S&C client NorthStar Asset Management Group Inc. (NSAM) completed its previously announced all-stock merger with Colony Capital, Inc. and NorthStar Realty Finance Corp. (NRF) to form Colony NorthStar, Inc. The transaction is a rare example of a merger-of-equals transaction involving three public companies and is the largest real estate merger announced in 2016. Colony NorthStar currently has an equity market capitalization of approximately $9 billion and assets under management of $58 billion.
The S&C team representing NSAM included Mitchell Eitel, Robert Downes, Stephen Salley, Louis Argentieri, Florence Zhang, Jordan Bunn and Michael Jung. Steven Borenstein advised on securities matters. Brian Frawley and Angela Chang advised on litigation matters. Frederick Wertheim advised on Investment Company Act and Investment Advisers Act matters. Anthony Colletta and Richard Le Page advised on the sale of NSAM’s interest in Island Hospitality. Matthew Friestedt, Regina Readling and Kristen Klein advised on executive compensation and benefits matters. Ronald Creamer and Eric Lopata advised on tax matters. Juan Rodriguez and Eric Queen advised on competition matters. Vanessa Blackmore advised on U.K. regulatory matters. James Babikian and Patrick Corrigan assisted on earlier stages of the transaction.