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SoundCloud's Acquisition of Musiio

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Das Team um Partner Christoph Wagner hat Sound Cloud beim Kauf des Start-up-Unternehmens Musiio beraten, das im Bereich der Musikintelligenz tätig ist.



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Das Team um Partner Christoph Wagner hat Sound Cloud beim Kauf des Start-up-Unternehmens Musiio beraten, das im Bereich der Musikintelligenz tätig ist.Mehr dazu lesen Sie <a href="https://globallegalchronicle.com/soundclouds-acquisition-of-musiio/" target="_blank">hier</a>.

SoundCloud's Acquisition of Musiio

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Lukas is a counsel at Morrison Foerster’s German office in Berlin. He focuses on domestic and international corporate tax law with an emphasis on transactions and tax structuring.He advises German and international clients, in particular in connection with their cross-border investments (share and asset deals), including tax structuring, contract drafting, negotiating and implementing complex tax structures, as well as project management, due diligence and restructuring of multinational enterprises. Lukas has a strong focus on the media, technology, and private equity sectors.<h4 dir="ltr">Representative Experience</h4><ul class="li-margin"><li>Tax advice with respect to the global roll-out of a new product by an online music platform including the tax advice on the internalization of the group structure.</li><li>Tax advice to a leading online food-platform with regard to a cross-border reorganization of the group structure.</li><li>Tax advice with regard to the acquisition of startup companies by a US Private Equity Funds.</li><li>Tax advice to a U.S. patent portfolio company with the setup of the licensing structure and the relief from the German withholding tax on royalties.</li><li>Tax advice with respect to the acquisition of a real estate portfolio by a publicly traded stock company.</li><li>Tax advice with respect to employee participation programs.</li><li>Tax advice with regard to the establishment of a private equity funds including the tax advice on the implementation of the carry-vehicle.</li><li>Tax advice to a DWS-Funds with regard to the acquisition of the Deutsche Bank-Towers.</li><li>Tax advice to various HSBC-Funds with regard to the German CFC-Rules.</li></ul>

Lukas Kawka ist Counsel des deutschen Büros von Morrison Foerster in Berlin. Sein Fokus liegt im Bereich des nationalen sowie internationalen Unternehmenssteuerrechts und dabei insbesondere in der steuerlichen Gestaltungs- sowie Transaktionsberatung.Er berät deutsche und internationale Mandanten im Zusammenhang mit grenzüberschreitenden Investitionen (Share und Asset Deals), einschließlich Steuerstrukturierung, sowie der Verhandlung und Umsetzung komplexer Steuerstrukturen, Projektsteuerung sowie Due Diligence und Restrukturierung von multinationalen Unternehmen. Ein weiterer wesentlicher Schwerpunkt liegt in den Bereichen Private Equity, Medien und Technologie.Lukas Kawka studierte Rechtswissenschaften an der Freien Universität Berlin. Vor seinem Eintritt bei Morrison Foerster arbeitete er im Steuerbereich einer internationalen Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft in Deutschland und den USA.Lukas Kawka engagierte sich zudem als Mentor für Startup-Unternehmen bei mehreren Accelerator-Programmen.<h4>Referenzen</h4><ul><li>Steuerliche Beratung einer digitalen Musikplattform beim globalen Roll-Out eines neuen Produkts und dem Ausbau der internationalen Gesellschaftsstruktur.</li><li>Steuerliche Beratung einer führenden Onlineplattform im Zusammenhang mit einer grenzüberschreitenden Reorganisation der Unternehmensstruktur im Nachgang zu einer Akquisition.</li><li>Steuerliche Beratung eines US-Private Equity Fonds bei Investments in Deutschland.</li><li>Steuerliche Beratung einer US-Patentverwertungsgesellschaft bei der Ausgestaltung der Lizensierungsstruktur und der Befreiung vom deutschen Quellensteuerabzug.</li><li>Steuerliche Beratung einer börsennotierten Immobiliengesellschaft bei dem Erwerb eines Immobilienportfolios.</li><li>Steuerliche Beratung bei der Errichtung eines Private Equity Fonds nebst der steuerlichen Beratung der Initiatoren bei der Errichtung eines Carry-Vehicles.</li><li>Steuerliche Beratung eines DWS-Fonds im Zusammenhang mit dem Erwerb der Deutsche Bank-Türme.</li><li>Steuerliche Beratung diverser HSBC-Fonds zu Fragen der Hinzurechnungsbesteuerung nach dem Außensteuergesetz.</li><li>Steuerliche Beratung im Zusammenhang mit der Errichtung von Mitarbeiterbeteiligungsprogrammen.</li></ul>

