Cravath Publishes Winter 2026 Issue of Alumni Journal
Corporate Governance and Board Advisory
Boards of directors and senior management regularly call upon Cravath’s highly regarded and sophisticated securities regulatory team in connection with their most sensitive matters. These engagements range from prospective counseling on risk management, disclosure or other compliance matters, including cybersecurity risk management and incident response, to guiding companies through restatement of their financial statements, to fact‑finding exercises with respect to potential violations of laws or regulations or shareholder demands, and to managing the client’s responses to investigations and enforcement actions by the SEC and other governmental authorities and related private litigation. For its acclaimed performance and reputation, Cravath has been ranked a top‑tier New York firm for corporate governance by Best Lawyers Best Law Firms for over a decade.
Cravath’s dedicated team of litigation and corporate partners includes lawyers who have spent portions of their careers at the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), the U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”), the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York. Our lawyers bring their experiences to bear in representing clients in investigations by those regulators and prosecutors, accounting and executive compensation issues, shareholder demands and derivative litigation, proxy contests and many other situations involving difficult governance issues. Not every engagement will require that all these skills be brought to bear, but our clients benefit from having a single advisor who can quickly understand and manage all the interrelated elements of a complex situation. In situations that require independent counsel to advise the client’s outside directors, our lawyers are committed to working cooperatively and constructively with management to minimize the disruption and inefficiencies that can otherwise result when outside lawyers are brought in to work directly with board members.
Cravath’s work in this area, most of which is not publicly disclosed, covers a wide variety of issues and clients. Recent matters have involved a broad range of potential accounting problems, auditor and director independence issues, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”) issues, suspected violations of Medicaid, FDA and bank regulations, restrictions on trading with the enemy, insider trading, and advising several special committees of boards considering shareholder allegations of excessive executive compensation. We are also actively engaged in assisting clients in their efforts to review and revamp their risk management and executive compensation policies, internal controls, shareholder communications and other important corporate governance functions.
We regularly advise clients in connection with SEC and stock exchange compliance and have extensive experience advising senior management and boards when a crisis arises. Our representations include:
- Assisting senior management and the board in fulfilling their respective duties while benefiting from all available legal protections;
- Responding to and negotiating with all the branches of the SEC and with other enforcement agencies (such as U.S. Attorneys, the DOJ and state attorneys general);
- Working with the client’s independent auditor and audit committee to resolve potential accounting issues;
- Handling disclosure in a manner that is both responsive to applicable legal requirements and sensitive to the concerns of investors, employees and the media;
- Conducting internal investigations to determine relevant facts quickly and accurately;
- Working with existing and potential financing sources; and
- Handling any civil litigation that may arise in these cases.
Our advisory clients range in size from Fortune 1000 to Fortune 10, are distributed across all industries and all regions of the world and include both regular, long‑time clients of the Firm, with whom we have broad relationships, and others who have come to us for the first time to handle a specific issue or situation. Whether large or small, new or old, every client receives the full attention of an experienced Cravath team that is dedicated to helping the client solve its most important and demanding problems.
Cravath’s dedicated team of litigation and corporate partners includes lawyers who have spent portions of their careers at the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), the U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”), the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York. Our lawyers bring their experiences to bear in representing clients in investigations by those regulators and prosecutors, accounting and executive compensation issues, shareholder demands and derivative litigation, proxy contests and many other situations involving difficult governance issues. Not every engagement will require that all these skills be brought to bear, but our clients benefit from having a single advisor who can quickly understand and manage all the interrelated elements of a complex situation. In situations that require independent counsel to advise the client’s outside directors, our lawyers are committed to working cooperatively and constructively with management to minimize the disruption and inefficiencies that can otherwise result when outside lawyers are brought in to work directly with board members.
