Four Decades for Justice
Kelly M. Smercina focuses her practice on representing corporate clients and investment banking firms in a wide range of capital markets and other financing transactions, including in connection with acquisitions and spin‑offs. She also has significant experience representing clients in mergers and acquisitions and corporate governance matters.
Ms. Smercina’s notable work highlights include:
Ms. Smercina is an author on legal developments in the areas of capital markets and finance, having contributed to publications such as Chambers’ Acquisition Finance Guide.
Ms. Smercina has been named to the Lawdragon 500 X – The Next Generation list.
Ms. Smercina is from Brecksville, Ohio. She received a B.A. summa cum laude from the University of Notre Dame in 2011, where she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, and a J.D. summa cum laude from the University of Michigan Law School in 2014, where she was Contributing Editor of the Law Review. Before joining Cravath, Ms. Smercina served as a law clerk to Hon. Diarmuid O’Scannlain of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Ms. Smercina joined Cravath in 2015 and was elected a partner in 2022.
Ms. Smercina’s notable work highlights include:
Ms. Smercina is an author on legal developments in the areas of capital markets and finance, having contributed to publications such as Chambers’ Acquisition Finance Guide.
Ms. Smercina has been named to the Lawdragon 500 X – The Next Generation list.
Ms. Smercina is from Brecksville, Ohio. She received a B.A. summa cum laude from the University of Notre Dame in 2011, where she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, and a J.D. summa cum laude from the University of Michigan Law School in 2014, where she was Contributing Editor of the Law Review. Before joining Cravath, Ms. Smercina served as a law clerk to Hon. Diarmuid O’Scannlain of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Ms. Smercina joined Cravath in 2015 and was elected a partner in 2022.
Lawdragon
Deals & Cases
April 02, 2024
Cravath represented the underwriters in connection with the $1 billion registered senior notes offering of Dell International L.L.C. and EMC Corporation. Dell International L.L.C. and EMC Corporation are wholly owned subsidiaries of Dell Technologies, a leading integrated technology solutions provider in the IT industry. The transaction closed on March 18, 2024.
Deals & Cases
March 20, 2024
Cravath represented Aon North America, Inc. in connection with its $6 billion registered senior notes offering, guaranteed by Aon plc and certain of its subsidiaries. Aon plc is a leading global professional services firm providing a broad range of risk and human capital solutions. Proceeds of the offering will be used to finance the acquisition of NFP Intermediate Holdings A Corp. The transaction closed on March 1, 2024.
Deals & Cases
March 18, 2024
Cravath represented the underwriters in connection with the $1.5 billion registered notes offering of HSBC USA Inc., an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of HSBC Holdings plc, a global financial services company. The transaction closed on March 4, 2024.
Deals & Cases
March 15, 2024
Cravath represented the underwriters in connection with the €550 million registered senior notes offering of Kraft Heinz Foods Company, one of the largest food and beverage companies in the world at the time of the offering. The transaction closed on March 1, 2024.
Deals & Cases
March 14, 2024
Cravath represented the initial purchasers in connection with the $4.4 billion 144A/Reg. S high‑yield senior secured notes offering of TransDigm Inc., a leading global designer, producer and supplier of highly engineered aircraft components. The transaction closed on February 27, 2024.
Activities & Publications
June 23, 2023
Cravath partner Nicholas A. Dorsey served as the co‑editor of the 2023 edition of the Chambers Acquisition Finance Guide, which is part of the publisher’s Global Practice Guide series. Nick also co‑authored, along with Cravath partners Ryan J. Patrone and Kelly M. Smercina and European Counsel Margaret R. M. Rallings, the U.S. chapter of the guide.
Activities & Publications
May 15, 2023
Cravath partners Alyssa K. Caples and Kelly M. Smercina participated in the International Bar Association’s 38th International Financial Law Conference, which was held from May 10‑12, 2023 in Lisbon, Portugal. Alyssa co‑chaired a panel entitled “Cutting the Apron Strings: the Start‑up’s Journey from VC Financing to IPO,” which reviewed key exit strategy considerations for start‑ups and venture capital funds and the benefits and disadvantages of the IPO route, including enhanced liquidity for investors, access to capital, maintenance of control and employee equity incentives, but also exposure to market volatility and regulatory burdens. Kelly spoke on a panel entitled “Here, There or Everywhere: Taking the Decision on Where to List and Why?,” which examined the current listing landscape and the competitive position of stock exchanges globally, including the current trends and future outlook of the IPO and listing market.
