Ropes & Gray LLP acts for a host of companies, investors and individual board members on shareholder activism issues. The team gives ongoing counsel on shareholder engagement, while also acting in proxy contests and pre-contest negotiations. The firm’s transactional department works closely with the shareholder activism practitioners to advise on issues relating to M&A. The Boston office is a key location for the practice group, housing department head Jeffrey Katz, who focuses on corporate governance and has a wealth of investment fund clients. Also in Boston, Paul Kinsella and Amy Roy are experienced lawyers to note, while more junior partner Tara Fisher is building shareholder activism experience in her transactional practice. Ariel Deckelbaum joined the firm’s New York office from Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP in March 2023, working alongside Martin Crisp and Jackie Cohen.
Key clients
- Sculptor Capital
- United States Commodity Funds
- TravelCenters of America
- Independent Trustees of Nuveen Floating Rate Income Fund
- Paratek Pharmaceuticals
- Skillsoft
- CIRCOR
- Novavax Inc.
Work highlights
- Represented Sculptor Capital in its sale to Rithm Capital Corp. and engagement with shareholder Dan Och as well as a topping bid.
- Represented Paratek Pharmaceuticals in M&A activism and in its $462m sale to healthcare fund Gurnet Point Capital and Novo Holdings.
- Represented CIRCOR in its sale to KKR and engagement with a topping bid from Arcline Investment Management.
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Jeffrey Katz