Cravath’s New York Office Moves to Two Manhattan West
Our environmental lawyers have extensive experience advising and supporting clients on complicated environmental issues across a broad range of contexts, including mergers and acquisitions, debt and equity offerings, bank loans and other business transactions. We also advise corporate clients and their boards of directors on evolving, and often novel, challenges and opportunities associated with environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues, sustainability concerns and climate change. In addition, we represent clients in complex environmental litigation and investigations, including those relating to remediation matters, climate change and indemnification disputes.
Environmental matters facing businesses are increasingly complex and sophisticated, both legally and scientifically. They often involve difficult technical and regulatory issues that can have significant effects on both day‑to‑day operations and strategic business decisions. As public awareness and investor expectations continue to increase with respect to the management and reporting of such matters, companies must address risks that can impact their financial and reputational core.
We are frequently engaged to assist clients in identifying, assessing and allocating environmental liabilities in corporate transactions, including addressing legal challenges relating to environmental regulatory issues, remediation and other liability matters and SEC environmental disclosure requirements. This also includes the management of significant post‑closing environmental indemnification obligations and legacy liabilities, such as mass toxic tort matters, and resolving environmental‑related contractual disputes. We also regularly advise clients on sustainability reporting and ESG‑related shareholder engagement and proxy matters. Our experience in virtually every industry enables us to understand the long‑term operational and strategic needs of our clients as well as industry‑wide trends and practices, and we use that knowledge to help develop practical solutions to environmental problems and to use environmental opportunities to their best advantage.
Cravath has been ranked as a top‑tier firm for our environmental transactional expertise by Chambers USA since its inception in 2003, and the publication quotes clients as saying:
With respect to environmental‑related litigation, which often can involve high‑stakes disputes across multiple forums and involve novel and varied legal theories, Cravath’s litigators are ideally positioned to secure results that can reshape legal and business landscapes for our clients. In defending against these actions, we draw on our technical knowledge to comprehensively address the substantive claims, while our generalist litigation training equips us with the skills to simultaneously manage, coordinate and direct a successful defense, often of numerous concurrent actions.
Environmental matters facing businesses are increasingly complex and sophisticated, both legally and scientifically. They often involve difficult technical and regulatory issues that can have significant effects on both day‑to‑day operations and strategic business decisions. As public awareness and investor expectations continue to increase with respect to the management and reporting of such matters, companies must address risks that can impact their financial and reputational core.
We are frequently engaged to assist clients in identifying, assessing and allocating environmental liabilities in corporate transactions, including addressing legal challenges relating to environmental regulatory issues, remediation and other liability matters and SEC environmental disclosure requirements. This also includes the management of significant post‑closing environmental indemnification obligations and legacy liabilities, such as mass toxic tort matters, and resolving environmental‑related contractual disputes. We also regularly advise clients on sustainability reporting and ESG‑related shareholder engagement and proxy matters. Our experience in virtually every industry enables us to understand the long‑term operational and strategic needs of our clients as well as industry‑wide trends and practices, and we use that knowledge to help develop practical solutions to environmental problems and to use environmental opportunities to their best advantage.
Cravath has been ranked as a top‑tier firm for our environmental transactional expertise by Chambers USA since its inception in 2003, and the publication quotes clients as saying:
With respect to environmental‑related litigation, which often can involve high‑stakes disputes across multiple forums and involve novel and varied legal theories, Cravath’s litigators are ideally positioned to secure results that can reshape legal and business landscapes for our clients. In defending against these actions, we draw on our technical knowledge to comprehensively address the substantive claims, while our generalist litigation training equips us with the skills to simultaneously manage, coordinate and direct a successful defense, often of numerous concurrent actions.
Deals & Cases
September 10, 2024
On September 9, 2024, IBM announced its intent to acquire Accelalpha, a global Oracle services provider with deep expertise helping clients digitize core business operations and accelerate adoption of Oracle Cloud Applications. This acquisition expands IBM's Oracle consulting expertise in supply chain and logistics, finance, enterprise performance management and customer transformation. Cravath is representing IBM in connection with the transaction.
Deals & Cases
September 05, 2024
On September 5, 2024, Verizon Communications Inc. and Frontier Communications Parent, Inc. (“Frontier”), the largest pure‑play fiber provider in the U.S., announced they have entered into a definitive agreement for Verizon to acquire Frontier in an all‑cash transaction valued at $20 billion. Cravath is representing Frontier in connection with the transaction.
