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MoFo Global PE Trends 2023 and Outlook for 2024

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In MoFo’s fourth annual Global PE Trends and Outlook report, partners from our global offices discuss the key PE trends from 2023 and predict what opportunities and challenges 2024 will bring to the PE industry – both globally and in key jurisdictions 

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We are Morrison Foerster — a global firm of exceptional credentials. Our clients include some of the largest financial institutions, investment banks, and Fortune 100, technology, and life sciences companies. Our lawyers are committed to achieving innovative and business-minded results for our clients, while preserving the differences that make us stronger.Because of the generality of this update, the information provided herein may not be applicable in all situations and should not be acted upon without specific legal advice based on particular situations. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

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MoFo Global PE Trends 2023 and Outlook for 2024

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Marcia Ellis is a Senior Counsel in our New York office and a Partner in our Hong Kong office. Marcia’s practice focuses on private equity transactions and complex mergers and acquisitions involving companies and other assets located in Asia. Having practiced in Asia for more than a quarter of a century, Marcia is one of the most experienced M&A lawyers active in the Asian market. In the past three years, she has advised clients on deals with a total aggregate value well in excess of US$249.8 billion.​Marcia regularly advises leading investors on M&A transactions, including SoftBank Vision Fund, Alibaba, GLP, Bain Capital, BlackRock, Farallon Capital, Ascendent Capital Partners, Silver Crest Acquisition Corp., PAG, Hillhouse, Hony Capital and Celadon Partners. In addition, she is experienced in representing U.S., UK and Asia based institutional investors in the acquisition, financing and disposition of real estate in China, Hong Kong and elsewhere in Asia, including numerous logistics and internet data center projects, and investment in and acquisition of real estate developers.From 2008 through 2011, she was the Chief Legal Officer for Asia of D. E. Shaw, where she assisted various group entities in making, restructuring, and exiting investments in various countries in Asia, including a number of significant and highly structured investments in China and India.Clients consider Marcia as a "super skilled technical lawyer" who offers "incredible problem-solving skills on all aspects of matters, both legal and commercial". A client said that "Finding a lawyer whose judgement you trust and who knows how far they can push the boundaries is not easy, and Marcia is the best lawyer I've worked with."Marcia is a member of our global board of directors and a member of our global Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Steering Committee. She served as a Global Co-Chair of the firm's Private Equity Practice. In 2022, she spearheaded the launch of MoFo’s annual survey of the ESG and DEI policies and practices of Asia-headquartered PE firms. She has also been named to Law360’s 2022 and 2023 Private Equity Editorial Board and elected as the Co-Chair of AmCham Hong Kong’s Women of Influence Committee. Marcia has been recognized as one of the Women of Influence in Private Markets: Private Equity by Private Equity International in 2024.

Marcia Ellis（艾琳）律师的执业重点是涉及亚洲境内公司和其它资产的私募股权交易和复杂并购。Ellis律师在亚洲执业超过二十五年，是活跃在亚洲市场经验最丰富的并购律师之一。在过去三年间，她为客户完成的交易的合计价值超过2498亿美元。Ellis律师经常为大型投资者提供并购交易法律咨询，这些投资者包括软银愿景基金、阿里巴巴、普洛斯、Bain Capital、贝莱德、Farallon Capital、上达资本、Silver Crest特殊目的收购公司、PAG、高瓴资本、弘毅投资以及Celadon Partners。此外，在代表美国、英国、亚洲机构投资人方面她也富有经验；她代表客户处理收购、融资、处置中国、香港及亚洲其它地区的房地产，其中包括许多物流和互联网数据中心项目，也处理对房地产开发商的投资与收购。从2008至2011年，Ellis律师是德劭集团亚洲区的首席法务官。在德劭集团，她协助各集团实体处理在亚洲多个国家进行的投资、投资重组及投资退出事宜，包括在中国和印度进行的多个重要及高度结构化的投资。客户评价Ellis律师是一位"技巧高超的律师"，她拥有 "极其出色的解决问题的能力，包括法律问题和商业问题 "。一位客户称："找到一位拥有令人信任的判断力，并能尽力突破极限的律师并不容易，而她是我合作过的最好的律师"。Ellis律师是美富律师事务所的全球董事会成员，兼本所全球环境、社会与治理(ESG)指导委员会委员之一。她曾任本所的全球私募股权业务联席主席。在2022年，她率先发起了美富对总部位于亚洲的私募股权公司的环境、社会与治理以及可持续性的政策与实践的年度调查。她还当选《法律360》(Law 360)2022年度和2023年度私募股权业务编辑委员会成员，以及香港美国商会最具影响力女性(WOI)指导委员会联席主席。Ellis律师还荣获Private Equity International评为2024年“私募股权领域：私募市场最具影响力女性”之一。

Marcia Ellis

Senior Counsel (New York) | Partner (Hong Kong)

Patrick Huard is Global Chair of the firm's Private Equity Investments + Buyouts Practice and focuses his practice on private equity M&A transactions.Patrick has significant experience representing private equity funds and their portfolio companies in a broad range of corporate matters, including public and private acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, venture and growth equity investments, and divestitures. Clients rely on him for both his sophisticated legal counseling as well as his sharp business acumen.Patrick advises private equity sponsors in all aspects of their investment activity across a wide variety of industry sectors, including software and technology, business services, consumer and retail, professional and industrial services, and ESG/impact investing. Patrick is also a member of our global Sustainability + Corporate Responsibility steering committee.Patrick is ranked for California Private Equity: Buyouts by Chambers USA 2025, as a Leading Partner for Private Equity Buyouts by Legal 500 US (2021-2025), and among Top 10 Mid Cap M&A Lawyers in North America by MergerLinks (2021-2023). Our private equity practice was also recognized as a Law360 Practice Group of the Year 2021.﻿Patrick graduated, magna cum laude, from the Georgetown University Law Center, where he was elected into the Order of the Coif and served as the Notes and Articles Editor of the Journal of Law and Policy in International Business.

Patrick Huard

Global Chair of Private Equity Practice

Stuart Alford is a partner based in the Corporate Group.Stuart’s practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions, private equity investments, joint ventures, reorganizations and general corporate advisory matters. He has particular experience in the technology space, and regularly advises European, Asian and U.S.-based clients on complex cross-border mergers and acquisitions and investments.Prior to joining Morrison Foerster in 2017, Stuart trained and practiced in the London and Hong Kong offices of an international law firm. During that appointment, he was seconded to a leading investment bank where he assisted with a range of transactions across Europe and the Middle East.Stuart received his M.A. (Hons.) degree in International Relations from the University of St. Andrews, and his law degree from the College of Law, London. He is qualified as a solicitor in England and Wales.

Stuart Alford

Partner

Darío Avram is Chair of Morrison Foerster’s Finance Group and a member of the Private Equity Buyouts & Investment Group. His transactional practice is focused on financings and private equity matters, with additional experience in restructurings.Darío regularly represents private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies in a variety of complex U.S. and cross-border financing transactions, including leveraged buyouts, refinancings, and restructurings. He has led transactions covering a range of industries, including technology, financial services, healthcare and life sciences, industrials, professional services, and consumer products, among others. His representative funds clients include Alpine Investors, Altamont Capital Partners, Excellere Partners, Gryphon Investors, Main Post Partners, Palladium Equity Partners, Rubicon Technology Partners, San Francisco Equity Partners, Shamrock Capital Advisors, SkyKnight Capital, and Vector Capital.Darío has been recognized by Chambers USA as a notable practitioner for Banking & Finance in California. He was also recognized by Global M&A Network as one of Americas Top 50 Rising Dealmakers and by Legal 500 as a key partner for Private Equity Buyouts.

Dario Avram

Chair of Finance Group

James Beach works with leading middle market private equity firms.James represents private equity funds and their portfolio companies in a broad range of complex domestic and cross-border transactions, including M&A, divestitures, and growth equity investments. He also advises companies across all stages of their lifecycle.James has completed over $20 billion of aggregate transactions across numerous industries, including enterprise software, data, security and technology, logistics, manufacturing, healthcare and consumer products.Prior to joining MoFo, James was a partner in the private equity and M&A group at another global law firm and at a private equity M&A boutique.

James Beach

Jennifer Buckby is a Mergers & Acquisitions and Emerging Company & Venture Capital partner based in the London office of Morrison Foerster.Jennifer advises on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, emerging company and venture capital transactions, and general corporate advisory matters, with particular expertise advising clients in the technology, life sciences, and food/ag sectors.Jennifer regularly represents, among other clients, Uber, Visa, SoftBank, and SoundCloud.In her M&A practice, Jennifer has represented clients in strategic domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions and joint venture transactions, including SoftBank in its acquisition of AutoStore and Uber on its acquisition of Autocab.In her venture capital practice, Jennifer has served as company and investor counsel in early- and late-stage financings and minority strategic investments, including representation of Visa Ventures in strategic Fintech investments around the world and SoundCloud in its Series G funding round.In 2018–19, Jennifer was seconded to Visa, working within its M&A and investments team.Prior to joining Morrison Foerster, Jennifer trained and practiced in the London and Singapore offices of an international law firm.After obtaining an LL.B. Law from the University of Bristol in 2010, Jennifer completed the Legal Practice Course at BPP Law School in 2011. She is qualified as a solicitor in England and Wales.<h4 dir="ltr">﻿Representative Experience</h4><ul><li dir="ltr">Uber in multiple cross-border acquisitions, including its acquisition of UK technology company Autocab.</li><li dir="ltr">SoftBank in multiple transactions, including its $2.8 billion acquisition of 40% of robotics company AutoStore and its $200 million investment in mobile satellite business OneWeb.</li><li dir="ltr">SoftBank Vision Fund 2 as lead investor in a $190 million financing round in UK Fintech platform Primary Bid.</li><li dir="ltr">Visa in multiple M&A and venture capital transactions, including its acquisition of a minority equity stake in Fintech unicorn Interswitch and investments in Bankable, Fidel, Ecolytiq, and TerraPay.</li><li dir="ltr">SoundCloud in multiple transactions, including its $75 million investment from Sirius XM and its acquisition of Musiio.</li><li dir="ltr">Alpine Investors in multiple acquisitions, including in connection with the Evergreen Services and Predictis platforms.</li><li dir="ltr">LIVEKINDLY Collective, one of the world’s largest plant-based food companies, in its acquisition of No Meat, Iceland Foods’ vegan meat alternative company.</li><li dir="ltr">Autodesk as lead investor in a £36 million Series B funding round for UK software maker CloudNC.</li><li dir="ltr">OrbiMed as lead investor in a $104 million Series E funding round for UK healthcare technology and diagnostics company Binx Health.</li><li dir="ltr">Ally Bridge Group as co-lead investor in a $600 million Series D funding round for surgical robotics company, CMR Surgical.</li><li dir="ltr">Ares in its investment in Swedish vehicle technology company Opus.</li><li dir="ltr">Cambridge Quantum Computing in its merger with Honeywell Quantum Solutions.</li></ul>

