About me

Biography

• Advises private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies.

• Leads mergers and acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, minority and growth investments, joint ventures, carve-outs and divestitures, and other complex strategic transactions and investments.

• Former in-house counsel at Apollo Global Management.

Elina provides strategic counsel to private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies on a diverse array of transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, minority and growth investments, joint ventures, carve-outs and divestitures, restructurings, SPACs and de-SPACs, and investments in general partners. Elina also advises on general corporate matters.

She has extensive experience steering complex transactions in a wide range of industries such as healthcare, business services, financial services, asset management, insurance, consumer products, entertainment, technology, infrastructure and energy.

Elina was previously in-house transaction counsel for Apollo Global Management, where she advised on transactions for Apollo’s Financial Institutions Group.

Representative Work

• Represented BharCap Partners, a private investment firm focused on the financial services sector, in its acquisition of ARMStrong Insurance Services, the largest commercial B2B receivable management firm for insurance companies in North America.

• Represented Caro Investors Management, an investment management firm focused on debt investments, in its strategic partnership with TPG NEXT.

• Represented Ember Infrastructure, a private equity fund focused on infrastructure investments, in its acquisition of Ground/Water Treatment & Technology LLC, a leading provider of commercial water treatment services.

• Represented Fox Rehabilitation, one of the largest providers of geriatric outpatient therapy services in the U.S. and a portfolio company of Blue Wolf, in numerous transactions, including its acquisitions of Ageility Physical Therapy Solutions, Heritage Harbour Physical Therapy, Lifelong Therapeutics/Rehab, Northern Iowa Therapy, Performance Rehab Incorporated, and Rehabilitation Professionals, Inc.

• Represented GTCR, a leading private equity fund, in its acquisition of Foundation Source, the nation’s largest provider of foundation management services, and represented Foundation Source, a portfolio company of GTCR, in numerous transactions, including its acquisitions of PG Calc, a leading provider of planned giving solutions, and Vennfi, a charity-focused fintech firm.

• Represented H2O Innovation, a water solutions company and a portfolio company of Ember Infrastructure, in its carve-out acquisition of NextEra Distributed Water, a leading provider of commercial-scale water reclamation and reuse solutions across the United States.

• Represented Neuberger Berman, a private, independent, employee-owned investment management firm, in its acquisition, through its affiliated fund Marquee Brands, a company that manages a portfolio of renowned brands in the fashion, outdoor, and lifestyle sectors, of America’s Test Kitchen, a food and culinary media business.

• Represented Softeon, a global provider of warehouse management system software and supply chain solutions and a portfolio company of Warburg Pincus, a leading global growth investor, in its acquisition of GetUsROI, a warehouse technology and implementation firm.

• Represented Sonrava Health, a national family of health and wellness companies that offers dental, vision, and other services and a portfolio company of New Mountain Capital, a firm that invests in defensive growth industries, in its acquisition of 24 general dentistry and orthodontic offices affiliated with Pure Dental Brands.

• Represented Xponance Alts Solutions, an asset management and investment firm focused on emerging manager strategies, in its strategic partnership with The Copia Group.

• Represented Altas Partners, a private equity firm focused on investing in businesses with headquarters in North America, in its minority investment in HUB International, a leading global insurance brokerage.

• Represented Blackstone, the world’s largest alternative asset manager, in its majority investment in Cloverleaf Cold Storage, a leading cold storage warehousing and food logistics company. 

• Represented Blackstone, the world’s largest alternative asset manager, in its sale of Strategic Hotels & Resorts, a portfolio of luxury resorts and hotels.

• Represented Cloverleaf Cold Storage, a leading cold storage warehousing and food logistics company and a portfolio company of Blackstone, in its acquisition of Zero Mountain, Inc., a leading cold storage warehousing and transportation company.

• Represented Collier Creek Holdings, a special purpose acquisition company, in its business combination with Utz Quality Foods, LLC, a leading manufacturer of salty snacks.

• Represented Equinox Holdings Inc., a luxury fitness company, in its investment from Silver Lake Partners.

• Represented First Reserve, an investment firm focused on the energy, utility and industrial sectors, in its acquisition of the integrity maintenance platform of EMS USA, Inc.

• Represented GTCR, a leading private equity fund, in its acquisition of Foundation Source, the nation’s largest provider of foundation management services.

• Represented Harland Clarke, the parent company of Valassis, a leading marketing solutions company and a portfolio company of MacAndrews & Forbes, in its acquisition of MaxPoint Interactive (NASDAQ: MXPT), a leading digital marketing technology company. 

• Represented H.I.G. Capital, an alternative investment firm, in its strategic minority investment from Dyal Capital.

• Represented KKR, a leading global investment firm, in its acquisition of Epicor Software Corporation, a global software provider.

• Represented Marriott Vacations Worldwide (NYSE: VAC), a leading leisure travel company, in its acquisition of ILG, Inc., a provider of membership and leisure services to the vacation industry.

• Represented OneSpaWorld, a global leader in spa and wellness services on cruise lines and resorts and a portfolio company ofL Catterton, a private equity firm that invests in leading consumer brands, in its business combination with Haymaker Acquisition Corp., a special purpose acquisition company.

• Represented Palladium Equity Partners, a private equity firm that invests in middle market companies with a focus on the U.S. Hispanic market, in its acquisition of Fora Financial, a technology-enabled provider of working capital financing to small and medium sized businesses.

• Represented Patriot National, Inc. (NYSE: PN), a provider of technology and outsourcing solutions, in its acquisition of Global HR Research, a pre-hire intelligence solutions provider.

• Represented Staples, an industry leader in workplace products and a portfolio company of Sycamore Partners, a private equity firm specializing in consumer, distribution and retail-related investments, in its acquisition of Essendant, a national wholesale distributor of office supplies.

• Represented Talen Energy Corporation (NYSE: TLN), one of the largest competitive power infrastructure companies in North America, in the sale of its Holtwood and Wallenpaupack hydroelectric generating facilities.

• Represented VER Technologies, an entertainment production logistics company and a portfolio company of L Catterton, in its Chapter 11 filing and merger with Production Resource Group, the world’s leading production & AV company in entertainment & live events.

• Represented Virginia International Gateway Inc., the owner and operator of the Port of Virginia terminals and a portfolio company of Alinda Capital Partners and Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS), in its strategic transaction with the Virginia Port Authority.

• Represented Warburg Pincus, a leading global growth investor, in its joint venture with Fiserv Inc., a company providing financial technology and services to clients across the financial services sector, related to the carve-out of Fiserv’s lending solutions business.

List includes matters worked on prior to joining Akin.

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Languages

• Russian

Education

• J.D., Fordham University School of Law, with honors

• B.S., Bentley University, with honors

Bar Admissions

• New Jersey

• New York

Recognitions

• Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America, Corporate Law, 2026.

• IFLR1000, Rising Star – Corporate, M&A and Private Equity, 2024.