Michael F. DeFranco

Mr. DeFranco concentrates on mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance as well as general corporate and securities matters. He represents buyers, sellers and their financial advisers in a wide variety of transactions — including negotiated and contested public and private acquisitions and divestitures, cross-border transactions (both inbound and outbound) and other strategic alliances. Mr. DeFranco also advises public companies on various governance and compliance issues.

• Represented Servier in multiple transactions, including: (i) Servier's acquisition of the oncology business of Shire plc and (ii) Servier's acquisition of the oncology business of Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

• Represented FedEx Corporation in multiple transactions, including: (i) FedEx's acquisition of Genco Distribution System, Inc.; and (ii) FedEx's acquisition of TNT Express N.V.

• Represented Safran S.A. in multiple transactions, including: (i) Safran's sale of its Morpho Detection business; (ii) Safran's acquisition of the Aerospace Power Distribution Management Solutions and Integrated Cockpit Solutions business of Eaton Corporation; (iii) Safran’s acquisition of Harvard Custom Manufacturing Inc.; and (iv) Safran’s sale of Cinch Connectors. 

• Represented AkzoNobel N.V. in its acquisition of New Nautical Coatings, Inc.

• Represented Brunswick Corp. in multiple transactions, including (i) Brunswick's sale of its bowling products business; (ii) Brunswick's acquisition of Cybex; and (iii) Brunswick's acquisition of Navico (pending). 

• Represented the special committee of the board of directors of Telvent GIT S.A. in Schneider Electric’s tender offer to acquire 100 percent of the shares of Telvent.

• Represented Abbott Laboratories in multiple transactions, including: (i) Abbott's acquisition of the pharmaceutical business of the Solvay Group; (ii) Abbott’s sale of Innogenetics NV; and (iii) Abbott's acquisition of TheraSense Inc.

• Represented Hospira Inc. in its acquisition of the generic injectable pharmaceuticals business of Orchid Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Ltd.

• Represented Gas Natural SDG S.A. in multiple transactions, including: (i) Gas Natural's disposition of a minority stake in its operations in Argentina; (ii) Gas Natural's acquisition of assets in Mexico; and (iii) Gas Natural's attempted unsolicited acquisition of Endesa S.A.

• Represented Mecalux S.A. in its acquisition of the racking business of UFC Interlake out of bankruptcy.

• Represented Guidant Corporation in the attempted acquisition of Guidant by Johnson & Johnson.

• Represented office supplies maker General Binding Corporation in the spin-off of ACCO World Corporation from Fortune Brands Inc. and the subsequent merger of ACCO and General Binding.

• Represented Grove Worldwide Inc. in its stock-for-stock merger with heavy equipment maker Manitowoc Company Inc.

• Represented a private US company in the sale of a TV station to Fox Television Stations Inc.

• 2019 Notable Gen X Leaders in Law by Crain's Chicago Business