The Deal
Friday, November 20, 
10:49 pm

Top Cooley deal lawyers join Dewey

  Share     E-Mail    Discussion    Print Story

climan,richard125x100.jpgCooley Godward Kronish LLP has lost three of its top deal lawyers, with the news late Tuesday that Rick Climan, Keith Flaum and Eric Reifschneider have left to join the Silicon Valley office of Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP.

Climan, who led Cooley's M&A practice, has worked on some high-profile technology and pharma deals. Recently he advised Gilead Sciences Inc. (NASDAQ:GILD) on its $1.4 billion agreement to acquire CV Therapeutics Inc. after working on several other deals for the company. Last year he provided legal counsel to Brocade Communications Systems Inc.'s (NASDAQ:BRCD) $3 billion purchase of Foundry Networks Inc. Going further back, he led a Cooley team for eBay Inc. (NASDAQ:EBAY) in 2005 when it acquired Skype Technologies SA for $4.1 billion.

Flaum was also a corporate securities lawyer at the firm and worked on many big transactions; Reifschneider is a top-notch intellectual property lawyer.

It was a surprise move for the trio, but, as Climan told the The New York Times' DealBook blog, there was no ill will that drove them away from Cooley and into the Dewey fold; he described it as "a great opportunity." Climan said that the Cooley team will add technology expertise to Dewey's strengths in energy and finance.

Check back with The Deal later Wednesday for more on Climan's, Flaum's and Reifschneider's move. - Olaf de Senerpont Domis

For more dealmaker news, see The Deal's Movers & Shakers

Continue reading below

Also on Dealscape





Post a comment





The Deal Pipeline

Deal Video


Inside The Deal: Avaya Inc.'s Mohamad Ali on the company's next target.


More video...

Crisis On Wall Street
Technology
Deals of The Decade

Community

Industry Insight

Managing your shareholder base

Growth companies and their PE sponsors should be wary of the pitfalls that arise when they layer on tiers of preferred stock.


Industry Insight

Easing the stress of distressed M&A

Corporate buyers face numerous complexities when trying to identify the right moment to purchase a distressed asset.


Editor's Note

Editor's letter: Nov. 16, 2009

Beneath the veneer of Wall Streeters beats the same heart, stirred by the same determinants of behavior.


footspacer.jpg footspacer.jpg footspacer.jpg footspacer.jpg footspacer.jpg


©Copyright 2009, The Deal, LLC. All rights reserved. Please send all technical questions, comments or concerns to the Webmaster.