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2025 M&A Annual Review

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We are pleased to share our 2025 M&A Annual Review, which explores certain key trends we anticipate will influence the M&A market...

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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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We are pleased to share our 2025 M&A Annual Review, which explores certain key trends we anticipate will influence the M&A market in 2026 and highlights select Morrison Foerster transactions from the past year.We value the trust our clients place in us and this review is only possible because of that trust. Our commitment remains firm: delivering the sophisticated, practical, and strategic legal counsel necessary to navigate a complex and ever-changing global landscape. We look forward to being your partner in 2026 and beyond.Read our <a href="https://media.mofo.com/docs/pdf/MA-Annual-Review-2025/" target="_blank">2025 M&A Annual Review</a>.

2025 M&A Annual Review

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Spencer Klein is Chair of the firm's global Mergers & Acquisitions Group.Spencer focuses his practice on M+A transactions and related matters such as proxy contests and takeover defense counseling. He has advised on more than 200 successfully closed mergers, tender and exchange offers, stock and asset acquisitions, divestitures and joint ventures. He is also a veteran of numerous contested matters and regularly counsels corporate boards and committees in transactional and high-profile corporate governance matters.Spencer frequently advises leading U.S. and multinational companies across multiple industries. His engagements include multi-billion dollar deals in health care and life sciences, financial services, technology, consumer products, manufacturing, retail, energy, and entertainment, media and sports. In addition to prominent corporate clients and private equity funds, he has represented some of the world's leading bulge bracket and boutique investment banks.Spencer also co-chairs the firm’s Interactive and Digital Media group, an interdisciplinary team that operates at the convergence of technology with media and entertainment.Prior to joining Morrison & Foerster, Spencer was a partner at O’Melveny & Myers LLP, McDermott Will & Emery LLP and Shearman & Sterling LLP. Spencer received his B.A. from The Pennsylvania State University in 1986, and his J.D. from Hofstra University School of Law in 1989, where he served as Editor-in-Chief of the Hofstra Law RevieSpencer has been recognized regularly as one of the world's leading M+A lawyers by International Financial Law Review, Super Lawyers, Legal 500 United States, and The World's Leading Lawyers for Mergers and Acquisitions: U.S. Expert Guide (Legal Media Group). He has been named a "New York Super Lawyer" by Law & Politics in each of the last fifteen editions. Legal 500 US has referred to Spencer as "one of the best deal lawyers in the country."Spencer serves as a Special Professor of Law at Hofstra University School of Law, a member of the Alumni Board of Visitors of the Department of Political Science at The Pennsylvania State University, and the founding Chair of the Hofstra Law Review Alumni Advisory Board. In 2022, Spencer was an inaugural inductee into the Hofstra Law School Hall of Fame.

