In recent years, DGS lawyers have handled more than $14 billion in domestic and international mergers and acquisitions transactions, including traditional public and private company mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, spin-offs and complex joint venture and shareholder arrangements.  We have expertise in structuring all types of transactions for sophisticated companies, from traditional joint ventures to public company mergers.  We represent sellers as well as buyers, management groups, private equity and venture capital funds, institutional lenders, investment banks and special committees of independent directors.

We work closely with tax lawyers to analyze and structure transactions to obtain the optimal tax treatment of the transaction and the go-forward structure of the combined entity.  We bring in the expertise of our real estate, environmental, intellectual property, employee benefits, antitrust, and other specialty lawyers to complete due diligence reviews and analysis and to assist with required regulatory approvals.

Our M&A lawyers also advise widely-held companies on how to structure takeover defenses, including provisions in governing documents, poison pills, and preferred stock plans.  We use this experience to provide assistance to potential bidders and targets in hostile transactions, including proxy contests and tender offers.