PRESS RELEASE
McDermott Bolsters London Transactions Practice With M&A Life Sciences, Healthcare And Technology Partner Hire
February 28, 2024
Read time: 4 min
International law firm McDermott Will & Emery welcomes Michal Berkner as a partner in its transactions practice in London. Michal is one of Europe’s preeminent M&A practitioners within the life sciences, healthcare and technology sectors.
“Life sciences is one of our fastest growing industry sectors within the Transactions Group, especially in London and Paris. Michal is a fantastic addition to our global mergers and acquisitions team and an excellent match to our market-leading healthcare and life sciences practices,” said Harris Siskind, global head of McDermott’s Transactions Practice Group. “Her outstanding M&A life sciences, healthcare and technology practice is aligned with McDermott’s strategic focus on growing its transatlantic offering.”
Michal advises major strategic buyers and sellers in game-changing public and private transactions, including cross-border deals, negotiated and unsolicited transactions, takeover defenses, corporate governance, and joint ventures.
“I am delighted to join McDermott, as the opportunity to grow a high-value M&A practice in London, Europe and the United States is undeniable,” said Michal. “The combination of a market-leading healthcare, life sciences and technology offering, a strong global brand, large network, collaborative approach and entrepreneurial spirit is unrivalled.”
“We are excited to welcome Michal,” said Hamid Yunis, managing partner of the Firm’s London office. “She is an accomplished partner with an impressive reputation. Additionally, her practice provides tremendous synergies with our M&A, Private Equity and Life Sciences Groups both in the United Kingdom and across our international network. She will also be instrumental in helping to grow our global M&A practice.”
Michal who is dual qualified (New York and England and Wales) is ranked as a leading individual in Chambers Global and Chambers UK. She also received a highly commended distinction in the Women in Law category at The British Legal Awards 2019. In 2017, Michal was included in the Financial Times HERoes list, which recognizes the top 50 female champions of women in business in the UK and Ireland. Over her 27 year legal career based in New York and London she has advised on some of the largest and most complex global M&A transactions.
McDermott Will & Emery partners with leaders around the world to fuel missions, knock down barriers and shape markets. Our team works seamlessly across practices and industries to deliver highly effective solutions that propel success. More than 1,400 lawyers strong, we bring our personal passion and legal prowess to bear in every matter for our clients and the people they serve.
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McDermott Represents Assured Healthcare Partners in its Investment in Prolerity Clinical Research, LLC
DEAL ANNOUNCEMENT / PRESS RELEASE
McDermott Represents Assured Healthcare Partners in its Investment in Prolerity Clinical Research, LLC
February 27, 2024
Read time: 3 min
McDermott Will & Emery represented Assured Healthcare Partners (AHP), a New York-based healthcare investment management firm, in its investment in Prolerity Clinical Research, LLC (Tandem), a clinical research site management network which operates 11 research sites across Louisiana, Florida, New Jersey and New York. Prolerity is focused on expanding into a leading site management network with a therapeutic breadth across complex and challenging phase I-III studies, including NASH/NAFLD, cardiology, CNS, gastroenterology, metabolic diseases and other therapeutic areas.
The McDermott team was led by Krist Werling, Travis Jackson and John Zukin and included Terry Brennan, Garrett Moores, Jeff Holdvogt, Jennifer Hill, Jennifer Mikulina, Ellie Atkins, Brian Mead, Benjamin Kryder, Kristi Mankowske, Kevin Hall, Andrew Granek, Jiayan Chen, Li Wang, Jacob Weissman, Caroline Reignley, Gregory Fosheim, Patrick Zanayed, Anisa Mohanty, Kyle Weber, Taylor Hood and Scott Weinstein.
McDermott’s private equity (PE) practice is among the top four most active PE law firms globally and in the US with more than 160 dedicated PE lawyers across 21 locations. We have ranked Pitchbook’s Top 5 Healthcare PE firm for six consecutive years and are Top 10 in PE Buyouts and other PE deals. We are also ranked as a Top 10 Global Mid-Market PE Firm by Bloomberg and #7 PE Law firm by The Deal. Learn more about our PE practice by visiting pe.mwe.com.