Jennifer Buckby

Randy is the Managing Partner of Morrison Foerster’s Miami office and Co-Chair of the firm’s Latin America Desk. He advises multinational clients in connection with cross-border mergers and acquisitions, venture capital and other finance transactions throughout Central and South America, the Caribbean, and the United States.Randy’s mergers and acquisitions work has focused on international cross-border mergers and acquisitions across a broad range of sectors, including financial services, technology and telecommunications, media, entertainment, agriculture, manufacturing and food and beverage.<h4>Representative Experience</h4><h5>Mergers and Acquisitions</h5><ul><li>SoftBank Latin America Fund in connection with a Series B funding round for Incode, a next-generation identity and authentication platform for global enterprises.</li><li>SoftBank Latin America Fund in connection with a Series C financing round in Addi, a fintech startup based in Bogota, Colombia that offers buy-now-pay-later technology.</li><li>SoftBank Latin America Fund in connection with a Series D financing round in Open Co, a Brazilian consumer credit company.</li><li>SoftBank Latin America Fund on leading a Series B financing round for Laika, a Colombia-based pet supplies e-commerce platform.</li><li>SoftBank, Riverwood Capital, Igah Ventures, and Volpe Capital in connection with their investments in CRM&BONUS’s R$280 million financing round.</li><li>SoftBank in connection with a Series E financing round led by the SoftBank Latin America Fund totaling $190 million in MadeiraMadeira, a Brazilian online home goods platform.</li><li>SoftBank in connection with a Series C financing round in JusBrasil, a platform that connects people to justice through lawyers and legal information.</li><li>SoftBank in connection with a Series C financing round led by the SoftBank Latin America Fund in Contabilizei, a Brazilian online platform that offers affordable tax-filing and accounting SaaS for SMEs in Brazil.</li><li>SoftBank in connection with a Series D financing round led by the SoftBank Latin America Fund in Olist, a Brazilian e-commerce platform.</li><li>SoftBank Latin America Fund in connection with a Series B $108 million financing round in Pismo, a technology company providing an all-in-one processing platform for banking, payments, and financial markets infrastructure.</li><li>SoftBank in connection with the Series C US$50 million financing round in GAIA, an e-commerce platform for the sale of furniture and design accessories in Mexico.</li><li>The management team of Wizeline, Inc., a global technology services provider that partners with clients to build high-quality digital products and platforms, in connection with the agreement under which Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ), a global investment group and one of Canada’s largest pension funds, will acquire majority ownership of Wizeline.</li><li>SoftBank in its investment of up to US$150 million into a subsidiary of Grupo Bursátil Mexicano (GBM), a leading investment platform in the Mexican stock market for over 35 years.</li><li>SoftBank in a joint venture with WeWork, the leading flexible space provider, that provides SoftBank Latin America Fund with the exclusive right to operate the WeWork brand in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico.</li><li>Petlove, the largest digital ecosystem for pet owners in Brazil, on its acquisition of Porto Pet, a company in the Porto Seguro business group and a leader in the animal health plan segment.</li><li>Petlove, the largest digital ecosystem for pet owners in Brazil, in connection with its recent financing round with its existing major investors, Tarpon, SoftBank, L Catterton, Porto Seguro and Monashees, and a new initial investment by Riverwood Capital.</li><li>SoftBank in connection with the US$150 million (R$822 million) preferred equity investment in Afya Limited (Nasdaq: AFYA), the largest medical education group in Brazil.</li><li>SoftBank in connection with the US$84.5 million financing round in Descomplica, the first Brazilian EdTech company to enter the higher education market. Co-led by investment fund Invus Opportunities, the funding round represents the biggest investment to date in an EdTech company in Latin America. </li><li>Petlove, the largest digital ecosystem for pet owners in Brazil, in the expansion of its e-commerce into a pet ecosystem through the acquisition of DogHero, a pet services Brazilian company.</li><li>SoftBank in connection with a Series C US $225 million financing round in Kavak, a Mexican online platform for buying and selling used cars.</li><li>SoftBank in connection with a Series B US $108 million financing round in Acesso Digital, a Brazilian IDTech pioneer in ID protection solutions.</li><li>SoftBank in its sale of a majority stake in Brightstar Corp., a subsidiary of SoftBank and the global leader of end-to-end device lifecycle solutions for carriers, retailers, and enterprise, managing mobile devices, to Brightstar Capital Partners, a private equity firm focused on partnering with founders, entrepreneurs, and management team.</li><li>SoftBank in connection with a Series D US$225 million financing round in VTEX, a Brazilian global enterprise digital commerce platform.</li><li>SoftBank in connection with a Series C financing round led by SoftBank’s Latin America Fund in Brazilian data science company Cortex.</li><li>SoftBank in connection with a Series B US $125 million financing round led by SoftBank’s Latin America Fund in AlphaCredit, a technology-enabled financial platform in Latin America.</li><li>Inchcape, the leading global independent multi-brand automotive distributor and retailer, in its cash-free and debt-free £47 million acquisition of Autolider, a distributor of Daimler brands in both Uruguay and Ecuador.</li><li>Dolphin Entertainment, Inc., a leading independent entertainment marketing and premium content development company, in its acquisition of Shore Fire Media, Ltd., a public relations and media management firm based in Brooklyn, New York that specializes in music, entertainment and popular culture.</li><li>SoftBank in connection with a Series D US$250 million investment round in QuintoAndar, a São Paulo-based real estate leasing platform.</li><li>SoftBank in connection with its joint US$150 million Series C round investment with Tencent in Argentine fintech company Ualá.</li><li>SoftBank in its Series D $100M investment in Konfio, an online lending platform in Mexico.</li><li>SoftBank in its investment in Buser, Ltd., an intercity bus charter online booking service in Brazil.</li><li>Imperia Intercontinental, Inc. in its purchase of the consumer banking business and insurance business of Banco Citibank de El Salvador S.A., Citi Tarjetas de El Salvador, S.A. de C.V., Balboa Reinsurance Ltd. and Seguros e Inversiones S.A. </li><li>Liberty Latin America Ltd., a leading telecommunications company with operations in Chile, Puerto Rico, the Caribbean, and other parts of Latin America, and a subsidiary of Liberty Global plc (Nasdaq: LILA and LILAK), in its acquisition of an 80% stake in Cabletica, a leading Costa Rican cable operator, from Televisora de Costa Rica S.A. (Televisora), which will retain a remaining 20% interest, for approximately US$250 million.*</li></ul><h5>Finance</h5><ul><li>The Chilean, Peruvian, and Colombian operating companies of Andean Telecom Partners in a syndicated senior secured financing totaling approximately $170 million and a subsequent syndicated senior secured financing totaling $35 million.</li><li>Andean Tower Partners Colombia, operator and developer of wireless telecommunications infrastructure owned by Digital Bridge, in the US$55 million refinancing operation granted by Scotiabank Colpatria.</li><li>MesoAmerica Latam Opportunities Fund in its US$120 million revolving credit facility with Scotiabank. </li><li>Corporación América Airports S.A. in its US $485 million initial public offering (IPO) on the NYSE. Corporación América Airports manages and operates 52 airport facilities in Argentina, Italy, Brazil, Uruguay, Ecuador, Armenia and Peru.</li></ul>

Randy, copresidente del Latin America Desk y socio del Departamento Corporativo de la firma, asesora a clientes multinacionales en relación con fusiones y adquisiciones transfronterizas, empresas conjuntas (joint ventures), y transacciones de valores y finanzas en toda América Central y del Sur, el Caribe, Europa y los Estados Unidos.Randy ha asesorado a numerosas corporaciones globales europeas en relación con el establecimiento y desarrollo de sus presencias en los Estados Unidos, así como en la gestión de sus operaciones en América Latina. También representa a emisores en ofertas de capital y de deuda y en cotizaciones de la bolsa.La experiencia de Randy en relación a fusiones y adquisiciones se ha centrado en fusiones y adquisiciones internacionales transfronterizas en una amplia gama de sectores, incluyendo servicios financieros, telecomunicaciones, medios de comunicación, entretenimiento, energía, agricultura, industria manufacturera, y alimentos/bebidas.<h4>Experiencia Representativa</h4><h5>Fusiones y adquisiciones</h5><ul><li>Representó a SoftBank en relación con una ronda de inversión Serie B dirigida por SoftBank Latin America Fund, por un total de US$ 125 millones en AlphaCredit, una de las plataformas de tecnología financieras de más rápido crecimiento en América Latina.</li><li>Representó a Inchcape, el principal distribuidor y minorista independiente de automóviles de múltiples marcas a nivel mundial, en su adquisición sin dinero en efectivo y deudas de £ 47 millones de Autolider, un distribuidor de las marcas de Daimler en Uruguay y Ecuador.</li><li>Representación de Dolphin Entertainment, Inc., una empresa independiente líder en mercadeo de entretenimiento y desarrollo de contenidos de primera calidad, en su adquisición de US$ 3 millones de Shore Fire Media, Ltd., una empresa de relaciones públicas y gestión de medios de comunicación con sede en Brooklyn, Nueva York, que se especializa en música, entretenimiento y cultura popular.</li><li>Representó a SoftBank en relación con una ronda de inversión Serie D por un total de US$ 250 millones en QuintoAndar, una plataforma de arrendamiento inmobiliario con sede en São Paulo.</li><li>Representó a SoftBank en su inversión conjunta con Tencent de US$ 150 millones en la ronda de financiación de la Serie C en la aplicación argentina de servicios bancarios digitales Ualá.</li><li>Representó a SoftBank en su inversión de US$ 100 millones en Konfio, una plataforma servicios financieros en México.</li><li>Representación de SoftBank en su inversión en Buser, Ltd., un servicio de reservas en línea de alquiler de autobuses interurbanos en Brasil.</li></ul><h5>Finanzas</h5><ul><li>Representó a Andean Tower Partners Colombia, operador y desarrollador de la infraestructura de telecomunicaciones inalámbricas propiedad de Digital Bridge, en la operación de refinanciamiento de US$ 55 millones otorgada por Scotiabank Colpatria. Se espera que Andean Tower Partners Colombia utilice los fondos para desarrollar y adquirir activos de infraestructura de telecomunicaciones.</li><li>Representación de Satélites Mexicanos, S.A. de C.V. en su plan preestablecido de reorganización y emisión para una financiación de salida de US$ 325 millones de los pagarés de garantía preferente (senior secured notes), y ofertas de pagarés de seguimiento (follow-on note offerings).</li><li>Representó a emisores costarricenses y estadounidenses en el refinanciamiento de una instalación existente mediante la emisión y la colocación privada de US$ 250 millones en notas a filiales de un proveedor de seguros de los Estados Unidos.</li><li>Representó a Torres Unidas Chile SpA y Torres Unidas del Perú S.R.L., empresas de telecomunicaciones e infraestructura de Chile y Perú respectivamente, en el otorgamiento de préstamos a plazo con garantía cruzada de US$ 120 millones con Scotiabank Chile y Scotiabank Perú S.A.A., y en el refinanciamiento múltiple de dichos préstamos durante un período de seis años.</li><li>Representó a un inversionista líder de capital privado en los mercados en crecimiento de toda América Latina en su línea de crédito rotativo de US$ 120 millones con un banco multinacional prominente.</li><li>Representó a un operador de torres costarricense en su contrato de un préstamo a plazo con un banco comercial líder en Costa Rica.</li><li>Representó a una de las empresas de servicios financieros más grande del mundo en servicios de crédito sindicado, servicios de financiación de adquisiciones y otras operaciones de financiamiento en diversas industrias de toda América Latina, entre ellas las de Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Panamá, República Dominicana y Nicaragua.</li><li>Representó a un minorista salvadoreño en relación con financiamientos en múltiples divisas por valor de US$ 300 millones garantizadas con activos en 11 jurisdicciones del Caribe. La adquisición se consumó en parte mediante ofertas públicas en Jamaica y Barbados.</li><li>Representó al administrador y operador de 52 instalaciones aeroportuarias de Argentina, Italia, Brasil, Uruguay, Ecuador, Armenia y Perú en su oferta pública inicial (IPO) de US$ 485 millones en la Bolsa de Valores de Nueva York (NYSE).</li><li>Representó a emisores privados extranjeros alemanes en diversas industrias en relación con las ofertas públicas iniciales y las cotizaciones en el Nasdaq.</li><li>Representó a un asegurador en múltiples ofertas de seguimiento (follow-on offerings) para un fondo de inversión cerrado centrado en la nanotecnología.</li></ul>

