Kimberly Franko

Kimberly Franko Lower

Partner
Baker & McKenzie LLP

Biography

Kim Franko is a partner in the Employment & Compensation Practice Group in Baker McKenzie’s New York office. For more than a decade, Kim has supported US-based multinational employers with strategic workforce planning and engagement, and provides seamless support during major business change (whether it be a reduction-in-force, cross-border transaction, or re-organization).

Practice Focus

Kim is trusted counsel to public and private multinational companies, as well as private equity funds, on all the labor, employment and immigration issues arising out of mergers, acquisitions, spin-offs and other major corporate transactions. She assists her clients on strategic workforce planning, including interdisciplinary, comprehensive analysis of the best methods to expand in new jurisdictions and to engage talent, as well as, supporting transfers for employment and engagement between different corporate entities. 

In addition, Kim helps clients manage multinational workforces, accounting for geopolitical risk, increasing worker protections and new challenges in the ID&E landscape. Kim also advises multinational clients with respect to the negotiation and drafting of executive and senior-level employment, consulting, separation and restrictive covenant agreements in compliance with local law.

We are the only law firm to be ranked Band 1 by Chambers Global for Employment. We combine our global coverage and wealth of experience handling multijurisdictional assignments with specialized local expertise, enabling us to work across borders, industries and practice areas to fulfill clients' labor and employment needs everywhere they operate.

 

Representative Legal Matters

  • Advised Becton, Dickinson and Company on its USD 4.2 billion acquisition of Edwards Lifesciences' Critical Care business, to be renamed BD Advanced Patient Monitoring. 
  • Advised Acorda Therapeutics, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing therapies for neurological disorders, in its USD 185 million sale of substantially all of its assets to Merz Pharma GmbH & Co. KGaA through a sale process pursuant Section 363 of the United States Bankruptcy Code.
  • Advised Accel-KKR and its portfolio companies as international counsel on a global carve-out transaction.
  • Advised LiveRamp in its USD 200 million acquisition of Habu.
  • Advised Haier Smart Home, a world-leading home appliances and consumer electronics company, in its USD 640 million acquisition of Carrier Refrigeration Benelux B.V. (Carrier Commercial Refrigeration).
  • Advised Embracer Group (Nasdaq Stockholm: EMBRAC B), a Swedish headquartered video game holding company, on its multiple acquisitions, including its acquisitions of game developers Limited Run Games and Tripwire (Killing Floor and Rising Storm). Advised Embracer Group on its sale of Shiver gaming studio to Nintendo.
  • Advised a learning resources and educational solutions company on the acquisition of a California based educational technology firm.
  • Advised Highlander Partners, L.P. on multiple acquisitions including, DZYNE Technologies, Liteye Systems, Inc., and Black Sage Technologies.
  • Advised Snowflake, a data platform company, on numerous transactions, including its USD 800 million acquisition of Streamlit and also its acquisition of Applica Sp. z o.o., a Polish AI-based automation software company.
  • Advised Safran in its acquisition of Collins Aerospace’s high-technology actuation and flight control activities in a cash offer based on a USD 1.8 billion enterprise value.
  • Advised 65 Equity Partners, global investment firm backed by Temasek, on its minority investment in Kendra Scott Design, Inc., the celebrated lifestyle and accessories brand.
  • Advised Xperi Holding Corporation in its acquisition of Vewd Software Holding Limited at a valuation of USD 109 million.
  • Advised Affirm Holdings, Inc. on numerous acquisitions and strategic transactions.
  • Advised Thoma Bravo and its portfolio companies as international counsel on a series of carve-outs and cross-border transactions.

Admissions

  • New York~United States
  • New Jersey~United States

Education

  • Seton Hall University (JD, magna cum laude)
  • Seton Hall University (BA)

Languages

  • English

Developed and led a bespoke global employment law training series for a US-based Fortune 500 manufacturer across APAC, Europe and LATAM

Contributor, The Employer Report, including:

Moderator, "The Recruiters Speak," Women Corporate Directors Board Next New York Webinar, 2 March 2023