Firm News
November 16, 2022
Cravath has elected eight new partners. They are:
Kelly M. Smercina focuses her practice on representing corporate clients and investment banking firms in a wide range of capital markets and other financing transactions, including in connection with acquisitions and spin‑offs. She also has significant experience representing clients in mergers and acquisitions and corporate governance matters.
Ms. Smercina’s notable work highlights include:
Ms. Smercina is an author on legal developments in the areas of capital markets and finance, having contributed to publications such as Chambers’ Acquisition Finance Guide.
Ms. Smercina has been named to the Lawdragon 500 X – The Next Generation list.
Ms. Smercina is from Brecksville, Ohio. She received a B.A. summa cum laude from the University of Notre Dame in 2011, where she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, and a J.D. summa cum laude from the University of Michigan Law School in 2014, where she was Contributing Editor of the Law Review. Before joining Cravath, Ms. Smercina served as a law clerk to Hon. Diarmuid O’Scannlain of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Ms. Smercina joined Cravath in 2015 and was elected a partner in 2022.
Ms. Smercina’s notable work highlights include:
Ms. Smercina is an author on legal developments in the areas of capital markets and finance, having contributed to publications such as Chambers’ Acquisition Finance Guide.
Ms. Smercina has been named to the Lawdragon 500 X – The Next Generation list.
Ms. Smercina is from Brecksville, Ohio. She received a B.A. summa cum laude from the University of Notre Dame in 2011, where she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, and a J.D. summa cum laude from the University of Michigan Law School in 2014, where she was Contributing Editor of the Law Review. Before joining Cravath, Ms. Smercina served as a law clerk to Hon. Diarmuid O’Scannlain of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Ms. Smercina joined Cravath in 2015 and was elected a partner in 2022.
Lawdragon
Deals & Cases
April 02, 2024
Cravath represented the underwriters in connection with the $1 billion registered senior notes offering of Dell International L.L.C. and EMC Corporation. Dell International L.L.C. and EMC Corporation are wholly owned subsidiaries of Dell Technologies, a leading integrated technology solutions provider in the IT industry. The transaction closed on March 18, 2024.
Deals & Cases
March 20, 2024
Cravath represented Aon North America, Inc. in connection with its $6 billion registered senior notes offering, guaranteed by Aon plc and certain of its subsidiaries. Aon plc is a leading global professional services firm providing a broad range of risk and human capital solutions. Proceeds of the offering will be used to finance the acquisition of NFP Intermediate Holdings A Corp. The transaction closed on March 1, 2024.
Deals & Cases
March 18, 2024
Cravath represented the underwriters in connection with the $1.5 billion registered notes offering of HSBC USA Inc., an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of HSBC Holdings plc, a global financial services company. The transaction closed on March 4, 2024.
Deals & Cases
March 15, 2024
Cravath represented the underwriters in connection with the €550 million registered senior notes offering of Kraft Heinz Foods Company, one of the largest food and beverage companies in the world at the time of the offering. The transaction closed on March 1, 2024.
Deals & Cases
March 14, 2024
Cravath represented the initial purchasers in connection with the $4.4 billion 144A/Reg. S high‑yield senior secured notes offering of TransDigm Inc., a leading global designer, producer and supplier of highly engineered aircraft components. The transaction closed on February 27, 2024.
Activities & Publications
June 23, 2023
Cravath partner Nicholas A. Dorsey served as the co‑editor of the 2023 edition of the Chambers Acquisition Finance Guide, which is part of the publisher’s Global Practice Guide series. Nick also co‑authored, along with Cravath partners Ryan J. Patrone and Kelly M. Smercina and European Counsel Margaret R. M. Rallings, the U.S. chapter of the guide.
Activities & Publications
May 15, 2023
Cravath partners Alyssa K. Caples and Kelly M. Smercina participated in the International Bar Association’s 38th International Financial Law Conference, which was held from May 10‑12, 2023 in Lisbon, Portugal. Alyssa co‑chaired a panel entitled “Cutting the Apron Strings: the Start‑up’s Journey from VC Financing to IPO,” which reviewed key exit strategy considerations for start‑ups and venture capital funds and the benefits and disadvantages of the IPO route, including enhanced liquidity for investors, access to capital, maintenance of control and employee equity incentives, but also exposure to market volatility and regulatory burdens. Kelly spoke on a panel entitled “Here, There or Everywhere: Taking the Decision on Where to List and Why?,” which examined the current listing landscape and the competitive position of stock exchanges globally, including the current trends and future outlook of the IPO and listing market.
Firm News
November 16, 2022
Cravath has elected eight new partners. They are:
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