Cravath’s work in this area, most of which is not publicly disclosed, covers a wide variety of issues and clients. Recent matters have involved a broad range of potential accounting problems, auditor and director independence issues, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”) issues, suspected violations of Medicaid, FDA and bank regulations, restrictions on trading with the enemy, insider trading, and advising several special committees of boards considering shareholder allegations of excessive executive compensation. We are also actively engaged in assisting clients in their efforts to review and revamp their risk management and executive compensation policies, internal controls, shareholder communications and other important corporate governance functions.
We regularly advise clients in connection with SEC and stock exchange compliance and have extensive experience advising senior management and boards when a crisis arises. Our representations include:
- Assisting senior management and the board in fulfilling their respective duties while benefiting from all available legal protections;
- Responding to and negotiating with all the branches of the SEC and with other enforcement agencies (such as U.S. Attorneys, the DOJ and state attorneys general);
- Working with the client’s independent auditor and audit committee to resolve potential accounting issues;
- Handling disclosure in a manner that is both responsive to applicable legal requirements and sensitive to the concerns of investors, employees and the media;
- Conducting internal investigations to determine relevant facts quickly and accurately;
- Working with existing and potential financing sources; and
- Handling any civil litigation that may arise in these cases.
Our advisory clients range in size from Fortune 1000 to Fortune 10, are distributed across all industries and all regions of the world and include both regular, long‑time clients of the Firm, with whom we have broad relationships, and others who have come to us for the first time to handle a specific issue or situation. Whether large or small, new or old, every client receives the full attention of an experienced Cravath team that is dedicated to helping the client solve its most important and demanding problems.
Deals & Cases
February 24, 2026
ADT’s Acquisition of Origin
On February 24, 2026, ADT, a leading provider of security, interactive and smart home solutions serving residential and small business customers in the U.S., announced it has acquired Origin Wireless, Inc. (“Origin”), bringing Origin’s AI sensing platform and related intellectual property into the ADT ecosystem. The purchase price for the transaction was $170 million in cash, subject to customary purchase price adjustments. Cravath is representing ADT in connection with the transaction.
Deals & Cases
December 09, 2025
Paramount’s $108.4 Billion All‑Cash Tender Offer to Acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.
On December 8, 2025, Paramount, a Skydance Corporation (“Paramount”), announced it has commenced an all-cash tender offer to acquire all of the outstanding shares of Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (“WBD”) for $30.00 per share in cash, equating to an enterprise value of $108.4 billion. Paramount’s proposed transaction is for the entirety of WBD, including the Global Networks segment. Cravath is representing Paramount in connection with the transaction.
Deals & Cases
November 18, 2025
Axalta’s $25 Billion Merger of Equals with AkzoNobel
On November 18, 2025, Axalta Coating Systems Ltd. (“Axalta”) and Akzo Nobel N.V. announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement to combine in an all‑stock merger of equals, creating a premier global coatings company with an enterprise value of approximately $25 billion. Cravath is representing Axalta in connection with the transaction.
Deals & Cases
November 03, 2025
Kenvue’s $48.7 Billion Acquisition by Kimberly‑Clark
On November 3, 2025, Kenvue Inc. (“Kenvue”), a global consumer health leader, and Kimberly‑Clark Corporation (“Kimberly‑Clark”), a global personal care leader, announced an agreement under which Kimberly‑Clark will acquire all of the outstanding shares of Kenvue common stock in a cash and stock transaction that values Kenvue at an enterprise value of approximately $48.7 billion, based on the closing price of Kimberly‑Clark common stock on October 31, 2025. Under the terms of the agreement, which has been unanimously approved by each company’s Board of Directors, Kenvue shareholders will receive $3.50 per share in cash as well as 0.14625 Kimberly‑Clark shares for each Kenvue share held at closing. Upon closing of the transaction, current Kenvue shareholders are expected to own approximately 46% and current Kimberly‑Clark shareholders are expected to own approximately 54% of the combined company on a fully diluted basis. Cravath is representing Kenvue in connection with the transaction.
