Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner continues to represent US retailers, manufacturers, and global technology and pharmaceutical companies in a growing number of M&A-related disputes. The firm is ‘exceptionally strong in the St. Louis, Missouri market’, where practice heads Herb Giorgio and Mark Leadlove are particularly active. Fellow co-head of M&A disputes Meryl Macklin is based in San Francisco. Clients appreciate their ‘expertise and knowledge of the local courts’ and pick out Leadlove for his ‘valuable experience with regard to telecommunications and tax law’. The litigators work closely with the firm’s highly regarded middle-market M&A practice to handle pre-dispute, enforcement and defense issues, including the assessment of critical due diligence issues, contract negotiations and risk mitigation.
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'For purposes of the litigation they are handling for me, they are exceptionally strong in the St. Louis, Missouri market and I appreciate their expertise and knowledge of the local courts.'
- 'Mark Leadlove, in particular, has valuable experience with regard to telecommunications and tax law in the State of Missouri and with the courts in St. Louis, Missouri.'
Key clients
- AeroGrow International, Inc., et al.
- Shahriar Ekbatani, et al.
- Curium US LLC
- Bed Bath & Beyond
- Leprino Foods
- Rise Broadband
- Mallinckrodt
- Connorex-Lucinda, LLC
- Craneware Plc.
Work highlights
- Based in Boulder, Colorado, AeroGrow International, Inc. focuses on the development, marketing, direct-selling, and wholesale of indoor garden systems for consumer use. The firm is representing the client in Overbrook Capital LLC v. AeroGrow International, Inc., et al., in a special committee of board of directors in shareholder litigation over sale of company that involves shareholder dispute and dissenters’ rights over price for sale of company’s stock.
- Successfully defended a billion-dollar lawsuit filed against Leprino Foods Company and its majority shareholders, including Chairman and CEO James G. Leprino, ending nearly two and a half years of litigation. After a two-week jury trial, a Denver jury rejected claims from the plaintiffs, the Company’s minority shareholders and Mr. Leprino’s nieces, that the defendants breached their fiduciary duties to them and returned a full defense verdict, awarding the plaintiffs nothing.
- Lead counsel in Community Care Health Network LLC v. Shahriar Ekbatani, et al., an M&A disputes and antitrust case involving claims for $160 million against client and $75 million brought by client, arising out of client’s sale of its business to plaintiff.
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Herb Giorgio, Meryl Macklin, Mark Leadlove