Melissa Sawyer and Rita-Anne O’Neill speak at Tulane University Law School’s 33rd Annual Corporate Law Institute on March 11–12. Rita is a chair of the Institute, and Melissa Sawyer and Keith Pagnani serve on the event planning committee. The conference brings together leading mergers and acquisitions and securities practitioners, Delaware Supreme Court and Court of Chancery judges, corporate counsel and Wall Street investment bankers to discuss key issues in M&A and corporate and securities law. The event, normally held in New Orleans, was conducted online this year due to COVID‑19.
Panel: Hot Topics in M&A Practice Parts I & II (March 11)
In the morning at 10:00 a.m. CST, Rita moderated a discussion of “Hot Topics in M&A Practice.” Topics will include distressed M&A, allocating risk in cross-border transactions, and dealing with regulatory uncertainty. In the afternoon at 1:30 p.m. CST, she moderated a discussion on Securities and Exchange Commission updates and special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs).
Panel: Corporate Governance, ESG and Corporate Purpose (March 11)
Melissa joined a panel discussion at 11:15 a.m. CST on corporate governance issues and ESG concerns. Topics included the impact of ESG campaigns on the corporate agenda and disclosure, public benefit corporations, board diversity, and the debate over the purpose of a corporation.
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. Regularly recognized 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, 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 among The Deal’s “Top Women in Dealmaking” for her “ability to navigate complex transactions, maintain strong client relationships and lead in and out of the boardroom.” She has been named a “Dealmaker of the Year” by The American Lawyer and one of Crain’s “Leading Women Lawyers in New York City.”.
Rita O’Neill, the co-head of S&C’s Global Private Equity Practice, advises clients on mergers and acquisitions and securities offerings, and provides 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 twice been named among the Daily Journal’s Top Women Lawyers. In naming her to the list in 2020, the Daily Journal called Rita “an influential figure in the M&A field … advancing women in the legal profession, but specifically in M&A.”