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Morrison Foerster Shortlisted in Two Categories for the Financial Times Innovative Lawyers North America 2024 Awards

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Financial Times (FT) has shortlisted Morrison Foerster in two categories as part of its FT Innovative Lawyers North America 2024...

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Financial Times (FT) has shortlisted Morrison Foerster in two categories as part of its FT Innovative Lawyers North America 2024 Awards. The awards ceremony celebrates the best in innovation from law firms and in-house legal teams in the North America region. The FT, in partnership with RSGi, compiles shortlists comprised of the top-ranked submissions for each section of the report.Morrison Foerster was shortlisted in the Innovative Lawyers in the Technology Sector category for its work advising <a href="/resources/news/230918-mofo-represents-arm-largest-ipo" target="_self">Arm Holdings plc (“Arm”) in connection with Arm’s IPO</a> on the Nasdaq Global Select Market. With a total deal value of approximately $5.22 billion, this was the largest IPO globally in 2023. The global MoFo deal team advising Arm on its IPO was led by Washington, D.C., partner and chair of the firm’s capital markets practice Justin Salon, Austin capital markets partner John Hensley, New York capital markets partner John Owen, Tokyo office managing partner Ken Siegel and capital markets partner Jesse Gillespie, London partner and co-chair of the firm's mergers & acquisitions group Gary Brown and corporate partner Stuart Alford, and partners Marcia Ellis and Andrew Meyer for China-related matters. The firm was also shortlisted in the Innovation in People and Skills category for leveraging a behavior science‑backed platform to: <ol><li>meaningfully connect parents and caregivers across the firm and its alumni network, and </li><li>teach the skills necessary to develop a sustainable work/life integration strategy.</li></ol>Finalists will be honored at the <a href="https://lawyersnorthamerica.live.ft.com/" target="_blank">Innovative Lawyers Awards North America</a> on December 9, 2024, at Gotham Hall in New York, where winners will also be announced for each category.

Morrison Foerster Shortlisted in Two Categories for the Financial Times Innovative Lawyers North America 2024 Awards