Deals & Cases
August 29, 2024
Cravath represented the underwriters in connection with the $500 million senior notes offering of Essential Utilities, Inc., a holding company for regulated utilities providing water, wastewater and natural gas distribution services to an estimated five million people in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, Illinois, North Carolina, New Jersey, Kentucky, West Virginia, Indiana and Virginia. Essential Utilities, Inc. was formerly known as Aqua America, Inc. The transaction closed on August 15, 2024.
Deals & Cases
August 23, 2024
Cravath represented the underwriters in connection with the $850 million registered senior notes offering of The Sherwin‑Williams Company, a global leader in the manufacture, development, distribution and sale of paint, coatings and related products to professional, industrial, commercial and retail customers. The transaction closed on August 9, 2024.
Deals & Cases
August 16, 2024
Cravath represented the initial purchasers in connection with the $600 million 144A/Reg. S high‑yield senior notes offering of Cleveland‑Cliffs Inc., a leading North America‑based steel producer. Proceeds of the offering will be used to partially finance Cleveland‑Cliffs Inc.'s acquisition of Stelco Holdings Inc., an integrated steelmaker with operations in Canada. The transaction closed on August 16, 2024.
Activities & Publications
August 06, 2024
On August 1, 2024, Cravath published the latest edition of its Cravath Emerging Company and Venture Capital Insights newsletter, entitled “2024 Mid‑Year Market Update,” which provides an overview of global venture capital and related activity during the first half of 2024. The newsletter also examines key exit trends, including strengthening IPO and secondaries markets, with M&A still providing stronger exit opportunities, and offers insights on artificial intelligence investment and updates on regulatory developments.
Accolades
June 13, 2024
The 2024 edition of The Legal 500 United States ranked Cravath in the top tier nationally in 16 areas: Antitrust - Civil Litigation/Class Actions: Defense; Capital Markets: Debt Offerings (Advice to Issuers); Capital Markets: Debt Offerings (Advice to Underwriters); Capital Markets: Global Offerings (Advice to Issuers); Capital Markets: Global Offerings (Advice to Underwriters); Commercial Lending (Advice to Lenders); Employee Benefits, Executive Compensation and Retirement Plans: Transactional; Environment: Transactional; Financial Services Litigation; Fintech (Crypto); General Commercial Disputes; International Tax; M&A: Large Deals ($1bn+); M&A Litigation: Defense; Securities Litigation: Defense; and U.S. Taxes: Non‑contentious. In addition, 75 Cravath attorneys were individually recognized by The Legal 500 United States this year.
Accolades
June 07, 2024
The 2024 edition of Chambers USA ranked Cravath in the top tier nationally in seven areas: Antitrust; Capital Markets (Investment Grade Debt – Issuer Counsel); Capital Markets (Investment Grade Debt – Manager Counsel); Corporate/M&A (The Elite); Securities (Litigation); Securities (Regulation – Advisory); and Tax (Corporate & Finance). In New York, the Firm was ranked in the top tier in seven areas: Antitrust; Corporate/M&A (The Elite); Environment (Mainly Transactional); Litigation (General Commercial: The Elite); Litigation (Securities); Media & Entertainment (Corporate); and Tax. Forty‑seven Cravath lawyers were ranked across 18 practice categories.
Activities & Publications
June 07, 2024
On June 6, 2024, Cravath partner Michael L. Arnold participated in a webinar titled “Biodiversity and Nature: What Investors Need to Know,” which was hosted by the Council of Institutional Investors. The virtual panel examined the state of biodiversity and nature‑related disclosure requirements; Taskforce on Nature‑related Financial Disclosures reporting; and potential issues investors and companies may have in preparing and analyzing biodiversity disclosures.
Activities & Publications
June 04, 2024
On June 4, 2024, Cravath partner Michael L. Arnold participated in Tech Week 2024, which was presented by Andreessen Horowitz in New York. The event convened industry leaders and startups in New York City to discuss the latest in technology and innovation across diverse sectors. Michael spoke on a panel entitled “How Tech Companies Can Use Data to Advance Impact,” where he discussed the ESG regulatory environment and the importance of data in ESG reporting.
Deals & Cases
September 10, 2024
On September 9, 2024, IBM announced its intent to acquire Accelalpha, a global Oracle services provider with deep expertise helping clients digitize core business operations and accelerate adoption of Oracle Cloud Applications. This acquisition expands IBM's Oracle consulting expertise in supply chain and logistics, finance, enterprise performance management and customer transformation. Cravath is representing IBM in connection with the transaction.
