Cooley LLP

Cooley LLP‘s shareholder activism practice is an established presence for clients in the life sciences and pharmaceutical industries, advising established and next-generation public companies on challenges faced by activist investors, including poison pills, proxy contests, board nominations and unsolicited takeover offers. Bill Roegge manages shareholders and reacting to activist campaigns for clients in the contexts of large cross-border corporate transactions and ventures, specializing in proxy contest defense. Also in New York, Kevin Cooper excels in activist campaign preparation all while working on high-profile M&A deals, and San Francisco’s Jamie Leigh, who heads the team, advises boards and committees on strategic matters. Sean Brownridge joined the team in September 2025 from McDermott Will & Schulte.