Randy, co-líder do Latin America Desk e sócio da área empresarial, assessora clientes multinacionais em fusões e aquisições internacionais, joint ventures e transações de valores mobiliários e financeiros no Caribe, Europa, Estados Unidos, América Central e do Sul.Randy assessorou várias empresas globais e européias no estabelecimento e desenvolvimento de suas atividades nos Estados Unidos, bem como na gestão de suas operações na América Latina. Representa também emissores em ofertas de ações e dívida.Sua experiência em fusões e aquisições é concentrada em fusões e aquisições internacionais em uma ampla gama de setores, incluindo serviços financeiros, telecomunicações, mídia, entretenimento, energia, agricultura, alimentos e bebidas.<h4>Casos Representativos (incluindo experiências em outros escritórios)</h4><h5>Fusões e aquisições</h5><ul><li>Representou SoftBank em uma rodada de investimentos Série B liderada pelo Latin America Fund do SoftBank no valor total de US$ 125 milhões na AlphaCredit, uma das plataformas de tecnologia financeira de maior crescimento na América Latina.</li><li>Representou a Inchcape, líder global independente na distribuição e varejo de carros multimarcas, na aquisição, por £ 47 milhões, da Autolider, distribuidora das marcas da Daimler no Uruguai e no Equador.</li><li>Representou a Dolphin Entertainment, Inc., uma empresa independente líder em marketing de entretenimento premium e desenvolvimento de conteúdo, na aquisição, por US$ 3 milhões de uma empresa de relações públicas e gerenciamento de mídia com sede no Brooklyn, Nova York, especializada em música, entretenimento e cultura popular.</li><li>Representou SoftBank em uma rodada de investimentos Série D, totalizando US$ 250 milhões na QuintoAndar, uma plataforma de leasing imobiliário com sede em São Paulo.</li><li>Representou SoftBank em seu investimento, em conjunto com a Tencent, no total de US$ 150 milhões, na rodada de financiamento Série C no aplicativo argentino de serviços bancários digitais Ualá.</li><li>Representou SoftBank em seu investimento de US$ 100 milhões na Konfio, uma plataforma de serviços financeiros no México.</li><li>Representou SoftBank em seu investimento na Buser, Ltd., um serviço de reservas on-line para aluguel de ônibus interurbanos no Brasil.</li></ul><h5>Financiamentos</h5><ul><li>Representou a Andean Tower Partners Colombia, operadora e desenvolvedora de infraestrutura de telecomunicações sem fio de propriedade da Digital Bridge, na operação de refinanciamento de US$ 55 milhões concedida pelo Scotiabank Colpatria. Espera-se que os fundos sejam utilizados pela Andean Tower Partners Colombia para desenvolver e adquirir ativos de infraestrutura de telecomunicações.</li><li>Representou Satélites Mexicanos, S.A. de C.V. em seu plano de reorganização e emissão pré-estabelecido para um financiamento de US$ 325 milhões em notas prioritárias garantidas e ofertas subsequentes de notas.</li><li>Representou emissores da Costa Rica e dos Estados Unidos no refinanciamento de uma instalação existente, por meio de uma emissão privada de US$ 250 milhões em notas a subsidiárias de um provedor de seguros dos Estados Unidos.</li><li>Representou a Torres Unidas Chile SpA e a Torres Unidas del Perú S.R.L., empresas de telecomunicações e infraestrutura do Chile e Peru, respectivamente, na concessão de empréstimos a prazo com garantia cruzada de US$ 120 milhões com o Scotiabank Chile e Scotiabank Perú S.A.A., e no refinanciamento múltiplo desses empréstimos por um período de seis anos.</li><li>Representou um investidor líder em private equity em mercados em crescimento na América Latina em sua linha de crédito rotativo de US$ 120 milhões com um importante banco multinacional.</li><li>Representou um operador de torres na Costa Rica em seu contrato de empréstimo com um banco comercial líder na Costa Rica.Z</li><li>Representou uma das maiores empresas de serviços financeiros do mundo em serviços de crédito sindicado, serviços de financiamento de aquisição e outras operações de financiamento em vários setores da América Latina, incluindo Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Panamá, República Dominicana e Nicarágua.</li><li>Representou um varejista salvadorenho no financiamento de várias moedas no valor de US$ 300 milhões garantido com ativos em 11 jurisdições do Caribe. A aquisição foi parcialmente concluída por meio de ofertas públicas na Jamaica e Barbados.</li><li>Representou o administrador e operador de 52 instalações aeroportuárias na Argentina, Itália, Brasil, Uruguai, Equador, Armênia e Peru em sua oferta pública inicial (IPO) de US$ 485 milhões na Bolsa de Valores de Nova York (NYSE).</li><li>Representou emissores privados estrangeiros alemães em vários setores em relação a ofertas públicas iniciais na Nasdaq.</li><li>Representou uma seguradora em várias ofertas subsequentes para um fundo de investimento fechado focado em nanotecnologia.</li></ul>

Randy Bullard

Managing Partner, Miami

Steve DeCosse is a Corporate/PE partner in the Tokyo office. His practice focuses on public and private cross-border M&A and strategic investments for trading houses, private equity firms, and corporations across a range of tech, food and agriculture, and other industries.﻿Steve is recommended as a leading corporate lawyer in Japan by all the independent guides to the legal profession, including Chambers, The Legal 500, Best Lawyers in Japan, and Asia Business Law Journal. Asia Business Law Journal named him on the A-List of Japan’s Top 100 Lawyers. Client comments include the following: “Stephen DeCosse has a high level of global experience and a proven track record and is capable of handling legal cases around the world” (The Legal 500 Asia Pacific, 2025) and “Steve is a great lawyer with commercial sense and quick responsiveness. He knows clients’ business and has ample experience of handling cross-border transactions” (Chambers Global and Asia-Pacific, 2024).He is listed in the Hall of Fame for Japan: Corporate and M&A in The Legal 500 Asia Pacific, which lists “lawyers at the very top of the profession, widely known and respected by peers and clients for their longstanding involvement in market-leading work.” Steve has also been selected as a Stand-out Lawyer by Thomson Reuters.

Stephen DeCosse

Aly El Hamamsy is a corporate partner in the firm’s New York office.Aly has nearly 20 years of experience advising on complex transactions including public and private acquisitions and divestitures, restructurings, joint ventures, corporate governance, and hostile takeovers. He has extensive experience in a variety of industries, including private equity, financial services, asset management, healthcare, technology, energy, and consumer goods. His transactional practice encompasses both U.S. domestic and cross-border M&A and joint ventures.Prior to joining Morrison & Foerster, Aly was a partner at another international law firm, where he advised on M&A transactions. He also previously acted as managing director of the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Middle East Region, where he led the NBA’s operations in 11 countries for five different business lines and brand extensions.Aly earned his J.D. from Columbia University School of Law, where he was a James Kent Scholar. He earned his Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical) from McGill University. He is fluent in French and Arabic, and conversational in Italian.<h4>Representative Experience</h4><ul><li>Sky Harbour LLC, a developer of private aviation infrastructure focused on building, leasing, and managing business aviation hangars, in its business combination agreement with Yellowstone Acquisition Company (NASDAQ: YSAC, YSACU, and YSACW), a publicly traded SPAC sponsored by Boston Omaha Corporation (NASDAQ:BOMN). The combined company will have an implied pro forma equity market value of approximately $777 million at closing.</li><li>A diversified international markets infrastructure business in its US$27 billion acquisition of one of the world’s largest providers of financial markets data and infrastructure.</li><li>A multinational automotive parts manufacturing company in its acquisition of a leading global materials science and manufacturing expert’s anti-vibration systems business.</li><li>A multinational investment bank and financial services company in the sale of its alternative fund businesses to a global provider of fund administration services and a San Francisco-based private equity firm.</li><li>A German chemical company and the largest chemical producer in the world in its €5.9 billion acquisition of significant components of a multinational pharmaceutical and life sciences company’s seed and non-selective herbicide businesses.</li><li>The independent directors of the board of directors of an American cable television provider in connection with its separation from a French multinational telecommunications corporation.</li><li>A U.S. mining company, a wholly owned subsidiary of a global Belgian material solutions company, on its merger with a U.S. industrial sand company.</li><li>A financial services firm focused on the legal market on its US$160 million acquisition of the parent company of a litigation finance and asset management firm, combining the two largest litigation finance players in the world.</li><li>An American pharmaceutical company on its US$2.5 billion proposed inversion combination with a subsidiary of an Irish pharmaceutical company, and its US$15.6 billion acquisition by a Canadian pharmaceutical company.</li><li>A multinational commodity trading company on its acquisition of a global financial services company’s physical energy and commodities business.</li><li>A Spanish multinational financial services company on its US$1.9 billion acquisition of a U.S. bank.</li><li>An American multinational investment bank and financial services corporation on its sale of a majority stake in a retail broker to an American multinational investment bank and financial services company.</li><li>A British multinational universal bank on the sale of its U.S. power and natural gas commodities trading assets to a leading global bank’s energy division.</li></ul>

