Mergers and Acquisitions

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher’s Mergers and Acquisitions Practice Group is an international leader in mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, spin-offs, proxy contests and joint ventures.  Rankings produced by third-party publications regularly list Gibson Dunn as one of the world’s pre-eminent M&A firms.  Chambers USA, which consistently lists Gibson Dunn as among “The Elite” nationwide for corporate/M&A, has noted that the firm “is frequently enlisted on some of the most significant transactions in the market.”  Our lawyers deliver sophisticated judgment, technical excellence, creative solutions, and vast market knowledge to each transaction entrusted to us.

Our M&A clients include public and private companies, ranging from Fortune 100 and multinational corporations to smaller companies; private equity firms; boards of directors and special committees; selling shareholders; management teams; and financial advisors.  Clients also regularly enlist Gibson Dunn to provide advice regarding takeover preparedness and the implementation of defensive measures.  Our Hostile M&A and Shareholder Activism practices are some of the most well-respected in the world.

We offer excellent, seamless service across the full spectrum of disciplines required to execute multifaceted transactions successfully, including tax, antitrust and competition, acquisition financing, capital markets, executive compensation and employee benefits, litigation, intellectual property, environmental, and regulatory.

Our lawyers always seek to understand our clients’ business and industry, and we bring to each engagement a tailored approach based on the client’s goals and challenges.  Chambers USA has noted our business acumen and commercial sensitivity in quoting one interviewee who described Gibson Dunn’s M&A team as “highly skilled practitioners at the top of their profession.  They’re knowledgeable about the market and can offer practical advice while providing the technical expertise needed to navigate issues.”  Our knowledge of industry-specific issues stems from our deep experience in every major industry.

Our M&A capabilities are worldwide.  Gibson Dunn’s combination of U.S.-based lawyers and network of offices in financial centers abroad allows us to handle the most complex cross-border deals effectively and efficiently.  Our lawyers are accustomed to serving clients from around the world, and all of our lawyers, regardless of location, share our approach to delivery of the highest quality of service to our clients.

Experience

Recent representations include:

• CalAtlantic Group in its $9.3 billion merger with Lennar Corp.
• St. Jude Medical, Inc. in its $30.7 billion acquisition by Abbott Laboratories.
• Atwood Oceanics in its $1.8 billion acquisition by London-based Ensco.
• Hewlett Packard Enterprise in connection with its spin-off and merger of its Enterprise Services Business with CSC by means of a Reverse Morris Trust transaction.
• Marriott International, Inc. in its $13.6 billion acquisition of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide.
• Depomed, Inc. in its successful defense against a $3.3 billion unsolicited takeover offer from Horizon Pharma, including a related proxy contest and litigation.
• Towers Watson in connection with its $18 billion merger with Willis Group.
• The Williams Companies in its $50 billion merger with Access Midstream Partners, which owns and operates natural gas midstream assets across nine states.
• MetroPCS in its $32 billion combination with a U.S. mobile phone carrier.
• MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company (now known as Berkshire Hathaway Energy) in its acquisition of publicly traded NV Energy, Inc. for $10.5 billion.
• Vivendi S.A. in the $8.2 billion sale of its 85% interest in Activision Blizzard, a video game developer, to Activision Blizzard and a consortium of executives and investors.
• AECOM Technology Corporation in its $6 billion acquisition of URS Corporation, a provider of engineering, construction and technical services for public agencies and private sector companies around the world.
• The Ryland Group, Inc. in its $5.2 billion merger of equals with Standard Pacific Corporation, a developer and builder of residential communities.
• Tenet Healthcare Corporation in its $4.3 billion acquisition of Vanguard Health Systems, an operator of acute care and specialty hospitals.