Practice Areas & Industries: Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP

Practice/Industry Group Overview

Manatt’s Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) Practice Group represents acquirers and sellers in negotiated and contested merger and acquisition transactions involving publicly held and private companies.  Our core group of M&A attorneys draws upon the expertise of a wide variety of specialties throughout the firm, including tax, securities laws, antitrust, employee benefits, environmental, labor and intellectual property, to form a cohesive and organized “deal-team” that provides preeminent service and advice to our M&A clients. 

Services Available

Practice Strengths

Because our M&A Practice Group has access to Manatt’s nationwide resources and depth of practice, we are able to collaborate with colleagues throughout the firm to handle all aspects of deals ranging in size and complexity.  Our specific areas of expertise include:

§         Mergers and stock and asset purchases;

§         Tender and exchange offers;

§         Share exchanges;

§         Special committee representations;

§         Leveraged and management buyouts;

§         Strategic and private equity investments;

§         Going private transactions;

§         Proxy contests;

§         Poison pills and other takeover defenses;

§         Cross-border transactions; and

§         Fairness opinion representations.

Value Added

Manatt adds value to its clients by properly structuring mergers and acquisitions that help small companies become large and help big companies further expand their competitive edge.  Our attorneys serve as strategic business advisors, helping clients evaluate the risks and rewards of a potential transaction and solving problems that arise during the course of the negotiation and execution of the proposed transaction to their maximum advantage.  Clients look to us for assistance and advice in every aspect of a transaction, including financing, regulatory approval, due diligence, valuation, operational concerns and closing and post-closing matters.  We structure complex transactions in a tax-efficient manner to maximize economic benefits for our clients and their shareholders.  We often act as our clients’ liaison with regulatory agencies, such as the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice.  We have the resources and experience to complete the largest and most complex purchase or sale anywhere in the world.

Client Breadth

We represent clients of all sizes and in various industries throughout the U.S. and across national borders.  Our special strengths in business and industry segments such as banking and financial services, entertainment, healthcare, technology, energy and utilities, consumer services and consumer products, have made Manatt the go-to firm for many of our clients’ total business transactions. 

Team Approach

M&A transactions are often complex and have far-reaching implications.  Therefore, in order to provide a full range of services for our clients, the M&A Practice Group draws upon the expertise of Manatt attorneys and professionals in many other practice areas.  The following is a brief description of some of the practice areas which work alongside the M&A Practice Group.