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Justin is chair of the firm’s Capital Markets practice and former co-chair of Morrison Foerster’s REIT practice.Justin represents both issuers and underwriters in a wide variety of corporate and securities matters, including initial public offerings, primary and secondary offerings, private placements, senior and subordinated debt financings, and liability management transactions. In addition, he serves as primary outside counsel to numerous public company clients with respect to corporate governance issues, compliance with the U.S. federal securities laws, and the requirements of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and NASDAQ, as well as general corporate matters.For his role as lead attorney on Arm's IPO, The American Lawyer recently recognized Justin as a 2024 "Dealmaker of the Year," an award honoring lawyers who guided the most complex, groundbreaking, and impactful deals of the past year.Justin is recommended by The Legal 500 US 2023 for Capital Markets: Debt Offerings, Capital Markets: Equity Offerings, M&A / Corporate and Commercial: Private Equity Buyouts, and REITs. He is also recognized as a leading lawyer in Chambers USA 2023 for REITs.<h4 dir="ltr">Representative Experience</h4><h5 dir="ltr">Equity</h5><ul><li dir="ltr">Represented Arm Holdings plc, the world’s leading semiconductor IP company, in its blockbuster $5.22 billion USD IPO on Nasdaq, the largest IPO of 2023.</li><li>Represented SoftBank Group Corp. in connection with its $2 billion PIPE investment into Intel Corporation (Nasdaq: INTC).</li><li>Represented Uber Technologies Inc. (NYSE: UBER) in connection with its $300 million PIPE investment into Lucid Group, Inc. related to a global robotaxi program created exclusively for the Uber ride-hailing platform.</li><li dir="ltr">Represented Armada Hoffler Properties, Inc. (NYSE: AHH) in connection with multiple follow-on offerings of common stock and preferred stock and represented the underwriters in connection with Armada Hoffler’s initial public offering.</li><li dir="ltr">Represented Inovalon Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: INOV) in its initial public offering.</li><li dir="ltr">Represented RLJ Lodging Trust (NYSE: RLJ) in connection with its initial public offering.</li><li dir="ltr">Represented the underwriters in connection with Plymouth Industrial REIT’s initial public offering, multiple follow-on offerings of common stock, and issuance of perpetual preferred stock.</li><li dir="ltr">Represented the underwriters in connection with Community Healthcare Trust’s (NYSE: CHCT) initial public offering and numerous follow-on equity offerings.</li><li dir="ltr">Represented Farmland Partners, Inc. (NYSE: FPI) in its initial public offering, subsequent public offerings of common stock, and offering of 6.00% Series B Participating Preferred Stock.</li><li dir="ltr">Represented issuers or underwriters in connection with SPAC IPOs for Anzu Special Acquisition Corp I, Endurance Acquisition Corp., Pegasus Digital Mobility Acquisition Corp., Revelstone Capital Acquisition Corp., Science Strategic Acquisition Corp. Alpha, and Sound Point Acquisition Corp. I.</li><li dir="ltr">Represented Education Realty Trust (NYSE:EDR) in connection with multiple public offerings of common stock resulting in proceeds in excess of $1 billion.</li><li dir="ltr">Represented UDR, Inc. in connection with multiple follow-on equity offerings.</li><li dir="ltr">Represented the underwriters in connection with multiple registered offerings of preferred stock and common stock by Sotherly Hotels (NASDAQ: SOHO).</li><li dir="ltr">Represented Trade Street Residential, Inc. in its backstopped rights offering and corresponding PIPE.</li><li dir="ltr">Represented the underwriters in connection with Independence Realty Trust’s (NYSE: IRT) offering of common stock and concurrent listing on the NYSE.</li></ul><h5 dir="ltr">Debt and Liability Management</h5><ul><li>As designated underwriters’ counsel to Royal Dutch Shell Plc, represented the underwriters in connection with registered offerings of more than $34 billion of fixed and floating rate notes by Shell International Finance, the U.S. financing subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell Plc.</li><li>Represented the dealer managers in Shell plc’s exchange offers of up to $8.4 billion involving six series of outstanding notes and the issuance of new privately placed notes guaranteed by Shell.