Aly El Hamamsy

Matt Ferry is a partner in the San Diego office and a member of the firm’s Technology Transactions Group, advising innovative and mission-driven life sciences and technology companies.Matt has more than a decade of experience in structuring, drafting, negotiating, and executing strategic transactions where intellectual property (IP), technology, data, and information assets drive the deal. Matt is passionate about and focuses his practice on assisting innovative companies in industries where the betterment of people’s lives and the world is in view, including in the broader life sciences and technology areas, such as:<ul><li>Pharmaceuticals and biotechnology (including small molecule pharmaceuticals, biologics, nanotherapeutics, drug discovery, antibodies, cell and gene therapy, CRISPR and other gene editing technologies, drug delivery, immunology, and oncology); and</li></ul><ul><li>Medtech and healthtech (including medical devices, digital health, and other forms of software and hardware in diagnostic and therapeutic applications); and</li><li>Food and agriculture (including in plants and crop sciences, agriculture and farming, alternative proteins, animal and plant production, and food products and consumer goods); and</li><li>Cleantech (including renewable energy, biofuels, plastic recycling and carbon capture).</li></ul>Outside of his life sciences practice, Matt counsels clients in a variety of industries, including Internet of things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), wireless standards, autonomous vehicles, semiconductor devices, distributed software, open-source software, and software as a service. Matt has solid experience advising startups in all aspects of IP hygiene, including invention assignment agreements and use of open-source software, as well as complex patent transactions involving standard essential patents (SEPs). Matt leverages his previous experience in patent prosecution and IP litigation to provide a holistic perspective and overall business strategy to his client’s transactions.He advises clients in connection with:<ul><li>Commercial contracts at all stages of technology and product development, including strategic alliances and collaborations, asset sale and purchase agreements, research and development agreements, supply, manufacturing, and distribution agreements, clinical trial agreements, service agreements, and material transfer agreements.</li><li>Patent and technology license agreements in both industry-to-industry and academic-to-industry settings.</li><li>IP and commercial contract matters that arise in connection with larger corporate transactions such as mergers and acquisitions and venture capital investments.</li></ul>In Matt’s past experience as a patent prosecutor and IP litigator, he handled cases involving patent infringement and invalidity, copyright infringement, and trade secret misappropriation. He also draws on his technical knowledge that he developed in his undergraduate work at University of California, Berkeley, his graduate work at the California Institute of Technology, and his hobbyist scientific pursuits, including in physics, software, microwave instrumentation, and optics.Matt also maintains an active pro bono practice representing small business owners and nonprofits in their commercial agreements. Recently, he assisted a low-income entrepreneur in drafting her customer-facing service agreements.<h4>Representative Matters</h4><h5>Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology</h5><ul><li> Represent multi-national pharmaceutical company in its manufacturing agreements.</li></ul><ul><li>Represent public mRNA technology company in its patent licensing strategy and evaluation agreements.</li><li>Represented Eton Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in connection with its asset sale of several of its branded and generic injectable products to Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories.</li><li>Represented public pharmaceutical company in its purchase of three product lines from a Fortune 500 public pharmaceutical company.</li><li>Represented public pharmaceutical company in its sale of three product lines to private equity-backed purchaser.</li><li>Represented public pharmaceutical company in numerous patent and technology asset purchases and sales, exclusive licensing arrangements, commercial alliances, and co-promotion agreements.</li><li>Represented public pharmaceutical company in several patent and technology asset purchases and sales, including its sale of three product lines focused on rare neurological diseases and associated assets to a private purchaser.</li><li>Represented venture-backed pharmaceutical company focused on treating rare diseases in China in several exclusive license and supply agreements.</li><li>Represented U.S. academic institution in numerous patent and technology exclusive licensing agreements, sponsored research agreements, option agreements, and term sheet negotiations.</li><li>Represented nanotherapeutic company in numerous research and collaboration agreements and licensing agreements.</li><li>Represented CRISPR-based company in numerous evaluation agreements, material transfer agreements, and collaboration agreements.</li><li>Represented startup company in its gene modification research agreement templates.</li></ul><h5>Medical Devices and Health Technology</h5><ul><li>Represented medical device startup in its several exclusive patent and technology license agreements with a leading academic institution and its clinical trial agreements.</li><li>Represented digital health company in its collaboration agreement with a global distributor.</li><li>Represented medical device company in its multisite clinical trial agreements.</li><li>Represented public medical device company in its exclusive license and distribution agreement with global medical device distributor.</li><li>Represented medical device incubator in its form technology and service agreements, patent license agreement from an academic institution, and sublicense agreements.</li><li>Represented public medical device company in its patent purchase from an individual physician.</li><li>Represented medical device company in its multi-country distribution agreements.</li></ul><h5>Food and AgTech</h5><ul><li>Represent an innovative plant protein startup in all forms of its commercial contracts and licensing, including its university research agreements, grower agreements, evaluation agreements, and material transfer agreements.</li><li>Represent a plant genomics and gene editing company in its strategic alliance with a leading commercial nursery.</li><li>Represent a food storage company in evaluating outbound technology licensing models and its outbound license terms.</li><li>Represent a botanical active ingredient producer in its research collaboration agreement with a botanical ingredient biotechnology company.</li><li>Represent an agtech company in its outbound license of its proprietary gene design platform to a biotechnology company.</li><li>Represent a public agency in its licensing agreements for proprietary fruit varieties.</li><li>Represent an agtech company in all forms of its commercial contracts, including university research agreements, NDAs, material transfer agreements, and evaluation agreements.</li><li>Represent novel infant formula company in its dozens of supply and manufacturing agreements with its ingredient suppliers and formula manufacturers.</li></ul><h5>Clean Technology</h5><ul><li>Represent public carbon credit investing company in its collaboration agreement with air quality monitoring company.</li></ul><ul><li>Represent venture-backed clean technology startup in its international collaboration agreements.</li><li>Represent venture-backed clean technology startup in its technology license and service agreement with international public energy company and other licensees.</li><li>Represent venture-backed clean technology startup in its international collaboration agreements.</li><li>Represent venture-backed clean technology startup in its technology license and service agreement with international public energy company and other licensees.</li></ul><h5>Complex Patent Transactions</h5><ul><li>Represented global public semiconductor company in connection with its patent purchase form agreements.</li><li>Represented global public semiconductor company in its patent license and license-on-transfer agreement with another global public semiconductor company.</li><li>Represented leading wireless technology company in its patent cross-license with another leading wireless technology company.</li><li>Represented leading wireless technology company in its form standard essential patent (SEP) licensing agreements and term sheets.</li></ul><h5>On-Premise Software and SaaS</h5><ul><li>Represented private construction lender in its acquisitions of two real estate technology platforms.</li><li>Represented machine learning and natural language processing software company in its on-premises software and hosted services agreements.</li><li>Represented SaaS company in its services agreement with leading automobile manufacturers.</li><li>Represented artificial intelligence-based warehousing software company in its template software license and services agreement.</li><li>Represented software company in its source code license and services agreement to international software company.</li></ul><h5>Interactive Entertainment</h5><ul><li>Represented publisher in several game development agreements and content licensing agreements.</li><li>Represented developer in its publishing and distribution agreements.</li><li>Advised developer in its renegotiation of its publishing and distribution agreement.</li></ul><h5>Professional Services</h5><ul><li>Represented numerous professional service providers in their template and negotiated services agreements.</li></ul><h5>Venture Capital</h5><ul><li>Represented fitness technology startup in its $5.8 million Series A financing.﻿</li></ul>

Matthew Ferry

Randy Laxer is the Co-Head of the Asia M&A/PE Practice. His experience includes over 20 years in Japan representing clients on numerous Japan private equity buyouts and investments, cross-border mergers and acquisitions, international joint ventures, and minority investments in various industries, including high technology, life sciences, and media.Randy has been selected as one of “Asia’s Top 15 M&A Lawyers” by Asian Legal Business and also is recommended for his M&A and corporate law expertise by Chambers Global (2026), Chambers Asia-Pacific (2026), IFLR1000 (2025), and The Legal 500 Asia Pacific (2026). Client comments about Randy include the following:“Randy is a seasoned operator in the M&A and general corporate space, who can guide you through the most complex transactions down to the easiest.” (Chambers Asia-Pacific)“He is very professional and solution-oriented and provides expert advice to resolve issues that arise during negotiations.” (Chambers Asia-Pacific)“Randy has provided great expertise and perspective to our projects and facilitated the completion of our deals.” (Chambers Global)Randy received his J.D. cum laude from the University of Michigan Law School and attended Konan University in Kobe, Japan and Stanford University’s Inter-University Center for Japanese Studies. He is fluent in Japanese and is also a registered Gaikokuho-Jimu-Bengoshi and a member of the Daini Tokyo Bar Association.

Randy Laxer

Per advises sponsors, investors and lenders on the development, financing, acquisition and divestment of complex energy and infrastructure transactions. He focuses on high-value, cross-border mandates across power, LNG regasification, telecommunication and decarbonization projects, and is known for structuring innovative solutions to complex risk allocation and financing challenges.He has an established market profile in climate finance and climate-linked products, advising on transactions at the intersection of infrastructure and decarbonization, including emerging commercial models and regulatory frameworks. Morrison Foerster has been shortlisted for the FT Innovative Lawyers Asia-Pacific 2026 Awards (Innovative Lawyers in Infrastructure) in recognition of this work led by him.Per is recognized by leading directories including Chambers Asia-Pacific ("Leading Individual"), IFLR1000 (“Rising Star Partner”), The Legal 500 Asia Pacific (“Next Generation Partner”) and is featured in The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific Green Guide 2025 as a Green Ambassador and Leading Lawyer for sustainable energy projects.Clients say that: “Per Lindberg is an exceptional lawyer that provides high value judgment to novel and complex projects.” and “Per has been outstanding. We would not be where we are now without his support and guidance. He is extremely knowledgeable and performs his work with grace.”

Per Lindberg

Susan (“Suz”) co-chairs the Sustainability + Corporate Responsibility and Social Enterprise + Impact Investing practices. Her practice focuses on late-stage financings, secondaries, and other corporate transactions for investors, such as SoftBank and Temasek, and on investments for some of the top investors dedicated to impact, from “impact first” foundations to family offices to private equity funds. She co-led the drafting group for the first of the new corporate forms (the Social Purpose Corporation in California), has created hybrid/tandem corporate structures and crafted debt and equity instruments that blend impact with traditional financial terms, and has used corporate law to develop creative capital market solutions to pressing environmental problems. She also advises the boards of public and private companies on corporate governance and fiduciary duties as applied to sustainability and climate change.She was named a California Lawyer Attorney of the Year (CLAY) in 2012 and 2016 by Daily Journal and the Most Innovative Lawyer in North America in 2015 by the Financial Times.Leading Business AdvisorA powerhouse negotiator, clients note that “you cannot get a better corporate counsel” and that Suz “understands the big picture, could not be more responsive, and understands the business” (The Legal 500 US). She has extensive experience providing corporate and finance advice to companies and investors in connection with growth equity financings and secondaries, with particular experience in late-stage investments that have come to rival traditional strategic acquisitions in size and significance. Her experience includes leading some of the highest-profile late-stage investments over the past few years, including notable transactions for SoftBank Group (in the two largest private tender offers in history) in its $7.7 billion investment in Uber, $4.4 billion investment in WeWork, further $10 billion investment in WeWork, $1 billion investment in SoFi, and $250 million investment in Kabbage. She has also advised Temasek on its $800 million investment in Verily Life Sciences, Intel on its equity investment in Cloudera, and each of Fortress, TPG Rise, Vision Ridge Partners, Generation Investment Management, and Pontifax AgTech in numerous mid- to late-stage investments in clean technology, sustainability, education, food, and agriculture technology.Social Enterprise and Impact InvestingSuz is the go-to legal resource for social enterprises (for-profit and non-profit companies focused on social or environmental purpose), impact investors (investors interested in social or environmental returns), and mainstream companies developing environmental, social, and corporate governance policies. With deep expertise in the impact investing model, institutional investors exploring the space turn to her for creative solutions and her ability to structure both investments and companies to emphasize impact and returns.She represents a wide range of investors who are focused on impact, from foundations like the Gates Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, and The Rockefeller Foundation, to family offices like Armonia, Cornerstone Capital, Emerson Collective, New Island Capital, and Omidyar Network, to private equity funds like Goldman Sachs, TPG Rise, Vision Ridge Partners, and Generation Investment Management, in their equity investments in companies and projects that are focused on generating impact and returns for investors. She has deep experience and expertise ensuring energy, sustainability, and other investments have positive impact through the use of new corporate forms, hybrid or “tandem” structures with non-profits and for-profits, and alternative debt and equity instruments.Notable work in this space includes the establishment of a tandem structure, The Carbon Endowment, to retire coal assets at scale while securing a revenue stream for community reinvestment and job training in coal communities. Suz also advised on the structuring of Common Sense Growth as an extension of the non-profit Common Sense Media (to invest in companies that address issues related to children, education, and technology), the establishment of a fund for TPG Rise to provide debt financing to Echoing Green fellows, the spin-out of PRX from Public Radio International (to generate new revenue flows up to the non-profit), the establishment of a for-profit joint venture with non-profit Medicines360 (to allow the non-profit to distribute its healthcare products to women in the developing world), and the structuring of a for-profit evergreen fund that allows The Nature Conservancy to aggregate return-seeking and donor capital in order to invest in preserving our natural resources. She has also advised numerous clients on converting to a public benefit corporation or social purpose corporation model (which requires balancing traditional fiduciary duties against a social or environmental purpose), including This American Life, Revolution Foods, Rise Labs, and Beneficial State Bancorp.Suz also regularly advises boards of directors of private and public companies, special committees, and CEOs on corporate governance, particularly the intersection of fiduciary duties with sustainability, and focuses on environmental, social, and governance issues.Unmatched Cleantech and Renewable Energy ExperienceIn addition to founding and chairing the firm’s Social Enterprise and Impact Investing Group, Suz serves as Chair of Morrison & Foerster’s Energy Group and has extensive experience representing start-up to late stage private companies in the clean technology or sustainability space. She provides corporate and finance advice in connection with equity and debt financings, mergers, acquisitions, asset purchases and sales, reorganizations, and joint ventures. She has experience working with renewable energy start-up companies and renewable energy developers in the solar, wind, and biofuels industries. Suz has assisted renewable energy start up companies with raising venture capital and has advised renewable energy developers on project acquisitions.Suz’s representative renewable energy, cleantech, sustainable, and social enterprise clients include Anaergia, Change.org, EDF Renewables, E.ON, Etsy, First Look, OneSun, Planet Labs, Rising Sun Energy, RSF Social Finance, SustainBio, Trelys, Inc., Wikipedia, and Xpansiv.Board Activity and Thought LeadershipMs. Mac Cormac was a founding board member of the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), is a member of the board of directors of Business for Social Responsibility (BSR), the Ceres President’s Council, and the Earth Genome Project, and is an advising board member of the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy’s Strategic Investor Initiative.She has joined the faculty (teaching on the intersection of sustainability and fiduciary duties) at both the Stanford Director’s College and the Northwestern Corporate Counsel Institute and is an adjunct professor at UC Berkeley School of Law, teaching a course on Social Enterprise.

