Mr Edward Lee > Kirkland & Ellis LLP > New York, United States > Lawyer Profile

Kirkland & Ellis LLP
601 LEXINGTON AVENUE
NEW YORK, NY 10022
NEW YORK
United States
Edward Lee photo

Position

Edward J. Lee is a corporate partner in the New York office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. Ed’s practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance and shareholder activism defense.

Ed is recognized as one of the 500 leading lawyers in America by Lawdragon. Ed has been recognized as a leading lawyer and as “highly regarded” within the M&A practice by IFLR1000, and as a “Rising Star” in Corporate/M&A by Expert Guides. Recently, Ed was one of six M&A lawyers recognized by Law360 as a Rising Star under 40.

Ed has deep experience advising major public companies and private equity firms on their most significant domestic and cross-border M&A transactions, as well as on spin-offs and carve-outs, joint ventures, and initial public and other complex securities offerings. Since 2019, Ed has advised on M&A transactions valued at over $300 billion. Ed has also advised numerous boards of directors and senior management teams in connection with unsolicited takeover proposals, as well as in response to shareholder activism campaigns and other contested situations involving, among others, Elliott Management, Jana Partners, Sachem Head, Third Point, Pershing Square, Relational Investors, and Starboard Value.

He has advised a broad range of public and private clients across industries, including software and technology (including early stage, pre-revenue technology companies), aerospace & defense, media and telecom, industrial, chemicals, health care and pharmaceuticals, gaming, consumer goods and retail, energy, real estate and financial institutions.

Ed is a frequent speaker on M&A and shareholder activism, including co-chairing PLI’s Shareholder Activism conference in 2018–2020.

Lawyer Rankings

United States > Media, technology and telecoms > Media and entertainment: transactional

Kirkland & Ellis LLP serves media and entertainment clients across the US as part of its technology and IP transactions practice group. The team benefits from the firm’s expertise in M&A, debt finance and capital markets to advice media clients on transactions often involving intangible assets and technology assets. The team has also assists with joint ventures, strategic partnerships, licensing, promotions and other commercial agreements with TV personalities, artists and athletes. Seth Traxler sits in Chicago and is the go-to for carve out transactions as well as joint ventures, acquisitions and sales. Over in New York, Edward Lee assists with both cross-border and domestic M&As, Allison Wein focuses on cross-border and contested transactions and Shellie Freedman often handles transactions involving IP and technology aspects.

United States > M&A/corporate and commercial > M&A: large deals ($1bn+)

Equipped to handle the full spread of cross-border and high-profile M&A work, Kirkland & Ellis LLP is revered for its experience in the full gamut of M&A activity. Regularly engaged by public and private companies, boards of directors, and financial advisors and sponsors, the group operates out of the firm’s New York office. Industry veteran Daniel Wolf represents private equity firms in contested transactions, traditional M&A, and activism defense and corporate governance, whereas Jonathan Davis advises global household name brands and investment banks on public and private M&A. Sarkis Jebejian draws from his decades of experience to lead on top deals, a recent highlight being Six Flags’ $8bn merger of equals with Cedar Fair. Edward Lee focuses on spin-offs, carve-outs, and joint ventures, while David Klein assists strategic and sponsor clients on various high-value M&A mandates. David Feirstein primarily aids private equity firms on corporate matters. Graham Robinson joined in Boston from Skadden, specialising in life sciences and tech deals.