</li><li dir="ltr">Represented the underwriters in connection with the registered offering of $5 billion of notes by Novartis Capital Corporation, the U.S. financing subsidiary of Novartis AG.</li><li dir="ltr">Represented Education Realty Trust (NYSE:EDR) in connection with multiple public offerings of debt securities resulting in proceeds in excess of $1 billion.</li><li dir="ltr">Represented ON Semiconductor Corporation (NASDAQ: ON) in its $500 million Rule 144A offering of 1.625% convertible senior notes, $805 million Rule 144A offering of its 0% convertible senior notes due 2027, and privately negotiated repurchase and exchange transactions for outstanding senior notes.</li><li dir="ltr">Represented Vontier Corporation (NYSE: VNT) in its $1.6 billion 144A offering of senior notes and its $1.6 billion registered exchange offer.</li><li dir="ltr">Represented Veeco Instruments Inc. (NASDAQ: VECO) in its $300 million 144A offering of 2.70% convertible senior notes and its $125 million Rule 144A offering of 3.75% convertible senior notes.</li><li dir="ltr">Represented Whole Foods Market, Inc. in its $1 billion Rule 144A/Regulation S offering of 5.200% senior notes due 2025 and subsequent registered exchange offer.</li><li dir="ltr">Represented the Commonwealth of the Bahamas in connection with its $100 million 144A sovereign debt offering.</li><li dir="ltr">Represented AutoZone, Inc. (NYSE: AZO) in connection with $1.55 billion of registered offerings of senior notes.</li><li dir="ltr">Represented Smithfield Foods, Inc. in its $1 billion offering of senior notes and concurrent tender offer for over $750 million of outstanding senior notes.</li><li dir="ltr">Represented WellPoint, Inc. (NYSE: WLP) in its $1.75 billion offering of senior notes.</li><li dir="ltr">Represented Aventine Property Group in connection with its $100 million private offering of convertible senior notes.</li><li dir="ltr">Represented the underwriters in connection with multiple registered offerings of senior notes by Sotherly Hotels (NASDAQ: SOHO).</li><li dir="ltr">Represented the placement agent in connection with the $50 million private offering of senior secured notes by Newport Realty Trust, a private mortgage REIT.</li><li dir="ltr">Represented the placement agent in connection with the private placement of $100 million aggregate principal amount of 6.75% senior unsecured notes due 2023 issued by MCREIF SubREIT, LLC, a private REIT managed by M360 Advisors, and fully and unconditionally guaranteed by M360 CRE Income Fund LP.</li><li dir="ltr">Represented the placement agent in connection with the private placement of $36.5 million aggregate principal amount of 7.5% senior unsecured notes due 2025 issued by NextPoint Real Estate Finance Operating Partnership, L.P., the operating partnership subsidiary of NexPoint Real Estate Finance, Inc. (NYSE: NREF).</li><li dir="ltr">Represented the placement agent in connection with the private placement of $42.25 million aggregate principal amount of its 7.00% senior unsecured notes due 2026 issued by Pelorus Fund REIT, LLC.</li></ul><h5 dir="ltr">M&A</h5><ul><li dir="ltr">Represented Education Realty Trust in its $4.6 billion all-cash sale to a newly formed perpetual life vehicle led by an affiliate of Greystar Real Estate Partners.</li><li dir="ltr">Represented UDR, Inc. (NYSE: UDR) in connection with Home Properties, Inc.’s $7.6 billion acquisition by Lone Star Funds, in which UDR acquired six communities for approximately $908 million.</li><li dir="ltr">Represented Greenlane Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: GNLN), in its merger of equals with KushCo Holdings, Inc.</li><li dir="ltr">Represented Pivotal Investment Corp. II in connection with its merger with XL Fleet Corp., a leader in vehicle electrification solutions for commercial and municipal fleets.</li><li dir="ltr">Represented Farmland Partners, Inc. in connection with its stock-for-stock acquisition of American Farmland Company (NYSE: AFCO), as well as more than $400 million of property acquisitions.</li><li dir="ltr">Represented Trade Street Residential, Inc. in its acquisition by Independence Realty Trust, Inc.</li><li dir="ltr">Represented the Special Committee of the board of directors of Bluerock Residential Growth REIT in connection with the proposed internalization of its external manager.</li></ul>