Lukas Kawka

Counsel

Stephan is counsel at Morrison Foerster’s German office in Berlin. He focuses on advising major German and international clients with regard to drafting and negotiating complex technology-related agreements and on matters concerning cloud computing, software, e/m-commerce, digital media, intellectual property rights, consumer rights, electronic communication, big data and cyber security requirements.Stephan is specialized in drafting and negotiating complex technology-related commercial agreements such as outsourcing agreements, software and IP license agreements, cloud computing agreements, IT project agreements, R&D agreements, supply and distribution agreements, marketing and other cooperation agreements, including advice on general terms and conditions (B2B and B2C). His clients range from early-stage start-ups to large corporations.His expertise also includes advising clients on structuring and setting up innovative data and technology-focused business models and services in accordance with legal requirements, e.g., in the areas online services, mobile applications, digital media, industry 4.0 and smart products. He also routinely provides legal counsel on IT, IP and commercial law issues to financial institutions, strategic investors and private equity funds in the context of large M&A transactions in the digital business, media, financial services, pharma, telecommunications and other tech-heavy industries.Stephan earned his LL.M. at Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco, and passed the New York Bar Exam. Furthermore, he is a certified specialist attorney in information technology law. Before joining Morrison Foerster, he worked for a well-known international law firm in Frankfurt.<h4>Representative Experience</h4><ul><li>Ongoing advice to a leading international cloud services provider on commercial transactions.</li><li>Advice to a leading international financial institution regarding various acquisitions and divestments of interests in payment services and online services companies.</li><li>Commercial law and regulatory advice to an SaaS provider regarding e-mobility and fleet tracking solutions.</li><li>Advice to FinTech start-ups on structuring and setting up their business operation in accordance with legal requirements.</li><li>Advice to an international manufacturer of cloud-based smartHome products regarding regulatory, licensing and consumer protection requirements in the context of expanding its sales into Europe.</li><li>Data protection advice to a healthcare provider regarding an online portal transferring data between patients, hospitals and healthcare practitioners.</li></ul>

