Herrick, Feinstein LLP

Corporate

Partner; Executive Chairman; Co-Chair, Sports Law Group

Irwin Kishner is Herrick's Executive Chairman and a member of the firm's Corporate Department. He is also the past chair of the firm's Corporate Department, a role in which he served from January 1998 to January 2014.

Irwin concentrates his practice in general corporation law with an emphasis on sophisticated transactional work, including mergers and acquisitions, sports law, private equity, securities law, corporate restructurings and reorganizations, new media law, venture capital, joint venture, entertainment law, corporate finance and lending, intellectual property and licensing, employment law, equity and debt offerings and syndications in both the public and private context.

He has handled numerous mergers and acquisitions, both hostile and friendly, on behalf of acquirers, targets, and investment banks. The range of transactions includes proxy contests, joint ventures, self-tender offers, third party and spin-offs, taking public companies private, and other forms of corporate restructurings. Irwin's practice also includes advising financial institutions and investment advisors on regulatory issues, derivatives and other financial instruments, as well as private equity and venture capital funds and investors in onshore and offshore fund formation, and portfolio company acquisitions and sales. He has successfully structured, negotiated, supervised and closed many financing and capital raising transactions, including private placements, initial public offerings, PIPEs, hedge fund convertible security investments, secured and mezzanine loan facilities, project finance, workouts, reorganizations, equity and debt restructurings and negotiation of intercreditor relationships. Irwin has also represented clients in a number of high-profile senior executive employment and severance agreements and compensation packages as well as numerous corporations in the administration and establishment of employee compensation plans. Corporate boards and audit and special committees also turn to Irwin for advice on such matters as corporate governance and corporate restructurings.

He represents a number of professional sports franchises and has acted as primary counsel on several high profile team acquisitions and dispositions in all of the major sports leagues; cable television and radio contracts; internet and intellectual property rights; joint ventures; credit facilities; advertising and sponsorship contracts; gaming and wagering matters; development and naming rights agreements; franchise transfers and financings; major event and tournament promotions; and seat license agreements for stadiums and arenas. He has acted as lead counsel in all aspects of eleven major stadium transactions, most significantly the new Yankee Stadium, and also represents financial institutions and bond insurers in stadium finance matters and loans to teams and team owners.

English

American Bar Association

New York City Bar Association

New York County Lawyers Association

NHL Coaches' Association

TAGLaw®

Sessions.edu

The Sports Lawyers Association

Professional Sports and the Law

Boston University School of Law (J.D., magna cum laude, 1987)

Boston University Graduate School of Management (M.B.A, 1988)

Tulane University (magna cum laude)

Phi Beta Kappa