Susan Mac Cormac

Joerg Meissner is a partner at Morrison Foerster’s German office in Berlin. His practice focuses on M&A, private equity transactions, and general corporate and finance matters.Joerg represents strategic and financial investors in a broad range of corporate matters with a focus on domestic and cross-border M&A transactions, complex joint ventures and corporate restructurings. He has also handled a significant number of distressed company acquisitions and regularly represents clients in financial transactions and debt restructurings.Joerg is recognized by leading publications, including Legal 500 EMEA and Chambers Global, with sources describing him as a “solution oriented expert”.Joerg has extensive experience counseling clients in a variety of industries, including technology (e. g. software, internet), media, automotive, transportation and real estate.<h4>Representative Experience</h4><ul><li>Fujitsu Semiconductor on the spin off with European semiconductor business unit (SoC) and the set-up of a joint venture with Panasonic. </li><li>TeleColumbus AG, a German cable operator,  on the acquisition of Primacom and Pepcom. </li><li>Planet Labs on the acquisition of the German satellite system Rapid Eye from Blackbridge Group.</li><li>Kieger AG and BWK Unternehmensbeteiligungs GmbH on the acquisition of the technical optics business from Eschenbach AG.</li><li>Majority shareholder of Schmolz + Bickenbach AG on the financial restructuring of the company, including a €435 million capital increase.</li><li>H2 Equity Partners on the acquisition of all assets of the insolvent Haarmann Group, a specialist in metal pressing and metal hardening.</li><li>Midlabs Inc. on the acquisition of Fritz Ruck Ophthalmologische Systeme GmbH.</li><li>DAM Capital Management S.à.r.l. (a company of the Anschutz Group) in the financial restructuring and subsequent sale of RAIL.ONE GmbH, a leading railway-tie manufacturer.</li><li>BWK GmbH Unternehmensbeteiligungsgesellschaft on the sale of a majority stake in WIELAND Dental+Technik GmbH & Co KG, a producer of, inter alia, laboratory implants, alloys and solders, and veneering ceramics.</li><li>News Corporation on the acquisition of a majority stake in and the refinancing of Sky Deutschland AG.</li><li>PubliGroupe S.A. on the acquisition of ZANOX.de AG in a joint venture with Axel Springer AG and with regard to the add-on acquisitions of Digital Windows Ltd. and Buy.at Ltd.</li><li>Hi-Media S.A. on the acquisition of the German AdLink Media Group.</li><li>News Corporation on the reorganization and subsequent sale of the German Fox Mobile Group (JAMBA!).</li><li>Kéolis S.A. on the bidding process for Arriva Deutschland GmbH, a passenger railway carrier.</li><li>GASAG Berliner Gaswerke Aktiengesellschaft on a large number of debt financings, including several Schuldschein-loan agreements and the financing of the re-purchase of its gas storage facilities.</li><li>Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe AöR on the sale of GHG Wohnen GmbH, a residential housing company.</li><li>US-REIT on numerous sale and lease back transactions, inter alia on the sale and lease back of 36 do-it-yourself stores in Germany.</li></ul>

Jörg Meißner ist Partner des deutschen Büros von Morrison Foerster in Berlin. Sein Tätigkeitsschwerpunkt liegt auf den Bereichen M&A, Transaktionen im Bereich Private Equity sowie auf allgemeinen gesellschaftsrechtlichen und Finanzfragen.Jörg Meißner vertritt strategische Investoren sowie Finanzinvestoren zu einem breiten Spektrum gesellschaftsrechtlicher Fragen mit einem Schwerpunkt auf nationalen und grenzüberschreitenden M&A-Transaktionen, komplexen Joint Venture-Strukturen und gesellschaftsrechtlichen Restrukturierungen. Darüber hinaus hat er eine beträchtliche Zahl von Unternehmenskäufen im Vorfeld der Insolvenz begleitet und vertritt Mandanten ferner regelmäßig bei Finanztransaktionen und Umschuldungen.Jörg Meißner wird von führenden Publikationen wie Legal 500 EMEA und Chambers Global empfohlen und gilt als „lösungsorientierter Experte“.Er verfügt über umfangreiche Erfahrung bei der Beratung von Mandanten in verschiedenen Branchen, wie z. B. Technologie (z. B. Software und Internet), Medien, Automobil, Transport und Immobilien.Referenzen<ul><li>Beratung von Fujitsu Semiconductor bei der Überführung des europäischen Halbleiterentwicklungsgeschäfts (SoC) in ein Joint Venture mit Panasonic (Socionext)</li><li>Beratung des Kabelnetzbetreibers TeleColumbus AG beim Erwerb von Primacom und pepcom</li><li>Beratung von Planet Labs Inc. beim Erwerb des deutschen Satellitensystems Rapid Eye von der BlackBridge‑Gruppe</li><li>Beratung der Kieger AG und der BWK Unternehmensbeteiligungs GmbH beim Erwerb des Geschäftsbereichs Technische Optik von der Eschenbach AG</li><li>Beratung des Mehrheitsaktionärs der Schmolz + Bickenbach AG bei der finanziellen Restrukturierung des Unternehmens einschließlich einer Kapitalerhöhung von EUR 435 Millionen</li><li>Beratung von H2 Equity Partners bei der Übernahme aller Vermögenswerte der insolventen Haarmann-Gruppe, einem Spezialisten für Metallpressung und Metallhärtung</li><li>Beratung der Midlabs Inc. beim Erwerb der Fritz Ruck Ophthalmologische Systeme GmbH</li><li>Beratung der DAM Capital Management S.à.r.l. (einem Unternehmen der Anschutz-Gruppe) bei der finanziellen Restrukturierung und dem anschließenden Verkauf der RAIL.ONE GmbH, einem führenden Hersteller von Bahnschwellen</li><li>Beratung der BWK GmbH Unternehmensbeteiligungsgesellschaft bei der Veräußerung der Mehrheitsbeteiligung an WIELAND Dental+Technik GmbH & Co. KG, einem Hersteller von Laborimplantaten, Legierungen und Loten sowie von Verblendkeramik u. a.</li><li>Beratung der News Corporation beim Erwerb einer Mehrheitsbeteiligung an der Sky Deutschland AG sowie deren Refinanzierung</li><li>Beratung der PubliGroupe S.A. beim Erwerb der ZANOX.de AG in einem Joint Venture mit der Axel Springer AG sowie rechtliche Begleitung in Bezug auf die Add-On-Akquisition von Digital Windows Ltd. und Buy.at Ltd.</li><li>Beratung der Hi-Media S.A. beim Erwerb der deutschen AdLink Media Group</li><li>Beratung der News Corporation bei der Umstrukturierung und dem anschließenden Verkauf der deutschen Fox Mobile Group (JAMBA!)</li><li>Beratung der Kéolis S.A. beim Bieterverfahren für die Arriva Deutschland GmbH, einem Anbieter für Schienenpersonenverkehr </li><li>Beratung der GASAG Berliner Gaswerke Aktiengesellschaft bei zahlreichen Fremdkapitalfinanzierungen, einschließlich diverser Schuldscheindarlehensverträge und der Finanzierung des Rückkaufs ihrer Gasspeicheranlagen</li><li>Beratung der Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe AöR bei der Veräußerung der Wohnungsbaugesellschaft GHG Wohnen GmbH </li><li>Beratung eines US REIT bei verschiedenen Sale-and-lease-back Transaktionen, unter anderem dem Sale-and-lease-back von 36 Baumärkten in Deutschland</li></ul>