McDermott Will & Emery partners with leaders around the world to fuel missions, knock down barriers and shape markets. Our team works seamlessly across practices and industries to deliver highly effective solutions that propel success. More than 1,400 lawyers strong, we bring our personal passion and legal prowess to bear in every matter for our clients and the people they serve.
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McDermott Advises Nord/LB on Financing the Acquisition of cisbox by Main Capital
DEAL ANNOUNCEMENT / PRESS RELEASE
McDermott Advises Nord/LB on Financing the Acquisition of cisbox by Main Capital
February 27, 2024
Read time: 3 min
Munich, February 27, 2024 – McDermott Will & Emery has advised Nord/LB on the financing of acquiring a majority stake in German P2P software provider cisbox GmbH by Dutch software investor Main Capital. The founders of cisbox, Stephan Kern and Sebastian Mehrle, will remain with the company and have significant reinvested in it.
Founded in 2005, cisbox offers cloud- and AI-based software solutions for the optimization of procure-to-pay (P2P) processes, primarily in the healthcare, hospitality, services and public sectors. The company employs more than 150 people in Solingen, Germany, and at two locations in Vietnam.
NORD/LB Norddeutsche Landesbank is one of Germany’s leading commercial banks. As an institute under public law, it is part of the S-Finance Group. Its core business segments include corporate customers, special financing in the energy and infrastructure sectors and for aircraft, financing commercial real estate via Deutsche Hypo, capital market business, association business with the savings banks and private and commercial customers including private banking. The bank is based in Hanover, Braunschweig and Magdeburg and has branches in Oldenburg, Hamburg, Schwerin, Düsseldorf and Munich. Outside Germany NORD/LB is represented by a Pfandbrief bank (NORD/LB Covered Bond Bank) in Luxembourg and by branches in London, New York and Singapore.
The McDermott team was led by partners Matthias Weissinger and Ludwig Zesch and comprised counsel Maximilian Meyer as well as associates Tim Becker, Laura Sollacher and Romy Lanz.
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Schulte advises JANA Partners in tactical partnership with Cannae Holdings, Inc.
PRESS RELEASE
Schulte advises JANA Partners in tactical partnership with Cannae Holdings, Inc.
February 27, 2024
Read time: 3 min
Schulte Roth & Zabel represented JANA Partners (“JANA”), an investment firm focused on creating value through shareholder engagement, in a constructive partnership with Cannae Holdings, Inc. (“Cannae”).
The deal will benefit JANA investors who will realize an increase in returns through the expansion of its industry operator network and support an M&A mechanism to expand shareholder value. JANA Partners was founded in 2001 by Barry Rosenstein and invests in undervalued public companies by engaging with management teams and boards to unlock value for shareholders and improves governance at public companies.
The Schulte team was led by Of Counsel Stuart Freedman; Partner Ele Klein, Co-chair of the M&A and Securities and Global Shareholder Activism Groups; Partners Philippe Benedict (Tax) and Damian Petrovic (M&A and Securities) along with Special Counsel Margaret Hanson (M&A and Securities) and Christine Harlow (Tax) and M&A and Securities Associates Brandon Gold and Nikki Nikova.
Read the Financial Times article here.
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McDermott Announces New Real Estate Group Leadership
PRESS RELEASE
McDermott Announces New Real Estate Group Leadership
February 26, 2024
Read time: 4 min
International law firm McDermott Will & Emery is pleased to introduce the new leaders of its global Real Estate Group. Our real estate lawyers counsel clients worldwide on all aspects of commercial real estate and real estate finance transactions, including acquisitions, dispositions, financings, restructurings and workouts, and joint ventures involving all real estate asset classes. With lawyers in offices across the United States, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom, McDermott’s real estate practice is the go-to team for the sector’s most active investors, funds, developers, lenders and management companies.
New group leadership includes:
- Jens Ortmanns, Germany, global head of McDermott’s real estate practice
Jens represents investors in all aspects of complex cross-border real estate transactions, large-scale developments, joint ventures, financings and restructurings.
