Eric Kauffman

Eric Kauffman is a Partner based in San Diego who focuses on corporate employment matters. He provides strategic support to the technology and life sciences sectors and their private equity and venture capital sponsors. His practice covers mergers and acquisitions, including both buy-side and sell-side deals, as well as financings, spinoffs, divestitures, and equity structuring.

Eric earned his B.A., Muhlenberg College, 1993; his J.D., Duquesne University School of Law, 1996; and his LL.M., London School of Economics and Political Science, 2006 (Merit Honors). He is admitted in California and the U.S. District Court, C.D. of California.

Eric regularly advises clients on executive compensation arrangements, workforce structuring, and sensitive employment issues. He helps businesses with hiring and terminating employees, protecting proprietary information and trade secrets, conducting workplace investigations, and training C-level and manager personnel. He also provides general employment counseling to companies navigating growth and change.

Eric has represented private equity sponsors and portfolio companies in many strategic transactions. His experience includes advising Northlane Capital Partners in the sale of PAR Excellence Systems, Inc. to OceanSound Partners. He has handled multiple matters for Clearlake Capital Group, L.P., including investments and acquisitions involving Aptean, RSA Security LLC, and Endurance International Group Holdings, Inc. He has also advised Symplr Software, Ivanti Software, Inc., Palo Alto Networks, Inc., ConvergeOne, and Perforce Software in significant acquisitions, investments, and business combinations.

Eric was named to the “Leaders of Influence in Law” list by the San Diego Business Journal (2025). He was also profiled in the Daily Journal’s “Top Labor and Employment Lawyers” supplement in 2020 and 2022, which recognizes California lawyers for their work on significant cases, investigations, and transactions affecting labor and employment law.

Eric Kauffman continues to counsel clients on complex employment and transactional matters, supporting private equity sponsors and innovative companies in high-growth industries.

Law Office Affiliations

• Partner, Sidley Austin LLP
• Member, State Bar of California

Licensed State

• California

Education

• London School of Economics and Political Science
  Master of Law (LLM)
• Duquesne University School of Law
  Juris Doctor (JD)
• Muhlenberg College
  Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Awards & Badges