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Elite law firms send a messageWith universities across the United States grappling with a rise in antisemitism since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, elite law firms are putting schools on notice. In a letter to some of the nation’s top law schools obtained by DealBook, about two dozen major Wall Street firms warned that what happens on campus could have corporate consequences. The letter follows a series of recent antisemitic episodes at universities. Kathy Hochul of New York sought this week to reassure Jewish students at Cornell after online posts threatening violence against them. Students at other schools have said they feel increasingly unsafe amid rallies and other acts that, in some instances, have become violent.

Persons: Moore Debevoise, Plimpton Kirkland, Ellis Paul, Weiss, Garrison Simpson Thacher, Bartlett Skadden Wachtell, Lipton, Davis Polk, Israel, Kathy Hochul Organizations: DealBook, Rosen, Katz, Wardwell, Gov, New York, Cornell Locations: United States, Israel, Rifkind, Wharton, New

☆ Cisco beefs up cybersecurity play with $28 bln Splunk deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The logo of networking gear maker Cisco Systems Inc is seen during GSMA's 2022 Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain February 28, 2022. REUTERS/Nacho Doce Acquire Licensing RightsSept 21 (Reuters) - Cisco Systems (CSCO.O) on Thursday agreed to acquire cybersecurity company Splunk (SPLK.O) for about $28 billion, in its biggest acquisition ever that would bolster its network security business. "Combined, Cisco and Splunk will become one of the world's largest software companies and will accelerate Cisco's business transformation to more recurring revenue," the companies said in a joint statement. Cisco shares were down nearly 5% in premarket, while trading in Splunk stock was halted. The deal, which was unanimously approved by the boards of both Cisco and Splunk, is expected to close by the end of the third quarter of 2024 subject to regulatory approvals.

Persons: Simpson Thacher, Moore, Morgan Stanley, Flom, Splunk, Yuvraj Malik, Anil D'Silva Organizations: Cisco Systems Inc, Congress, REUTERS, Cisco Systems, Splunk's, Cisco, Splunk, Tidal Partners, Bartlett, Qatalyst Partners, Thomson Locations: Barcelona, Spain, premarket, Cravath, Slate, Bengaluru

☆ Cisco acquiring cybersecurity company Splunk in cash deal worth $28 billion
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( Rohan Goswami | In Rohangoswamicnbc | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

(Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)Cisco is acquiring cybersecurity software company Splunk for $157 a share in a cash deal worth about $28 billion, the company said Thursday. The acquisition is one of Cisco's largest, and continues an acquisition streak which has built out the company's cybersecurity offerings. Splunk is a cybersecurity company that helps enterprises monitor and analyze their data to minimize the risk of hacks and resolve technical issues faster. If Cisco backs out of the deal or is forced to do so because of regulatory intervention, it will pay Splunk a termination fee of $1.48 billion, according to a regulatory filing. If Splunk backs out of the deal for any reason, it will pay a $1 billion breakup fee to Cisco.

Persons: Jakub Porzycki, Chuck Robbins, Robbins, Simpson Thacher, Moore, Morgan Stanley, Flom, Splunk Organizations: Getty Images, Cisco, Tidal Partners, Qatalyst Partners Locations: Krakow, Poland, Slate

NEW YORK, July 5 (Reuters) - Family-owned food giant Mars Inc on Wednesday agreed to buy Kevin's Natural Foods, which is known for its sous-vide meals, sauces, and side dishes, the companies said. McLean, Virginia-based Mars, which generates about $48 billion in annual sales, has three major businesses - Mars Petcare, Mars Snacking, and Mars Food & Nutrition. After the deal is completed, Kevin's will operate as a standalone brand under the food and nutrition unit. Mars plans to grow its food business through more potential acquisitions in the near term, said Shaid Shah, global president at Mars Food & Nutrition. McCray launched Kevin's after he was diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder, as he wanted to build a food brand that focused on healthy diets.

Persons: Kevin's, Mars, Canin, Shaid Shah, Shah, Dan Costa, Kelsie Costa, Olson, Kevin McCray, McCray, Simpson Thacher, ArentFox Schiff, Sheppard Mullin, Anirban Sen, Abigail Summerville, Jamie Freed Organizations: YORK, Mars Inc, Mars Food, Nutrition, Mars, Heska Corp, Towerbrook Capital Partners, NewRoad Capital Partners, Unilever, Flagstone Foods, Campbell Soup, Citi, Burling, Wells, Wells Fargo Securities, Thomson Locations: McLean , Virginia, Modesto , California, North America, Bartlett, Covington, Wells Fargo, New York

New York CNN —A federal judge on Wednesday denied a request by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office for a temporary restraining order to stop a House Judiciary Committee subpoena of former prosecutor Mark Pomerantz. District Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil said Pomerantz must appear for a deposition as the House panel investigates Bragg’s recent indictment of former President Donald Trump. Bragg’s office says it will appeal. During the hearing, an attorney for Bragg’s office argued – unsuccessfully – that Pomerantz ignored cautions from the DA before publishing the book, so the district attorney’s office should not be penalized. The clash between federal and state powers began in March when Jordan asked Bragg’s office for documents and communications after news organizations reported that Bragg’s office was moving closer to seeking to indict Trump.

