Mergers & Acquisitions

  • October 23, 2024

    Merck Bets More Than $1B On Yale Cancer Treatment Spinout

    Pharmaceutical giant Merck has purchased New Haven, Connecticut-based Modifi Biosciences Inc. for $30 million upfront, plus potential milestone payments to shareholders totaling up to $1.3 billion, Modifi said Wednesday. 

  • October 23, 2024

    Roche CEO Says Novo-Catalent Deal Should Be Blocked

    The CEO of Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche injected himself into the controversy surrounding Novo Holdings' planned $16.5 billion acquisition of Catalent on Wednesday, stating that he thinks antitrust authorities should block the deal due to its anticompetitive implications.

  • October 23, 2024

    Foley & Lardner Adds Burr & Forman Corporate Duo In Fla.

    Foley & Lardner LLP has ramped up its innovative technology sector and transactions practice group with two former Burr & Forman LLP partners in Jacksonville, Florida, where a Foley & Lardner leader said their arrival aligned with the firm's strategic focus on four key sectors of the economy. 

  • October 23, 2024

    Kirkland Adds Freshfields Atty To Boost Private Credit Bench

    Kirkland & Ellis LLP has welcomed an expert in leveraged finance from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, saying Wednesday that his diverse practice will strengthen the firm's liability management and opportunistic credit practices and support its position in the growing private credit sector.

  • October 23, 2024

    Top Frontier Investor Calls $20B Price Tag A 'Steal' For Verizon

    Frontier Communications shareholder Glendon Capital Management sent a letter to Frontier's board on Wednesday stating the company is currently worth at least $26 billion, 30% higher than the $20 billion value implied by Verizon's planned buyout, as Glendon aims to prevent Verizon from "walking away with a steal."

  • October 23, 2024

    AirAsia's Planned SPAC Merger Will Not Take Place

    The parent company of Malaysian airline AirAsia on Wednesday called off its planned special purpose acquisition company merger that would have resulted in the business being publicly listed in the U.S., while also disclosing plans for a capital reduction to strengthen its financial position.

  • October 23, 2024

    CityFleet To Buy Linklaters-Led Addison Lee For £269M

    U.K. transportation company CityFleet Networks Ltd. said Wednesday that it will acquire London private hire cab and courier giant Addison Lee Ltd. for £269.1 million ($348.4 million) to expand in the premium mobility market.

  • October 23, 2024

    MVP: Wachtell's Karessa L. Cain

    Karessa Cain of Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz successfully led Hess Corp. through federal antitrust scrutiny amid Chevron's ongoing $53 billion acquisition and represented eBay Inc. in a complex, cross-border transaction to take a Norwegian classifieds business private, earning her a spot as one of the 2024 Law360 Mergers & Acquisitions MVPs.

  • October 23, 2024

    UK Launches Formal Probe Into £3.3B Carlsberg/Britvic Deal

    The Competition and Markets Authority said Wednesday it has launched a formal investigation into the proposed £3.3 billion ($4.3 billion) takeover by Danish brewer Carlsberg AS of U.K. soft drinks maker Britvic PLC, setting a Dec. 18 deadline for its phase-one decision.

  • October 22, 2024

    Alaska Flyers Lose Bid to Revive Merger Suit

    The Hawaii federal judge who put the kibosh on a suit that sought to stop Alaska Airlines' $1.9 billion merger with Hawaiian Airlines declined to reconsider his finding that the passengers and travel agents bringing the antitrust claims didn't have standing to sue.

  • October 22, 2024

    Day Trader Seeks Early Win In Verifone Insider Trading Suit

    A day trader moved for an early win in a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission insider trading case alleging the trader was tipped off by a former Francisco Partners consultant about the firm's $3.4 billion purchase of Verifone Systems Inc., arguing there is no evidence that he knew he received material nonpublic information, let alone traded on it.

  • October 22, 2024

    Blakes, Wachtell Lead JM Smucker In $305M Cookie Biz Sale

    American food manufacturing giant The J.M. Smucker Co., advised by Blake Cassels & Graydon LLP and Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz, on Tuesday announced that it has agreed to sell its Voortman cookie brand to private equity-backed Second Nature Brands in a $305 million cash deal.

