M&A Partners Named Top Activism Defense Lawyers
Latham partners Mark Gerstein and Christopher Drewry have been named to Business Insider’s list of the “13 lawyers on speed-dial when companies and activist investors fight for boardroom control.” Gerstein, who previously served as Global Co-Chair of Latham’s M&A Practice, and Drewry are members of the firm’s Activism Defense Practice and routinely represent public company boards and management teams in defending against high-profile proxy contests by activist investors.
Latham’s Activism Defense Practice routinely earns #1 rankings for US company defense. The firm has recently represented:
- Kohl’s Corporation in defense of the 2022 proxy contest by Macellum Advisors seeking control of the board
- Switch in engagement by Elliott Investment Management
- New Relic in defense of a campaign by Engaged Capital seeking board representation and governance changes
- Sinovac Biotech, a leading producer of COVID-19 vaccines, in the triggering of a shareholder rights plan against 1Globe Capital
- Stericycle in engagement by Saddle Point Group
- e.l.f. Beauty in engagement by Marathon Partners Equity Management
- Landec Corporation in engagement by Legion Partners Asset Management
- Aareal Bank AG in engagements by Teleios Capital and Petrus Advisors
- Spok Holdings in defense of unsolicited offers from Acacia Research/Starboard and B. Riley Financial and in engagements by White Hat Capital Partners and Palogic Value Management
Business Insider’s list is based on a number of factors, including feedback from company executives and an analysis of lawyers who have been particularly active on recent high-profile deals.