John Clarke > DLA Piper LLP (US) > New York, United States > Lawyer Profile

DLA Piper LLP (US) continues to forge a track record of success in M&A litigation, not least through its lead partners John Clarke in New York and head of Delaware litigation John Reed in Wilmington. The firm’s Delaware office increasingly puts it in pole position for high-stakes cases, a prime example being Reed’s work for MSG Networks in a post-closing action alleging breach of fiduciary duty by directors in approving the 2021 acquisition of the company by Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. The firm is frequently involved in mid-market transactions and consequent litigation, but it also plays a prominent role in many high-value matters, and Clarke’s work for Bristol-Myers Squibb in an action concerning its 2019 merger with Celgene Corporation is just one example. The firm is active across the US, with Melanie Walker in Los Angeles, Benjamin Schuman in Baltimore, and Jason Hopkins in Dallas all playing central roles in key matters.

Clients praise DLA Piper LLP (US) for its ‘excellent subject matter expertise’. The firm is best known for its work on behalf of companies in the life sciences, financial services, insurance and technology sectors. The co-chairs of the practice, John Clarke in New York and Melanie Walker in Los Angeles, are highly respected for complex litigation and internal investigations involving securities and financial instruments. Experienced LA-based partner Richard Zelichov is ‘extremely diligent and very creative’. He recently assisted former officers of Workhorse with the resolution of a securities class and nine derivative suits concerning statements about  its participation in the proposal process for a next generation delivery vehicle for the USPS. Seasoned trial and appellate lawyer John Hillebrecht in New York and former SEC attorney Jason Lewis in Dallas are also key members of the practice.