Justin Salon

Partner

John Hensley is a partner in the firm’s Capital Markets and Public Company Advisory & Governance practices. He represents publicly and privately held companies in a variety of corporate and securities law matters.John represents both issuers and underwriters in initial public offerings, follow-on offerings and private placements, including offerings of common and preferred equity, debt, and convertible debt. In addition, John regularly advises numerous public company clients regarding general business matters, corporate governance issues and compliance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the requirements of the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq.<h4 dir="ltr">Representative Experience</h4><ul><li>Represented Carlsmed, Inc. (Nasdaq: CARL) in connection with its $100.5 million initial public offering</li><li dir="ltr">Represented Arm Holdings plc (NASDAQ:ARM), the world’s leading semiconductor IP company, in its blockbuster $5.22 billion USD IPO on Nasdaq, the largest IPO of 2023</li><li dir="ltr">Represented Centuri Holdings and parent company Southwest Gas Holdings in $353 million IPO and concurrent private placement</li></ul><ul dir="ltr"><li dir="ltr">Represented Krystal Biotech, Inc. (NASDAQ:KRYS) in multiple equity offerings, with an aggregate value of approximately $635 million</li><li dir="ltr">Represented Southwest Gas Holdings, Inc. in its $238.4 million public offering of common stock</li><li dir="ltr">Represented UDR, Inc. (NYSE:UDR) in connection with multiple public debt offerings with an aggregate value of approximately $1.3 billion and in connection with multiple public equity offerings with an aggregate value of over $2 billion</li><li dir="ltr">Advised eBay Inc. (NASDAQ:EBAY) in connection with a $1.15 billion offering of senior unsecured notes under its existing shelf registration statement and in connection with a $2.5 billion offering of senior unsecured notes under its existing shelf registration statement</li><li dir="ltr">Advised Sky Harbour LLC, a developer of private aviation infrastructure, in connection with its business combination agreement with Yellowstone Acquisition Company (NASDAQ: YSAC, YSACU, and YSACW), a publicly traded SPAC sponsored by Boston Omaha Corporation (NASDAQ:BOMN); as part of the business combination with Sky Harbour, a subsidiary of Boston Omaha purchased 10,000,000 shares of Yellowstone Class A common stock and acquired additional shares of Class A common stock and warrants to purchase Class A common stock as Yellowstone’s sponsor.</li><li dir="ltr">Represented Vontier Corporation (NYSE:VNT) in connection with its 144A private offering of $1.6 billion in senior notes</li><li dir="ltr">Represented Education Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:EDR) in connection with multiple public offerings of debt and equity securities resulting in proceeds in excess of $2.0 billion</li><li dir="ltr">Represented Farmland Partners Inc. (NYSE:FPI) in its $53.2 million initial public offering, its $46.5 million and $37.0 million follow-on offerings, and its $25.0 million at-the-market equity offering</li><li dir="ltr">Represented the underwriters in connection with registered offerings of over $33 billion of fixed and floating rate notes by Shell International Finance, the U.S. financing subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell Plc</li><li dir="ltr">Represented the underwriters in connection with the registered offering of $5 billion of notes by Novartis Capital Corporation, the U.S. financing subsidiary of Novartis AG</li><li dir="ltr">Represented the underwriters in connection with Plymouth Industrial REIT’s approximately $58 million initial public offering, multiple follow-on offerings of common stock, and $45 million offering of preferred stock</li><li dir="ltr">Represented Southwest Gas Corporation in multiple registered debt offerings of over $1.6 billion in the aggregate</li><li dir="ltr">Represented Vonage Holdings Corp. in connection with its $300 million Rule 144A offering of convertible notes</li><li dir="ltr">Represented MedEquities Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:MRT) in its $275 million initial public offering</li><li dir="ltr">Represented Inovalon Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:INOV) in its $685 million initial public offering</li><li dir="ltr">Represented Veeco Instruments Inc. (NASDAQ:VECO) in two 144A convertible notes offerings of $425 million in the aggregate</li><li dir="ltr">Represented onsemi (NASDAQ:ON) in its $500 million Rule 144A offering of 1.625% senior convertible notes and in its $700 million offering of 3.875% senior unsecured notes</li><li dir="ltr">Represented the sales agents in connection with Equity Residential’s (NYSE:EQR) at-the-market offering program of 13 million common shares</li><li dir="ltr">Represented the underwriters in connection with the establishment of a $300 million at-the-market (ATM) equity offering program by Apple Hospitality REIT</li></ul>

