Melissa Sawyer and Rita-Anne O’Neill spoke on timely topics in M&A at Tulane University Law School’s 32nd Corporate Law Institute in New Orleans on March 5-6. This influential conference brought together leading mergers & acquisitions and securities practitioners, Delaware Supreme Court and Court of Chancery judiciary, corporate counsel and Wall Street investment bankers.
Rita served as co-chair of the Institute and S&C M&A partner Keith Pagnani was a member of the Institute’s Planning Committee.
Panel: Hot Topics in M&A Practice (March 5)
Rita moderated a discussion on “Hot Topics in M&A Practice.” Experienced dealmakers and the Chief of the SEC’s Office of Mergers & Acquisitions discussed recent trends in M&A, including developments in deal structures, private equity approaches and the impact of deal litigation.
Panel: Negotiating and Litigating Material Adverse Changes (March 6)
Melissa spoke on a panel discussing “Negotiating and Litigating Material Adverse Changes.” Litigators and corporate practitioners explored recent developments in negotiating material and adverse change clauses in merger agreements in the wake of recent Delaware court decisions.
S&C’s Mergers & Acquisitions Practice
Our M&A lawyers bring cross-border expertise and a deep understanding of global markets and industry trends to every engagement. Recognized this year by
Law360 as a top law firm in M&A, S&C partners routinely participate in and lead industry events, contribute to influential industry publications, and produce
insightful industry resources.
Recent examples include:
Learn more about our M&A Partners
Melissa Sawyer
Melissa Sawyer, the co-head of S&C’s
Corporate Governance & Activism Practice, advises clients on public and private M&A transactions, joint ventures and strategic alliances. She also regularly advises clients on corporate governance, activism and takeover defense matters. Melissa’s experience spans multiple industries, including consumer and retail, industrials, medical technology and insurance.
Repeatedly recognized as a leading M&A adviser, Melissa is ranked by Chambers USA in Corporate/M&A and was named to The Deal’s “Women in M&A: The Powerhouse 20” for shaping the industry with her novel approach to transactions. She has been named one of Crain’s “Leading Women Lawyers in New York City” and was selected as a “Dealmaker of the Week” by The American Lawyer.
Rita-Anne O’Neill
Rita O’Neill, the co-head of S&C’s
Global Private Equity group, has a broad-based practice that includes advising clients on mergers and acquisitions and securities offerings, and providing general corporate advice on disclosure and governance. She has advised clients in a wide range of industries, including apparel, financial institutions, healthcare and life sciences, semiconductors, telecommunications and transportation. Rita is co-chair of the ABA’s Acquisition of Public Companies Subcommittee and has been named among the
Los Angeles Daily Journal’s Top Women Lawyers.