Mergers, Acquisitions and Joint Ventures

Cleary Gottlieb represents a diverse range of international and domestic companies and financial institutions in not only the largest mergers and acquisitions, but also many first-of-their-kind transactions that raise standards and set precedents in industries globally. We excel in domestic M&A transactions in the United States, Europe, Latin America and Asia, and our unparalleled experience and unified global practice heighten our ability to seamlessly handle cross-border transactions. Most of our M&A partners globally are rated as leaders in their field by authoritative external commentators and publications such as Chambers and The American Lawyer. Our teams in the United States, Europe and Asia have deep knowledge of local law and business custom and a peerless global reputation for handling headline transactions across the full array of industries. 


Read More »


Practice Highlights What Others Say About Our Practice

Itaú Unibanco in Acquisition of Citigroup’s Brazilian Consumer Finance Business

Board of Directors and Special Committee in National Financial Partners LBO by Madison Dearborn

Google in Acquisition of Motorola Mobility

Google in $2.35 Billion Sale of Motorola Home Business to ARRIS

ABB in $1 Billion Ongoing Acquisition of Power-One

Ivanhoé Cambridge in €1 Billion Joint Investment with Blackstone

Atlantic Tele-Network in Sale of Regional Retail Wireless Business to AT&T for $780 Million

Dollar Thrifty in Merger with Hertz

Dexia Completes €730 Million Sale of Banque Internationale à Luxembourg

The Home Depot in Acquisition of BlackLocus

SuperMedia Inc. in Prepackaged Bankruptcy

Stanley Black & Decker in $1.4 Billion Sale of Hardware & Home Improvement Business to Spectrum Brands

$2 Billion Sale of Chilean and Ecuadorian Pension Businesses by BBVA

Scientific Games in $1.5 Billion Acquisition of WMS

3M in $860 Million Tender Offer for Ceradyne

Bank of America Merrill Lynch in Sale of its Non-U.S. Wealth Management Business

General Mills in Acquisition of Brazilian Food Company

GlaxoSmithKline in Agreement to Acquire Human Genome Sciences

Agilent Technologies in $2.2 Billion Acquisition of Dako

TPG in $1.7 Billion Recapitalization of Savers

Conversus Capital in $1.4 Billion Sale of its Portfolio of Private Equity Fund Interests

Barclays Capital in Justice Holdings in $1.4 Billion Investment in Burger King

Oriental Financial Group in Acquisition of BBVA's Puerto Rico Subsidiaries

Western Digital in Divestiture Transaction to Obtain Regulatory Clearances for $4.8 Billion Hitachi Global Storage Division Acquisition

Sony on its Acquisition of a 50 Percent Stake in Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications

Bank of America in $8.3 Billion Sale of Shares of China Construction Bank

Iraq Oil Ministry in $17 Billion Basrah Gas Company Joint Venture

M&A Practice Group of the Year
Law360 (2013)

Corporate/M&A Firm of the Year
Chambers Latin America (2010)

Five of the Top M&A Deals of the Year
(Google/Motorola Mobility, Dexia’s breakup, Grupo Bimbo/Sara Lee, Nortel’s patent auction, Bank of America’s asset sales)
The Deal (2012)

Commended Firm for Intellectual Property
(Google's $12.5 billion acquisition of Motorola Mobility)
Financial Times - U.S. Innovative Lawyers Report (2012)
Highly Commended Firm for Corporate
(Family Dollar's hostile takeover bid from Trian)
Financial Times - U.S. Innovative Lawyers Report (2012)
Energy & Natural Resources Deal of the Year
(Shandong Iron & Steel Group's $1.5 billion investment in African Minerals Limited)
China Law & Practice (2012)
Best Cross-Border M&A Deal
(AEI’s sale of Latin American assets)
LatinFinance (2012)
Outbound Investment Deal of the Year
(Cementos Argos' acquisition of Lafarge's U.S. assets)
Latin Lawyer (2012)

America's M&A Deal of the Year,
M&A Deal of the Year 
(Nortel’s patent auction)
International Financial Law Review (2012), Managing Intellectual Property (2011)  