John Hensley

John is a Capital Markets, Public Company Advisory & Governance, and Special Situations partner with more than 25 years of experience advising issuers, underwriters, and other market participants in a wide range of equity and debt financing transactions. He has significant experience advising on initial public and follow-on equity offerings, high yield and investment grade debt offerings, and private placements. John also regularly advises on structuring and executing cross border financing, liability management, and special situation transactions, having advised on matters involving a wide range of jurisdictions, including China, Hong Kong, Japan, France, India, Indonesia, Israel, Singapore, Taiwan and the United Kingdom.  John has worked with a wide variety of companies across many industries, including consumer products, technology, life sciences, energy, telecommunications, and financial services. He has advised on transactions for issuers as diversified as Arm Holdings, Riot Platforms, RH (formerly Restoration Hardware), PepsiCo, Monster Beverage, Omnicom, Tate & Lyle, and Vonage.  In addition to routinely advising issuers, investors, and other market participants on the structuring and execution of debt capital markets transactions, John also frequently collaborates with cross-practice teams to advise on and structure in-court and out-of-court restructuring and other liability management transactions. John has completed coursework at the University of Cambridge on sustainable finance and serves on the firm’s ESG steering committee. He also co-leads the MoFo Proud Affinity Network and serves on the firm’s New York hiring committee. John has regularly been recognized as an IFLR1000 notable practitioner and by The Legal 500 for his work on capital markets transactions.<h4>Representative Experience</h4><h5>Capital Raising Transactions</h5><ul><li>Arm Holdings plc, the world’s leading semiconductor IP company, in its blockbuster $5.22 billion USD IPO on Nasdaq, the largest IPO of 2023</li><li>Riot Platforms, Inc., a leading Bitcoin-driven infrastructure platform, on its $594 million offering of 0.75% convertible senior notes due 2030</li><li>Sprint Corp. in connection with its $1.0 billion guaranteed notes offering</li><li>Celadon Partners as lead investor in a $47.6 million PIPE investment in Nasdaq-listed Senti Biosciences, Inc.</li><li>Vonage in its $300 million convertible note offering</li><li>RH’s issuance of $300 million in aggregate principal amount of convertible notes</li><li>FTI Consulting in its $316.25 million convertible note offering</li><li>Lodha Developers, a leading developer of luxury real estate in India, in its $200 million secured bond offering by its UK subsidiary</li><li>Counsel to A Paradise Acquisition Corp. on its $200 million IPO</li></ul><h5>Special Situations and M&A Transactions</h5><ul><li>SoftBank Group’s refinancing of $530 million of outstanding debt of Better Home & Finance Holding Co., together with a new investment in $155 million of secured debt issued by Better.</li><li>SoftBank Group’s investment in 6% senior notes issued by Fair Technologies</li><li>Counsel to an institutional senior secured noteholder in connection with an out-of-court exchange offer and recapitalization transaction by Associated Materials</li><li>Counsel to an ad hoc group of former noteholders in connection with the proposed initial public offering of Southeastern Grocers, following its chapter 11 bankruptcy</li><li>Counsel to the ad hoc group of senior secured noteholders, in the chapter 11 cases of EP Energy</li><li>Counsel to the ad hoc group of first lien noteholders, as noteholders and backstop DIP lenders, in the chapter 11 bankruptcy of Sanchez Energy</li><li>Sprint in connection with its $1.7 billion tender offers for 9.000% Guaranteed Notes and 8.375% Notes</li></ul>