Jörg Meißner

James Newton is a partner in Morrison & Foerster's Business Restructuring + Insolvency Group. James advises companies, boards of directors, investors, lenders, and other stakeholders across the full range of restructuring, special situations, and distressed financing matters—both in and out of court, and in the corporate and municipal contexts.James works on financial distress from every vantage point. He counsels companies and their directors on restructuring alternatives, liability management, balance-sheet recapitalizations, and the fiduciary and governance questions that arise during periods of liquidity stress, and he represents investors, lenders, committees, and other parties in interest in developing creative solutions to help their borrowers navigate those same situations.His experience spans out-of-court workouts and exchange offers, prepackaged and traditional chapter 11 cases, distressed acquisitions and financings, and complex sovereign and municipal restructurings.James received his J.D. and M.B.A. from Temple University, his LL.M. in bankruptcy law from St. John’s University, and a B.S.B.A. in finance from the University of Florida.<h4>Liability Management and Other Out-of-Court Workout, Financing, and Distressed M&A Matters</h4><ul><li>Ad Hoc Group of KLDiscovery Convertible Noteholders Advised an ad hoc group of convertible debenture holders through an out-of-court restructuring, resulting in an exchange of approximately $266 million (100%) of KLDiscovery Inc.’s issued and outstanding debentures for approximately 96% of the company’s common equity.</li><li>Diversified Healthcare Trust Refinancing Transaction Represented initial purchasers in a $941 million Rule 144A offering of zero coupon senior secured notes of Diversified Healthcare Trust (Nasdaq: DHC).</li><li>Puerto Rico Infrastructure Financing Authority Represented alternative asset managers in connection with an out-of-court workout of “double-dip” bonds issued by the Puerto Rico Infrastructure Financing Authority and guaranteed by the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.</li><li>Ad Hoc Group of Puerto Rico Ports Authority Bondholders Represented two separate ad hoc groups of Puerto Rico Ports Authority bondholders in connection with restructuring over $190 million in funded debt obligations owed by the Puerto Rico Ports Authority. The initial restructuring transaction became one of the first successful restructuring efforts under the newly enacted Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act.</li><li>Ad Hoc Group of Education Management Corporation Lenders Represented an ad hoc group of term and revolving lenders to Education Management Corporation in connection with negotiation and implementation of a strict foreclosure on their collateral and subsequent efforts to monetize that collateral.</li><li>Ad Hoc Group of Dream Center Education Holdings Term Lenders Represented an ad hoc group of term lenders to Dream Center Education Holdings in connection with Dream Center’s distressed spinoff of two not-for-profit education systems to new ownership and the simultaneous restructuring of existing debt facilities.</li><li>PREPA Administrative Expense Financing Advised leading alternative asset manager in connection with a bespoke transaction involving the purchase of the “first dollars” recovered on account of a $390 million administrative expense claim asserted by Cobra Acquisitions LLC against the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA).</li><li>Aircraft Financing Workout Led efforts to acquire and work out a loan secured by multiple aircraft and engines operated by a U.S. airline. </li></ul><h4>In-Court Restructuring Matters</h4><ul><li>In re Synthego Corporation Representing sole prepetition secured lender, debtor-in-possession lender, and stalking horse bidder in the chapter 11 case of Synthego Corporation.</li><li>In re Village Roadshow Entertainment Group Advising holders of senior secured notes in connection with chapter 11 cases by Village Roadshow Entertainment Group (BVI) Limited and its affiliated debtors, including in connection with structuring and implementation of bespoke debtor-in-possession financing to bridge to a sale of the debtors’ film library.</li><li>In re Silvergate Capital Corp. Representing global institutional alternative asset management firm in connection with multiple claims in the chapter 11 cases of Silvergate Capital Corp. and its affiliated Debtors, including in connection with its holdings of over 95% of the debtors’ Junior Subordinated Notes due 2031.</li><li>In re JER Investors Trust Inc. Advised global institutional alternative asset management firm in connection with bankruptcy of JER Investors Trust Inc., a real estate investment trust that managed a portfolio of commercial real estate mortgage and other assets, in connection with the restructuring of the company’s Junior Subordinated Notes, including challenges to REIT management agreement termination fee.</li><li>Ad Hoc Group of Constitutional Debtholders Represented an ad hoc group of holders of bonds issued by the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and certain of its instrumentalities in connection with Puerto Rico’s efforts to improve its fiscal situation and, ultimately, in connection with the restructuring of their debt under the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act and related Commonwealth laws.</li><li>Ad Hoc Group of PBA Funds Represented an ad hoc group of holders of bonds issued by the Puerto Rico Public Buildings Authority (PBA) advancing “double-dip” claims against the PBA and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, including pursuit of litigation seeking administrative expense claims for lease rental payments owed to the PBA. The PBA Funds’ efforts led to a significant increase in the price of PBA bonds and established an administrative expense claim that ultimately served as the centerpiece of a plan of adjustment for both the PBA and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.</li></ul>

James Newton

Nozomi Oda is the Co-Head of the Asia M&A/PE Practice. Her work focuses on cross-border public and private M&A, joint ventures, strategic investments, capital markets, and life sciences.She regularly advises clients on a wide range of Japanese regulations including securities, financial and fund, merger review, and healthcare and life sciences. In addition to her work in private practice, Nozomi spent two years with Japan’s Financial Services Agency (FSA) as a deputy director of the corporate disclosure department, where she participated in the drafting of the FSA’s disclosure regulations regarding private placement offerings and director compensation.Nozomi is recommended in the 2023 edition of The Legal 500 Asia Pacific for Japan: Corporate and M&A and has also been recognized in The Best Lawyers in Japan for Capital Markets, Corporate and M&A, Private Equity, Private Funds and Venture Capital Law.Nozomi is a bengoshi admitted to practice in Japan and New York and a member of the Dai-Ichi Tokyo Bar Association.Nozomi’s experience includes representing:<ul><li>Daiichi Sankyo in its $6.9 billion global drug development and commercialization agreement with AstraZeneca.</li><li>C.R. Bard in its acquisition of Medicon, a Japan-based distributor of medical equipment.</li><li>Nissan Motor in its $2.3 billion acquisition of a 34% stake in Mitsubishi Motors.</li><li>Starbucks Coffee in its buyout of the remaining 60.5% share of Starbucks Coffee Japan.</li></ul>

Nozomi Oda

Mitchell Presser advises on high-profile global public and private mergers and acquisitions, with a heavy concentration on private equity transactions. As co-chair of the firm’s Band 1 global Food + Agriculture Industry practice, and member of the firm’s global Sustainability + Corporate Responsibility steering committee, as well as the Private Equity Investments + Buyouts and M&A groups, Mitchell utilizes his vast experience in high-stakes M&A and private equity deals to drive successful outcomes for clients in diverse sectors, including food production, agribusiness, financial services, industrials, insurance, sports and entertainment, energy, retail, and more.As a founding partner of Paine Schwartz Partners, a premier U.S. private equity firm dedicated to sustainable food chain investing with $6.5 billion assets under management, Mitchell has his unique insights shaped by over eight years as an investor. Mitchell proficiently understands both the legal and business environments, positioning him as a trusted advisor for clients navigating the intricate world of mergers, acquisitions, and private equity transactions.Mitchell has been recognized as a top lawyer by Chambers USA and Legal 500 US. Mitchell is a faculty member and lecturer of law at Harvard Law School and Columbia Law School, where he teaches a class focused on international business sales and negotiations. He has served as board member for various privately-held and public companies.

Mitchell Presser

Omar Pringle is a seasoned dealmaker and trusted advisor known for guiding clients through their most complex, high-stakes transactions with precision and insight.Omar has extensive experience advising on the full range of complex domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions for and across from financial sponsors, corporates and family-owned businesses. He couples a creative, solution-oriented approach with deep sector expertise.In addition to his knowledge of the private equity industry, Omar has extensive experience in the food and agriculture, consumer goods, technology and life sciences sectors, and acting for and across from the businesses that are driving and disrupting those verticals.Commended by Legal 500 US 2022-2025 as a Next Generation Partner for Corporate / M&A and Commercial: Private Equity Buyouts, he has played a critical role in the growth of the firm’s private equity offering in New York.Omar is an adjunct professor at Columbia Law School, where he teaches a course on cross-border mergers and acquisitions. He is also a member of the firm’s global Food & Agriculture and Life Sciences steering committees.﻿He speaks fluent French and Spanish and is conversant in Arabic.

Omar Pringle

Tabitha Saw is the Managing Partner of the Morrison Foerster's Singapore office. She represents investment managers, institutional investors, development companies, funds, and owner operators in complex high-value private equity real estate (PERE) and data center transactions. She has significant experience in the establishment of capital raising platforms for real estate investments across APAC, including logistics and data center developments, contractual co‑investment platforms, joint ventures, funds, and downstream portfolio acquisitions and disposals. Her areas of expertise include advising on hyperscale leasing and co-location arrangements, greenfield and brownfield acquisitions, and asset management and operational arrangements.Tabitha is highly regarded by clients for her excellent commercial understanding, strong technical skills, and quality of advice. She is described by clients as “exceptionally sharp”, “clear and concise,” and is commended for her “ability to dissect complex issues” and “superior negotiation skills”.<h4>Representative Experience</h4><ul><li>FLOW Digital Infrastructure on the establishment of its joint venture platform with AyalaLand Logistics Holdings Corp, to develop carrier-neutral data centers across the Philippines and the platform’s acquisition of land for the Laguna data center facility.</li><li>ESR on the development of a US$2.15 billion multi-phase data centre campus in Osaka City, within 10km of the Osaka CBD.</li><li>Yondr on its 200MW hyperscale campus development across 72.8 acres of land acquired from TPM Technopark Sdn Bhd, in Johor, Malaysia.</li><li>GDS on its site acquisition for development of the hyperscale data center located at the Nongsa Digital Park in Batam, Indonesia with targeted capacity of 28MW.</li><li>ESR on the formation of a perpetual core fund and joint venture among ESR, AXA Investment Managers - Real Assets (AXA IM), and a major sovereign wealth fund in connection with the acquisition of six logistics properties in Japan for over US$1 billion.</li><li>GDS on its land acquisition for the data center campus development at the Nusajaya Tech Park in Iskandar Puteri, Johor which is intended for a 54MW hyperscale development.</li><li>ESR on the establishment of a US$300 million programmatic co-investment platform with Ping An Real Estate, and related shareholder arrangements, for investments in logistics and distribution assets.</li><li>One of the largest global private equity funds on its development and lease of four hyperscale data centers in Osaka and Tokyo, Japan.</li><li>An Asia-focused private real estate fund on its development and lease of two build-to-suit data centers in Greater Tokyo.</li></ul>

Tabitha Saw

Managing Partner, Singapore

Wolfgang Schoenig advises clients on contentious and non-contentious matters involving their most valuable intellectual property assets in life sciences, digital, and high-tech industries.His subjects of focus include research and development collaborations, complex licensing agreements, and other technology transactions, as well as know-how protection strategies, and employee invention law. He also has substantial experience in litigating patents, trademarks, and other intellectual property assets, often in a multijurisdictional context. In addition, Wolfgang and his team frequently clear trademarks and ad campaigns and prosecute trademark applications.Wolfgang is co-editor of our <a href="https://lifesciences.mofo.com/" dir="ltr" target="_blank">MoFo Life Sciences Blog</a>.Wolfgang is a partner of Morrison Foerster based in our German office in Berlin.<h4 dir="ltr">Representative Transactional Matters</h4><ul dir="ltr"><li>U.S.-based BioTech fund on various research collaborations and other transactions with German start-ups or research institutions.</li><li>Negotiate multimillion-euro strategic partnership between two AgTech leaders concerning the development and commercialization of pest-resistant transgenic traits.</li><li>Craft global multi-million collaboration regarding AI-powered robotic MaaS.</li><li>UK-based digital health company on product roll-out of RPM applications in Germany; coordinate international expansion.</li><li>Advise numerous German start-ups on their U.S. expansion.</li><li>Draft diverse global patent and know-how license agreements in the areas of AgTech and life sciences—including gene licensing and licensing of genome editing technologies (e.g., CRISPR)—and medical devices; draft correlating supply and distribution agreements.</li><li>Structure IP rights in connection with joint ventures and other M&A transactions, including the carve-out of a patent-heavy semiconductor business comprising nine jurisdictions into a German–U.S. joint venture.</li><li dir="ltr">Advise on government-funded, multi-partner R&D projects and/or R&D projects with academic institutions, as well as on employee invention law.</li></ul><h4 dir="ltr">Representative Contentious IP Matters</h4><ul dir="ltr"><li>Lead counsel in an international dispute between software companies on rights and obligations following termination of a multi-million licensing and distribution arrangement; coordinate local counsel.</li><li>Defend Japanese chip manufacturer in high-profile SEP-litigation; advise on global settlement arrangement.</li><li>Represent leading internet retailer in patent infringement and concurrent invalidity proceedings in the context of a multijurisdictional dispute concerning touch-screen technology.</li><li>Represent diverse pharmaceutical and life sciences companies in national and cross-border patent infringement proceedings and other technology-related disputes, including preliminary injunctions as well as pre‑trial discovery and inspection proceedings, concerning, inter alia, drug-coating technologies, toner cartridges, medicinal gases, transgenic plants, and vaccines.</li><li dir="ltr">Conduct trademark, copyright, and false advertising litigation, including, most notably, a high-profile trademark litigation for a German bank, and a nine-country cross-border trademark litigation involving a famous pharmaceutical brand.</li></ul>

