Ms Faiza Saeed > Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP > New York, United States > Lawyer Profile

Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP has amassed considerable experience in handling transformative transactions, including as acquisitions, divestitures and financings, for a raft of blue-chip media and entertainment clients. In New York, practice head and firmwide presiding partner Faiza Saeed is sought out by public companies, boards of directors and special committees for assistance with M&A, corporate governance, takeover defense, and crisis management work. Her transactional prowess was notably demonstrated in her recent assistance to Hasbro in connection with the $500m sale of its Entertainment One film and TV business to Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.

Cementing its status as a market-leading outfit for high-value M&A, the team at Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP demonstrates extensive expertise in handling cross-border joint ventures, divestitures, and strategic investments. Drawing upon a deep bench of seasoned corporate lawyers, the department regularly advises global companies in the pharmaceutical, finance, and digital sectors on a wide range of transactional matters. With the outfit operating entirely out of New York, presiding partner Faiza Saeed is highly regarded for her corporate governance and crisis management work, while co-head Mark Greene focuses primarily on complex restructuring matters and private equity deals. Co-head Robert Townsend is an expert in international M&A and activist defense proceedings, and George Schoen routinely counsels corporations and their directors on fiduciary duty issues. Co-head Richard Hall is a specialist in managing strategic partnerships in the renewable energy field, Ting Chen is knowledgeable on corporate activism matters, and Aaron Gruber oversees general corporate affairs. Keith Hallam left the team in March 2024.

Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP is an experienced name for advising boards of directors and executive management under threat from shareholder activism. The group is adept at giving preventative advice to protect against activist attacks, and when campaigns take place the team has strength both in settlements and proxy fights. The practice has historically acted for some of the largest global corporations in a spread of sectors, including recently acting for Disney in a proxy contest. Robert Townsend is the leading figure in the New York-based practice and focuses on activist defense as well as M&A and general corporate governance. He is supported by more junior partner Daniel Cerqueira, whose practice has a similar breadth of expertise across corporate and M&A. Other notable contacts are presiding partner Faiza Saeed; corporate head Mark Greene; George Schoen, who co-leads the global M&A practice with Townsend; and EMEA M&A practice head Richard Hall.