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- Professionals
- Michael J. Francese
As a partner in Covington’s employee benefits practice group, Mike Francese focuses on counseling clients in matters arising under their employee benefit plans and executive compensation arrangements with respect to ERISA, the Internal Revenue Code, and related federal and state laws. He also represents clients before agencies and courts on both the federal and state level, and consults with them in connection with mergers, acquisitions, and other corporate transactions.
Mr. Francese’s practice covers a broad spectrum of employee benefit plans and programs, as well as a variety of executive compensation arrangements, such as:
- tax-qualified defined benefit and defined contribution plans, including traditional and hybrid pension plans, 401(k) plans, profit-sharing plans, and ESOPs;
- non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements, including top-hat plans, 457(f) arrangements for employees of non-profit employers, and other types of nonqualified deferred compensation arrangements;
- equity-based compensation arrangements, including stock options, restricted stock, and phantom equity awards;
- health and welfare plans, including cafeteria, medical, disability, and severance plans and arrangements; and
- executive employment and consulting agreements, including change in control, and parachute payment arrangements.
- Provided employee benefits and executive compensation advice in connection with the following mergers, acquisitions, and spin-offs:
- Kerr-McGee Corporation’s $18 billion merger with Anadarko Petroleum;
- Hanesbrands Inc.’s spin-off from Sara Lee Corporation;
- JLG Industries, Inc.’s $3.2 billion merger with Oshkosh Truck Corporation; and
- Kerr-McGee Corporation’s spin-off and IPO of Tronox Inc. and related debt offerings.
- Advised a significant number of public and private employers with respect to nonqualified deferred compensation issues arising under Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code;
- Analyzed parachute payment liabilities arising in connection with various corporate transactions and recommended approaches for minimizing these liabilities;
- Assisted public and private companies in terminating their tax-qualified defined benefit plans;
- Obtained IRS approval under its Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System for employers to correct errors with respect to the operation of their 401(k) plans; and
- Advised plan fiduciaries regarding their obligations under ERISA, including their duties with respect to plan assets and plan expenses in employer-sponsored defined contribution plans.
April 7, 2020, Covington Alert
Boards of directors, compensation committees and executive officers have begun to confront the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their compensation programs. This alert highlights key considerations for public companies as they make important decisions regarding these programs.
March 6, 2020, Covington Alert
Businesses are rapidly developing strategies to continue functioning and protect their workforces in the face of the growing Coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak. For obvious reasons, businesses may want to deploy health screening, testing, and professional medical advice services—including telemedicine—to their employees and dependents. It is critical that ...
January 17, 2020
WASHINGTON—Covington represented Piramal Enterprises Limited in itsdefinitive agreement to sell Decision Resources Group to Clarivate Analytics plc, in a deal valued at $950 million. The $950 million purchase price includes $900 million in cash and approximately $50 million in Clarivate ordinary shares to be issued following the one-year anniversary of ...
April 5, 2019
WASHINGTON—Covington advised Elbit Systems of America, LLC, a subsidiary of Elbit Systems Ltd., in its definitive agreement with Harris Corporation for the acquisition of Harris' Night Vision business for a purchase price of $350 million. The closing of the transaction is subject to receipt of regulatory approvals. Elbit Systems Ltd. is an international high ...
August 9, 2018
WASHINGTON—Covington advised Emergent BioSolutions in its $270 million acquisition of PaxVax. PaxVax is majority owned by an affiliate of Cerberus Capital Management. Emergent is a global life sciences company focusing on providing specialty products for civilian and military populations that address public health threats. PaxVax is a company focused on ...
Few Execs Leave Money on the Table Upon Departure
July 16, 2018
Michael Francese is quoted in the Agenda regarding compensation guarantees for at-will executives. Francese says that almost all employees are technically employed “at will, in the sense that their employer can terminate their employment at any time for any nondiscriminatory reason.” He adds that the biggest advantage of an employment agreement is the severance ...
May 1, 2018
WASHINGTON—Covington advised Elbit Systems Ltd. in its $120 million acquisition of the assets and operations of the privately owned U.S. company, Universal Avionics Systems. Elbit Systems is an international high technology company engaged in a wide range of defense, homeland security, and commercial programs throughout the world. Universal Avionics is a ...
April 24, 2018, Inside Compensation
On Wednesday, April 18th, the SEC introduced a much-anticipated package of proposed rules and formal guidance concerning the standards of conduct for financial professionals. The more than 1,000-page proposal, which emerged eight years after Congress required the agency to conduct a study on the topic, addresses whether investment advisers and broker-dealers ...
