Willkie represents accounting firms, financial services companies and law firms, as well as private equity firms and other investors in professional services companies in matters ranging from financing, PE/VC investments and M&A to corporate and IP litigation.
Experience
KPMG LLP: Represented accounting firm KPMG in various restructuring cases.
Austin Industries. v. William M. Mercer, Inc.: Represented Mercer, a wholly owned subsidiary of Marsh & McLennan, in a professional malpractice suit related to its actuaries.
In re The Bear Stearns Companies Inc. Securities, Derivative, and ERISA Litigation (S.D.N.Y.): Represented Bear Stearns senior official in class action litigation and related matters arising out of writedowns of subprime-related financial instruments and events leading to acquisition by JPMorgan.
In re Bennett Companies Investors Litigation, No. 96-601927 (N.Y.S. Ct.): Represented defendant broker in $570 million securities class action arising out of alleged accounting irregularities and Ponzi scheme at Bennett Funding.
Bielfeldt v. KPMG: Secured an appellate victory for KPMG that reversed and vacated in its entirety a $17.6 million jury verdict that found for a plaintiff alleging KPMG was negligent in its preparation of his tax returns causing him $300 million in damages.
Big Four Accounting Firm: Serving as National Coordinating Counsel for a Big Four accounting firm in its civil tax shelter litigation and related federal and state governmental investigations. From 1997 through 2001, the accounting firm sold tax shelters to hundreds of wealthy individuals. Many of these shelters were subsequently disallowed by the IRS. Former tax shelter clients have sued the firm in cases brought all over the country, seeking fees, transaction costs, back taxes, interest, and penalties totaling in the billions of dollars. As National Coordinating Counsel on these matters, we directly represent the accounting firm as lead counsel on many of the matters, and also reviews and directs the work of many prominent national and regional law firms that are defending the accounting firm in other individual tax shelter cases and related governmental investigations across the country.
Brice, Vander Linden & Wernick, P.C.: Representing Brice, Vander Linden & Wernick, P.C. in a U.S. Trustee investigation of structured financing transaction issues.
In re Fannie Mae Securities Litigation, No. 1:04-CV-01639 (D. D.C.): Representing auditor in audit committee investigation, securities class actions, derivative litigation, and SEC proceedings arising out of accounting issues at Fannie Mae.
Footstar, Inc. Securities Litigation: Represented defendant accounting firm in $65 million securities class actions, shareholder derivative litigation, and bankruptcy litigation arising out of accounting issues at Footstar.
Global Accounting Firm, Foreign Affiliate: Representing a foreign member of a global accounting firm network in an SEC enforcement investigation relating to potential independence matters, auditing issues and financial fraud regarding a foreign company client registered with the SEC.
The Hartz Mountain Corp. v. BDO Seidman, LLP, No. 96 Civ. 3042 (S.D.N.Y): Represented BDO Seidman in $15 million securities action arising out of tender offer for nonpublic company.
H&R Block/2SS Holdings: Representing H&R Block in its response to the DOJ’s civil suit seeking to block a $288 million deal by H&R Block to acquire 2SS Holdings, maker of TaxAct software.
Just For Feet, Inc. Securities Litigation: Represented defendant accounting firm in $1.1 billion securities class actions, Alabama state court proceedings, bankruptcy trustee litigation, and parallel SEC and Department of Justice investigations arising out of accounting issues at Just For Feet.
Kemin Industries, Inc. v. KPMG Peat Marwick, No. 96-1093 (S. Ct. IA): Represented AICPA as amicus curiae participant before Iowa Supreme Court in appeal seeking to overturn jury verdict in action against accounting firm brought by Kemin Industries.
Sharp International Corp. v. KPMG LLP: Represented KPMG in professional malpractice cases brought by bankruptcy trustee and lenders of defunct watch company.
AlixPartners/Jay Alix/CVC Capital Partners: Represented Jay Alix, founder of AlixPartners, in the acquisition, alongside three other investors, of an ownership stake in the business from CVC Capital Partners, a transaction valuing AlixPartners at more than $2.5 billion.
