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Goodwin

Goodwin

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United States • M&A/corporate and commercial

3

Shareholder activism

Goodwin’s takeover defense team is a key port of call for public companies across the life sciences, technology, and real estate sectors. The practice is jointly led by Leonard Wood, who joined from Sidley Austin LLP and is noted for his experience in proxy contests, activism preparedness, strategic investor relations, and contested M&A, and Joseph Johnson III , whose expertise includes cross-border shareholder activism matters, including campaigns addressing board composition, governance reform, and investor engagement across parallel US and European regulatory regimes.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Accolades

Client satisfaction: Lawyer & team quality

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘Not only experts in the legal tactics required to prevail in proxy contests, but also demonstrate a strong appreciation of the practical considerations that shape an effective campaign strategy.’
  • ‘Leonard Wood is highly collaborative and brings a refreshing ability to think creatively and generate ideas that often lead to successful outcomes.’
  • ‘An extremely intellectual and thoughtful practice with deep experience.’
  • ‘Leonard Wood is an intellectually gifted lawyer who trained with leading practitioners in this sector. His writing and reasoning are first rate.’
  • ‘I have worked extensively with Leonard Wood, including during my time as General Counsel at a previous company, where he served as shareholder activism counsel. He provided a broad range of corporate governance advice, and his activism defense expertise is comprehensive and top notch. His guidance was consistently practical and business oriented, and the team was very pleased with the quality of his service.’

Key clients

  • Beacon Roofing Supply, Inc.
  • Tripadvisor, Inc.
  • Avadel Pharmaceuticals plc
  • Comtech Telecommunications Corp.
  • TPI Composites
  • 23andMe
  • Yunqi Capital

Lawyers

Next Generation Partners: Advice to boards

Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.

Practice head

Leonard Wood; Joseph Johnson, III