Dr. Wolfgang Schönig berät Mandanten zum Schutz des geistigen Eigentums sowohl in streitigen als auch nichtstreitigen Angelegenheiten, mit einem besonderen Fokus auf die IP-rechtliche Beratung von Unternehmen aus den Bereichen Life Sciences, Digitalwirtschaft und High-Tech.Zu seinen Beratungsschwerpunkten gehören Forschungs- und Entwicklungskooperationen, komplexe Lizenzvertragsgestaltungen und andereTechnologie-Transaktionen, sowie Know-how-Schutz-Strategien und das Arbeitnehmererfinderrecht. Er verfügt zudem über umfangreiche Prozesserfahrung zur Durchsetzung von Patenten, Marken- und anderen IP-Rechten, häufig auch in einem grenzüberschreitenden Kontext. Darüber hinaus bewertet Dr. Wolfgang Schönig zusammen mit seinem Team regelmäßig die Rechtskonformität von Werbekampagnen, prüft die Verfügbarkeit von Marken und entwickelt entsprechende Anmeldestrategien.Dr. Wolfgang Schönig ist Co-Editor des Life Sciences Blogs von Morrison Foerster.Er hat seinen Doktortitel an der Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf und seinen LL.M. an der Fordham School of Law in New York erworben, jeweils mit Schwerpunkt im gewerblichen Rechtsschutz. Seinen MBA-Abschluss erhielt er von der European University in Barcelona.Dr. Wolfgang Schönig ist Partner des deutschen Büros von Morrison Foerster in Berlin.<h4 dir="ltr">Repräsentative Transaktionen</h4><ul><li dir="ltr">BioTech-Fonds mit Sitz in den USA bei verschiedenen Forschungskooperationen und anderen Transaktionen mit deutschen Start-ups oder Forschungseinrichtungen</li><li dir="ltr">Verhandlung einer hochvolumigen strategischen Partnerschaft zwischen zwei Technologieführern im Bereich Crop Science betreffend der Entwicklung und Kommerzialisierung von bestimmten Resistenzen</li><li dir="ltr">Gestaltung einer globalen Multi-Millionen-Zusammenarbeit für KI-gestützte Roboter</li><li dir="ltr">Ein in Großbritannien ansässiges Unternehmen für digitale Gesundheit bei der Markteinführung von RPM-Anwendungen in Deutschland; Koordination der internationalen Expansion</li><li dir="ltr">Beratung zahlreicher deutscher Start-ups bei deren US-Expansion</li><li dir="ltr">Strukturierung und Verhandlung diverser Patent- und Know-How-Lizenzen in den Bereichen Ag Tech und Life Sciences – einschließlich Fragen zu genome editing wie CRISPR-Medizingeräte, sowie Gestaltung von Softwarelizenzverträgen und Erstellung korrespondierender Liefer- und Vertriebsvereinbarungen</li><li dir="ltr">Strukturierung von IP-Rechten im Zusammenhang mit Joint Ventures und anderen M&A-Transaktionen, darunter die Koordination eines neun Länder umfassenden IP Carve-Outs im Rahmen eines Halbleiter-JVs</li><li dir="ltr">Beratung zu staatlich geförderten Multi-Partner F&E-Projekten und/oder F&E-Projekten mit akademischen Einrichtungen sowie zum Arbeitnehmererfindungsrecht</li></ul><h4 dir="ltr">Repräsentative IP-Streitigkeiten</h4><ul><li dir="ltr">Lead Counsel in einem internationalen Rechtsstreit zwischen Softwareunternehmen über Rechte und Pflichten nach Beendigung einer millionenschweren Lizenz- und Vertriebsvereinbarung; Koordinierung der lokalen Anwälte</li><li dir="ltr">Verteidigung eines japanischen Chipherstellers in einem prominenten Streitfall bezüglich Standardessentieller Patente (SEP); Beratung zu einer globalen Vergleichsregelung</li><li dir="ltr">Verteidigung einer führenden Internetplattform gegen Ansprüche eines Patenttrolls wegen vermeintlicher Verletzung von Patent bezüglich Touchscreen-Technologie sowie korrespondierende US-Streitigkeiten</li><li dir="ltr">Vertretung von Pharma- und Life Science-Unternehmen in nationalen und grenzüberschreitenden Patentverletzungsverfahren und anderen technologiebezogenen Streitigkeiten, einschließlich einstweiliger Verfügungsverfahren und vorprozessualer Beweissicherungs- und Besichtigungsverfahren, unter anderem in Bezug auf Arzneimittelbeschichtungstechnologien, Tonerkartuschen, medizinische Gase, transgene Pflanzen und Impfstoffe</li></ul>

Wolfgang Schönig

Jennifer Seipelt advises national and international clients on a wide range of financing structures. She specializes in domestic and cross‑border financing transactions, with a particular focus on representing private equity funds, borrowers, financial institutions, and debt funds on acquisition finance, leveraged buyouts, direct lending, corporate finance, and syndicated loans. Other areas of expertise include real estate financing, infrastructure financing, and financial restructuring.Prior to joining Morrison Foerster, Jennifer worked, inter alia, for major U.S. and UK law firms in the areas of banking and leveraged finance.Jennifer is a partner in Morrison Foerster's German office in Berlin.

Jennifer Seipelt berät nationale und internationale Mandanten zu einer Vielzahl an Finanzierungsstrukturen. Sie ist auf inländische und grenzüberschreitende Finanzierungstransaktionen spezialisiert und berät insbesondere Private-Equity-Fonds, Kreditnehmer, Finanzinstitute und Debt Fonds zu Akquisitionsfinanzierungen, Leveraged Buy-Outs, Direct Lending, Unternehmensfinanzierungen und Konsortialkrediten.Zudem hat Jennifer Seipelt umfassendes Know-how bei der Begleitung von Immobilienfinanzierungen, Infrastrukturfinanzierungen und finanziellen Restrukturierungen.Vor ihrem Eintritt bei Morrison Foerster war Jennifer Seipelt unter anderem bei großen US-amerikanischen und britischen Anwaltskanzleien in den Bereichen Banking und Leveraged Finance tätig.Jennifer Seipelt ist Partnerin des deutschen Büros von Morrison Foerster in Berlin.

Jennifer Seipelt

Theo Seltzer is a partner in the firm’s Real Estate Group. Theo’s practice focuses on the representation of U.S., Japanese, and other global institutional investors in the acquisition, financing and disposition of real estate, including cross-border equity and debt financing, fund formations, development projects, data centers, hotels, and distressed loan portfolio acquisitions.Theo has been consistently ranked as one of the leading U.S. Real Estate lawyers in Japan, including by Chambers Asia-Pacific, The Legal 500 Asia Pacific, and The Best Lawyers in Japan. Most recently, he has been named Lawyer of the Year for Real Estate Law in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in Japan. Theo is ranked Band 1 for Real Estate in Japan in Chamber Asia-Pacific's 2026 edition.Chambers Asia Pacific's 2021-2026 editions named Theo a "Star Individual" for Real Estate in Japan. He is also listed in the elite Hall of Fame category for Real Estate in Japan in The Legal 500 Asia Pacific's 2024 edition.Theo’s projects include:<ul><li>Representing Blackstone in its acquisition of certain Daiwa House’s logistics centers in Japan. The transaction was awarded Real Estate Deal of the Year by Asian Legal Business (ALB) Japan Law Awards 2021. </li><li>Representing Asia Pacific Land, who led an international consortium of investors, in the acquisition of the Tokyo Shiba Park Building. As of the closing, this was considered the largest single asset transaction in Japan since the Global Financial Crisis. The transaction was awarded Asia Deal of the Year by the Global PERE (Private Equity Real Estate) Awards 2013. </li><li>Representing global funds in connection with their acquisitions of performing, sub-performing and non-performing loan pools and bonds, including acquisitions from the Lehman bankruptcy estate. </li><li>Representing a global real estate/private equity fund in their investment in connection with the ¥150 billion sale and leaseback of 184 Japan dealership outlets of Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation, one of the largest sale-leaseback transactions in Japan to date. </li><li>Representing a global financial institution in the workout of their debt position in the ANA Hotel portfolio. </li></ul>

Theodore Seltzer

Gary has 30 years of experience advising clients on cross-border M&A and financing transactions. He has particular experience in the life sciences, tech, and media industries, where he has led on numerous inbound and outbound buyouts, joint ventures, and minority investments. Gary has advised on acquisitions in India, China, Brazil, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, and other parts of Southeast Asia, as well as in Europe and the United States. He counsels a variety of clients, including Daiwa Securities Group, FUJIFILM, the Hitachi Group, Mizuho Securities, SMBC Nikko Securities, and Taisho Pharmaceutical.Gary was born in Japan and is fluent in Japanese. During his law studies at Columbia University, he was a Harlan Fiske Stone scholar and a recipient of the Recognition of Achievement in International Law, with Honors. Gary also attended the University of Tokyo Graduate School as a Japan Ministry of Education Scholar. He received his B.A. and B.B.A. summa cum laude from University of Washington, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.Gary is ranked as a Band 1 leading lawyer by Chambers Global and Chambers Asia-Pacific for his M&A and corporate law expertise. He has also been selected as a Stand-out Lawyer by Thomson Reuters in 2023, every year for the A-List Japan’s Top 100 Lawyers by Asia Business Law Journal since 2021 and by Lexology Index (formerly Who’s Who Legal) as a Thought Leader for M&A in Japan since 2023. He has been consistently selected as a leading lawyer in M&A and corporate law in Japan by The Legal 500 Asia Pacific (Hall of Fame), IFLR1000, and Best Lawyers.

Gary Smith

Chris Spalding is a partner in the firm’s Real Estate Group.Chris’ practice focuses on the financing, acquisition, disposition and development of real estate assets with particular experience in acting on non-recourse financings for international institutional investors and lenders in relation to commercial and residential real estate projects.Chris is recommended by The Legal 500 Asia Pacific for Japan: Real Estate and Construction. He has also been recognized by The Best Lawyers in Japan in its “Ones to Watch” category for Construction Law. Chris received his B.A. and LL.B. degrees from the University of Queensland and is admitted to practice law in Queensland, Australia and New York. Chris is a registered foreign lawyer in Japan (Gaikokuho-Jimu-Bengoshi) and a member of the Dai-Ichi Tokyo Bar Association.