  • October 22, 2024

    MVP: Latham's Justin Hamill

    Justin Hamill leads the Latham & Watkins LLP team representing Endeavor Group Holdings Inc. in its $13 billion take-private acquisition by private equity firm Silver Lake, and is also advising Skydance Media in its multibillion-dollar merger with Paramount Global, putting him among the 2024 Law360 Mergers & Acquisitions MVPs.

  • October 22, 2024

    How Law Firms Get And Keep Elite Status

    For decades, a handful of New York-based law firms thoroughly dominated the national consciousness when it came to power, profitability and prestige. But in today's legal market, increased movement of partners and clients from one firm to the next has begun to shake things up and create opportunities for go-getters to ascend the ranks.

  • October 22, 2024

    The 2024 Prestige Leaders

    Check out our Prestige Leaders ranking, analysis and interactive graphics to see which firms stand out for their financial performance, attractiveness to attorneys and law students, ability to secure accolades and positive legal news media representation.

  • October 22, 2024

    In-House Counsel For Veeva, SingleStore Joins Stoel Rives

    Stoel Rives LLP has hired the former in-house counsel for technology companies SingleStore and Veeva Systems Inc. in Boise, Idaho, positioning the firm to better serve the increasing demand for sophisticated transactional representations in the area.

  • October 22, 2024

    UK Probes Iberdrola's €5B Electric Power Co. Deal

    Britain's antitrust authority said Tuesday that it has decided to investigate Spanish utility company Iberdrola's proposed acquisition of an 88% stake in Electricity North West to examine whether it could weaken competition in U.K. markets.

  • October 22, 2024

    Kirkland Guides Wendel's $1.13B Bid For Monroe Capital Stake

    French investor Wendel Group said Tuesday that it will take an initial 75% stake in U.S. asset manager Monroe Capital LLC for $1.13 billion to expand its private credit services as demand surges.

  • October 21, 2024

    Big Lots Can Tap Final $10M DIP Draw To Fund Ch. 11 Sale

    Discount retailer Big Lots Inc. got a Delaware bankruptcy judge's approval Monday to access the final $10 million in new money being funded under its debtor-in-possession loan package after it struck a last-minute deal to quell objections that a slate of landlords raised against final DIP approval.

  • October 21, 2024

    FCC Lets Wisper Take On More Broadband Blocks In Missouri

    Wisper Internet is going to be taking over another telecom's Connect America Fund projects in the state of Missouri, and the Federal Communications Commission gave the move its blessing Monday by granting an application allowing the switch to move forward.

  • October 21, 2024

    Truist Bank To Pay $9.1M Over 'Unwise' Trust Administration

    Charlotte-based Truist Bank has agreed to pay the federal government $9.1 million to resolve claims that its predecessor SunTrust Bank ran afoul of the law by approving unwise disbursements for beneficiaries of a lead poisoning settlement, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Monday.

  • October 21, 2024

    Cannabis Financing Co. Sues Over Dubious $3M Merger Demand

    A Colorado-based company that provides banking services to cannabis companies is suing three shareholders of a company it acquired in a $30 million merger, saying in the last few days they've attempted to change the way the merger payments are distributed.

  • October 21, 2024

    Mike Pence Supports US Steel-Nippon, Calls Critiques 'Bogus'

    Former Vice President Mike Pence has come out in support of Nippon Steel's planned $14.9 billion acquisition of U.S. Steel, stating that Nippon will inject essential funding into the ailing Pennsylvania-based steelmaker while helping to fend off China and Russia's growing levels of global steel production. 

  • October 21, 2024

    Clifford Chance Continues NY Growth With O'Melveny Duo

    Clifford Chance LLP is continuing its growth in New York, announcing on Monday the hiring of two former O'Melveny & Myers LLP attorneys to its private equity practice, as well as the firm's restructuring and insolvency group.

  • October 21, 2024

    Amex To Take Over Swisscard Joint Venture From UBS

    UBS Switzerland AG on Monday said American Express has agreed to take over its 50% stake in credit card provider Swisscard, getting control of the former Credit Suisse joint venture as the credit card giant looks to expand its business in Switzerland.

Expert Analysis

  • Increased Scrutiny Raises Int'l Real Estate Transaction Risks

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    Recently proposed regulations expanding the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States' oversight, a White House divestment order and state-level legislative efforts signal increasing scrutiny of real estate transactions that may trigger national security concerns, say Luciano Racco and Aleksis Fernández Caballero at Foley Hoag.

