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William J. Rowe

Partner
Baker & McKenzie LLP

Biography

William J. Rowe is a mergers and acquisitions partner in Chicago. He assists global clients, many Fortune 100 repeat acquirers, with transformational domestic and international mergers and acquisitions. Representative clients include FedEx, McDonald's, Stryker, Daimler, Kao Corporation and Laboratoires Servier as well as companies seeking to be acquired. He has spoken at conferences held by or been published by Bloomberg, Practicing Law Institute, the Chicago Bar Association and Deal Lawyers, among others, on practical developments for international acquisitions.

Practice Focus

William has extensive experience as lead M&A counsel assisting clients with complex and development strategy driven mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures, including transactions involving venture capital or private equity backed businesses and start-ups, intellectual property driven technology transactions, carve out transactions and in-bound or outbound geographic expansions through acquisitions. His practice emphasizes cross border acquisitions, representations and warranty insurance and sell side transactions.

Representative Legal Matters

  • Advised Servier on its USD 1.8 billion acquisition of the oncology business of Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

  • Advised FedEx on its e-commerce acquisition of ShopRunner, its USD 1.4 billion acquisition of Genco Distribution System, its USD 4.8 billion acquisition of TNT Express and other matters.

  • Mercedes-Benz Group, Daimler Trucks, Booking Holdings, FedEx, and confidential technology companies and family offices in multiple minority investments in silicon valley and other technology and autonomous driving venture funded businesses.

  • Advised Crane Co., a US public company, on its USD 800 million acquisition of Crane & Co., Inc., a private company supplier of secure banknotes.

  • Advised Safran on its USD 710 million sale of its Morpho Detection airport security business.

  • Advised Kao, a Japanese public company, on its acquisition of United States based Washing Systems, LLC from Gryphon Investors.

  • Advised Walgreens on its Specialty Pharmacy and Mail Service Pharmacy Joint Venture with Prime Therapeutics, in a transaction valued at USD 2 billion.

  • Advised Material Handling Systems on its sale to Thomas H. Lee and The Kenrich Group in its sale to HKA, each private employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) sale transactions.

  • Advised Medtronic, Ecolab and Telvent in connection with US public target acquisitions and tender offers.

Professional Honors

  • Illinois Rising Stars, Super Lawyers Individual Awards, 2012-2021

Corporate Responsibility

William is a board member of the Japan America Society of Chicago, a 92 year old non-profit organization promoting economic, cultural and social connections between Chicago and Japan, which provides Japanese language and cultural programs for Chicago residents as well as cross-border economic seminars for businesses with presences in both the United States and Japan.

Admissions

  • Illinois~United States (2007)

Education

  • Georgetown University Law Center (J.D., Honors) (2007)
  • Northwestern University (B.A. Legal Studies, Honors) (2004)

Publications and Presentations

Baker & McKenzie LLP is a Limited Liability Partnership organized under the laws of the State of Illinois (USA) and is a member of Baker & McKenzie International, a Verein organized under the laws of Switzerland.
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