Spencer Klein

Global Chair of M&A Practice

Tyler Sewell is a corporate partner in the firm’s Denver and Washington, D.C. offices and serves as Lead of the M&A Practice Group. He focuses his practice on advising clients on a broad range of corporate matters, with an emphasis on M&A and private equity transactions.Tyler has significant experience representing businesses and private equity funds (and their portfolio companies) in a broad range of corporate matters, including acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, joint ventures, growth equity investments, and divestitures. Clients rely on him for both his sophisticated legal counseling as well as his sharp business acumen.Tyler advises clients in all aspects of their investment activity across a wide variety of industry sectors, including aerospace, defense and government contracting; business services; technology (semiconductors, software, and Internet); consumer products; e-commerce; healthcare; industrials; and transportation.Prior to attending law school, he served as a surface warfare officer on the USS Russell and the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower.<h4>Representative Experience</h4><ul><li>Alpha Omega Integration, which specializes in digital modernization, AI, and cybersecurity,</li><ul><li>in its acquisition of SeKON Enterprise, which provides Federal health IT systems professional services advisory</li><li>in its acquisition of Macro Solutions, an IT and management consulting firm</li></ul><li>Astroscale U.S. in its acquisition of assets of Effective Space Solutions R&D</li><li>Aurotech in its partnership with OpenGate Capital</li><li>B&A, a leading information technology systems integrator, in its investment from DFW Capital Partners.</li><li>Babel Street in its acquisition of certain assets of Dunami</li><li>Betterer Foods in its sale of RightRice to The Planting Hope Company</li><li>The Building People in its acquisition of InfoNarus</li><li>California Cryobank in its acquisition of Donor Egg Bank</li><li>CBRE Group in its acquisition of Tax Credit Group</li><li>Continental Mapping Consultants in its acquisition by Bluestone Investment Partners</li><li>Cydecor, Inc., which delivers mission-enabling technology solutions to national security and defense agencies, in its acquisition of Artel, provider of network solutions to the U.S. Government</li><li>Definitive Logic in its acquisition of Digital Mobilizations</li><li>Dynamo Technologies in its acquisition of Victory Solutions</li><li>Envision Healthcare Corporation (NYSE: EVHC), its operating subsidiaries and affiliates in multiple transactions, including the acquisitions of Guardian Healthcare Group; Life Line Ambulance Service; Phoenix Physicians; Emergency Medical Associates of New Jersey; Scottsdale Emergency Associates; Questcare Medical Services; and Emergency Physicians Medical Group</li><li>eTelligent Group in strategic investment from IMB Partners</li><li>Excellere Partners in its investment in Concord Technologies</li><li>Grant Thornton in the sale of its Public Sector Advisory practice to Guidehouse, a portfolio company of Veritas Capital</li><li>Intelligent Software Solutions in acquisition of Xpect Software</li><li>iovation in its acquisition by TransUnion</li><li>iPharma in its acquisition by Kindeva</li><li>KRG Capital Partners in multiple transactions, including, its acquisition of F.A. Richard & Co.; its sale of Avizent to Abry; and its sale of Tronair to Levine