Stephan Kreß ist Counsel des deutschen Büros von Morrison Foerster in Berlin. Der Schwerpunkt seiner Tätigkeit liegt in der Beratung namhafter in- und ausländischer Unternehmen in Bezug auf die Gestaltung und Verhandlung komplexer, technologiebezogener Verträge sowie zu rechtlichen Fragen in den Bereichen Cloud Computing, Software, Recht des elektronischen Geschäftsverkehrs (E- & M-Commerce), digitale Medien, geistige Eigentumsrechte, Verbraucherrechte, elektronische Kommunikation, Big Data und Cyber Security.Stephan Kreß ist spezialisiert auf die Gestaltung und Verhandlung komplexer, technologiebezogener Vereinbarungen wie Outsourcing-Verträge, Software- und IP-Lizenzverträge, Cloud– Computing-Verträge, IT-Projektverträge, F&E-Verträge, Liefer- und Vertriebsvereinbarungen sowie Marketing- und sonstige Kooperationsvereinbarungen. Dazu gehört auch die Prüfung und Erstellung Allgemeiner Geschäftsbedingungen (B2B und B2C). Zu seinen Mandanten zählen Start-ups in der Frühphase bis hin zu Großunternehmen.Seine Expertise umfasst auch die Beratung von Mandanten zur Strukturierung und Entwicklung innovativer daten- und technologie– gestützter Geschäftsmodelle und Dienstleistungen nach Maßgabe der gesetzlichen Bestimmungen, u. a. in den Bereichen Online-Dienste, mobile Anwendungen, digitale Medien, Industrie 4.0 und intelligente Produkte. Stephan Kreß berät darüber hinaus regelmäßig Finanzinstitutionen, strategische Investoren und Private-Equity-Fonds im Rahmen von umfangreichen M&A Transaktionen in den Branchen Digital Business, Medien, Finanzdienstleistungen, Pharma, Telekommunikation und sonstigen technologielastigen Branchen zu Fragen des IT-, IP- und Wirtschaftsrechts.Stephan Kreß hat seinen LL.M. am Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco erworben und erfolgreich das New York Bar Exam absolviert. Ferner ist er Fachanwalt für Informationstechnologierecht. Vor seinem Eintritt bei Morrison Foerster war Stephan Kreß für eine namhafte internationale Kanzlei in Frankfurt tätig.<h4>Referenzen</h4><ul><li>Laufende Beratung eines führenden internationalen Cloud Service Anbieters zu verschiedenen geschäftlichen Transaktionen.</li><li>Beratung einer führenden internationalen Finanzinstitution im Hinblick auf die Übernahme und Veräußerung von Beteiligungen an Zahlungs- und Online-Dienstleistern.</li><li>Beratung eines SaaS-Anbieters zu den wirtschaftsrechtlichen und regulatorischen Aspekten von Elektromobilität und Fuhrparkverwaltung.</li><li>Beratung von FinTech Start-ups zur Strukturierung und Organisation ihres Geschäftsbetriebs nach geltendem Recht.</li><li>Beratung eines internationalen Herstellers cloudbasierter SmartHome-Produkte im Hinblick auf die regulatorischen, lizenzrechtlichen und verbraucherschutzrechtlichen Anforderungen im Rahmen der Ausweitung seines Vertriebsgeschäfts nach Europa.</li><li>Datenschutzrechtliche Beratung eines Gesundheitsdienstleisters in Bezug auf ein Online-Portal zur Übertragung von Daten zwischen Patienten, Krankenhäusern und Ärzten.</li></ul>

Stephan Kreß

Jennifer Buckby is a venture capital and M&A Of Counsel based in the London office of Morrison Foerster.Jennifer advises on venture capital, growth equity and corporate venture financing, joint venture transactions and mergers and acquisitions, with a 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 venture capital practice, Jennifer has served as company or 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 her M&A practice, Jennifer has represented clients in joint venture transactions and strategic cross-border mergers and acquisitions, including SoftBank in its acquisition of AutoStore and Uber on its acquisition of Autocab.  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.﻿Prior to joining Morrison Foerster, Jennifer trained and practiced in the London and Singapore offices of an international law firm. She is qualified as a solicitor in England and Wales.<h4>Representative Experience</h4><ul><li>Uber on multiple cross-border acquisitions, including its acquisition of UK technology company Autocab.</li><li>SoftBank on multiple transactions including on its $2.8bn acquisition of 40% of robotics company AutoStore and its $200M investment in mobile satellite business OneWeb.</li><li>SoftBank Vision Fund 2 as lead investor in a $190m financing round in UK fintech platform Primary Bid.</li><li>Visa on 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>SoundCloud on multiple transactions including its $75m investment from Sirius XM and its acquisition of Musiio.</li><li>LIVEKINDLY Collective, one of the world’s largest plant-based food companies, on its acquisition of No Meat, Iceland Foods’ vegan meat alternative company.</li><li>Autodesk as lead investor in a £36m Series B funding round in UK software maker CloudNC. </li><li>OrbiMed as lead investor in a $104m Series E funding round in UK healthcare technology and diagnostics company binx health.</li><li>Ally Bridge Group as co-lead investor in a $600m Series D funding round in surgical robotics company, CMR Surgical.</li><li>Ares on its investment in Swedish based vehicle technology company Opus.</li><li>Cambridge Quantum Computing on its merger with Honeywell Quantum Solutions.</li></ul>