AlixPartners/Galt & Company: Represented AlixPartners in its acquisition of management consulting firm Galt & Company.
ASG/Alpine Investors/Sierra Interactive: Advised ASG, a portfolio company of Alpine Investors, in its acquisition of Sierra Interactive, a residential real estate software company.
Analytic Partners/Onex Corporation: Represented Analytic Partners in connection with an investment by funds affiliated with Onex Corporation.
Aquiline Capital Partners/CoAdvantage/Morgan Stanley Capital Partners: Represented Aquiline Capital Partners in its acquisition of human resources outsourcing provider CoAdvantage from Morgan Stanley Capital Partners.
Axiom/Permira: Represented management of Axiom, the global leader in specialized on-demand legal talent, in a strategic investment from Permira funds.
BigHand Inc./Levine Leichtman Capital Partners/Iridium Technology: Represented BigHand Inc., a portfolio company of Levine Leichtman Capital Partners, in its acquisition of Iridium Technology, a legal business intelligence and analytics software provider.
CIP Capital/People 2.0 Global: Represented CIP Capital in its acquisition of People 2.0 Global, LP, a leading business process outsourcer in the human capital services sector.
CIP Capital/TPG Capital/P20 Global Holdings: Represented CIP Capital in its sale to an affiliate of TPG Capital of a majority of its interest in P20 Global Holdings, Inc., a leading provider of certain employer of record, payroll and benefits services.
CPI/FFL Partners/Wendel: Represented FFL Partners and its portfolio company Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI), the leading provider of behavior management and crisis prevention training programs, in the $910 million sale of CPI to Wendel.
E2open/Zyme: Represented E2open and Zyme, both portfolio companies of Insight Venture Partners, in E2open’s acquisition of Zyme, creating the world’s largest operating network for manufacturing, supply chain and sales operations.
FacilitySource Holdings/CBRE Group/Warburg Pincus: Represented Warburg Pincus portfolio company FacilitySource Holdings, LLC, a high-growth leader in technology-based procurement and facilities management solutions, in its agreement to be acquired by CBRE Group, Inc., the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm.
FFL Partners/Accordion/Charlesbank Capital Partners/Motive Partners: Represented FFL Partners and its portfolio company Accordion in a majority growth investment in Accordion by Charlesbank Capital Partners and Motive Partners.
FFL Partners/Velocity Global/iWorkGlobal: Represented FFL Partners in its $100 million investment in Velocity Global, in connection with Velocity Global’s acquisition of global workforce management provider iWorkGlobal.
Foundation Source/Incline Equity Partners: Represented Foundation Source in its acquisition by Incline Equity Partners.
Gantner/Syx Automations: Represented Ardian portfolio company Gantner Electronic Austria Holding GmbH in its acquisition of Syx Automations NV, creating a global provider of comprehensive access, billing and management systems for sport facilities, leisure centers and visitor attractions.
Genstar Capital/ISS/Vestar: Represented Genstar Capital, in partnership with management, in its acquisition of Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) from Vestar Capital Partners for $720 million.
IK Investment Partners/B2S Group: Represented IK Investment Partners in its acquisition of a significant minority stake in leading customer services outsourcing company B2S Group.
IK Investment Partners/Domia Group: Represented IK Investment Partners in its acquisition, through its IK Small Cap I Fund, of Domia Group, owner of Acadomia (the number one French player in the private tutoring market) and Shiva (the fast-growing French home cleaning provider), from Metric Capital Partners.
IK Investment Partners/I@D Holding: Represented IK Investment Partners in its acquisition, with Five Arrows Principal Investments, of I@D Holding, a platform for independent real estate agents in France.
IK Investment Partners/Third Bridge: Represented IK Investment Partners in connection with the acquisition, through its IK Small Cap I Fund, of a significant minority stake in Third Bridge Group, a fast-growing primary research provider with a global footprint.
Insight Partners/Leapsome GmbH: Represented Insight Partners on its Series A investment in Leapsome GmbH.
