The firm is pleased to announce that Scott Galer, Jonathan Hodes, and Louis Wharton have been named to LA Times Studios' 2026 “Private Equity and M&A Business Visionaries” list, which recognizes the "premier architects behind middle-market liquidity, corporate turnarounds and enterprise transformation.” The special feature profiles the honorees based on professional achievements from the past 24 months, noting that those selected bring "decades of specialized experience to the deal table," and "serve as vital catalysts for growth and stability."
In Scott’s individual profile, LA Times Studios spotlights his more than 20 years of experience in advising middle-market and emerging growth companies, noting that he counsels public and private companies on mergers, stock and asset acquisitions, roll-up and spin-off transactions, debt and equity financings, secured lending arrangements and securities offerings, along with complex brand and technology licensing agreements. His profile also adds that he has spent more than two decades mentoring associates at the firm.
LA Times Studios highlights Jonathan’s more than 50-year career advising clients on buy-side and sell-side domestic and international M&A, management buyouts, leveraged recapitalizations and secured lending transactions. The profile also discusses Jonathan’s role as outside general counsel to companies across manufacturing, biologics, consumer goods and hotel ownership, advising on fund formation, corporate governance and executive compensation. Additionally, the publication notes his representation of public and private real estate developers on major Southern California projects and financing transactions.
Louis is honored in the feature for his expertise in advising technology, e-commerce and digital media companies on corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions and securities compliance. His profile recognizes his representation of SearchStax, a cloud-native Search-as-a-Service platform, in securing a minority investment from Guidepost Growth Equity. LA Times Studios also notes Louis’s ongoing advisement of venture capital funds and angel investors on seed, growth and later-stage financings and counseled buyers and sellers in stock and asset acquisitions and change-of-control transactions.
To view Scott, Jonathan, and Louis’s individual profiles, click below.
Scott Galer — LA Times Studios 2026 Private Equity and M&A Business Visionaries
Jonathan Hodes — LA Times Studios 2026 Private Equity and M&A Business Visionaries
Louis Wharton — LA Times Studios 2026 Private Equity and M&A Business Visionaries