Jennifer L. Buckby

Of Counsel

Kirsten provides corporate, finance and capital markets tax advice to domestic and international businesses. She has advised on a range of tax issues, including, mergers and acquisitions, debt and acquisition financings, corporate reorganisations, real estate transactions, employee incentives and international tax structuring.Prior to joining Morrison & Foerster, Kirsten trained at a Magic Circle law firm in London and practised at an international law firm.

Kirsten Banks

Associate

Sophie Allen is a Partner based in the London office of Morrison Foerster and is a member of the Tax Group. Her practice focuses on UK and international tax aspects of Private Equity and M&A transactions.Sophie has been in the Private Equity industry for over 20 years and advises on all tax aspects of investments and divestments. She advises Private Equity houses and corporates on all aspects of the transaction cycle and works closely with principals, management and their advisers. Her advice includes restructuring, debt finance and capital markets transactions as well as fund, carry, management incentive and co-investment arrangements.Before joining Morrison Foerster, Sophie was a partner of EY and Kirkland & Ellis.Sophie is qualified as a solicitor in England & Wales.

Sophie Allen

Partner

Sam Jeffreys is an associate based in Morrison Foerster’s London office and is a member of the firm’s Corporate Group. Sam advises on a wide range of corporate matters, including mergers and acquisitions, private equity and joint venture transactions and general corporate advisory matters. He has experience advising clients across a number of industry sectors, including technology, financial services, energy and real estate.Sam trained at Morrison Foerster, gaining experience in the following practice areas: Private Equity Real Estate, Litigation and Corporate M&A. During this time, Sam also spent four months seconded to a financial services client of the firm’s Corporate Group.Sam is qualified as a solicitor in England and Wales. Sam is fluent in French.

Sam Jeffreys

Matthew’s practice focuses on the tax structuring of cross–border M&A transactions and corporate reorganizations, particularly involving the United States, China, Japan, and the rest of the Asia–Pacific region. He also regularly advises U.S. and Asia–based fund sponsors and institutional investors on tax issues related to the formation of, and investments in, private equity funds, venture capital funds, real estate funds, and other co–investment vehicles and alternative investment products.Matthew also has extensive experience advising leading insurers on warranty and indemnity policies for M&A transactions in Asia and the United States. He has represented multinational corporations and funds in transactions across more than 30 jurisdictions. Matthew advises clients from a wide range of industries, including consumer, energy, health care, media, natural resources, real estate, technology, and telecommunications.Matthew is a Registered Foreign Lawyer with the Law Society of Hong Kong.While at Columbia Law School, Matthew was a three–year Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar.

刘恩安 (Matthew Lau) 律师的业务重点为跨境并购交易和公司重组的税务规划，特别是在美国、中国、日本以及其他亚太地区的相关业务。他还经常就设立和投资私募股权基金、风险投资基金、房地产基金、其他联合投资工具和另类投资产品所涉及的税务问题，向美国和亚洲的基金发起人和机构投资者提供咨询。刘律师在代表领先的保险公司处理亚洲和美国的并购交易的保证和赔偿政策方面也拥有丰富的经验。他曾代表多家跨国公司和基金在30多个司法管辖区处理交易。刘律师的客户涉及多个行业，包括消费品、能源、医疗保健、传媒、天然资源、房地产、科技和电讯等。刘律师是香港律师会注册外地律师。在哥伦比亚大学法学院就读期间，刘律师连续三年获得哈伦•菲斯克•斯通奖学金。