Chris Spalding

Chuan Sun is Managing Partner of the Shanghai and Hong Kong offices.Chuan focuses his practice on cross-border M&A transactions; sophisticated technology, media, and telecom (TMT) transactions; and complex IP/commercial matters across Greater China.With more than 20 years of experience in both Asia and the U.S., Chuan regularly advises multinational corporations, state-owned enterprises, private companies, and PE/VC firms in complex cross-border M&A transactions, joint ventures, strategic alliances, and business separation transactions.Chuan has extensive experience in complex corporate-commercial and technology transactions across the Fintech, e-commerce, and broader TMT sectors. His work covers payment technology, eKYC, credit technology, blockchain, e-platform arrangements, R&D, co-development, technology collaborations, and IP licensing. He also advises on strategic outsourcing, manufacturing, distribution, supply, and franchising arrangements across various industries.Chuan regularly counsels clients on cutting-edge technology and IP regulatory matters, including Fintech, data privacy, cybersecurity, data localization, cross-border data transfers, cloud computing, telecommunications, telematics, and third-party payment services.Prior to joining MoFo, he worked in the Hong Kong office of a Magic Circle firm and the Chicago office of another leading international firm.Chuan co-authored the Hong Kong & mainland China chapters of Getting the Deal Through – Telecoms and Media, 2014, 2015 & 2016; the Hong Kong & mainland China chapters of Getting the Deal Through: Market Intelligence – Telecoms and Media, 2015; and the Hong Kong chapter of Sourcing World 2nd Edition 2015.Chuan is fluent in Mandarin and English.“Chuan Sun has a wealth of knowledge on his clients’ existing products and services offerings and a good understanding of what terms they are or are not willing to accept. This helps tremendously with contract negotiations.”“Chuan Sun has extensive experience in the technology space. Many other competitor firms in the technology space are not really pure IT lawyers, as they are more focus on privacy and trade marks or other related fields, as opposed to technology contracts such as SAP or Microsoft software license agreements. A normal general commercial lawyer would not be able to identify the same issues or raise the right questions, as they are not equipped with the technology know-how of the products and services, their benefits, and general industry standard terms and trending patterns in the market.” Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2020<h4>Representative Experience:</h4><ul><li>CPE, a Chinese alternative investment firm, in connection with its US$350 million joint venture with Restaurant Brands International (RBI), one of the world's largest multinational fast food holding company, to operate Burger King in China which has around 1,250 restaurants in total. This transaction is one of the most significant private equity-led transactions in China’s consumer sector in 2025.</li><li>OcuMension Therapeutics (HKSE: 01477), a Hong Kong Stock Exchange listed ophthalmic pharmaceutical platform in China in its acquisition of substantial assets valued at HK$1.28 billion (approximately US$165 million) from Alcon Inc., a global leader in eye care. The transaction involves asset purchase, global license, transition services and manufacture and supply arrangement and constitutes a very substantial transaction of OcuMension.</li><li>Ascendent Capital Partners in its US$1.66 billion privatization of Hollysys Automation Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ: HOLI), a leading international automation control system solutions provider. This is a rare transaction where a PE fund successfully acquires a US-listed Chinese company without forming a consortium with controlling shareholder or management. It is also the first and only U.S. take-private of a BVI-incorporated company involving a dissenter process. </li></ul><ul><li>Leading Global, China-Headquartered Fintech Company. Advise the company in connection with its first provision of blockchain and Real World Asset solutions in the fintech industry to a leading Chinese securities company for the latter’s first launch of structured product tokens, enabling secure, transparent, tamper-proof transactions for fixed-income and principal-protected tokenized products linked to US equity ETFs.</li><li>Leading Global, China-Headquartered Fintech Company. Advise the company in connection with the international expansion of its various business operations that are based on cutting-edge technologies, including blockchain and crypto, into multiple jurisdictions. </li></ul>

孙川是美富上海办公室和香港办公室的管理合伙人。孙川律师的执业领域集中在大中华区的跨境并购交易，复杂的技术、媒体和电信(TMT)交易以及复杂的知识产权/商务事宜。孙律师在亚洲和美国有20多年工作经验，他经常代理跨国公司、国有企业、私人企业和私募股权/风险投资机构处理复杂的跨境并购交易、合资、战略联盟和业务拆分等交易。孙律师在战略性的公司商务和技术交易方面也拥有极为丰富的经验，包括外包、制造、分销、供应与特许经营安排，以及跨行业知识产权许可安排等。他在TMT和知识产权监管方面的经验包括电信、电子商务、互联网、网络安全、数据隐私、云计算以及车联网。在加入美富前，孙律师在一家 “魔法圈”律所(Magic Circle)的香港办事处和另一家领先的国际律所的芝加哥办事处工作。孙律师与他人合著了2014，2015和2016版《让交易推进下去––电信与媒体》(Getting the Deal Through – Telecoms and Media)中的香港和中国大陆章节，2015年版《让交易推进下去：市场情报––电信与媒体》(Getting the Deal Through: Market Intelligence – Telecoms and Media)中的香港和中国大陆章节，以及2015年《采购世界》第二版(Sourcing World 2nd Edition)的香港章节。2018年《亚太法律500强》指出“孙川律师十分高效、负责和实际。他非常擅长处理IT协议，包括软件许可和IT采购合同的相关事宜。他也十分善于处理跨境TMT交易。”孙律师精通普通话和英语。<h4>具有代表性的交易 </h4><ul><li>代表中国另类投资公司CPE源峰 就其与世界上最大的餐饮公司之一餐饮品牌国际集团（Restaurant Brands International，简称 RBI）成立价值3.5亿美元的合资企业。该合资企业将负责汉堡王在中国的运营，目前在全国拥有约 1,250 家餐厅。本次交易是 2025 年中国消费行业中由私募股权基金主导的最具代表性交易之一。</li><li>代表香港上市的中国眼科制药平台欧康维视生物医药(HKSE: 01477)处理其收购全球眼科护理领域的领导者爱尔康公司价值 12.8 亿港元（约 1.65 亿美元）重大资产的事宜。交易涉及资产收购，以及全球许可、过渡期服务、生产和供应安排等，是欧康维视的一项非常重大交易。</li><li>代表上达资本处理其以16.6亿美元对和利时自动化技术有限公司（纳斯达克证券交易所股票代码：HOLI）进行私有化事宜。和利时是一家领先的国际自动化控制系统解决方案提供商。这是一宗罕见的交易。在这宗交易中，私募股权基金在未与控股股东或管理层组建财团的情况下，就成功收购了在美国上市的中国公司。这也是首宗且唯一一宗涉及异议股东程序的，在英属维尔京群岛注册成立的公司的美国上市公司私有化交易。</li><li>代表一家总部位于中国的全球领先金融科技公司首次为金融科技行业提供区块链及现实世界资产（RWA）解决方案，协助一家中国头部证券公司首次发行结构化产品代币。该方案为挂钩美国股票ETF的固定收益及保本型代币化产品提供了安全、透明且防篡改的交易支持‌。</li><li>代表一家总部位于中国的全球领先金融科技公司处理基于区块链和加密货币等尖端技术开展的各项业务在多个司法管辖区进行国际扩张的事宜。</li></ul>

Chuan Sun

Managing Partner, Shanghai and Hong Kong

Yemi Tépé is Asia Head of the Finance Group of Morrison Foerster. With more than 25 years advising clients on the full spectrum of event-driven financings and private equity buyouts, she has extensive experience in domestic and cross-border acquisition and leveraged finance, public to private takeovers, digital infrastructure and data center financings, debt restructurings, margin loans, and subscription line and NAV financings.Her clients include global and regional private equity sponsors, multi-national corporations, leading international and regional banks and private credit funds.Yemi sits on MoFo’s Board of Directors, Global Finance Committee, Community Advisory Board and Pro Bono Committee.<h4>Representative Experience</h4><ul><li>GLP China Logistics Fund I and its affiliates in the $5 billion recapitalization and exit of the portfolio developed within the fund, which was GLP’s flagship USD-denominated develop-to-core fund formed in 2013 to invest in prime, institutional-grade modern logistics assets in China.</li></ul><ul><li>The senior lenders on the acquisition financing to CVC Capital Partners for the acquisition of TRY Group, the largest one-to-one tutoring services provider in Japan.</li></ul><ul><li>GLP Pte. Ltd. in relation to subscription line facilities for GLP Japan Development Partners IV (JDP IV), which will have USD9.1 billion in assets under management when fully deployed, one of the largest-ever Japan-focused private real estate funds.</li><li>GLP Pte. Ltd. on a USD658 million sustainability linked syndicated loan facility.</li><li>The mezzanine lenders on the acquisition financing to CVC Capital Partners for the USD1.5 billion acquisition of Shiseido's personal care business.</li><li>The mezzanine lenders on Bain Capital’s approximately USD380 million acquisition of Kirindo, a Japanese pharmacy chain store operator. </li><li>SoftBank Group Corporation in connection with senior and mezzanine acquisition facilities for OYO’s acquisition of Netherlands-based @Leisure. </li><li>PA Chokmah Investment Limited (wholly owned by Ping An Overseas Holdings), as lender in relation to a HKD500 million convertible loan to Wisdom Education International Holdings Company Limited, a Hong Kong listco, principally engaged in operating premium primary and secondary schools in China.</li><li>BlackRock in relation to offshore and onshore acquisition financing in its acquisition of two blocks of grade-A office buildings in Changning, Shanghai from PGIM Real Estate, a property investment affiliate of Prudential Financial.</li><li>MUFG Bank, Ltd. as mandated lead arranger and underwriter of acquisition facilities for two strategic acquisitions aggregating close to USD1billion by Siam City Cement Public Company Limited, a listco on the Stock Exchange of Thailand and Thailand’s second largest cement producer, from LafargeHolcim Ltd.</li><li>Various lenders and private equity funds in relation to capital call/subscription facilities, fund financings and borrowing base facilities.</li></ul>

Yemi Tépé

Jeremy White is currently the Co-Head of the Asia M&A/PE Practice (and was our Global Co-Chair of M&A until rotating off in 2026). As a corporate partner of our Tokyo office, Jeremy focuses his practice on cross-border mergers, acquisitions, disposals, spin-outs, and joint ventures. His practice covers alliances between multinationals to greenfield corporate and venture investments.Jeremy is rated as one of “Asia’s Top 15 M&A Lawyers” (by Asia Legal Business 2023).Jeremy is recommended as a leading lawyer in Japan by independent guides to the legal profession, including Chambers & Partners, The Legal 500, and IFLR1000. Clients' consistent praise over many years reflect that he is “highly commercial and pragmatic” (Chambers 2026), “quite simply the best M&A lawyer I have worked with. His knowledge, dedication to client and project, experience and constructive problem-solving approach is unmatched in the market” (The Legal 500 2023), “exceptional for cross-border transactions…and an absolute pleasure to work with” (Chambers 2020), “the single best lawyer I have worked with in 30 years of M&A experience…courteous, ruthless on behalf of the client in negotiations, very smart, a creative solution finder, and has pragmatic common sense” (Chambers 2019), and “The best cross border transaction lawyer in Tokyo and all of my clients I introduced love him…” (IFLR1000 2018).