March 20, 2018, Inside Compensation
Part of Our Series on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 Employers generally may deduct reasonable salaries and other compensation paid to their employees. However, section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code imposes a $1 million annual limit on the amount of compensation that a publicly held corporation can deduct with respect to...… Continue Reading
February 14, 2018, Covington Alert
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (the “Act”) became Pub. Law 115-97 on December 22, 2017. Many of its more startling provisions have become well known since then. Of less dramatic impact are several provisions affecting qualified employer plans, fringe benefits, and certain kinds of compensation. These provisions are described in this client alert. This client ...
January 22, 2018
WASHINGTON—Covington advised Bacardi Limited in its definitive agreement to acquire Patrón Spirits International AG and its PATRÓN® brand, the world’s top-selling ultra-premium tequila, from John Paul DeJoria, a founder of Patrón. The transaction reflects an enterprise value for Patrón of $5.1 billion. The transaction follows the successful relationship the ...
December 26, 2017
SILICON VALLEY—The Financial Times has recognized Covington among the most innovative firms in 2017 in the category of "Enabling Business Growth," for advising "Tencent in its acquisition of a $8.6bn majority stake in Supercell, the Finnish gaming company, while maintaining Supercell’s creative culture and retaining its employees by introducing incentive ...
November 30, 2017
WASHINGTON—Covington represented Aristocrat Leisure Limited in its $990 million acquisition of Big Fish Games, Inc. This acquisition expands Aristocrat’s Social Gaming business into new game genres. Aristocrat is a global provider of gaming solutions. It offers a diverse range of products and services including electronic gaming machines and casino management ...
November 2, 2017, Bloomberg
Michael Francese is quoted in a Bloomberg article regarding a new rule under the Republican tax plan that would eliminate write-offs for performance-linked pay. According to Francese, it’ll apply to new amounts earned and deferred after 2017, while existing balances will be subject to the new rule by 2026. Many companies will likely start phasing out their plans ...
January 30, 2017
WASHINGTON—Covington represented India-based Piramal Enterprises and its wholly owned Critical Care subsidiary in the UK in its agreement to acquire a portfolio of intrathecal spasticity and pain management drugs from Mallinckrodt LLC. The purchase price was $171 million, plus an earn-out of up to an additional $32 million. This is the third acquisition that ...
September 2016, The Banking Law Journal
Covington Represents Tencent in $8.6 Billion Acquisition
June 21, 2016
SILICON VALLEY—Covington advised Tencent Holdings Limited, a leading provider of internet service in China, in connection with its acquisition of a majority stake in Supercell from SoftBank. A consortium established by Tencent will acquire up to 84% of Supercell for $8.6 billion in a transaction valuing Supercell at approximately $10.2 billion. Supercell is a ...
April 27, 2016, Covington Alert
In late April 2016, federal financial regulators began the process of re-proposing rules (the “Proposal”) to implement restrictions on incentive-based compensation required by Section 956 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”). Section 956 directs a number of federal regulators (the “Agencies”) to jointly issue ...
March 10, 2016
NEW YORK — Covington represented MidFirst Bank in its acquisition of 1st Century Bancshares, Inc. 1st Century is a publicly traded bank-holding company of 1st Century Bank of Los Angeles. Simultaneously with the closing of the acquisition, 1st Century Bank will be merged into MidFirst Bank. Following these transactions, the business of 1st Century Bank will ...
January 26, 2016, Inside Compensation
As noted in our earlier blog post, the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2014 decision Fifth Third Bancorp v. Dudenhoeffer made clear that participants bringing stock-drop cases are subject to heightened pleading standards to help “divide the plausible sheep from the meritless goats.” In its first substantive ruling in a post-Dudenhoeffer stock-drop case, the U.S. Supreme ...
December 9, 2015
NEW YORK, December 9, 2015 - Covington advised Grupo P.I. Mabe, the leading producer of hygienic products in Mexico, on its sale to Ontex Group NV, a publicly listed company based in Belgium. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2016. The transaction will require regulatory approvals in Mexico, the US and certain other countries, and has ...
July 28, 2015, Inside Compensation
Although executive compensation has been under significant scrutiny for many years, directors’ compensation has flown somewhat under the radar. That may be about to change: in Calma v. Templeton, a Delaware court recently held that the level of compensation granted to non-employee directors should be reviewed under the “entire fairness” standard rather than ...