Leichtman</li><li>LinQuest, a portfolio company of Madison Dearborn, in its acquisitions of Capability Analysis & Measurement Organization, LLC (CAMO) and Hellebore Consulting Group</li><li>Markon Solutions, a government consulting firm backed by Sterling Investment Partners,</li><ul><li>in its acquisition of Advanced Systems Engineering Corp., a small business that provides services in management, systems engineering, finance, cybersecurity and software development</li><li>in its acquisition of JY Systems, which provides engineering and integration service for DoD</li><li>in its acquisition of Leverage Information Technologies LLC (LIT), a software engineering and data science consultancy</li><li>in its acquisition of PLEX Solutions and PLEX Cyber</li><li>in its acquisition of Millenium Corporation</li></ul><li>McKesson Corporation in its acquisitions of Vantage Oncology LLC and Biologics, Inc.</li><li>Minerva Engineering in its acquisition by ManTech International</li><li>Mountaingate Capital in multiple transactions, including its investments in platform companies Rep Data and Ignite Visibility, as well as Ignite Visibility's acquisitions of EverConnect, Outliant, and Rallio.</li><li>Novaria Group in its acquisition of Fitz Manufacturing Industries</li><li>onsemi in its acquisition of GT Advanced Technologies</li><li>REPKON USA Holdings Inc., a technology leader in the aerospace and defense market, in its definitive agreement for the acquisition of McCormick Stevenson Corporation.</li><li>RH in its acquisition of Waterworks</li><li>Sedgwick Claim Services, a portfolio company of Carlyle, in its acquisition of Managed Care Advisors</li><li>ShowingTime in its sale to Zillow Group</li><li>Sigma Defense Systems, a portfolio company of Sagewind Capital and a leading provider to DoD,</li><ul><li>in its acquisition of Juno Technologies, which specializes in delivering IT engineering, systems integration, software development, and technical support to the DoD</li><li>in its acquisition of the business of Sub U Systems</li></ul><li>SoftBank Corporation in multiple transactions, including its acquisition of a controlling interest in Brightstar Corp. and its sale of its controlling stake in Finnish gaming company Supercell Oy to Tencent Holdings</li><li>Splunk, Inc. in its acquisition of Caspida, Inc.</li><li>Sweetwood Smoke & Co., maker of FATTY Smoked Meat Sticks, in its sale to Conagra Brands (NYSE: CAG), one of North America's leading branded food companies.</li><li>Telesis in its partnership with Belcan</li><li>Tomkins Ltd. in multiple transactions, including its acquisition of Du-Tex; its divestiture of Dexter Axle to Sterling Partners; and its sale of Aquatic US Holdings to Sterling Partners</li><li>Unilever in its acquisition of Dollar Shave Club</li><li>VariQ in its sale to Capgemi</li><li>Washington Harbour Partners</li><ul><li>in its over $60 million strategic growth investment in Raft LLC</li><li>in its strategic growth investments in Trusted Space, LLC</li><li>in its acquisition of Outpost Mission Services (formerly known as Radome Services)</li><li>in acquisitions by its portfolio company SIXGEN, a full-spectrum provider of cyber products, operations, and solutions, of Secure Enterprise Engineering, Inc. and Boldend.</li></ul><li>Westfire, Inc. in its sale to Tyco SimplexGrinnell</li><li>Yahoo! in multiple transactions, including its acquisition of Brightroll</li><li>zipLogix in its acquisition by Lone Wolf Real Estate Technologies</li></ul>

