Derek is a partner in the firm's Corporate Transactions & Securities practice group. He focuses his practice in the following areas:

  • mergers and acquisitions, including public company mergers and tender offers;
  • public company takeover matters;
  • public company board and special committee representation;
  • venture capital transactions;
  • joint ventures;
  • securities offerings, including initial public offerings, PIPEs and corporate debt offerings; and
  • securities law, public company reporting and general corporate matters.

Education

  • Georgetown University Law Center, J.D., 1996
  • Stanford University, A.B., 1993

Representative Matters

Derek's work over the past five years has principally consisted of the following:

  • Acquisitions and dispositions for public companies in the S&P500, middle market public companies and private middle market companies.
  • Contests for corporate control, and advising public companies regarding takeover preparedness and activist hedge funds and and other activist shareholders.
  • Advising public company boards and special committees on corporate governance, securities offerings and sale transactions.
  • Representation of venture capital investors in a variety of transactions, involving such industries as the software, medical, energy, telecommunications, high technology, e-commerce and service industries.
  • Representation of start-up companies with formation and capitalization matters and attracting venture capital investors.
  • Securities offerings and advising public companies on periodic reporting and general securities law matters.

Professional & Civic Involvement

Professional Associations

Ohio State Bar Association - Corporation Law Committee, Tender Offer and Legislative Review Subcommittees
Ohio Venture Association
ACG Cleveland - Deal Maker Awards Steering Committee

Community Activities

The Littlest Heroes · Member, Board of Directors, 2004 - present; Member, Governance and Nominating Committee, 2004 - present; Member, Executive Committee, 2008 - present
Cleveland International Program · Member, Board of Trustees, 2002- 2005; Chairman, Program Committee, 2002-2004

Publications

  • "Now or Never: It's Time to Revive the Poison Pill" · Bloomberg Law Reports: Corporate Law, April 20, 2009
  • "Greenmail Disgorgement Statutes and Corporate By-Law Provisions Could Trap Activist Hedge Funds" · Bloomberg Corporate Law Journal, Winter 2009 Issue
  • "Venture Cap May Come With Request for Control" · Crain's Cleveland Business, June 10, 2002
  • Contributing Author, "Punitive Damages and Business Torts: A Practitioner's Handbook," American Bar Association, 1998
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