Michael O’Bryan is a partner in the firm’s Corporate Department. His practice focuses on U.S. and international mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, and other strategic transactions, including “going private” and other related party transactions. He has been involved in more than 350 M&A transactions, advising companies, boards, and special committees, as well as investment banks, in both negotiated and contested transactions. Mr. O’Bryan has worked extensively with clients across a variety of industries, including in technology, software, telecommunications, Internet, consumer, and health care/life sciences sectors.
Mr. O’Bryan is recommended as a leading lawyer in Legal 500 US 2016, where he is described as “a very seasoned M&A lawyer with a depth of technical expertise.” He is also recommended as a leading lawyer by Chambers USA (2012– 2015), Best Lawyers In America (2013–2018), and Super Lawyers (every year since 2009), and is recognized in Who’s Who Legal – The International Who’s Who of Mergers & Acquisitions Lawyers.
Prior to moving to San Francisco, Mr. O’Bryan worked in the firm’s Tokyo office for four years. Prior to joining Morrison & Foerster, he worked at a Japanese law firm for two years, concentrating on cross-border transactions.
Mr. O’Bryan is an active member of the American Bar Association’s M&A Committee, where he serves as the chair and editor of the Annual Survey of M&A Cases, as the co-chair of the Model Tender Offer Agreement Task Force, and on the editorial board for the Model Public Company Merger Agreement. He also serves on the Thomson Reuters Accelus Business Law Partner Advisory Board. Mr. O’Bryan is the author or co-author of numerous articles, and speaks regularly on M&A and related topics, such as “Financial Advisor Held Liable for Aiding and Abetting Target Board’s Breach of Fiduciary Duties,” “Lessons of Trados,” “In Delaware, Privilege Goes to the Buyer,” “Green Energy Cross-Border M&A,” “Changes in Poison Pill Terms,” “Hostile Takeovers and Shareholder Activism,” and “Keeping Up with Good Faith; Minimizing the Risk of Personal Liability.” He is the co-author of the firm’s Guide to U.S. Privatizations (published in English and Chinese) and the firm’s Infopak on Shareholder Merger Litigation Against Public Companies.
Mr. O’Bryan received B.A. degrees in history and economics, with highest distinction and high honors, from the University of Michigan. He received his J.D. degree cum laude from Harvard Law School, where he was an editor of the Harvard International Law Journal. He serves on the executive committee of the board of directors of the Japan Society of Northern California.
Representative transactions handled by Mr. O'Bryan appear below. To view a more complete list see Matters.
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