June 18, 2015
WASHINGTON, DC, June 18, 2015 — Covington advised Allergan plc in its acquisition of KYTHERA Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. for consideration having a fixed value of $75 per KYTHERA share, or approximately $2.1 billion, which will be paid 80 percent in cash and 20 percent in Allergan shares issued to KYTHERA shareholders. KYTHERA is a biopharmaceutical company ...
March 24, 2015, Inside Compensation
For sponsors and fiduciaries of employee benefit plans, the Amara case has presented many interesting and important issues that have been discussed at length in this blog and elsewhere. However, the most recent chapter in this long-running dispute has not garnered nearly as much attention as either the Supreme Court or Second Circuit decisions that...… Continue ...
January 16, 2015, Inside Compensation
The PBGC is proceeding with an initiative to collect information on what it calls “risk transfer activity” in defined benefit pension plans — essentially certain de-risking transactions — as part of the filing plan sponsors make when they pay PBGC premiums. If approved by the Office of Management and Budget, the PBGC’s draft new premium...… Continue Reading
October 7, 2014
LONDON, 7 October, 2014 — Covington & Burling advised Horizon Discovery Group plc, an AIM listed international life science company supplying research tools and services to organizations engaged in genomics research and the development of personalized medicines, on the acquisition of Sage Labs Inc. for a total of approximately $48 million (£29 million), ...
Covington Advises Samsung in PrinterOn Acquisition
September 19, 2014
REDWOOD SHORES, CA, September 19, 2014 — Covington & Burling advised Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. in its acquisition of Canadian cloud-printing firm PrinterOn. The acquisition is expected to enhance Samsung’s mobile cloud services to the business-to-business market. Under the terms of the agreement, Samsung purchased all outstanding stock from the current ...
July 8, 2014, Bloomberg
Catherine Dargan, Mike Riella, Deb Garza, John Gourary, Andrea Reister, Rob Heller, Mike Francese and Kerry Burke are mentioned regarding their representation of Aristocrat Leisure Ltd. "Covington & Burling LLP advised Aristocrat Leisure Ltd. (ALL), which agreed to buy Video Gaming Technologies Inc. for about $1.3 billion to triple its North American business ...
June 26, 2014, Inside Compensation
Yesterday, the Supreme Court issued its much anticipated decision in the stock-drop case, Fifth Third Bancorp v. Dudenhoeffer. The Court vacated the lower court decision that was adverse to the employer, Fifth Third Bancorp, and remanded the case to the lower courts for further proceedings. Fiduciaries of employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) had hoped ...
June 26, 2014
NEW YORK, June 26, 2014 — Covington & Burling advised MidFirst Bank in connection with its agreement to acquire Steele Street Bank. The acquisition, expected to close in the first quarter of 2015, is subject to shareholder and regulatory approval and other customary conditions. MidFirst, one of the five largest privately owned banks in the United States, is a ...
June 5, 2014
LONDON, 5 June, 2014 —Horizon Discovery Group plc, an AIM listed international life science company supplying research tools and services to organizations engaged in genomics research and the development of personalized medicines, announced its acquisition of the CombinatoRx service business and related assets from Nasdaq listed Zalicus Inc., a biopharmaceutical ...
Covington Advises Steve Ballmer on Clippers Purchase
5/30/2014
WASHINGTON, DC, May 30, 2014 — Covington & Burling advised Steve Ballmer on his agreement to purchase the Los Angeles Clippers from The Sterling Family Trust for $2 billion. "I will be honored to have my name submitted to the NBA board of governors for approval as the next owner of the Los Angeles Clippers. I love basketball," Ballmer said in a statement. "And ...
May 30, 2014, Law360 - 5 Must-Know Facts About Ballmer's $2B Clippers Bid
Covington advised Steve Ballmer on his agreement to purchase the Los Angeles Clippers from The Sterling Family Trust for $2 billion. The firm is mentioned in the above articles regarding the deal. Law360 writes, "Steve Ballmer is represented in the latest deal by a Covington & Burling LLP team led by Doug Gibson, Scott Roades and Peter Zern, including Rob ...
Covington Advises Forest Laboratories in $1.1 Billion Acquisition and $415 Million Royalty Monetization
April 27, 2014
NEW YORK, April 28, 2014 — Covington & Burling represented Forest Laboratories in a definitive agreement to acquire Furiex Pharmaceuticals, a drug development collaboration company, for up to $1.46 billion. The acquisition of Furiex expands Forest’s offerings in gastroenterology. Forest agreed to pay $95 per share in cash, or approximately $1.1 billion in the ...
