Kerry E Berchem > Akin > New York, United States > Lawyer Profile

Akin
ONE BRYANT PARK
NEW YORK, NY 10036
NEW YORK
United States
Kerry E Berchem photo

Work Department

Partner; Corporate & Finance

Position

Kerry Berchem, with more than three decades of M&A, securities and governance experience, is a trusted advisor to boards of directors and C-suites. She principally represents public and private companies, including pre- and post- reorganized companies, on transactional, special situations, business, operational and fiduciary matters. Ms. Berchem has particular expertise in complex, event driven transactions. Recent matters include representing Starboard Value Acquisition Corp. in its $3.4 billion merger with Cyxtera Technologies, Verso Corp. in connection with its $400 million asset sale and hostile proxy contest, a private company in connection with a $1.2 billion asset acquisition and related financing, and a public company in connection with its strategic alternatives review. Ms. Berchem also acts as outside general counsel to several companies. She is currently a member of Akin Gump’s Management Committee, co-chairs the firm’s ESG and Corporate Governance groups, and is the former chair of both the firm’s Corporate Practice and Audit and Finance Committee.

To learn more about Kerry, please visit her full profile: https://www.akingump.com/en/lawyers-advisors/kerry-e-berchem.html

Memberships

New York and Connecticut Bar Associations. Member, New York City Bar Association, M&A Committee

Education

BA, Yale University (1988); JD Tulane University Law School (1991).

Lawyer Rankings

United States > M&A/corporate and commercial > Corporate governance

The workload at Akin‘s diverse practice comprises advice on best practice governance structures, ESG programs, and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Kerry E Berchem in New York heads up the team, with John Goodgame in Houston also a key player: The former co-chairs the firm’s ESG group; while the latter is notable for his advice to boards of directors, board committees, and controlling stockholders regarding corporate governance and Securities and Exchange Commission compliance. The team continues to expand, with a number of corporate governance-focused hires made during 2022.