Nicholas Potter is a corporate partner, Co-Chair of the firm’s Financial Institutions Group and a member of the firm’s Mergers & Acquisitions and Capital Markets Groups. He is also a member of the firm’s Management Committee.

Mr. Potter’s practice focuses on corporate transactions in the insurance industry; advising insurers and reinsurers, private equity firms, investment banks and other industry participants on public and private mergers, acquisitions, restructurings, corporate governance, regulatory issues, capital markets transactions and financings.

Mr. Potter is ranked in the top tier for Insurance: Transactional and Regulatory by Chambers USA (2026), where he is described as a “the dean of insurance transactional practice.” The guide also notes that he is a leading lawyer for Financial Services Regulation: Financial Institutions M&A. In previous editions of the guide, he is said to be a “trusted partner” who is “absolutely best in class in this space.” Mr. Potter is ranked in the Hall of Fame for Insurance: Non-Contentious by The Legal 500 US (2026), cited by clients as “outstanding.” He is also listed as Highly Regarded for M&A in IFLR1000 (2025). Mr. Potter was recognized as a New York Lawyer of the Year by The Best Lawyers in America (2017) and was named “Dealmaker of the Week” by The Am Law Daily (2012) for his leading role in advising both Canadian insurance company Sun Life Financial and specialty insurer Markel Corporation in two separate transactions that were announced just days apart.

Mr. Potter is a frequent author on industry updates. He recently authored “Debevoise & Plimpton Discusses Activism in the Insurance Industry,” CLS Blue Sky Blog (April, 2026); “What To Know About NAIC's Risk-Based Capital Task Force,” Law360 (March, 2025); “Top Considerations For Insurance Companies In 2025,” Law360 (January, 2025); and is a member of the team that authored the 2025 update of “Insurance and Investment Management M&A Deskbook,” published by Practising Law Institute.

Mr. Potter received his A.B. magna cum laude from Harvard College in 1985 and his J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1988. He is a member of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York and the American Bar Association and regularly writes and speaks on insurance industry M&A and finance topics. Mr. Potter serves as President of the Board of Directors of Poets House, Inc. He also served as the Co-Chair of the firm’s Pro Bono Committee from 2001–2012.