Stephen M.
Kessing

Mr. Kessing has extensive experience representing U.S. and international companies across such diverse industries as aerospace (AerCap, Alliant Techsystems, Atlas Air, SMBC Aviation Capital, Tenax Aerospace), consumer (Anheuser‑Busch InBev, ASOS, British American Tobacco, Unilever, Vista Outdoor, Worldstrides), financial services (Element Financial, Lazard, White Mountains), healthcare (Akorn, AmerisourceBergen, HLS Therapeutics, Johnson & Johnson, Novartis), hospitality and leisure (Starwood Hotels, Universal Orlando), industrials (AdvanSix, Honeywell, J.M. Huber, Martin Marietta, Minerals Technologies, Olin, Stanley, Synthomer), information technology (Conduent, Genpact, Xerox), media and entertainment (Cox Enterprises, Graham Holdings, Hasbro, Reservoir Media Management, Univision), technology (D+H, FactSet, IBM, JD Power, Orbotech, Zotec Partners), telecommunications (altafiber, CyrusOne, Frontier) and utilities (PG&E). 

Mr. Kessing has also represented J.P. Morgan, Citibank, Bank of America, Jefferies, Wells Fargo, Credit Suisse and Goldman Sachs in syndicated loan, equity, high‑yield bond and leveraged acquisition transactions. The Legal 500 US reports Mr. Kessing is “a key name for sports financing” and he has advised on financings involving teams in each of the major sporting leagues. 

Mr. Kessing has been repeatedly recognized as a leading lawyer in banking and finance by Chambers USA, Chambers Global, The Legal 500 US, IFLR1000, Lawdragon and Super Lawyers. Clients describe him as “a valued partner for [their] business” and “an amazing partner to work with,” whose “commercial awareness, broad experience and practical support make him a trusted advisor in this space.” Mr. Kessing is a repeat author on market trends in leveraged finance published by Lexis Practice Advisor and he serves as the Board Secretary of NACME. Mr. Kessing also serves on the Board of Trustees of Canterbury School and the Board of Visitors of Duke Law School.

Mr. Kessing was born in Akron, Ohio. He received a B.S. from Miami University in 1995 and an M.B.A. from the University of Southern California in 2001. Mr. Kessing received a J.D. magna cum laude from Duke University School of Law in 2005, where he was elected to the Order of the Coif. He was also awarded the Faculty Award for Outstanding Achievement in Commercial Transactions and Bankruptcy.

Mr. Kessing joined Cravath in 2005 and was elected a partner in 2012.