All posts by Cooley

When Approval for a Drug “Indication” Gets Murky: Drafting Milestones to Avoid Disputes

According to a recent study by SRS of recent private life sciences deals, disputes over earn-outs arose in about one-third (36%) of all milestones that were expected to be hit by September 2016.[1] While most disputes were not about contract interpretation issues regarding whether an event triggered the milestone or […]

$2 Billion Purchase Price Dispute Over GAAP Compliance Highlights Need for Careful Drafting

Purchase price adjustments are common features (2015 SRS study: 77% of deals) of private merger agreements that are generally intended to ensure that the acquired company will have the same level of cash or working capital to operate the business post closing that it had at signing. However, if not […]

2017 M&A Trends Series: Negotiating Anti-Reliance Language

So far this year, deal parties are approaching M&A with cautious optimism. This series of Cooley M&A blog posts include some brief observations that offer some M&A highlights over the past year and our thoughts for the year to come. Negotiating Anti-Reliance Language Buyers continued to assert fraud claims in private […]

2017 M&A Trends Series: Appraisal Risks Factor High

So far this year, deal parties are approaching M&A with cautious optimism. This series of Cooley M&A blog posts include some brief observations that offer some M&A highlights over the past year and our thoughts for the year to come. Appraisal Risks Factor High In deals where stockholders have the right […]

2017 M&A Trends Series: Delaware Confronts M&A Litigation

So far this year, deal parties are approaching M&A with cautious optimism. This series of Cooley M&A blog posts include some brief observations that offer some M&A highlights over the past year and our thoughts for the year to come. Delaware Confronts M&A Litigation M&A deal litigation continues to plague most […]

SEC Announces Enforcement Action for Failure to Disclose Banker Fee Arrangements

On February 14, 2016, the SEC settled an enforcement action against CVR Energy for providing misleading disclosure about the fees payable to CVR’s two financial advisors in connection with CVR’s defense of a hostile tender offer by affiliates of Carl Icahn in 2012. The SEC did not impose any civil […]

2017 M&A Trends Series: Rep & Warranty (R&W) Insurance is Here

So far this year, deal parties are approaching M&A with cautious optimism. This series of Cooley M&A blog posts include some brief observations that offer some M&A highlights over the past year and our thoughts for the year to come. Rep & Warranty (R&W) Insurance is Here Previously, transaction insurance (or […]

2017 M&A Trends Series: Uncertain Times Cast Focus on Deal Certainty

So far this year, deal parties are approaching M&A with cautious optimism. This series of Cooley M&A blog posts include some brief observations that offer some M&A highlights over the past year and our thoughts for the year to come. Uncertain Times Cast Focus on Deal Certainty Public-target M&A deals and […]

2017 M&A Trends Series: Innovation Pressures Fuel M&A

So far this year, deal parties are approaching M&A with cautious optimism. This series of Cooley M&A blog posts include some brief observations that offer some M&A highlights over the past year and our thoughts for the year to come. Innovation Pressures Fuel M&A The WSJ has written about the rise […]

2017 M&A Trends Series: The Trump Effect

So far this year, deal parties are approaching M&A with cautious optimism. This series of Cooley M&A blog posts include some brief observations that offer some M&A highlights over the past year and our thoughts for the year to come. The Trump Effect How President Donald Trump will shape the regulatory […]