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    Home /  Lawyers /  Patrick Gadson

    Patrick Gadson

    Partner

    New York +1-212-558-4000
    gadsonp@sullcrom.com
    Patrick Gadson Headshot Photo

    New York

    +1-212-558-4000

    |

    gadsonp@sullcrom.com

    Email vCard

    Patrick Gadson is Co-Head of Sullivan & Cromwell’s Shareholder Activism Practice and a partner in the Firm’s M&A Group. Patrick’s principal areas of practice are private equity, mergers and acquisitions and shareholder activism. He also counsels senior management, boards of directors, investment managers and both private equity and strategic investors in a wide variety of complex business transactions, corporate governance matters, strategic investor relations and other special situations. His experience includes advising clients in connection with shareholder activism-related investments, hostile takeovers, public and private M&A transactions, strategic minority investments and corporate capital investments.

    Over the past 10 proxy seasons, Patrick has led over 400 shareholder activism engagements. He regularly defends clients against high-profile shareholder activists such as Starboard Value, Elliott Management, Carl Icahn, Engaged Capital, Jana Partners, ValueAct Capital, Legion Partners, Corvex Management and D.E. Shaw & Co.

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    Spotlight

    S&C Partners Author Article on Forming Special Committees in Activist Defense and M&A for The M&A Lawyer

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    Patrick Gadson Discusses Shareholder Activism on Executive Session Podcast

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    2025 Proxy Season Review

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    proxyseason_spotlight_2025
    • Experience
    • Rankings and Recognitions
    • News
    • Publications, Videos and Podcasts
    • Credentials
    • Related Practices
    Experience

    Experience

    • Jack in the Box in its cooperation agreement with GreenWood Investors
    • Angel Oak in its defense against West Potomac Capital’s “withhold” campaign 
    • Digimarc Corporation in the defense of the activist campaigns of Ocho Investments and Altai Capital Management 
    • Oportun Financial Corporation in the defense of the proxy fight of Findell Capital Management
    • TETRA Technologies, Inc. against the activist campaign of Bradley Louis Radoff and Michael P. Torok
    • Daktronics Inc. in the defense against Alta Fox Capital Management LLC*
    • Green Plains Inc. against the activist campaign of Ancora Advisors LLC*
    • Citi Trends, Inc. in the defense against Pleasant Lake Partners LLC*
    • Southwest Airlines in defense of the special meeting proxy fight of Elliott Management*
    • Pitney Bowes Inc. in defense of the threatened proxy fight of Hestia Capital*
    • Yelp Inc. in the defense of a shareholder activism campaign by TCS Capital Management*
    • AGCO Corporation in defense of the activism campaign of Tractors and Farm Equipment Limited (TAFE)*
    • Synalloy in the defense of the proxy fight by Privet Fund Management and UPG LLC*

    • Comscore, Inc. in defense of the shareholder activism campaign of Starboard Value LP*
    • Owens Realty Mortgage in its proxy contest defense against Hovde Capital Advisors and Opal Advisors*
    • Continental Grain in its activism campaign with D.E. Shaw against Bunge*
    • Nutrisystem, Inc. in defense of the shareholder activism campaign of Legion Partners Asset Management, LLC*
    • Sandridge Energy in its proxy contest defense against Carl Icahn and in the defense of the unsolicited bid of Midstates Petroleum*
    • Verisk Analytics, Inc. in shareholder activism preparation and defense with respect to strategic relations with D.E. Shaw & Co., L.P.*
    • Evolent Health in defense of the shareholder activism campaign of Engaged Capital*

    *Denotes representations undertaken prior to joining S&C.

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    Rankings and Recognitions

    Rankings and Recognitions

    • Chambers USA, Corporate/M&A: Takeover Defense (New York); “Up and Coming” in Corporate/M&A: Takeover Defense (New York)
    • The Legal 500 U.S., M&A/Corporate & Commercial: Shareholder Activism: Advice to Boards; “Next Generation Partner” in M&A/Corporate & Commercial: Shareholder Activism: Advice to Boards
    • The National Black Lawyers, Top 40 Under 40, 2022
    • Lawdragon’s “Top 500 Leading Dealmakers in America,” 2021 – Present
    • Super Lawyers New York Rising Stars
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    News

    News

    • Patrick Gadson Discusses Shareholder Activism on Executive Session Podcast

      November 3, 2025
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    Publications, Videos and Podcasts

    Publications, Videos and Podcasts

    • S&C Partners Author Article on Forming Special Committees in Activist Defense and M&A for The M&A Lawyer

      Articles November 11, 2025
    • S&C Lawyers Present Webinar on Lessons From the 2025 Proxy Season and Trends for 2026

      Webinars September 15, 2025
    • 2025 Proxy Season Review

      Emerging Issues July 31, 2025
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    Credentials

    Credentials

    Education

    • Columbia Law School, J.D., 2011
    • Cornell University, B.S., 2006

    Bar Admissions

    • New York
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    Related Practices

    Related Practices

    • General Practice
    • Capital Markets
    • Corporate Governance
    • Crisis Management
    • Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)
    • Mergers & Acquisitions
    • Private Equity
    • Shareholder Activism
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