Lawrence Elbaum > Vinson & Elkins LLP > New York, United States > Lawyer Profile

The broad shareholder activism practice at Vinson & Elkins LLP covers defense matters for clients across all industries and market capitalizations. Its capabilities encompass the full range of work in the area, including proxy contests, “just vote no” campaigns, hostile takeover attempts, merger contests, short attacks, and other activist challenges. Practice leaders Patrick Gadson and Lawrence Elbaum both have dedicated practices in shareholder activism, assisting with competitive proxy solicitations, strategic investor relations, and corporate governance. Elbaum is admired for his ‘great rapport with clients‘, and Gadson draws together complementary expertise across private equity, M&A, and shareholder activism. Supporting the practice heads are Anita Balasubramanian, Desiree Baca, and Brett Peace, who all have broad experience across corporate and securities law. Above named lawyers are all based in New York, save for Peace, who is at the Houston office.

Vinson & Elkins LLP has ‘deep industry knowledge‘ in its complex commercial litigation practice, many of whom handle high-stakes securities cases. Chris Popov in Houston leads that practice, with Dallas-based Craig Zieminski and Michael Charlson in San Francisco taking the reins of the shareholder litigation and enforcement group. The firm is particularly well known for its work for clients in the energy sector, though it is increasingly involved in a broader spectrum of securities matters. Charlson is currently acting for Genius Brands International, which distributes and licenses children’s cartoon entertainment and related consumer products, in a notable securities class action. Michael Holmes in Dallas is a key figure in the group, and his recent work for EnCap Investments L.P.  in derivative claims. in New York, Lawrence Elbaum in New York also plays a key role in the practice.