In a move that reinforces its position as the premier law firm for clients’ most demanding corporate, regulatory and litigation projects, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP announced today that Damien Zoubek has joined the firm as a partner in New York.

Mr. Zoubek’s practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions, as well as shareholder activism defense, corporate governance and other complex corporate matters.

“Damien is a thought-leader among the M&A bar, an inspiring presence in the boardroom and at the negotiating table, and a client favorite. He fits in perfectly with our powerhouse team of US corporate, regulatory, and litigation lawyers in New York, Washington DC and Silicon Valley working for clients across the nation on fast-paced, strategic projects,” observed Ethan Klingsberg, whom Mr. Zoubek will join as co-head of the firm’s US Corporate and M&A practice.

Mr. Zoubek’s corporate and M&A work spans sectors, including healthcare, life sciences, technology, fintech, consumer/retail, infrastructure and industrial. Mr. Zoubek has worked on some of the most significant and high-profile transactions this year, including Canadian National’s $33.6 billion interloper bid to acquire Kansas City Southern and Afterpay’s $29 billion sale to Square. This year Mr. Zoubek has also represented GW Pharmaceuticals in its $7.2 billion sale to Jazz Pharmaceuticals, AmerisourceBergen in its $6.5 billion acquisition of Walgreen’s Alliance Healthcare businesses, New Senior in its $2.3 billion sale to Ventas, the $1.8 billion purchase of Luminex by DiaSorin and GreenSky in its $2.2 billion sale to Goldman Sachs.

Mr. Zoubek is repeatedly recognized as a leading M&A lawyer by news outlets and legal publications. He has been recognized by Chambers Global, Chambers USA, Legal 500 US, IFLR1000, Who’s Who Legal: M&A and Governance and Lawdragon’s “500 Leading Lawyers in America” (where he was selected as one of 30 “Legends” last year) and “500 Leading Dealmakers in America.” His work has also been featured by the Financial Times in its annual FT North America Innovative Lawyers report.

Mr. Zoubek joins a team that has been outpacing the market in recent months in addressing the increasingly complex corporate, regulatory and litigation needs of clients. In 2020, Freshfields handled the largest acquisition of a US company (the $39 billion takeover of Alexion by Astrazeneca) and Google and HPE’s largest deals of the year—the $4.5 billion transaction with Jio and acquisition of Silver Peak, respectively. Representative transactions in 2021 include serving as counsel to: both the buyer consortium and Cargill Incorporated on the $4.5 billion take-private of Sanderson Farms and concurrent combination of Sanderson Farms with Wayne Farms; SITEL in the multi-billion dollar take-private of Sykes Enterprises; Western Union on the sale of Western Union Business Solutions to a private equity consortium; the IPOs of Zymergen and Viant Technology; Universal Music Group on its spin-off transactions with Vivendi and Bill Ackman; Axel Springer in its over $1 billion purchase of Politico; Honeywell on the combination of Honeywell Quantum Solutions and CQC; Siemens on the purchase of Supplyframe; Agilent Technology on its purchase of Resolution Biosciences; Stagwell Media on its combination with MDC Partners; The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. on its multi-billion dollar acquisition of NN Investment Partners; and numerous de-SPAC mergers, including Cazoo on its $7 billion de-SPAC and listing on the NYSE. The firm has been consistently ranked at or near the top of the M&A league tables globally.

“I am thrilled to be able to join Freshfields and its extraordinary team of lawyers. The breadth of their expertise allows them to guide clients through their most complex and sensitive matters. Their exceptional track record speaks for itself, and I couldn’t be more excited to join the team,” stated Mr. Zoubek.

“Damien is one of the most highly respected M&A lawyers of our generation, whose clients value his exceptional skill and creativity,” said Sarah Solum, the firm’s US managing partner. “Freshfields has consistently built its partner ranks with the highest quality lawyers, and Damien is the embodiment of this approach. We are delighted to welcome him and further strengthen the firm’s outstanding client offering.”

“The firm is providing clients with unparalleled corporate, regulatory and litigation expertise and depth on an integrated basis, both domestically in the US and worldwide. The inclusion of a lawyer of Damien’s caliber on the team is consistent with this uncompromising approach to client service that we have adopted and with what our clients need in these challenging times,” stated the firm’s global chair, Georgia Dawson.

Mr. Zoubek joins from Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP, which he joined in 1999 and where he was named a partner in 2007.