Covington Advises BBVA in Acquisition of Simple
February 20, 2014
NEW YORK, February 20, 2014 — Covington & Burling represented Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, an international financial group based in Spain, in its acquisition of financial technology company Simple. The acquisition is part of BBVA's strategy to lead the technology-driven change that is transforming the financial services industry. According to Francisco ...
Covington Advises Natrogen on Agreements with Takeda
December 20, 2013
WASHINGTON, DC, December 20, 2013 — Covington & Burling advised Natrogen Therapeutics International in its agreement with Takeda Pharmaceuticals for the exclusive license for worldwide development of Natura-alpha, a synthetic small molecule oral compound that is believed to inhibit pro-inflammatory cytokine expression, as well as an option to acquire Natrogen. ...
December 17, 2013, Inside Compensation
The IRS has resolved some of the uncertainty surrounding in-plan Roth rollovers in Notice 2013-74. Even though it is late in 2013, employers can still allow Roth contributions and in-plan Roth rollovers in 2013 without adopting plan amendments until the end of 2014. 1. What Is an In-Plan Roth Rollover? Roth contributions have become an...… Continue Reading
11/07/2013
WASHINGTON, DC, November 7, 2013 — Salix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd., and Santarus, Inc. announced today that the companies have entered into a merger agreement where Salix will acquire all of the outstanding stock of Santarus for $32 in cash per share, for a total value of approximately $2.6 billion. Covington & Burling LLP is advising Salix on both the acquisition ...
June 20, 2013
WASHINGTON, DC, June 20, 2013 — Mike Francese, a partner in Covington’s employee benefits practice, testified on Tuesday before the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC). Speaking on behalf of the ERISA Industry Committee (ERIC), Mr. Francese raised concerns regarding PBGC’s proposal to modify rules governing reportable events. “PBGC has proposed ...
June 14, 2013, Inside Compensation
Regulatory safe harbors play a critical role in the design of employee benefit plans by: Providing concrete guidance on how to comply with the complex rules that govern plans; Facilitating efficient, effective and consistent plan administration; and Encouraging employers to establish and continue their employee benefit plans and furthering participants’ ...
Covington Advises MyPublisher in Shutterfly Merger
May 1, 2013
NEW YORK, May 1, 2013 — Covington & Burling advised MyPublisher, Inc., in its merger with Shutterfly, Inc., the leading digital retailer of personalized photo products. MyPublisher is one of the pioneers of high quality printed photo albums. The acquisition will combine MyPublisher's photo book technology and highly specialized manufacturing capabilities with ...
January 11, 2013, Inside Compensation
Employers are deluged with annual reporting requirements for their compensation and benefit plans. One requirement that often flies under the radar is the obligation to furnish and file Form 3921 for exercises of incentive stock options (“ISOs”) and Form 3922 for certain shares purchased under an employee stock purchase plan (“ESPP”). The deadline for ...
January 7, 2013
NEW YORK, January 7, 2013 — Covington & Burling advised Illumina, Inc. on its announced acquisition of Verinata Health, Inc. for cash consideration of $350 million plus up to $100 million in milestone payments through 2015. Upon completion of the acquisition, Illumina will have access to the Verinata’s verifi® prenatal test, the broadest non-invasive prenatal ...
December 11, 2012
LONDON, 11 December, 2012 — Covington & Burling acted as legal advisers to Meda in its acquisition of MidNite, an OTC sleep-aid product. Meda is a leading international specialty pharmaceutical company. The Covington team was led by partner Peter Laveran with assistance from Karen Brooks. The team also included Philip Young and trainee Philippe Bradley ...
November 28, 2012
NEW YORK, November 28, 2012— Covington & Burling is advising Grupo Financiero Banorte S.A.B. de C.V., and its affiliate Afore XXI Banorte, S.A. de C.V., in a $1.6-billion acquisition of Afore Bancomer, S.A. de C.V. from the Spanish bank, Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria S.A., which would create Mexico’s largest pension fund. Afore Bancomer is Mexico’s second ...
Covington Advises Meda on Acquisition of Jazz Pharmaceuticals’ Women’s Health Products
September 6, 2012
LONDON, 06 September, 2012 — Covington & Burling LLP acted as legal advisers to Meda in an agreement with Jazz Pharmaceuticals to acquire a portfolio of six pharmaceutical products for women for $95 million in cash. The largest and most important product in the portfolio is Elestrin, a patented product with sales of almost 100 MSEK, that doctors prescribe for ...