Interpublic Group/Acxiom Marketing Solutions: Represented Interpublic Group in its $2.3 billion acquisition of data marketing company Acxiom Marketing Solutions.
ISS/Ortec: Represented ISS on the contemplated sale of its “ISS Hygiène et Prévention” division to the Ortec Group, a leading service provider specialized in services for industry, energy, environment and aeronautics.
Lagardère/Lagardère Sports/H.I.G. Capital: Represented Lagardère on the contemplated sale of its leading global sports marketing firm, Lagardère Sports, to H.I.G. Capital.
Latour Capital/Primonial: Represented Latour Capital on its investment in the Primonial group, a major player in the design, management and advice on investment solutions in France.
Levine Leichtman Capital Partners/Global Loan Agency Services: Represented Levine Leichtman Capital Partners on its investment in Global Loan Agency Services (GLAS).
Orion Advisor Solutions/Redtail Technology: Represented Orion Advisor Solutions in its acquisition of Redtail Technology, a leading web-based CRM software firm serving the wealth management industry.
Orion Advisor Solutions/TownSquare Capital: Represented Orion Advisor Solutions in its acquisition of TownSquare Capital, a boutique, full-service investment and trading platform.
OSG Billing Services/Diamond Communication Solutions: Represented OSG Billing Services in its acquisition of digital marketing firm Diamond Communication Solutions.
PAI Partners/Apave Group: Represented PAI Partners in its investment in the Apave Group, a specialist in the field of technical, environmental, human and digital risk management
PAI Partners and Sagard/Kiloutou: Represented PAI Partners and Sagard on the sale of the Kiloutou Group, a leading European equipment rental company, to funds HLDI and HLD Europe.
PayScale/Francisco Partners/Warburg Pincus: Represented PayScale, the leader in cloud compensation data and software-as-a-service (SaaS), in its $325 million sale to Francisco Partners by Warburg Pincus.
PayScale/MarketPay: Represented PayScale in its merger with MarketPay.
Promotion Execution Partners/WPP: Represented Promotion Execution Partners (PEP), a marketing management and procurement company, in its pending acquisition by WPP.
Questel/NovumIP: Represented Questel and its financial sponsors Eurazeo, IK Investment Partners and Raise Investissement on the contemplated acquisition of NovumIP from Paragon Partners.
TA Associates/Onlineprinters GmbH/Bregal Unternehmerkapital: Represented TA Associates in the sale of Onlineprinters GmbH to Bregal Unternehmerkapital.
TigerRisk Partners/Howden Group: Represented the management and employees of TigerRisk Partners in its acquisition by Howden Group.
von Poll Immobilien/Deutsche Beteiligungs AG: Represented the founders of von Poll Immobilien, a leading German residential real estate agency, on their sale to private equity firm Deutsche Beteiligungs AG.
Warburg Pincus/ACAMS/Becker Professional Education: Represented Warburg and the Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists (ACAMS) in the $330 million sale of ACAMS to Becker Professional Education.
Waterland Private Equity/PREMIUM Group/Clarion Events: Represented Waterland Private Equity in its acquisition and later disposition of shares of PREMIUM group, a leading European fashion show organizer, to Clarion Events.
WilsonHCG/3i Group: Represented WilsonHCG, a portfolio company of CIP Capital, in its investment from 3i Group.
XBP Europe/Exela Technologies/CF Acquisition Corp. VIII.: Advised XBP Europe, Inc., the European business of Exela Technologies Inc., in its merger with CF Acquisition Corp. VIII.
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA/CPA2Biz): Drafted and negotiated a portal agreement with CPA2Biz on behalf of AICPA.
Imperial Parking Corporation (Impark): Represented Special Committee of the Board of Directors of Canada-based Impark in connection with its exploration of strategic alternatives and ultimate sale to a party unrelated to its 31% stockholder.
Neopost S.A.: Advised this supplier of mailroom equipment in two offerings: a combined Paris Bourse listing and Rule 144A offering of ordinary shares, and a Rule 144A offering of subordinated debt.