Elizabeth Gonzalez-Sussman

Practice Areas

• Activist & Equity Investment Practice

• Corporate/Securities Law

Career

Preeminent in her field, Elizabeth Gonzalez-Sussman advises hedge funds and other large investors in activist-related engagements with boards and management teams to maximize shareholder value, including behind-the-scenes engagements, withhold campaigns, proxy contests, and making unsolicited acquisition proposals. She is vice chair of Olshan’s Shareholder Activism Practice and a member of the firm’s Corporate/Securities Law Group.

Elizabeth possesses a clear understanding of market practices, deep knowledge of the law, and extensive experience in advising clients on all aspects of shareholder activism. A talented lawyer and an excellent negotiator, she zeros in on the key issues, helps clients evaluate their situations, devises actionable, strategic plans, and provides exceptionally practical advice based on both her clients’ immediate goals and their long-term vision.

Hedge funds and other large investors in shareholder activist situations regularly rely on Elizabeth for legal and strategic guidance on everything from large stock accumulations, behind-the-scenes engagements, letter-writing campaigns, consent and exempt solicitations, submitting shareholder proposals, negotiating settlements, running proxy contests, and making unsolicited offers.

Corporate directors and management teams at both public and private companies retain Elizabeth for advice when board-related issues or disputes arise. She has negotiated settlements for various investor groups at well-known companies including Momentive Inc., Kohl’s Corporation, and Bed Bath & Beyond. She represented an investor group in its successful proxy campaign for control at EQT Corporation and advised on the successful unsolicited acquisitions of Perry Ellis International by its founder George Feldenkreis, and R.R. Donnelley & Sons by Chatham Asset Management.

Both public and privately held companies also rely on Elizabeth’s guidance in mergers and acquisitions, capital-raising transactions, tender and exchange offers, and general corporate and securities law matters, including SEC reporting and corporate governance.

Elizabeth has been recognized as a “Leading Lawyer” in Corporate/M&A: Shareholder Activism by Chambers USA, achieved Tier 1 “Leading Lawyer” recognition in The Legal 500 United States guide for M&A/Corporate and Commercial: Shareholder Activism - Advice to Shareholders every year since 2020, and has been recognized numerous times by Crain’s New York Business. She also was profiled in Business Insider as one of the top go-to lawyers for activist investors.

Professional Memberships

• Board of Directors, Columbia Law School Association

since 2018

Personal

• Named a “Leading Lawyer” in Corporate/M&A: Shareholder Activism by Chambers USA in 2021 and 2022

• Recognized as a Tier 1 “Leading Lawyer” in The Legal 500 United States guide in M&A/Corporate and Commercial: Shareholder Activism - Advice to Shareholders since 2020 and previously was recognized as a “Recommended Lawyer” in the same category in 2019

• Named to the Top Women in Dealmaking list by The Deal, 2023

• Named one of the top 13 attorneys in the shareholder activism space by Business Insider in 2022

• Named to the New York Metro Super Lawyers list since 2022

• Named among the “Notable Diverse Leaders in Law” by Crain’s New York Business in 2022

• Named among the “Notable Women in Law” by Crain’s New York Business in 2019, 2020 and 2023

• Awarded “Deal of the Year” and “Activist Campaign of the Year” by The Deal for representation of George Feldenkreis in his nomination of directors and successful unsolicited acquisition of Perry Ellis

Expert in these Jurisdictions

• New York

Education