Deals & Cases
September 05, 2024
On September 5, 2024, Verizon Communications Inc. and Frontier Communications Parent, Inc. (“Frontier”), the largest pure‑play fiber provider in the U.S., announced they have entered into a definitive agreement for Verizon to acquire Frontier in an all‑cash transaction valued at $20 billion. Cravath is representing Frontier in connection with the transaction.
Deals & Cases
August 29, 2024
Cravath represented the underwriters in connection with the $500 million senior notes offering of Essential Utilities, Inc., a holding company for regulated utilities providing water, wastewater and natural gas distribution services to an estimated five million people in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, Illinois, North Carolina, New Jersey, Kentucky, West Virginia, Indiana and Virginia. Essential Utilities, Inc. was formerly known as Aqua America, Inc. The transaction closed on August 15, 2024.
Deals & Cases
August 23, 2024
Cravath represented the underwriters in connection with the $850 million registered senior notes offering of The Sherwin‑Williams Company, a global leader in the manufacture, development, distribution and sale of paint, coatings and related products to professional, industrial, commercial and retail customers. The transaction closed on August 9, 2024.
Deals & Cases
August 16, 2024
Cravath represented the initial purchasers in connection with the $600 million 144A/Reg. S high‑yield senior notes offering of Cleveland‑Cliffs Inc., a leading North America‑based steel producer. Proceeds of the offering will be used to partially finance Cleveland‑Cliffs Inc.'s acquisition of Stelco Holdings Inc., an integrated steelmaker with operations in Canada. The transaction closed on August 16, 2024.
Activities & Publications
August 06, 2024
On August 1, 2024, Cravath published the latest edition of its Cravath Emerging Company and Venture Capital Insights newsletter, entitled “2024 Mid‑Year Market Update,” which provides an overview of global venture capital and related activity during the first half of 2024. The newsletter also examines key exit trends, including strengthening IPO and secondaries markets, with M&A still providing stronger exit opportunities, and offers insights on artificial intelligence investment and updates on regulatory developments.
Accolades
June 13, 2024
The 2024 edition of The Legal 500 United States ranked Cravath in the top tier nationally in 16 areas: Antitrust - Civil Litigation/Class Actions: Defense; Capital Markets: Debt Offerings (Advice to Issuers); Capital Markets: Debt Offerings (Advice to Underwriters); Capital Markets: Global Offerings (Advice to Issuers); Capital Markets: Global Offerings (Advice to Underwriters); Commercial Lending (Advice to Lenders); Employee Benefits, Executive Compensation and Retirement Plans: Transactional; Environment: Transactional; Financial Services Litigation; Fintech (Crypto); General Commercial Disputes; International Tax; M&A: Large Deals ($1bn+); M&A Litigation: Defense; Securities Litigation: Defense; and U.S. Taxes: Non‑contentious. In addition, 75 Cravath attorneys were individually recognized by The Legal 500 United States this year.
Accolades
June 07, 2024
The 2024 edition of Chambers USA ranked Cravath in the top tier nationally in seven areas: Antitrust; Capital Markets (Investment Grade Debt – Issuer Counsel); Capital Markets (Investment Grade Debt – Manager Counsel); Corporate/M&A (The Elite); Securities (Litigation); Securities (Regulation – Advisory); and Tax (Corporate & Finance). In New York, the Firm was ranked in the top tier in seven areas: Antitrust; Corporate/M&A (The Elite); Environment (Mainly Transactional); Litigation (General Commercial: The Elite); Litigation (Securities); Media & Entertainment (Corporate); and Tax. Forty‑seven Cravath lawyers were ranked across 18 practice categories.
Activities & Publications
June 07, 2024
On June 6, 2024, Cravath partner Michael L. Arnold participated in a webinar titled “Biodiversity and Nature: What Investors Need to Know,” which was hosted by the Council of Institutional Investors. The virtual panel examined the state of biodiversity and nature‑related disclosure requirements; Taskforce on Nature‑related Financial Disclosures reporting; and potential issues investors and companies may have in preparing and analyzing biodiversity disclosures.
Activities & Publications
June 04, 2024
On June 4, 2024, Cravath partner Michael L. Arnold participated in Tech Week 2024, which was presented by Andreessen Horowitz in New York. The event convened industry leaders and startups in New York City to discuss the latest in technology and innovation across diverse sectors. Michael spoke on a panel entitled “How Tech Companies Can Use Data to Advance Impact,” where he discussed the ESG regulatory environment and the importance of data in ESG reporting.
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