Deals & Cases
October 20, 2025
Banco Sabadell’s Defense Against BBVA’s Takeover Bid
On October 17, 2025, Banco Sabadell announced that the public takeover bid launched by BBVA in May 2024 received support from only 25.47% of shareholders, and therefore lapsed as it failed to reach the minimum acceptance threshold required for completion. Banco Sabadell will continue as an independent bank. Cravath is representing Banco Sabadell as U.S. counsel in connection with this matter.
Activities
February 25, 2026
Dave Kappos Participates in Stanford University’s Rock Center for Corporate Governance’s Lawyering in the Age of AI Series
On February 24, 2026, Cravath partner David J. Kappos participated in Stanford University’s Rock Center for Corporate Governance’s “Lawyering in the Age of AI Series: Boardroom Playbook for AI” in Palo Alto, California. The session examined how legal risk and competitive advantage are increasingly being shaped in the boardroom as AI becomes embedded across products, operations and decision‑making. Dave offered insights into how lawyers are advising companies and boards on navigating AI‑related crises and capitalizing on AI‑enabled opportunities.
Activities
February 25, 2026
Elad Roisman Speaks at NICSA’s 2026 Strategic Leadership Forum
On February 24, 2026, Cravath partner Elad Roisman participated in the National Investment Company Service Association’s 2026 Strategic Leadership Forum, which was held from February 23‑25 in Miami, Florida. The event featured deep dive conversations on the topics of digital assets, AI, regulation, retirement innovation and the future of wealth platforms. Elad spoke on a panel entitled “The Shifting Rulebook: SEC Then & Now,” which reviewed the changes in SEC priorities, what’s to come and how to stay ahead of compliance challenges.
Publications
February 13, 2026
Cravath Publishes Finance & Capital Markets Quarterly Review for Q4 2025
On February 13, 2025, Cravath published the latest edition of its Finance & Capital Markets Quarterly Review, which provides insight into practical points, key takeaways and relevant developments related to the bond, equity and loan markets and restructuring activity during the fourth quarter of 2025. Highlights from this edition include:
Publications
February 13, 2026
Cravath Publishes Quarterly Review on Q4 2025 Trends in M&A, Activism and Corporate Governance
On February 13, 2026, Cravath published the latest edition of its Quarterly Review, which provides insight into practical points, key takeaways and relevant developments across the M&A, activism, tax, regulatory and corporate governance landscape. This edition covers:
Publications
February 13, 2026
Cravath Venture Capital & Growth Equity Insights: 2025 Recap and 2026 Outlook
On February 13, 2026, Cravath published the latest edition of its Venture Capital & Growth Equity Insights newsletter, which provides insight into global venture capital and related activity during 2025 and an outlook for the coming year. Key takeaways from this edition include:
Deals & Cases
February 24, 2026
ADT’s Acquisition of Origin
On February 24, 2026, ADT, a leading provider of security, interactive and smart home solutions serving residential and small business customers in the U.S., announced it has acquired Origin Wireless, Inc. (“Origin”), bringing Origin’s AI sensing platform and related intellectual property into the ADT ecosystem. The purchase price for the transaction was $170 million in cash, subject to customary purchase price adjustments. Cravath is representing ADT in connection with the transaction.
Deals & Cases
December 09, 2025
Paramount’s $108.4 Billion All‑Cash Tender Offer to Acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.
On December 8, 2025, Paramount, a Skydance Corporation (“Paramount”), announced it has commenced an all-cash tender offer to acquire all of the outstanding shares of Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (“WBD”) for $30.00 per share in cash, equating to an enterprise value of $108.4 billion. Paramount’s proposed transaction is for the entirety of WBD, including the Global Networks segment. Cravath is representing Paramount in connection with the transaction.
Deals & Cases
November 18, 2025
Axalta’s $25 Billion Merger of Equals with AkzoNobel
On November 18, 2025, Axalta Coating Systems Ltd. (“Axalta”) and Akzo Nobel N.V. announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement to combine in an all‑stock merger of equals, creating a premier global coatings company with an enterprise value of approximately $25 billion. Cravath is representing Axalta in connection with the transaction.