- David M. Wolff, co-head of the US real estate practice and head of the Chicago Real Estate Group
David represents private equity sponsors, real estate investment trusts (REITs), developers, capital providers and other investors in all types of commercial real estate and real estate finance transactions. He advises clients with acquisitions; dispositions; joint ventures; mortgage, mezzanine and construction financings; loan workouts; and sale and leasebacks involving all assets classes.
- David Herman, co-head of the US real estate practice and head of the New York Real Estate Group
David counsels all manner of real estate investors and companies in connection with mergers, acquisitions and dispositions; joint ventures; financings; “going-private” transactions and initial public offerings; and workouts and restructurings of commercial real estate-related assets and transactions.
- Mal Serure, co-head of the US real estate practice and head of the Los Angeles Real Estate Group
Mal represents private equity funds, banks, real estate companies and REITs in a wide range of real estate transactions, including acquisitions, dispositions and joint ventures. He advises lenders and borrowers in mortgage and mezzanine loan financings, preferred equity transactions, restructurings and workouts. Mal also regularly represents Japanese clients in their equity and debt investments in US commercial real estate assets and transactions.
McDermott’s global Real Estate Group operates on an integrated interdisciplinary platform, drawing upon legal skill in fund formation; environmental, social and governance; REITs and tax structuring; private equity; mergers and acquisitions; capital markets; and regulatory, healthcare, dispute resolution and antitrust matters. The team brings cohesiveness, collaboration and collective experience to sophisticated transactions shaping the most iconic skylines around the globe.
McDermott Will & Emery partners with leaders around the world to fuel missions, knock down barriers and shape markets. Our team works seamlessly across practices and industries to deliver highly effective solutions that propel success. More than 1,400 lawyers strong, we bring our personal passion and legal prowess to bear in every matter for our clients and the people they serve.
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Composition of the UPC CoA panel on procedural questions and rejection of a request to shorten a time period
PRESS RELEASE
Composition of the UPC CoA panel on procedural questions and rejection of a request to shorten a time period
February 26, 2024
Read time: 2 min
McDermott Advises NORD Holding on the acquisition of ABJ alive and on the financing of the acquisition
DEAL ANNOUNCEMENT / PRESS RELEASE
McDermott Advises NORD Holding on the acquisition of ABJ alive and on the financing of the acquisition
February 22, 2024
Read time: 3 min
Munich, February 22, 2024 – With a team led by Holger Ebersberger and Thomas Diekmann, McDermott Will & Emery has advised NORD Holding on the acquisition of a stake in ABJ alive GmbH (ABJ) as part of an owner buy-out.
McDermott also advised on the financing of the acquisition. The finance team is lead by Matthias Weissinger.
Together with ABJ, NORD Holding is planning a European growth strategy in the field of contract manufacturing for premium nutritional supplements. ABJ founder Anna-Bettina Jürges will retain a stake in the company and will support the company’s development from the advisory board in the future.
Founded in 2010, ABJ is a leading contract manufacturer and development partner (CDMO) for companies in the field of natural, plant-based and probiotic food supplements. The company has a production site in Creußen and employs around 60 people.
NORD Holding is a private equity and asset management company with assets under management of €3 billion. The focus of the direct business is on the structuring and financing of corporate succession models, the acquisition of group divisions/subsidiaries and the expansion financing of medium-sized companies. The fund investments unit targets the micro and small cap segment of mid-market-oriented private equity funds in Europe.
The investment was carried out by the NORD Holding Healthcare team and underlines the sector expertise in healthcare and B2B contract manufacturing.
McDermott recently advised NORD Holding on the acquisition of the Swiss Suter Group by NORD Holding’s portfolio company Heizkurier.
The McDermott team advising NORD Holding comprised Holger Ebersberger, Thomas Diekmann, Matthias Weissinger, Jana Grieb, Christian Rolf, Florian Schiefer, Kian Tauser, Maximilian Meyer, Deniz Tschammler, Manuel Weiß, Nicole Kaps, Berfin Sahin, Armin Teymouri, Franziska Sauer, Simon Apelojg, Adrian Helfenstein, Katharina Hoffmeister, Ilva Woeste and Laura Sollacher.