June 22, 2012
NEW YORK, June 22, 2012 — Covington & Burling advised Ascom Holding AG in its acquisition of GE Healthcare’s nurse call medical device business. The acquisition gives Ascom access to the North American nurse call market and creates opportunities to combine GE Nurse Call systems with Ascom’s existing mobility offering. With this acquisition, Ascom further ...
Covington Advises SandRidge Energy in $130 Million Sale of Tertiary Assets to Morgan Stanley Global Private Equity
June 4, 2012
NEW YORK, June 4, 2012 — Covington advised SandRidge Energy, Inc. on the sale of its non-core tertiary recovery business for $130 million to Morgan Stanley Global Private Equity portfolio company Trinity CO2 Investments. The divested properties are located in West Texas and currently produce approximately 1,100 barrels of oil per day. SandRidge Energy is an oil ...
April 23, 2012
WASHINGTON, DC, April 23, 2012 — Covington & Burling represented AstraZeneca in its $1.26 billion acquisition of Ardea Biosciences. Under the agreement, AstraZeneca will pay $32 per share for all of the outstanding shares of Ardea. AstraZeneca is a global, innovation-driven biopharmaceutical business with a primary focus on the discovery, development and ...
4/23/2012
NEW YORK, April 23, 2012 — Covington & Burling represented Thomson Reuters in a definitive agreement to sell its Healthcare business to an affiliate of Veritas Capital for $1.25 billion in cash. The sale, expected to close in the next few months, is subject to regulatory approval and customary closing conditions, including the expiration or termination of ...
April 13, 2012
WASHINGTON, DC, April 13, 2012 — Covington & Burling advised Tom Benson, the longtime owner of the New Orleans Saints, in his purchase of the New Orleans Hornets for an undisclosed sum. The purchase and related agreements were finalized this week. Closing is expected before the end of June. “I am very grateful to Bruce Wilson and the Covington team,” Mr. ...
Covington Advises SandRidge in $1.275 Billion Acquisition of Dynamic Offshore Resources and Related Financing
February 1, 2012
New York, February 1, 2012 — Covington & Burling advised SandRidge Energy, Inc. on its announced acquisition of Dynamic Offshore Resources, LLC for $1.275 billion in cash and stock. Under the agreement, SandRidge will pay about $680 million in cash and approximately 74 million shares of SandRidge common stock valued at $8.02 per share. Covington also advised ...
January 24, 2012
WASHINGTON, DC, January 24, 2012 — Covington & Burling LLP represented ChemGen Corp. in its definitive merger agreement with Eli Lilly and Company. Upon closing of the transaction, ChemGen will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Eli Lilly and an operating unit of Elanco, the animal health division of Eli Lilly. ChemGen, headquartered in Gaithersburg, ...
November 10, 2011
WASHINGTON, DC, November 10, 2011 — Covington & Burling represented Salix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd. in its agreement to acquire Oceana Therapeutics, Inc., a privately held global provider of gastroenterology and urology therapeutics, for $300 million in cash. “The acquisition of Oceana expands our product portfolio of innovative products, furthers the ...
July 22, 2011
NEW YORK, July 22, 2011 — Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and Amira Pharmaceuticals, Inc., have reported that the companies have signed a definitive agreement under which Bristol-Myers Squibb will acquire privately held Amira Pharmaceuticals. Covington & Burling LLP represented Bristol-Myers Squibb in the transaction. Under the terms of the agreement, ...
June 9, 2011
WASHINGTON, DC, June 10, 2011 — Covington & Burling LLP received 92 individual mentions and 32 practice mentions in the Legal 500 US 2011 edition. Legal 500 reviews the strengths and strategies of law firms in more than 90 countries in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, North and South America, and the Caribbean. Here are the Covington lawyers and practices ...
March 15, 2011
NEW YORK, March 15, 2011 — Covington & Burling LLP advised ClaimTrust, Inc. in the company’s recent sale to Craneware PLC (AIM: CRW.L). Craneware PLC is the market leader in automated revenue integrity solutions for the U.S. healthcare market. ClaimTrust, Inc. is a software-as-a-service revenue cycle technology provider to hospitals in the United States. The ...
February 22, 2011
NEW YORK, February 22, 2011 — Forest Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE: FRX) and Clinical Data, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLDA) announced today that they have entered into a merger agreement pursuant to which Forest will acquire Clinical Data, a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the development of first-in-class and best-in-category therapeutics. Covington & Burling LLP ...
January 11, 2011
NEW YORK, January 11, 2011 — Scout Partners LLC has announced that it has made a growth capital investment in The Hinckley Company. Terms of the transaction, which closed on December 30, 2010, were not disclosed. Covington & Burling LLP advised Scout Partners on the deal. Scout Partners, a partnership between David Howe and Peterson Capital LLC, was created ...