M&A Deal of the Year
(Grupo Bimbo’s acquisition of Sara Lee’s bakery assets)
Managing Intellectual Property (2011) 

#1 in Russian M&A
mergermarket, 2012 Rankings (Value) 

 #2 in French M&A
mergermarket, 2012 Rankings (Value)

#2 in UK M&A
mergermarket, 2012 Rankings (Value)

#3 in Emerging Markets M&A
Thomson Reuters, 2012 Rankings (Announced, value)

#4 in Middle East & North African M&A
Thomson Reuters, 2012 Rankings (Completed, value)
M&A Deal of the Year, Americas M&A Deal of the Year
(Heineken’s acquisition of FEMSA’s beer operations)
Latin Lawyer (2011), International Financial Law Review (2011)
Europe M&A Transaction of the Year
(Merck & Co./sanofi-aventis joint venture)
Global Competition Review (2011)

“With unparalleled strength in Latin America, this firm is also renowned for its prominent teams in New York, Europe and Asia. It has also consolidated its global presence through the opening of new offices in Seoul and Abu Dhabi. The practice has a broad and deep bench of corporate specialists and earns particular praise for its expertise on mandates in the technology and other IP-intensive sectors.”
Chambers Global (2013)
“This premium team remains a top choice for the largest and most complicated transactions, particularly privatisations and nationalisations. Its recent history has been dominated by financial crisis work … ‘An extremely good service. The Rolls-Royce for large transactions.’”
Chambers Europe (2013)
 “Cleary Gottlieb has long set the standard for corporate legal services in Latin America. Clients are unanimous in their praise for the group’s efficiency, experience and dedication. … ‘We couldn’t ask more of the team: they worked round the clock, weeks on end, always with the best attitude and delivering the highest quality.’” 
Chambers Latin America (2013)
“This 55-lawyer practice handles all facets of complex and sophisticated corporate transactions covering cutting-edge M&A, private equity, capital markets and restructuring issues. It advises on inbound investments into the Asian region and outbound transactions by PRC and Hong Kong-based corporates. Sources say: ‘For public M&A they are my preferred advisory lawyers.’”
Chambers Asia (2013)

“Sources praise Cleary Gottlieb for its expertise in all aspects of domestic and cross-border M&A across Europe, Asia and the USA. Its office opening in São Paulo strengthens its already significant Latin America capability. The firm has been particularly active in the energy and resources sector, and as counsel to financial institutions and consumer product companies. ‘Cleary proved to be of invaluable help in keeping the deal moving forward effectively and liaising with our local counterpart.’”
Chambers Global (2012)

“This potent group can handle all manner of complicated corporate transactions and has a special niche in technology deals. … The team also has M&A expertise within the energy, life sciences and financial services sectors. … ‘Brilliant and impressive, really know their stuff. They have the people, the smarts and the technical skills.’”
Chambers USA (2012)

“Admiring feedback from all sides reflects this U.S. firm’s continuing and undisputed membership of the M&A elite. Sources enthuse about this sizeable group’s breadth and depth of practice, and its ability to bring serious gravitas to a case. It focuses on the high end of the market. Its capacity and quality of work are excellent both on the international and on the domestic level. ‘The best U.S. firm on the market for corporate and M&A, offering a great depth of practice.’ ‘Doing an excellent job across the board.’”
Chambers Europe (2012)

“This U.S. firm is often chosen by clients for some of the more complex and innovative deals that arise in the Asia market. Sources say: ‘Excellent service.’ ‘They were invaluable in helping to move the deal forwards effectively.’” 
Chambers Asia (2012)

“According to clients, Cleary Gottlieb is ‘synonymous with expertise, knowledge and reliability.’”
Chambers UK (2012)

The firm’s “‘overall service level is extraordinary. The attorneys are available 24/7, have excellent business acumen and knowledge, and give sound advice. … I have always felt that I got excellent value for the money spent.’”
The Legal 500 U.S. (2012)

“Clients see the firm as ‘a long-term partner that brings not only legal knowledge but also a good practical business sense’…. ‘It is global in nature, has great local insights and has some of the best talent I have seen in the industry.’” 
The Legal 500 Latin America (2012)