Sidley Austin LLP > Chicago, United States > Firm Profile
Sidley Austin LLP Offices
ONE SOUTH DEARBORN
CHICAGO, IL 60603
ILLINOIS
United States
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Sidley Austin LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings
M&A/corporate and commercial > Shareholder activism Tier 1
Sidley Austin LLP has a strong track record and market reputation in shareholder activism, both domestically and internationally, and is ‘full of skilled attorneys‘ who work on high profile activism matters for household name clients such as The New York Times Company. The team includes two specialist activism and takeover defense practitioners in Derek Zaba, who splits his time between Palo Alto and New York, and Kai Liekefett in New York, with the pair referred to as ‘great lawyers who have a very good practice representing public companies defending against activist investors’, and are well supported by Jessica Wood in New York, who has represented a wide range of public companies against shareholder activism. Leonard Wood in Houston was promoted to partner in January 2023, and is a key team member experienced in takeover defense, with specialist expertise in investor pressure connected to ESG issues.Practice head(s):
Kai Liekefett; Derek Zaba
Other key lawyers:
Beth Berg; Jessica Wood, Leonard Wood
Testimonials
‘Full of skilled attorneys.’
‘Derek Zaba and Kai Liekefett are great lawyers who have a very good practice representing public companies defending against activist investors.’
‘Deep experience and leadership in area of activism defense. A practice singularly focused in this area and with partners who are respected in the industry.‘
Key clients
The New York Times
Hasbro, Inc.
Box, Inc.
Alkermes, Inc.
Zendesk, Inc.
Momentive Global Inc.
SpartanNash Company
US Foods Holding Corporation
Peloton Interactive
LivePerson, Inc.
TreeHouse Foods, Inc.
Comtech Telecommunications Corp.
CytoDyn, Inc.
Blucora, Inc.
Quotient Technology Inc.
NiSource, Inc.
UBS Puerto Rico Family of Funds
Medallion Financial Corp.
UpHealth, Inc.
International Flavors & Fragrances Inc.
Work highlights
- Representing The New York Times in its activism campaign defense against ValueAct Capital Partners.
- Represented Hasbro in its successful proxy contest against hedge fund Alta Fox.
- Represented Box in its successful proxy contest defense against Starboard Value, which was Starboard’s first defeat in a proxy contest in nearly a decade.
Environment > Environment: litigation
Dispute resolution > Appellate: courts of appeals / Appellate: supreme courts (states and federal)
Finance > Structured finance: securitization Tier 2
Insurance > Insurance: non-contentious Tier 2
International trade > Trade remedies and trade policy Tier 2
Dispute resolution > International arbitration Tier 3
Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: consumer products (including tobacco) Tier 3
Environment > Environment: regulatory Tier 3
Environment > Environment: transactional Tier 3
Finance > Capital markets: debt offerings
Finance > Structured finance: derivatives and structured products Tier 3
International trade > Customs, export controls and economic sanctions Tier 3
Media, technology and telecoms > Cyber law (including data privacy and data protection) Tier 3
With the May 2022 arrival of David Lashway, John Woods, Jennifer Seale and Jonathan Wilan from Baker McKenzie LLP, Sidley Austin LLP’s Washington DC-centered practice has deepened its expertise in the data privacy and cybersecurity space. The team is called upon to advise leading technology companies and public companies on global and critical malware and ransomware matters that require international regulatory engagement, law enforcement coordination, breach notifications and SEC disclosures. Practice co-heads Alan Charles Raul and Lashway advise clients on global regulatory compliance, data breaches and crisis management with the former focusing on issues concerning national security, constitutional and administrative law. Lashway is also known for his expertise in advising on incident responses to critical infrastructure attacks, national-level misinformation-related issues and data due diligence assistance as part of corporate transactions. Colleen Theresa Brown is the key contact for emerging technology issues, working on the full range of mandates. Clients in the financial sector rely on Woods’ advice concerning global responses to data integrity attacks. Seale brings experience in handling complex cybersecurity investigations. Clayton Northouse departed the firm in April 2022.Practice head(s):
Alan Charles Raul; David Lashway
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘The team has deep expertise in privacy and cybersecurity and provides great guidance across the board. They have a long history on working with these issues and provide expert guidance on short notice.’
‘Alan Raul has long time deep expertise on cybersecurity and privacy laws stemming from a background in administrative law.
‘Colleen Brown is an excellent privacy attorney working closely with the financial services industry and providing expert advice.’
Key clients
WatchGuard Technologies, Inc.
WW
AT&T
Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association
Stonepeak
Clearlake Capital Group L.P.
nCino, Inc
Work highlights
- Represented a technology company in a highly sensitive cybersecurity matter regarding the Cyclops Blink malware by a Russian threat actor.
- Advising AT&T on a broad range of privacy and cybersecurity issues, including advising on communications, satellite and cable privacy, location data privacy, and general privacy under the FTC and Telecom Acts, as well as under state (such as CCPA and CPRA) and international laws.
- Advising SIFMA on financial privacy, cross-border, cybersecurity, and emerging technology issues.
Media, technology and telecoms > Technology transactions Tier 3
Energy > Energy transactions: oil and gas Tier 4
Finance > Capital markets: equity offerings
Finance > Project finance Tier 4
Healthcare > Life sciences Tier 4
Insurance > Advice to insurers Tier 4
Labor and employment > Employee benefits, executive compensation and retirement plans: transactional Tier 5
M&A/corporate and commercial > Private equity buyouts: large deals ($500m+)
Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: pharmaceuticals and medical devices
Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: toxic tort
Investment fund formation and management > Mutual/registered/exchange-traded funds
Media, technology and telecoms > Telecoms and broadcast: transactions
Media, technology and telecoms > Media and entertainment: transactional
Real estate > Real estate investment trusts (REITs)
Finance > Capital markets: high-yield debt offerings
- M&A/corporate and commercial > Shareholder activism
- Environment > Environment: litigation
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Dispute resolution > Appellate: courts of appeals / Appellate: supreme courts (states and federal)
- Finance > Structured finance: securitization
- Insurance > Insurance: non-contentious
- International trade > Trade remedies and trade policy
Firm Rankings
- Dispute resolution > International arbitration
- Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: consumer products (including tobacco)
- Environment > Environment: regulatory
- Environment > Environment: transactional
- Finance > Capital markets: debt offerings
- Finance > Structured finance: derivatives and structured products
- International trade > Customs, export controls and economic sanctions
- Media, technology and telecoms > Cyber law (including data privacy and data protection)
- Media, technology and telecoms > Technology transactions
- Energy > Energy transactions: oil and gas
- Finance > Capital markets: equity offerings
- Finance > Project finance
- Healthcare > Life sciences
- Insurance > Advice to insurers
- Labor and employment > Employee benefits, executive compensation and retirement plans: transactional
- M&A/corporate and commercial > Private equity buyouts: large deals ($500m+)
- Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: pharmaceuticals and medical devices
- Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: toxic tort
- Investment fund formation and management > Mutual/registered/exchange-traded funds
- Media, technology and telecoms > Telecoms and broadcast: transactions
- Media, technology and telecoms > Media and entertainment: transactional
- Real estate > Real estate investment trusts (REITs)
- Finance > Capital markets: high-yield debt offerings