Areas of Practice

Phil Smith, a member of the firm's Corporate Department, became a partner in 1976. He retired on December 31, 2007. Phil previously served as co-head of Ropes & Gray's Private Equity Group, and focused his practice in leveraged buy-out and private equity transactions including the debt and equity components of these matters.

In addition to his experience with acquisitions and public and private preferred stock financings, he gained extensive experience in structuring syndicated bank credits, leveraged leases, mezzanine capital transactions, and high-yield debt. Phil's experience includes acquisitions and financings in the manufacturing, distribution, leasing, motion picture and entertainment industries.

An author, panelist, and lecturer, he developed and taught the course in Commercial Lending for the Graduate Program in Banking Law Studies sponsored by the Boston University School of Law.