Tax

On October 20, 2026, Alcon, a global leader in eye care, announced it has acquired Neurotech Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Neurotech”), a company focused on developing innovative cell therapies for chronic and neurodegenerative eye diseases, for $550 million. Alcon may be required to make additional contingent payments, including upon the achievement of commercial milestones. This acquisition expands Alcon's retina portfolio with ENCELTO™, the first and only U.S. FDA-approved treatment for adults with idiopathic Macular Telangiectasia Type 2 (“MacTel”), a rare, progressive retinal disease that leads to irreversible central vision loss that has historically had no approved treatment options. Cravath represented Neurotech in connection with the transaction.

On September 30, 2026, Westinghouse Electric Company (“Westinghouse”) and Brookfield Asset Management (“Brookfield”) welcomed the new strategic partnership between the U.S. Government and the Republic of Korea (“Korea”) to support the deployment of Westinghouse technology in the U.S. Under the partnership, Korea commits up to $120 billion of investment to help finance the construction of eight nuclear reactors in the U.S., including six Westinghouse AP1000 reactors and two Korean APR1400 reactors which also incorporate Westinghouse technology. The partnership also provides for a cornerstone equity investment of between 5% and 10% in Westinghouse by Korea. Cravath is representing Westinghouse and Brookfield in connection with the strategic partnership.

On October 1, 2026, Corteva, Inc. (“Corteva”) announced it has successfully spun off its advanced seed and genetics business as a new public company, Vylor, Inc., and will move forward as a leading, pure‑play global crop protection company. Cravath is representing Corteva in connection with the transaction.

On August 31, 2026, Aon, a leading global professional services firm, announced the signing of a definitive agreement to acquire USI, a leading provider of property & casualty, employee benefit, personal risk and retirement solutions for the middle market and the tenth largest U.S. insurance broker, from KKR and other shareholders for a total purchase price of $17 billion. Aon expects to fund the transaction, as well as related transaction expenses and other costs, with new debt raised across a range of maturities, subject to market conditions. The transaction has been unanimously approved by the Board of Directors of Aon and the Board of Directors of USI. Cravath is representing Aon in connection with the transaction.

On June 29, 2026, Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. (“Martin Marietta”), a leading supplier of aggregates and other building materials, announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to combine with Lhoist North America, Inc. (“Lhoist North America”), a leading producer of hi‑calcium lime, dolomitic lime and industrial mineral products and a subsidiary of Lhoist Group, for $13.5 billion in cash and shares of Martin Marietta common stock. The transaction is expected to be completed in the second half of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals. Cravath is representing Martin Marietta in connection with the transaction.

Cravath partner Lauren Angelilli and retired partner Michael L. Schler participated in “Tax Strategies for Corporate Acquisitions, Dispositions, Spin-Offs, Joint Ventures, Financings, Reorganizations & Restructurings 2026,” a program presented by the Practising Law Institute from October 20‑22, 2026 in New York. 

Dominic Robertson is a tax partner and the Head of the Tax Department at London-based law firm Slaughter and May. In this episode of On Tax, he and Cravath partner and host Len Teti talk about the cultural congruence between the two firms and the similarities in how each approaches training young lawyers. They also discuss the ways in which business development is essentially grounded in relationship-building.

On October 16, 2026, Lawdragon announced the inclusion of 50 Cravath partners in its annual list of the “500 Leading Dealmakers in America.” The list, assembled based on research and vetting by peers, recognizes the lawyers in the areas of M&A, private equity, capital markets, finance, corporate governance, shareholder activism, tax, antitrust, regulatory, restructuring and energy who “close the transactions that remake industries, redraw markets and move trillions of dollars of value.”

On September 29, 2026, the Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance published Cravath’s latest quarterly newsletter on M&A, activism and corporate governance. The newsletter provides insight into practical points, key takeaways and relevant developments across the M&A, activism, tax, regulatory and corporate governance landscape during the second quarter of 2026. Contributors to this edition include partners Margaret T. Segall, Evan A. Hill, Matthew L. Ploszek, Kimberley S. Drexler and Adam M. Sanchez.

Alice Abreu is the Honorable Nelson A. Diaz Professor of Law and the Director of the Center for Tax Law and Public Policy at Temple University Beasley School of Law. In this episode of On Tax, she and Cravath partner and host Len Teti talk about the evolution of Alice’s career, from law school—where she was initially skeptical of tax—to private practice in the field, to her more than 40 years as a tax professor. Alice also shares advice for young lawyers and reflects on the fulfillment she finds in watching her students grow into practitioners.