1/6/2011
NEW YORK, January 6, 2011 — Charlesbank Capital Partners has announced that it has acquired Peacock Engineering Company, LLC, a leading provider of outsourced food packaging and supply chain management services to many of the nation’s largest branded consumer products companies, from Behrman Capital. The terms of the transaction, which closed on December 21, ...
October 12, 2010
NEW YORK, October 12, 2010 — King Pharmaceuticals and Pfizer announced today that they have entered into an agreement for Pfizer to acquire all of the outstanding stock and stock equivalents of King for $14.25 in cash per share, or aggregate consideration of $3.6 billion. Covington & Burling LLP advised King on the transaction. King is a vertically integrated ...
September 21, 2010
NEW YORK, September 21, 2010 — Prestige Brands Holdings, Inc. has announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire 100% of the stock of Blacksmith Brands Holdings, Inc., a portfolio company of Charlesbank Capital Partners, for $190 million in cash. Covington & Burling LLP advised Charlesbank on the transaction, which is expected to close in ...
August 2, 2010
WASHINGTON, DC, August 2, 2010 — The Washington Post Company has today announced its agreement to sell Newsweek to a company owned by Dr. Sidney Harman, the founder and chairman emeritus of Harman International. Covington & Burling LLP advised The Washington Post Company on the transaction. The terms of the sale have not been announced. The Washington and New ...
Covington Advises SandRidge Energy on Closing of Merger with Arena Resources, Creating a $6.2 Billion Company
July 20, 2010
NEW YORK, July 20, 2010 — SandRidge Energy, Inc. has completed its acquisition of Arena Resources, Inc., creating a combined company with an enterprise value of approximately $6.2 billion. Covington & Burling LLP advised SandRidge Energy on the transaction. The merger closed on July 16 following special meetings of the stockholders of each company. The ...
July 15, 2010
WASHINGTON, DC, July 15, 2010 — Covington & Burling LLP is pleased to announce the signing of a Purchase Agreement for the sale of the Golden State Warriors, the NBA franchise based in Oakland, California, to an investor group led by Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers Managing Partner Joe Lacob and Mandalay Entertainment Group Chairman Peter Guber. The sale price ...
June 23, 2010
WASHINGTON, DC, June 23, 2010 — Covington & Burling LLP received 85 individual mentions and 23 practice mentions in the Legal 500 US 2010 edition. Legal 500 reviews the strengths and strategies of law firms in more than 90 countries in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, North and South America, and the Caribbean. Here are the Covington lawyers and practices ...
June 17, 2010
WASHINGTON, DC, June 17, 2010 — Arginetix, Inc. and Immune Control Inc. today announced their merger to form Corridor Pharmaceuticals, Inc., which will develop novel treatments for vascular diseases with an initial focus on pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Corridor, which will be based in Baltimore, Maryland, will develop treatments based on the ...
Covington Advises Charlesbank Capital Partners on Recapitalization of Cedar Creek Lumber
May 21, 2010
NEW YORK, May 21, 2010 — Charlesbank Capital Partners, LLC and Cedar Creek Lumber have announced a recapitalization whereby Charlesbank will acquire majority ownership of Cedar Creek. The transaction, which is structured as an asset purchase, will provide the Cedar Creek business with capital to grow organically and expand within the wholesale building materials ...
Scott Smith Named Am Law’s ‘Dealmaker of the Week’
April 12, 2010
NEW YORK, April 12, 2010 — Covington & Burling LLP’s Scott Smith has been named “Dealmaker of the Week” by The Am Law Daily. Mr. Smith, chair of the firm’s M&A and private equity practices, was recognized for advising SandRidge Energy in its acquisition of Arena Resources, a deal that was announced April 4. The other members of the New York and Washington ...
Covington Advises CVG in Merger with Integral Systems
March 15, 2010
WASHINGTON, DC, March 15, 2010 — CVG, Incorporated (“CVG”) has announced its merger with Integral Systems, Inc. in a deal valued at $34.675 million. Covington & Burling LLP advised CVG on the transaction. CVG and its subsidiary, Avtec systems, Inc., based in Chantilly, Virginia, provide secure satellite-based communication solutions to government and commercial ...
December 17, 2009
NEW YORK, December 17, 2009 — Ethicon, Inc., a Johnson & Johnson company and a worldwide leader in surgical care, and Acclarent, Inc., a privately held medical technology company dedicated to designing, developing and commercializing devices that address conditions affecting the ear, nose and throat, have announced a definitive merger agreement whereby Ethicon ...
