2019 Adviser Awards

Kirkland had one of the most active law firm M&A practices in 2019, with the team advising on a number of high-profile M&A deals including transactions for Bristol-Myers Squibb in its $90 billion acquisition of Celgene, and Callon Petroleum’s defense of its acquisition of Carrizo Oil & Gas against opposition from Paulson & Co.

According to Kirkland partner Shaun Mathew, "On the one hand, activism continues to play a meaningful role in catalyzing M&A activity, as nearly half of activist demands this year boiled down to some version of 'just sell the company' or 'sell some assets...' Activists are keenly aware that M&A transactions create significant vulnerability because both buyer and seller have so much at stake, and they attempt to exploit that vulnerability to advance their objective."