Matthew Lau

Yuan Xia is an associate at Morrison Foerster’s Palo Alto office. She is a member of the firm’s Executive Compensation practice group.Yuan’s practice focuses on the transactional aspects of executive compensation matters in the context of domestic and cross-border mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, public offerings and restructurings. Yuan regularly counsels public companies, private equity funds, and startup companies on the design and implementation of equity, incentive and non-qualified deferred compensation agreements, change in control, retention and severance, and executive employment agreements. Yuan also has distinct experience advising public companies on executive compensation disclosures for annual proxy statements and merger proxies, initial public offerings and Form 8–Ks.Prior to joining the firm, Yuan was an associate at another international law firm headquartered in New York.

Yuan Xia

John O’Neill is an associate in the San Francisco office of Morrison & Foerster and a member of the firm’s Executive Compensation practice.John’s practice focuses on executive compensation matters including designing, drafting and negotiating executive employment agreements, administering equity incentive plans and awards, and handling executive compensation and employee benefits aspects of mergers and acquisitions, restructurings and financings. He regularly assists public and private companies in navigating tax (particularly Sections 280G and 409A) and securities law issues related to employee benefit plans and executive compensation.Mr. O’Neill earned his J.D. from University of California Hastings College of the Law and holds a B.A. in political science from the University of Arizona. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. O’Neill was with a Big Four accounting firm, where he focused on U.S. federal income tax considerations in connection with domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions.

John O'Neill

Lip Kian represents international funds, multinational corporations, and financial institutions in large cross-border private equity, venture capital, mergers and acquisitions, real estate, and fund transactions.Aside from corporate transactional work, he regularly counsels clients on general corporate, regulatory and compliance, shareholder and investor relations, and employment matters. His work spans a wide range of industries including real estate, technology, innovative businesses, and fast moving consumer goods.Clients commend Lip Kian for being “excellent in terms of client service and work quality”, his “consistently good judgment, technical skill and thoroughness”, as well as his ability to “explain difficult concepts or issues with clarity” in providing advice that is “incisive and balanced, considering not just the legal aspects, but also the commercial and operational practicalities.”Lip Kian maintains an active pro bono practice, with particular interest in the areas of sustainability and education. He is also a member of our global Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) steering 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>GLP Pte. Ltd. in the formation of RMB 4.5 billion (approximately US$675 million) GLP China Value-Add Venture III with a group of leading international and domestic institutional investors to invest in GLP Park Lingang in Shanghai, the biggest and most advanced port-based logistics park in China.</li></ul><ul><li>GLP Pte. Ltd., the leading global provider of modern logistics facilities and technology-led solutions, on the establishment of a US$2 billion fund in China.</li><li>GLP Pte. Ltd. in its US$11.64 billion privatization, reported to be the largest-ever private equity buyout of an Asian company by enterprise value (ALB SE Asia Law Awards 2018: M&A Deal of the Year (Premium); The Asia Legal Awards 2018: M&A Deal of the Year: Southeast Asia; 2017 Global PERE Awards: Deal of the Year, Asia; Finance Asia's 2017 Deal of the Year and Best Leveraged Finance Deal).</li><li>IndoSpace, India's largest developer of modern industrial and logistics real estate, on the formation of IndoSpace Core, its US$1.2 billion joint venture with Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, which will focus on acquiring and developing modern logistics facilities in India.</li><li>GLP Pte. Ltd. in its US$2.5 billion landmark agreement with a group of strategic partners including a large Chinese insurance company; Bank of China Group Investment Limited; and HOPU Funds.</li><li>GLP Pte. Ltd. in its US$1.1 billion partnership, GLP Brazil Income Partners II, with Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and a leading North American institutional investor.</li><li>Beam Mobility Holdings Pte. Ltd., the leading micromobility company in the Asia Pacific, in its US$26 million Series A financing from Sequoia Capital India, Hana Ventures and other investors.</li></ul>