Michael DeFranco

Practice Areas

Michael F. DeFranco currently serves as a member of the Firm's Global Transactional Practice Group management committee. He is the past Chair of the Firm's Global M&A Practice Group. He advises clients on transactional matters, including mergers and acquisitions, securities law compliance, corporate governance issues and disclosure concerns. His extensive experience includes representing multinational companies in both public and private acquisitions and divestitures.

Mr. DeFranco concentrates on mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance as well as general corporate and securities matters. He represents buyers, sellers and their financial advisers in a wide variety of transactions — including negotiated and contested public and private acquisitions and divestitures, cross-border transactions (both inbound and outbound) and other strategic alliances. Mr. DeFranco also advises public companies on various governance and compliance issues.

Work Highlights

- Represented Servier in multiple transactions, including: (i) Servier's acquisition of the oncology business of Shire plc and (ii) Servier's acquisition of the oncology business of Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

- Represented FedEx Corporation in multiple transactions, including: (i) FedEx's acquisition of Genco Distribution System, Inc.; and (ii) FedEx's acquisition of TNT Express N.V.

- Represented Safran S.A. in multiple transactions, including: (i) Safran's sale of its Morpho Detection business; (ii) Safran's acquisition of the Aerospace Power Distribution Management Solutions and Integrated Cockpit Solutions business of Eaton Corporation; (iii) Safran’s acquisition of Harvard Custom Manufacturing Inc.; and (iv) Safran’s sale of Cinch Connectors.

- Represented AkzoNobel N.V. in its acquisition of New Nautical Coatings, Inc.

- Represented Brunswick Corp. in multiple transactions, including (i) Brunswick's sale of its bowling products business; (ii) Brunswick's acquisition of Cybex; and (iii) Brunswick's acquisition of Navico (pending).

- Represented the special committee of the board of directors of Telvent GIT S.A. in Schneider Electric’s tender offer to acquire 100 percent of the shares of Telvent.

- Represented Abbott Laboratories in multiple transactions, including: (i) Abbott's acquisition of the pharmaceutical business of the Solvay Group; (ii) Abbott’s sale of Innogenetics NV; and (iii) Abbott's acquisition of TheraSense Inc.

- Represented Hospira Inc. in its acquisition of the generic injectable pharmaceuticals business of Orchid Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Ltd.

- Represented Gas Natural SDG S.A. in multiple transactions, including: (i) Gas Natural's disposition of a minority stake in its operations in Argentina; (ii) Gas Natural's acquisition of assets in Mexico; and (iii) Gas Natural's attempted unsolicited acquisition of Endesa S.A.

- Represented Mecalux S.A. in its acquisition of the racking business of UFC Interlake out of bankruptcy.

- Represented Guidant Corporation in the attempted acquisition of Guidant by Johnson & Johnson.

- Represented office supplies maker General Binding Corporation in the spin-off of ACCO World Corporation from Fortune Brands Inc. and the subsequent merger of ACCO and General Binding.

- Represented Grove Worldwide Inc. in its stock-for-stock merger with heavy equipment maker Manitowoc Company Inc.

- Represented a private US company in the sale of a TV station to Fox Television Stations Inc.

Education

Languages Spoken

English