Covington Advises Procter & Gamble on $3.1B Sale of Global Pharmaceuticals Business to Warner Chilcott
8/24/2009
NEW YORK, NY, August 24, 2009 — Procter & Gamble today announced the sale of its global pharmaceuticals business to Warner Chilcott Ltd. Covington & Burling LLP advised Procter & Gamble on the transaction. Procter & Gamble is a leading global branded products company, with one of the strongest portfolios of quality, leadership brands in consumer health and ...
Covington Advises Energy Conversion Devices on Acquisition of Solar Integrated Technologies
7/22/2009
WASHINGTON, DC, July 22, 2009 — Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. (ECD), a NASDAQ-listed leading global manufacturer of thin-film flexible solar laminate products for the building integrated and commercial rooftop markets, and Solar Integrated Technologies, Inc. (SIT), an AIM-listed leading provider of building integrated photovoltaic roofing systems, today ...
July 16, 2009
NEW YORK, NY, July 16, 2009 — Snow Phipps Group, LLC, a private equity firm, announced on July 7 that it had completed the acquisition of ITS Holding Company (ITSolutions), a leading information technology services provider to US government civilian, national security, and intelligence agencies, along with Mr. Stefan Lalos, co-founder and CEO of ITSolutions. ...
4/10/2009
NEW YORK, NY, April 10, 2009 — First Solar, Inc. has announced the completion of its previously announced acquisition of OptiSolar’s project development business. Covington & Burling LLP advised OptiSolar on the deal. OptiSolar is a California-based independent power producer committed to delivering clean, competitively priced electricity to the power grid from ...
January 29, 2009, Covington E-Alert
October 21, 2008, Covington E-Alert
October 10, 2008, Covington E-Alert
October 3, 2008, Covington E-Alert
Covington Advises bioMérieux on AviaraDx Acquisition
9/18/2008
SAN FRANCISCO, CA, September 18, 2008 — BioMérieux announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire privately held AviaraDx, Inc. for $60 million. BioMérieux plans to keep AviaraDx as an independent legal entity called bioTheranostics, Inc. Covington & Burling LLP advised bioMérieux on the transaction. BioMérieux, based in France, specializes in the in ...
8/7/2008
WASHINGTON, DC, August 7, 2008 — On August 5, Intercell AG completed its acquisition of Iomai Corporation (now known as Intercell USA, Inc.) in a deal that will create a leading traveler’s vaccine portfolio. Covington & Burling LLP advised Intercell on the transaction. Intercell is a growing biotechnology company which focuses on the design and development of ...
Covington Advises Pfizer on Acquisition of Serenex
3/3/2008
NEW YORK, NY, March 3, 2008 — Pfizer Inc. announced today that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Serenex Inc., a privately held biotechnology company. Covington & Burling LLP advised Pfizer on the transaction. Pfizer, the world’s largest research-based biomedical and pharmaceutical company, discovers and develops innovative medicines to treat and help ...
2/1/2008
SAN FRANCISCO, CA, February 2, 2008 — Covington & Burling LLP advised Schwab Performance Technologies in its acquisition of RIA back office outsourcing provider Etelligent Consulting, Inc. Financial terms of the transaction have not been disclosed. Founded in 1985, Schwab Performance Technologies is a subsidiary of The Charles Schwab Corporation and a leading ...
1/28/2008
WASHINGTON, DC, January 28, 2008 — LX Networks LLC, a leading producer of local television and broadband video programming under the LX.TV name, has been acquired by the NBC Local Media Division of NBC Universal. The announcement was made today. Covington & Burling LLP advised LX Networks in the deal. Founded in 2006 and based in New York, LX’s programming ...
1/8/2008
WASHINGTON, DC, January 8, 2008 — Joy Global Inc., a worldwide leader in high-productivity mining solutions, reported today that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire 100% of the stock of NES Investment, Co., the parent holding company of Continental Global Inc. Continental designs, manufactures, installs and services highly engineered bulk material ...
1/2/2008
NEW YORK, NY, January 2, 2008 — Pfizer announced on December 31 that it has completed the cash tender offer for the outstanding shares of common stock of Coley Pharmaceutical Group, Inc., a publicly-held biopharmaceutical company specializing in vaccine adjuvant technology and a new class of immunomodulatory drug candidates designed to fight cancers, allergy and ...