John Owen

Ken Siegel is the managing partner of Morrison Foerster’s Tokyo oﬃce and the head of the oﬃce’s 50-attorney M&A team. Ken’s practice focuses on the representation of high-technology companies in acquisitions, joint ventures, and strategic alliances.Ken has been consistently ranked as one of the leading U.S. attorneys in Japan. Among other things, he is the only attorney rated as a “Star Individual” for M&A in Japan (the level above Band 1) by Chambers Global, having been ranked at this level for more than a dozen years (2011–2024 editions). According to Chambers Asia-Paciﬁc, Ken is “commercial and pragmatic, an incredible M&A attorney” who “deserves tremendous credit for his M&A practice” and has “outstanding acumen, experience and leadership.”In 2026, Ken and his team were named “Dealmakers of the Year” by The American Lawyer for their role advising SoftBank on a series of transformative artificial intelligence transactions, including its record-breaking $41 billion investment in OpenAI. He has also been recognized multiple times by the publication – including as “Dealmaker of the Week” for his work on Hitachi’s $5 billion sale of its hard disk-drive business to Western Digital, as well as for representing SoftBank in its $21.6 billion acquisition of Sprint, a transaction that was named the Global M&A Deal of the Year by The American Lawyer.He has also been recognized by the Financial Times—receiving its Innovative Lawyers Award in 2022, as one of the most innovative lawyers in the Asia Pacific region, and again in 2025, when he and his team were named Innovative Lawyers in Science and Technology for their groundbreaking AI work on Stargate, a joint venture developing advanced AI infrastructure in the United States.Ken received his B.A. magna cum laude from Amherst College. He studied Japanese language at Stanford University’s Inter-University Center for Japanese Language in Tokyo and at the Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), receiving a graduate degree in International Aﬀairs. He received his J.D. degree from the University of Chicago Law School.<h4>Select Rankings</h4>Ken’s recent notable awards include:<ul><li>Dealmaker of the Year (The American Lawyer 2026)</li><li>Most Innovative Legal Practitioner in Asia-Pacific (Financial Times Innovative Lawyers Award 2022)</li></ul><ul dir="ltr"><li>Star Individual for Japan: Corporate/M&A (Chambers Global 2024)</li><li dir="ltr">Star Individual for Japan: Corporate/M&A (Chambers Asia-Pacific 2024)</li><li>Hall of Fame for Japan: Corporate and M&A (The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2025)</li><li>Market Leader for Japan: M&A (IFLR1000 2024)</li><li>Corporate, M&A Law, Private Equity, Private Funds and Venture Capital Law [The Best Lawyers in Japan (Recognized since 2009)]</li><li>Foreign Lawyer of the Year (Asian Legal Business (ALB) Japan Law Awards 2018)</li><li>Tokyo Managing Partner of the Year (Asian Legal Business (ALB) Japan Law Awards 2017)</li></ul>

Kenneth A. Siegel

Jesse Gillespie has extensive experience advising clients on global capital markets transactions with a focus on issuers in Japan and Asia. A native English speaker, he is highly fluent in Japanese and proficient in Japanese business and legal writing.Jesse regularly represents issuers and underwriters in connection with registered and unregistered equity offerings ranging from common stock to convertible bonds and other complex equity-linked transactions. He represented Arm Holdings in its initial public offering on Nasdaq, one of the largest technology IPOs of all time. Jesse also has a leading practice representing J-REIT clients in global offerings. In addition, Jesse has represented shareholders in connection with a wide range of derivative and equity-linked transactions, including the second largest equity-linked transaction in U.S. history and Asia’s largest convertible security offering.He regularly represents issuers and underwriters in connection with registered and unregistered offerings of debt securities, including both high-yield and investment-grade offerings. He also represents banks and issuers in connection with complex liability management exercises, including integrated consent solicitations, tender offers, and exchange offers.Jesse has advised clients on multiple noteworthy debt offerings in Japan, including the first global high-yield offering by a Japanese company, the largest international bond offering ever by a Japanese issuer, and the first-ever global debt offering by a Japanese general trading company. He has also advised Japanese and other Asian issuers on numerous benchmark hybrid securities offerings, including the largest hybrid securities offering ever by an Asian issuer. Jesse represents the government of Japan in connection with its sovereign debt registration with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and registered offerings of guaranteed notes by Japanese government agencies.While working in China, Jesse advised clients on a wide range of landmark transactions, including debt offerings for central state-owned enterprises, as well as innovative offerings for leading technology firms and high-yield issuers in property and other sectors. He has worked on capital markets transactions for a variety of issuers in South and Southeast Asia.Jesse is recommended in the 2025 edition of The Legal 500 Asia Pacific for Japan: Capital Markets.

Jesse S. Gillespie

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

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

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)

Andrew Meyer is a member of the Litigation Department and part of the firm’s Commercial Litigation, Antitrust, and Investigations + White Collar Defense Groups.Andrew is recommended in the 2023 edition of The Legal 500 Asia Pacific for Japan: Antitrust and Competition.