Tyler Sewell

Partner

<div class="videoWrapper" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" dir="ltr"><iframe title="Meet Dirk Besse, Corporate M&A Partner" class="sticky-video" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="1" frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/8u7QUFY38MA?rel=0" width="100%" height="300" title="iframe"></iframe>Dirk Besse is a partner of the German office of Morrison Foerster and co-heads our European M&A Practice. He is among the leading experts for cross-border mergers and takeovers as well as for stock corporation law and capital markets law. A particular focus of his work lies in the Internet, media, finance, pharma, and high-tech industries.Dirk Besse advises clients on complex public and private M&A proceedings, on capital markets transactions, and on the statutory provisions for foreign investments in Germany. He has vast experience in cross-border, large-cap transactions, such as the public takeover of SLM Solutions by Nikon Corp.; the public takeover of GK Software SE by Fujitsu; the investment of SoftBank in Agile Robots, a Munich AI and robotics startup; the merger of German unicorn “SellerX” with its U.S. competitor Elevate; or the sale of Fyber NV to Digital Turbine (USA). Additionally, he regularly advises listed companies on capital markets law, for example, Delivery Hero SE on its general meeting of shareholders, etc.; DEAG Deutsche Entertainment AG on delisting from the Frankfurt stock exchange; and Spark Networks on listing on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). Furthermore, he also has extensive experience advising management boards and managing directors on questions of company management and compliance.JUVE, Germany’s leading legal directory recommended Dirk Besse as a lawyer for M&A and corporate law in 2013, 2016, and 2017, and since 2018 continuously for M&A. Best Lawyers Germany 2014 ranked him as Lawyer of the Year for private equity in Berlin. Additionally, Best Lawyers Germany has recommended him continuously since 2009 for the areas of corporate law, mergers and takeovers, private equity, and venture capital. In 2019 Chambers Global named him among the leading lawyers in the category of Corporate/M&A Mid-Market Germany. Dirk Besse has published essays on various areas of corporate law, capital markets law, and M&A-related topics. He was a lecturer for the “Excellence Program for Supervisory Board Members” created by the DAI (Deutsches Aktieninstitut) and the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management. Furthermore, he has been a member, as well as chairman, of various supervisory boards.<h4>Representative Experience</h4><h5>M&A Proceedings</h5><ul><li>Fujitsu Inc. in the public takeover of GK Software SE</li><li>Nikon Corp. in the public takeover of SLM Solutions Group AG</li><li>SellerX in its merger with Elevate Brands from the USA in a share-for-share deal</li><li>Sale of Fyber NV to U.S. competitor Digital Turbine</li><li>Spark Networks, Inc. in the merger with Affinitas GmbH and subsequent listing on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE)</li><li>Fujitsu Semiconductor in the spin-off of its European semiconductor development business (SoC) and the setting up of a joint venture with Panasonic (Socionext)</li><li>Ally Bridge Group, an investment platform out of Hong Kong, in its investment in Pieris AG, a German biotech company, as well as in its reverse-merger, private placement, and initial public offering in the United States</li><li>U.S. satellite network operator Planet Labs, Inc. on the acquisition of the German satellite system RapidEye</li><li>Representation of Yahoo!, Autodesk, and Salesforce on strategic M&A procedures in Germany</li><li>Supporting a Chinese investor in the acquisition of Bochumer Verein, a steel producer with plants in Germany and Brazil, from steel producer Georgsmarienhütte</li><li>Representation of the majority shareholder of Schmolz + Bickenbach AG with regard to the hostile takeover and restructuring of the company, including a subsequent capital increase and an offer to repurchase bonds</li></ul><h5>Stock Corporation and Capital Markets Law</h5><ul><li>Delisting of GK Software SE, including delisting the purchase offer</li><li>Squeeze-out of the minority shareholders of SLM Solutions Group AG</li><li>DEAG Deutsche Entertainment in delisting from the Frankfurt Stock Exchange</li><li>Support in the conversion of Delivery Hero SE into the legal form of an SE; support in the first general meeting of shareholders following the IPO; and ongoing support in questions of stock corporation and capital markets law</li><li>Spark Networks SE on the listing of an ADR program on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE)</li><li>Wild Bunch AG on restructuring (capital write-down, debt-equity swap, exemption from the mandatory takeover offer)</li><li>Medios AG in a reverse IPO on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange through the contribution in-kind of a specialty pharma company</li><li>Regular advice to a large number of listed companies, including DAX and M-DAX, on the preparation of general meetings of the shareholders, as well as on questions of stock corporation and capital markets law, corporate compliance, and management board remuneration</li><li>Representation of EQS Group AG in conducting the first online general meeting of shareholders in Germany, enabling shareholders to participate in the meeting online as well as to ask questions online and vote simultaneously.</li></ul><h5>VC Transactions</h5><ul><li>The Berlin unicorn “SellerX” in its merger with Elevate Brands from the USA in a share-for-share deal</li><li>SoftBank in its investment in the Munich high-tech unicorn Agile Robots</li><li>Viewpoint Ventures in the financing round of Thinksurance GmbH, Frankfurt</li><li>Whale Rock Capital in its investment in Celonis SE, a Munich unicorn, in the areas of big data and AI</li><li>Berlin startup Fyber NV in add-on acquisitions in Israel and the United States, as well as in the exit of the U.S. competitor Digital Turbine</li><li>SoftBank in its investment in the logistics startup Forto</li><li>Support of shareholders in the conversion of Contentful GmbH into a U.S. legal form</li><li>Rhia Ventures in its investment in Testmate</li><li>SoftBank Vision Fund in its investment in the German Auto1 Group and the subsequent IPO</li><li>Delivery Hero in VC investments in the United States and South America</li></ul></div>

