Nicholas J. Spiliotes

Nicholas Spiliotes is Co-Chair of the firm's Global Finance Department and Co-Head of the firm’s National Security Practice.  He has over 25 years of in-depth experience in advising clients on a wide range of U.S. national security matters in the context of cross-border investments, acquisitions and joint ventures.

Mr. Spiliotes advises clients on U.S. foreign investment approvals (CFIUS); Department of Defense foreign ownership, control and influence mitigation under the National Industrial Security Program; and U.S. sanctions and embargoes (OFAC), including certain enforcement matters, relating to a broad range of industries, products and transactions.

Mr. Spiliotes served as Chair of Morrison & Foerster's 520 lawyer Business Department from 2004 to 2007, firm-wide Managing Partner for Operations from 1997 to 2000, and Managing Partner of the Washington, D.C. office from 1995 to 1997.  From 2008 to 2017, Mr. Spiliotes served as a member of the firm’s partner compensation committee.

Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Spiliotes served in the U.S. government as a junior staff member of the National Security Council at the White House, and in the U.S. Foreign Service as a Special Assistant in the Office of the U.S. Representative to the United Nations.

Representative CFIUS Matters:

Mr. Spiliotes’ representative projects include acting as counsel on national security matters for:

• Global Logistic Properties Limited in its US$11.64 billion proposed privatization, reported to be the largest-ever private equity buyout of an Asian company by enterprise value.
• SoftBank Group Corp. on its £24.3 billion ($31.4 billion) acquisition of UK-based semiconductor and design company ARM Holdings plc.
• SoftBank Group Corp. in its $2 billion acquisition of Brightstar Corp., the world’s largest specialized wireless distributor.
• SoftBank Group Corp. in its $21.6 billion acquisition of Sprint Corporation.
• Global Logistic Properties in the acquisition of a US$4.55 billion U.S. logistics portfolio from Industrial Income Trust.
• Hitachi and Hitachi Appliances in their formation of a global air conditioning joint venture with Johnson Controls, integrating the companies’ HVAC businesses.
• Toshiba in its $2.3 billion acquisition of Landis+Gyr AG, a leading provider of advanced electricity and other utility meters and related solutions for the smart grid.
• NTT DATA in its acquisition of Keane International, a global outsource provider of IT services.
• A Japanese company in its proposed investment in U.S. nuclear facilities.
• Various investors in U.S. energy infrastructure, including wind farms and other alternative energy production.
• A UAE entity in its acquisitions of engineering companies with extensive U.S. manufacturing operations and contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense and intelligence agencies.
• U.S. software companies with significant government contracts being acquired by European entities.
• A U.S. telecommunications company acquired by a UK telecommunications company.
• A Japanese company in its acquisition of an airport service provider.
• UK based venture capital funded engineering company in its acquisition of a U.S. laser manufacturer with significant military contracts.
• A Japanese company in its acquisition of a global “smart grid” manufacturing and services company.
• A Japanese outsourcing services company in its acquisition of a U.S. database development company providing services under classified contracts with U.S. government entities.
• A U.S. semiconductor company acquired by a Korean corporation.
• A U.S. defense contractor with significant and sensitive military contracts acquired by a UK company.