Covington Advises Pfizer on Acquisition of CovX
12/18/2007
NEW YORK, NY, December 18, 2007 — Pfizer Inc. announced today that it has entered into an agreement to acquire CovX, a privately-held biotherapeutics company. Covington & Burling LLP advised Pfizer on the transaction. Pfizer, the world’s largest research-based biomedical and pharmaceutical company, discovers and develops innovative medicines to treat and help ...
11/01/2007
NEW YORK, NY, November 1, 2007 — Mainfreight Limited has completed its acquisition of AMEX-listed Target Logistics, Inc. in an all-cash transaction. Covington & Burling LLP advised Mainfreight on the transaction. Mainfreight is a global supply chain logistics provider with approximately 3,000 team members based in operations in New Zealand, Australia, Asia, and ...
10/15/2007
WASHINGTON, DC, October 15, 2007 — Covington & Burling LLP advised The Washington Post Company in its acquisition of CourseAdvisor, Inc. The Washington Post Company is a diversified media and education company whose principal operations include newspaper and magazine publishing, educational and career services, television broadcasting, cable television systems, ...
8/7/2007
LONDON, 7 August, 2007 — Covington & Burling LLP announces its role in advising US biotechnology company Northwest Biotherapeutics, Inc. on its admission to AIM and £15 million placing, which valued the company at approximately £68 million on a fully-diluted basis. The transaction was particularly complex due to Northwest's quotation on the OTC Bulletin Board in ...
June 26, 2007
NEW YORK, NY, June 26, 2007 — The GSI Group, Inc. announced that its parent company, GSI Holdings Corp., which is controlled by Charlesbank Capital Partners, has entered into an agreement pursuant to which affiliates of Centerbridge Partners, L.P. will acquire a majority stake. Covington & Burling LLP advised The GSI Group and Charlesbank Capital Partners on the ...
4/16/2007
NEW YORK, NY, April 16, 2007 — The Thomson Corporation closed the sale of its Thomson Medical Education business to ABRY Partners, a Boston based private equity firm. Covington & Burling LLP advised The Thomson Corporation on the transaction. The Thomson Corporation is a leading global provider of integrated information-based solutions to business and ...
Covington Advises Pfizer in Acquisition of BioRexis
February 1, 2007
NEW YORK, NY, February 1, 2007 — Covington & Burling LLP advised Pfizer in the acquisition of BioRexis, a privately held biopharmaceutical company. The transaction is expected to close in the first or second quarter of 2007. The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.BioRexis is developing long-acting GLP-1 receptor agonists for the potential ...
January 17, 2007
NEW YORK, NY, January 17, 2007 — Evraz Group S.A. announced that it successfully completed its tender offer for Oregon Steel Mills, Inc. (NYSE: OS) common stock for $63.25 per share, with approximately 91.5% of the outstanding shares of common stock of Oregon Steel Mills tendered into the offer. The tender offer was the first step of the previously announced ...
Covington Advises Abbott Laboratories in $3.7 Billion Acquisition of Kos Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
11/06/2006
NEW YORK, NY, November 6, 2006 — Abbott Laboratories (NYSE: ABT) announced the acquisition of Kos Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: KOSP) through a cash tender offer of $78.00 per common share, or $3.7 billion. Covington & Burling LLP represented Abbott in the transaction. Abbott is a global, broad-based health care company devoted to the discovery, development, ...
Covington Advises JLG Industries in $3.2 Billion Merger into Oshkosh Truck Corporation
10/16/2006
WASHINGTON, D.C., October 16, 2006 — The board of directors of JLG Industries, Inc. (NYSE: JLG) has approved an all cash offer of $28.00 per common share to merge with, and become, a subsidiary of Oshkosh Truck Corporation (NYSE: OSK). According to JLG’s press release, the $3.2 billion merger is dependent on the approval of JLG shareholders. The transaction is ...
Covington Advises Hanesbrands in Spin-Off from Sara Lee
9/29/2006
<?xml:namespace prefix="st1"?><st1:state w:st="on">WASHINGTON</st1:state>, D.C., September 29, 2006 — <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Covington</st1:place></st1:city> represented Hanesbrands Inc. in its recent spin-off from the Sara Lee Corporation. Hanesbrands began trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol HBI on September 6. ...
- Chambers USA, Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation (2020)
- Legal 500 US, Labor & Employment: Employee Health and Retirement Plans (2017) Labor & Employment: Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation (2013-2015), and Litigation: Supreme Court and Appellate (2012)
- Washington DC Super Lawyers, Employee Benefits/ERISA (2013-2020)
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