  • FTC Focus: What Access To Patent Settlements Would Mean

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    Settling parties should adopt a series of practice tips, including specifying rationales to support specific terms, as the Federal Trade Commission seeks to expand its access to settlements before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, say Shannon McGowan and David Munkittrick at Proskauer.

  • Why Attorneys Should Consider Community Leadership Roles

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    Volunteering and nonprofit board service are complementary to, but distinct from, traditional pro bono work, and taking on these community leadership roles can produce dividends for lawyers, their firms and the nonprofit causes they support, says Katie Beacham at Kilpatrick.

  • 9 Liability Management Tips As Debt Maturity Cliff Looms

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    As the debt maturity cliff swiftly approaches in this challenging environment, attorneys at Winston & Strawn highlight the top considerations for boards of directors and finance professionals to think about when structuring and executing liability management transactions, including reviewing capital structure, evaluating debt covenants, and more.

  • Firms Must Offer A Trifecta Of Services In Post-Chevron World

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    After the U.S. Supreme Court’s Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo decision overturning Chevron deference, law firms will need to integrate litigation, lobbying and communications functions to keep up with the ramifications of the ruling and provide adequate counsel quickly, says Neil Hare at Dentons.

  • 5 Tips To Succeed In A Master Of Laws Program And Beyond

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    As lawyers and recent law school graduates begin their Master of Laws coursework across the country, they should keep a few pointers in mind to get the most out of their programs and kick-start successful careers in their practice areas, says Kelley Miller at Reed Smith.

  • Series

    Being An Opera Singer Made Me A Better Lawyer

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    My journey from the stage to the courtroom has shown that the skills I honed as an opera singer – punctuality, memorization, creativity and more – have all played a vital role in my success as an attorney, says Gerard D'Emilio at GableGotwals.

  • How Law Firms Can Avoid 'Collaboration Drag'

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    Law firm decision making can be stifled by “collaboration drag” — characterized by too many pointless meetings, too much peer feedback and too little dissent — but a few strategies can help stakeholders improve decision-making processes and build consensus, says Steve Groom at Miles Mediation.

  • Opinion

    Litigation Funding Disclosure Key To Open, Impartial Process

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    Blanket investor and funding agreement disclosures should be required in all civil cases where the investor has a financial interest in the outcome in order to address issues ranging from potential conflicts of interest to national security concerns, says Bob Goodlatte, former U.S. House Representative for Virginia.

  • The Licensure Landscape For Psychedelics Manufacturers

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    As the need for bulk manufacturing of psychedelic substances grows, organizations aiming to support clinical trials or become commercial suppliers must navigate a rigorous and multifaceted journey to obtaining a license from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, say Kimberly Chew at Husch Blackwell and Jaime Dwight at Promega Corp.

  • What NFL Draft Picks Have In Common With Lateral Law Hires

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    Nearly half of law firm lateral hires leave within a few years — a failure rate that is strikingly similar to the performance of NFL quarterbacks drafted in the first round — in part because evaluators focus too heavily on quantifiable metrics and not enough on a prospect's character traits, says Howard Rosenberg at Baretz+Brunelle.

  • Foreign Threat Actors Pose Novel Risks To US Tech Cos.

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    A recent bulletin jointly issued by several U.S. intelligence agencies warns technology startups and the venture capital community about national security risks posed by foreign threat actors, so companies interested in raising foreign capital should watch for several red flags, say Robert Friedman and Jacob Marco at Holland & Knight.

  • Replacing The Stigma Of Menopause With Law Firm Support

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    A large proportion of the workforce is forced to pull the brakes on their career aspirations because of the taboo surrounding menopause and a lack of consistent support, but law firms can initiate the cultural shift needed by formulating thoughtful workplace policies, says Barbara Hamilton-Bruce at Simmons & Simmons.

  • Planning Law Firm Content Calendars: What, When, Where

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    During the slower month of August, law firms should begin working on their 2025 content calendars, planning out a content creation and distribution framework that aligns with the firm’s objectives and maintains audience engagement throughout the year, says Jessica Kaplan at Legally Penned.

  • 4 Steps To Address New Sanctions Time Bar Extension

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    Recent guidance from the Office of Foreign Assets Control clarifies details of the newly extended statute of limitations for civil and criminal enforcement of U.S. sanctions law, so compliance teams should implement key updates, including to lookback periods and recordkeeping policies, say attorneys at Freshfields.

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