Dirk Besse ist Partner des deutschen Büros von Morrison Foerster und Co-Head of M&A für Europa. Er gehört zu den führenden Experten bei grenzüberschreitenden Fusionen und Übernahmen sowie in Bezug auf deutsches Aktien- und Kapitalmarktrecht. Ein besonderer Schwerpunkt seiner Tätigkeit liegt auf den Industrien Internet, Medien, Finanzen, Pharma und High Tech.Dirk Besse berät Mandanten in komplexen public and private M&A-Verfahren, bei Kapitalmarkttransaktionen sowie zu den gesetzlichen Bestimmungen für ausländische Investitionen in Deutschland. Er verfügt über große Erfahrung bei grenzüberschreitenden large-cap Transaktionen wie z.B. die öffentliche Übernahme der SLM Solutions für Nikon Corp., die öffentliche Übernahme der GK Software SE für Fujitsu, das Investment von SoftBank in Agile Robots, ein Münchener AI und Robotik Startup, dem Zusammenschluss des deutschen Unicorns SellerX mit dem US-Wettbewerber Elevate oder dem Verkauf von Fyber NV an Digital Turbine (USA). Zudem berät er regelmäßig börsennotierte Gesellschaften im Kapitalmarktrecht, z. B. Delivery Hero SE zu deren Hauptversammlung etc., DEAG Deutsche Entertainment AG beim Delisting von der Frankfurter Börse oder Spark Networks zu deren Listing an der New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). Er verfügt außerdem über umfangreiche Erfahrung bei der Beratung von Vorständen und Geschäftsführern zu Fragen der Unternehmensführung und Compliance.JUVE empfiehlt Dirk Besse in 2013, 2016 und 2017 sowie seit 2018 durchgehend als Rechtsanwalt für M&A und Gesellschaftsrecht. Best Lawyers Germany 2014 kürte ihn zum Anwalt des Jahres für Private Equity in Berlin. Außerdem listet ihn Best Lawyers Germany seit 2009 durchgehend in Berlin für die Bereiche Gesellschaftsrecht, Fusionen und Übernahmen, Private Equity und Venture Capital. Chambers Global zählte ihn 2019 zu den Führenden Anwälten im Bereich Corporate/M&A Mid-Market Germany. Dirk Besse hat Aufsätze zu unterschiedlichen Bereichen des Gesellschaftsrechts, des Kapitalmarktrechts sowie zu M&A-bezogenen Themen veröffentlicht. Er war Dozent für das „Exzellenzprogramm für Aufsichtsräte“, welches vom DAI und der Frankfurt School of Finance & Management ins Leben gerufen wurde. Darüber hinaus war er Mitglied und auch Vorsitzender in verschiedenen Aufsichtsräten.<h4 dir="ltr">Referenzen</h4><h5 dir="ltr">M&A-Verfahren</h5><ul><li dir="ltr">Beratung von Fujitsu Inc. bei der öffentlichen Übernahme der GK Software SE</li><li dir="ltr">Beratung von Nikon Corp. bei der öffentlichen Übernahme der SLM Solutions Group AG</li><li dir="ltr">Beratung von SellerX bei dem Zusammenschluss mit Elevate Brands aus den USA in einem share-for-share deal</li><li dir="ltr">Beratung beim Verkauf von Fyber NV an den US-Wettbewerber Digital Turbine</li><li dir="ltr">Beratung von Spark Networks, Inc. beim Zusammenschluss mit der Affinitas GmbH und dem anschließenden Listing an der New York Stock Exchange (NYSE)</li><li dir="ltr">Beratung von Fujitsu Semiconductor bei der Überführung des europäischen Halbleiterentwicklungsgeschäfts (SoC) in ein Joint Venture mit Panasonic (Socionext)</li><li dir="ltr">Beratung der Ally Bridge Group, einer Investment-Plattform aus Hongkong, zur Beteiligung an der Pieris AG, einem deutschen Biotech-Unternehmen sowie zu deren Reverse Merger, Privatplatzierung und Börsengang in den USA</li><li dir="ltr">Beratung des US-Satellitennetzwerkbetreibers Planet Labs, Inc. beim Erwerb des deutschen Satellitensystems RapidEye</li><li dir="ltr">Vertretung von Yahoo!, Autodesk und von Salesforce bei strategischen M&A-Verfahren in Deutschland</li><li dir="ltr">Begleitung eines chinesischen Investors beim Erwerb des Bochumer Vereins, ein Stahlproduzent mit Werken in Deutschland und Brasilien, von der Georgsmarienhütte</li><li dir="ltr">Vertretung des Mehrheitsaktionärs der Schmolz + Bickenbach AG hinsichtlich der feindlichen Übernahme und Restrukturierung des Unternehmens, einschließlich einer anschließenden Kapitalerhöhung und einem Rückkaufangebot für Anleihen</li></ul><h5 