NEW YORK, April 11 (Reuters) - Bain Capital Tech Opportunities, the tech-focused investment arm of Bain Capital, has agreed to buy a stake in iManage, the enterprise software firm said on Tuesday. The terms of the deal, including the purchase price and size of the stake, were not disclosed. Founded in 1995, Chicago, Illinois-based iManage provides document management software and tools primarily to law firms, accounting firms, and companies in the financial services industry. In 2003, iManage merged with rival content management firm Interwoven. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for software tools built by companies such as iManage has boomed as companies have accelerated the shift to remote working and increased spending on content management software.

☆ Exclusive: Massachusetts regulator probes First Republic insiders' stock sales
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

He is seeking details about the firm's insider trading policies and how officers handled their stock sales from January 1. A spokesperson for First Republic declined to confirm the firm received a subpoena or comment on the stock sales. Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank were seized by regulators days later amid liquidity crises, actions that sapped investor confidence in the sector. SHARE SALESSeveral First Republic executives have sold shares this year, including founder and Executive Chairman James Herbert. Herbert and Roffler did not respond to requests for comment on their stock sales or the subpoena.

☆ Missteps by Ericsson and Its Lawyers Led to New Sanctions Against Company
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( Dylan Tokar | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Ericsson agreed to a $206.7 million settlement with the Justice Department after the agency found that the company had breached an earlier agreement. A court filing by federal prosecutors earlier this month lays out details about a series of alleged missteps that led Ericsson SA to agree to pay $207 million in fines. Prosecutors highlighted in particular how failures by the Swedish telecommunication company’s outside lawyers contributed to their decision to seek the new penalties. The Justice Department in early March said it would take the rare step of tearing up a $1 billion settlement that Ericsson entered into in 2019 to resolve bribery offenses in China, Djibouti and three other countries. In a filing explaining how Ericsson allegedly breached the agreement, prosecutors attributed specific missteps to Ericsson’s outside legal counsel, including lawyers at firms Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and Freeh Sporkin & Sullivan.

☆ M&A Is Expected to Pick Up in 2023 as Companies Adapt to Tougher Conditions
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Kristin Broughton | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +8 min

But many companies adapted, structuring deals to sidestep market volatility and minimize financing costs. Deal advisers expect M&A to pick up in 2023 following last year’s slump, though when that will happen remains an open question. That is especially true in the technology and healthcare sectors, where deals for high-growth companies are most common, she said. In addition to macroeconomic pressures, companies faced a tougher regulatory environment in 2022, with antitrust enforcers globally applying greater scrutiny to large transactions. Demand for such facilities in the U.S. jumped 17% in 2022 through Dec. 29 compared with the full-year 2021, to $317.3 billion, according to Dealogic.

☆ Bankers not expecting quick recovery as IPO volumes plunge to lowest level since 2008
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Pablo Mayo Cerqueiro | Echo Wang | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

With questions swirling around monetary policy and the prospect of a looming recession, IPO advisers are not holding their breath on a near-term recovery in the equity capital markets. Global share sales plunged this year as the IPO market froze and hundreds of companies postponed stock market debuts, as Russia's invasion of Ukraine and interest rate hikes from central banks weighed on the broader economy. “It’s all about rates - the price of money changed and it has affected everything," said James Palmer, head of EMEA equity capital markets (ECM) at Bank of America. A return by long-only investors to capital markets deals is seen as key for any recovery, after a year in which hedge funds have taken a lead role as buyers of new issuance. "When the stock market is going like this, people typically don't buy new issuance," said Joshua Bonnie, co-head of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett's global capital markets practice.

Elon Musk could be facing up to $100 million in personal legal fees after renewing his offer to buy Twitter. Both Twitter and Musk employed over 50 lawyers in the months leading up to the trial. A lot of the cost, of course, is going straight to the lawyers and major firms Musk and Twitter employed. He added that hourly billing is unlikely to be how Musk and Twitter were solely charged in this case. Are you legal professional involved in Musk vs. Twitter or someone with insight to share?

☆ Wall Street's biggest investors can't shake a nightmare about the US economy. And that fear is much worse than a recession.
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-18 | by ( Aaron Weinman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Talk of a recession, rough inflation data, and the persistent increase in costs of certain staple goods has got Wall Street's biggest investors living in fear of an economic nightmare. Wall Street has been hit by a brutal market sell-off this year. Wall Street investors fear an economic nightmare. BMO Capital Markets is cutting jobs amid the broader downturn in dealmaking, according to Bloomberg. Private-equity investment firm Corsair has made an investment in Miracle Mile Advisors, a wealth advisory firm based in Los Angeles.

☆ Inside the 'Wild West' of law-school recruiting that has Big Law reeling in talent earlier and more aggressively than ever
▼ + stars: | 2022-08-22 | by ( Jack Newsham | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Law schools bemoan the trend, but more and more of them allow it, such as Harvard and NYU this year. The nation's biggest and most powerful law firms have always sought to hire the best and brightest students from top law schools. Some schools have threatened to ban law firms from participating in OCI if they engage in pre-OCI recruiting. This year, law schools at both Harvard and NYU even unveiled formal early-interview programs. Last year, they made 1,771 such offers, amounting to 18% of the offers made by law firms that engaged in the practice.

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