negotiating and closing complex deals, Neill has firsthand transactional experience from his work as an investment banker with the Financial Sponsors Group at Morgan Stanley. Earlier in his career, Neill also was a member of litigation teams handling high-profile securities fraud matters, including actions arising from Enron’s bankruptcy.