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McDermott Comment | Private Credit Funds Are Set To Get Their First Major Set Of Rules In Europe
PRESS RELEASE
McDermott Comment | Private Credit Funds Are Set To Get Their First Major Set Of Rules In Europe
February 21, 2024
Read time: 4 min
Aymen Mahmoud, co-head of the London Finance, Restructuring and Special Situations Group at law firm McDermott Will & Emery, said:
“The incredible growth of private credit over the last ten years has led to increased supranational focus. It is possible that these are sentiments created by the global financial crises, a belief that earlier regulatory intervention might have staved off some of the damage caused. However, regulators should be careful not to be overzealous here – it is not the growth of an asset class that causes the damage in it, it is the actions taken in the context of that asset class. We have not yet seen meaningful examples of credit-only institutions failing for structural reasons, despite some significant economic pressures in recent years. In fact, the main instances of collapse around private capital are more regularly linked to fraud or malfeasance than poor underwriting skills.”
Steven Haywood, fund formation counsel at law firm McDermott Will & Emery, added:
“Private credit and direct lending funds in their current form arose in response to the withdrawal of readily accessible bank lending immediately post-financial crisis to mid-market companies. Credit funds as a solution to that liquidity withdrawal were in fact promoted by governments – in the UK in particular the Business Finance Partnership which was led by HM Treasury at the time. Since then, there have been multiple calls for restrictions on shadow banking. Despite that private credit funds and their lending activities remains unregulated in the UK and across much of Europe and so if there was a real issue at hand, a systemic risk, you would have expected it to be addressed by now. Essentially, private credit is not a CLO business, the asset class is different, it is increasingly mature and sophisticated in its risk assessment of borrowers. A large majority of private credit funds are not structurally leveraged and they are almost all closed-ended – and so we would expect ‘business as usual’ to continue in fund formation activity with no meaningful changes caused by the implementation of these rules.”
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McDermott Will & Emery Advise Owkin on the Financing to Launch Bioptimus
DEAL ANNOUNCEMENT / PRESS RELEASE
McDermott Will & Emery Advise Owkin on the Financing to Launch Bioptimus
February 21, 2024
Read time: 3 min
McDermott Will & Emery has advised Owkin on the financing to launch Bioptimus, the first universal AI foundation model for biology.
Bioptimus will connect the different scales of biology with generative AI; from molecules to cells, tissues and whole organisms, to fuel scientific breakthroughs and accelerate innovation in biomedicine and beyond.
The French startup has launched with a seed funding of USD 35 million, led by Sofinnova Partners, with Bpifrance Large Venture, and additional funding from global technology VCs
The McDermott that advised Owkin comprised:
- Emmanuelle Trombe, partner, Lucie Martin, Natacha Vasak and Alice Villagrasa, associates, on Corporate aspects
- Lorraine Maisnier-Boche, Counsel, on Data aspects
- Côme de Saint-Vincent, Counsel, on Tax aspects
McDermott Will & Emery partners with leaders around the world to fuel missions, knock down barriers and shape markets. Our team works seamlessly across practices and industries to deliver highly effective solutions that propel success. More than 1,400 lawyers strong, we bring our personal passion and legal prowess to bear in every matter for our clients and the people they serve.
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McDermott Will & Emery Advises Sensorion on its New Financing
DEAL ANNOUNCEMENT / PRESS RELEASE
McDermott Will & Emery Advises Sensorion on its New Financing
February 16, 2024
Read time: 3 min
McDermott Will & Emery has advised Sensorion, a pioneering clinical-stage biotechnology company specializing on the development of new therapies to restore, treat and prevent hearing loss disorders, on its new financing of over EUR 50 million from existing and new investors specializing in the healthcare sector.
McDermott advised Sensorion in August 2023 on its EUR 35 million financing through the issue of ordinary shares and pre-funded warrants.
The team advising Sensorion included :
- Bertrand Delafaye, Emmanuelle Trombe, partners, Henri Nalbandyan and Claire Chabat, associates, on corporate aspects
- Antoine Vergnat, partner, on tax law aspects
McDermott Will & Emery partners with leaders around the world to fuel missions, knock down barriers and shape markets. Our team works seamlessly across practices and industries to deliver highly effective solutions that propel success. More than 1,400 lawyers strong, we bring our personal passion and legal prowess to bear in every matter for our clients and the people they serve.