Deals & Cases
November 03, 2025
Kenvue’s $48.7 Billion Acquisition by Kimberly‑Clark
On November 3, 2025, Kenvue Inc. (“Kenvue”), a global consumer health leader, and Kimberly‑Clark Corporation (“Kimberly‑Clark”), a global personal care leader, announced an agreement under which Kimberly‑Clark will acquire all of the outstanding shares of Kenvue common stock in a cash and stock transaction that values Kenvue at an enterprise value of approximately $48.7 billion, based on the closing price of Kimberly‑Clark common stock on October 31, 2025. Under the terms of the agreement, which has been unanimously approved by each company’s Board of Directors, Kenvue shareholders will receive $3.50 per share in cash as well as 0.14625 Kimberly‑Clark shares for each Kenvue share held at closing. Upon closing of the transaction, current Kenvue shareholders are expected to own approximately 46% and current Kimberly‑Clark shareholders are expected to own approximately 54% of the combined company on a fully diluted basis. Cravath is representing Kenvue in connection with the transaction.
Deals & Cases
October 20, 2025
Banco Sabadell’s Defense Against BBVA’s Takeover Bid
On October 17, 2025, Banco Sabadell announced that the public takeover bid launched by BBVA in May 2024 received support from only 25.47% of shareholders, and therefore lapsed as it failed to reach the minimum acceptance threshold required for completion. Banco Sabadell will continue as an independent bank. Cravath is representing Banco Sabadell as U.S. counsel in connection with this matter.
Activities
February 25, 2026
Dave Kappos Participates in Stanford University’s Rock Center for Corporate Governance’s Lawyering in the Age of AI Series
On February 24, 2026, Cravath partner David J. Kappos participated in Stanford University’s Rock Center for Corporate Governance’s “Lawyering in the Age of AI Series: Boardroom Playbook for AI” in Palo Alto, California. The session examined how legal risk and competitive advantage are increasingly being shaped in the boardroom as AI becomes embedded across products, operations and decision‑making. Dave offered insights into how lawyers are advising companies and boards on navigating AI‑related crises and capitalizing on AI‑enabled opportunities.
Activities
February 25, 2026
Elad Roisman Speaks at NICSA’s 2026 Strategic Leadership Forum
On February 24, 2026, Cravath partner Elad Roisman participated in the National Investment Company Service Association’s 2026 Strategic Leadership Forum, which was held from February 23‑25 in Miami, Florida. The event featured deep dive conversations on the topics of digital assets, AI, regulation, retirement innovation and the future of wealth platforms. Elad spoke on a panel entitled “The Shifting Rulebook: SEC Then & Now,” which reviewed the changes in SEC priorities, what’s to come and how to stay ahead of compliance challenges.
Publications
February 13, 2026
Cravath Publishes Finance & Capital Markets Quarterly Review for Q4 2025
On February 13, 2025, Cravath published the latest edition of its Finance & Capital Markets Quarterly Review, which provides insight into practical points, key takeaways and relevant developments related to the bond, equity and loan markets and restructuring activity during the fourth quarter of 2025. Highlights from this edition include:
Publications
February 13, 2026
Cravath Publishes Quarterly Review on Q4 2025 Trends in M&A, Activism and Corporate Governance
On February 13, 2026, Cravath published the latest edition of its Quarterly Review, which provides insight into practical points, key takeaways and relevant developments across the M&A, activism, tax, regulatory and corporate governance landscape. This edition covers:
Publications
February 13, 2026
Cravath Venture Capital & Growth Equity Insights: 2025 Recap and 2026 Outlook
On February 13, 2026, Cravath published the latest edition of its Venture Capital & Growth Equity Insights newsletter, which provides insight into global venture capital and related activity during 2025 and an outlook for the coming year. Key takeaways from this edition include:
Cravath Bicentennial
Celebrating 200 years of partnership. In 2019, we celebrated our bicentennial. Our history mirrors that of our nation. Integral to our story is our culture.
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