dir="ltr">Aktien- und Kapitalmarktrecht</h5><ul><li dir="ltr">Beratung beim Delisting der GK Software SE einschließlich Delisting Erwerbsangebot</li><li dir="ltr">Beratung beim Squeeze-Out der Minderheitsaktionäre der SLM Solutions Groups AG</li><li dir="ltr">Beratung der DEAG Deutsche Entertainment beim Delisting von der Börse Frankfurt</li><li dir="ltr">Begleitung bei der Umwandlung der Delivery Hero SE in die Rechtsform der SE, bei der ersten Hauptversammlung nach dem IPO sowie laufend zu Fragen des Aktien- und Kapitalmarktrechts </li><li dir="ltr">Beratung der Spark Networks SE beim Listing eines ADR-Programms an der New York Stock Exchange (NYSE)</li><li dir="ltr">Beratung der Wild Bunch AG bei der Restrukturierung (Kapitalschnitt, Debt-Equity Swap, Befreiung von der Übernahmeangebotspflicht)</li><li dir="ltr">Beratung der Medios AG beim Reverse-IPO an der Frankfurter Börse durch Sacheinlage eines Specialty Pharma-Unternehmens</li><li dir="ltr">Regelmäßige Beratung einer Vielzahl börsennotierter Unternehmen, einschließlich DAX und M-DAX, bei der Vorbereitung von Hauptversammlungen sowie zu Fragen des Aktien- und Kapitalmarktrechts, der Corporate Compliance und der Vorstandsvergütung</li><li dir="ltr">Vertretung der EQS Group AG bei der Durchführung der ersten Online-Hauptversammlung in Deutschland, die es den Aktionären ermöglicht, online an der Versammlung teilzunehmen sowie online Fragen zu stellen und zeitgleich abzustimmen</li></ul><h5 dir="ltr">VC-Transaktionen</h5><ul><li dir="ltr">Beratung des Berliner Unicorns SellerX bei dem Zusammenschluss mit Elevate Brands aus den USA in einem share-for-share Deal</li><li dir="ltr">Beratung von SoftBank bei seinem Investment in das Münchner high-tech Unicorn Agile Robots</li><li dir="ltr">Viewpoint Ventures bei der Finanzierungsrunde der Thinksurance GmbH, Frankfurt</li><li dir="ltr">Beratung von Whale Rock Capital beim Investment in Celonis SE, einem Münchener Unicorn in den Bereichen Big Data und AI</li><li dir="ltr">Beratung des Berliner Startups Fyber NV bei add-on Akquisitionen in Israel und den USA sowei dem Exit an den US-Wettbewerber Digital Turbine</li><li dir="ltr">Beratung von SoftBank bei seinem Investment in das Logistik-Startup Forto</li><li dir="ltr">Begleitung von Gesellschaftern beim Wechsel der Contentful GmbH in eine US-Rechtsform </li><li dir="ltr">Beratung von RHIA Ventures bei seinem Investment in Testmate </li><li dir="ltr">Beratung des SoftBank Vision Fund beim Investment in die deutsche Auto1 Gruppe und dem späteren IPO</li><li dir="ltr">Beratung von Delivery Hero bei VC-Investments in USA und Südamerika</li></ul>

Dirk Besse

Gary Brown is a corporate partner and serves as co-head of the firm's European Mergers & Acquisitions Practice. His practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions, private equity buyouts, joint ventures, and reorganizations.Gary and his team have been recognized in multiple industry awards for innovative M&A transactions including Transatlantic Legal Team of the Year, and twice winner of the Lexis Nexis Deal of the Year (2022 and 2024).The Lawyer named Gary Brown in its prestigious “Hot 100” list for 2026, recognizing him as one of the UK’s leading advisers on technology-driven M&A. The publication highlighted his role advising SoftBank on landmark transactions across AI, semiconductors and robotics, praising his deep sector expertise, trusted client relationships and ability to deliver complex, high-value deals — even beyond tech, including a major Premier League transaction.Clients note that “Gary Brown has all the qualities we look for in a partner. Amazing ability to stay on track on all topics and to be always available. Legal skills are beyond outstanding and relationship with client is the best we can imagine. Has set the perfect standard we’d love to find in all the external counsels we look for. Gary’s spirit and excellence can be seen in all its team members.” - Legal 500 UK.

Gary Brown

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).