Cravath’s New York Office Moves to Two Manhattan West
Joseph D. Zavaglia is a generalist corporate lawyer with 20 years of experience advising public and private companies and financial institutions across multiple disciplines, including IPOs and other capital markets transactions, leveraged loans (syndicated and direct) and other complex financing arrangements, corporate governance and other Board of Director matters, public company reporting and other SEC matters and joint ventures and other M&A transactions.
Diversity is a hallmark of Mr. Zavaglia’s practice. Bucking the industry trend towards specialization, Mr. Zavaglia instead maintains a broad-based corporate practice and advises his clients on their most significant matters—regardless of industry or manner of transaction.
Mr. Zavaglia is Head of Leveraged Finance North America at Cravath and has been repeatedly recognized for his work in the capital markets arena by Chambers USA, The Legal 500 US, IFLR1000 and Super Lawyers. According to clients, Mr. Zavaglia is “amazing and very business‑oriented” and “provides extremely informed, diligent and thoughtful advice on complex situations.” He has been named a “Next Generation Partner” in Commercial Lending and a “Leading Lawyer” in Capital Markets: High Yield Debt Offerings by The Legal 500 US. Mr. Zavaglia has been named by IFLR1000 as a Market Leader and recognized as both a Leading Lawyer and a Rising Star. He has also been named one of the “500 Leading Dealmakers in America” by Lawdragon and a Metro New York Rising Star by Super Lawyers.
Mr. Zavaglia regularly speaks on topics germane to his practice, including in a mainstage presentation at a TechGC conference.
Mr. Zavaglia was born in Brooklyn, New York. He received a B.B.A. cum laude from the College of Insurance in 2001, and a J.D. summa cum laude from Brooklyn Law School in 2004. At Brooklyn Law School, Mr. Zavaglia was the valedictorian of his graduating class and a member of the Brooklyn Law Review.
Representative capital markets transactions include representing:
Altra in $1.64 billion of senior secured credit facilities and its issuance of $400 million of high‑yield senior notes, and in committed debt financing for the $3 billion Reverse Morris Trust transaction combining Altra with Fortive’s Automation & Specialty platform business;
Mr. Zavaglia has also represented private and public companies in connection with mergers and acquisitions matters, takeover defense and unsolicited change in control transactions.
Representative M&A transactions include representing (among others):
Mr. Zavaglia joined Cravath in 2004 and was elected a partner in 2011.
Diversity is a hallmark of Mr. Zavaglia’s practice. Bucking the industry trend towards specialization, Mr. Zavaglia instead maintains a broad-based corporate practice and advises his clients on their most significant matters—regardless of industry or manner of transaction.
Mr. Zavaglia is Head of Leveraged Finance North America at Cravath and has been repeatedly recognized for his work in the capital markets arena by Chambers USA, The Legal 500 US, IFLR1000 and Super Lawyers. According to clients, Mr. Zavaglia is “amazing and very business‑oriented” and “provides extremely informed, diligent and thoughtful advice on complex situations.” He has been named a “Next Generation Partner” in Commercial Lending and a “Leading Lawyer” in Capital Markets: High Yield Debt Offerings by The Legal 500 US. Mr. Zavaglia has been named by IFLR1000 as a Market Leader and recognized as both a Leading Lawyer and a Rising Star. He has also been named one of the “500 Leading Dealmakers in America” by Lawdragon and a Metro New York Rising Star by Super Lawyers.
Mr. Zavaglia regularly speaks on topics germane to his practice, including in a mainstage presentation at a TechGC conference.
Mr. Zavaglia was born in Brooklyn, New York. He received a B.B.A. cum laude from the College of Insurance in 2001, and a J.D. summa cum laude from Brooklyn Law School in 2004. At Brooklyn Law School, Mr. Zavaglia was the valedictorian of his graduating class and a member of the Brooklyn Law Review.
Representative capital markets transactions include representing:
Altra in $1.64 billion of senior secured credit facilities and its issuance of $400 million of high‑yield senior notes, and in committed debt financing for the $3 billion Reverse Morris Trust transaction combining Altra with Fortive’s Automation & Specialty platform business;
Mr. Zavaglia has also represented private and public companies in connection with mergers and acquisitions matters, takeover defense and unsolicited change in control transactions.
Representative M&A transactions include representing (among others):
Mr. Zavaglia joined Cravath in 2004 and was elected a partner in 2011.
Chambers USA
IFLR1000
Lawdragon
The Legal 500 US
Super Lawyers
Deals & Cases
June 28, 2024
Cravath represented the term loan facility administrative agent and revolving credit facility administrative agent in connection with $2.43 billion of upsized credit facilities made available to Pactiv Evergreen Inc. and certain of its subsidiaries. Pactiv Evergreen Inc. is a leading manufacturer and distributor of fresh foodservice and food merchandising products and fresh beverage cartons in North America. The facilities consisted of an upsized $1.1 billion revolving credit facility and an upsized $1.33 billion term loan facility. The transactions closed on May 1, 2024, and May 28, 2024.
Deals & Cases
June 17, 2024
Cravath represented the initial purchasers in connection with the $1.225 billion 144A/Reg. S high‑yield senior secured notes offering of CHS/Community Health Systems, Inc. CHS/Community Health Systems, Inc., together with its parent company, Community Health Systems, Inc., is one of the nation’s largest healthcare companies. The transaction closed on June 5, 2024.
Deals & Cases
May 28, 2024
On May 28, 2024, United States Cellular Corporation (“UScellular”) announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its wireless operations and select spectrum assets to T‑Mobile for a purchase price of $4.4 billion, including a combination of cash and up to approximately $2 billion of assumed debt. Under the terms of the agreement, T‑Mobile will acquire UScellular’s wireless operations and approximately 30% of its spectrum assets across several spectrum bands. In addition, T‑Mobile will enter into a new master license agreement with UScellular on more than 2,000 towers. The agreement follows a thorough strategic review process announced in August 2023 and has been unanimously recommended by the independent directors of UScellular and unanimously approved by the Board of Directors of UScellular. Cravath is representing the independent directors of UScellular in connection with the transaction.
Deals & Cases
April 08, 2024
Cravath represented Symetra Financial Corporation in connection with its $250 million 144A/Reg S. senior notes offering. Symetra Financial Corporation is a financial services company in the life insurance industry. The transaction closed on April 3, 2024.
Deals & Cases
March 28, 2024
Cravath represented the initial purchasers in connection with the $500 million 144A/Reg. S high‑yield senior notes offering of Xerox Holdings Corporation, a workplace technology company that builds and integrates software and hardware. The transaction closed on March 20, 2024.
Activities & Publications
September 23, 2022
Cravath partners Scott Bennett and Joe Zavaglia spoke on separate panels at TechGC’s 2022 IPO Conference, which was held from September 21‑23, 2022, in San Francisco. The annual event brings together GCs and outside experts directly involved in the past year’s tech IPOs to review developments and provide strategic guidance.
Joseph D. Zavaglia is a generalist corporate lawyer with 20 years of experience advising public and private companies and financial institutions across multiple disciplines, including IPOs and other capital markets transactions, leveraged loans (syndicated and direct) and other complex financing arrangements, corporate governance and other Board of Director matters, public company reporting and other SEC matters and joint ventures and other M&A transactions.
Diversity is a hallmark of Mr. Zavaglia’s practice. Bucking the industry trend towards specialization, Mr. Zavaglia instead maintains a broad-based corporate practice and advises his clients on their most significant matters—regardless of industry or manner of transaction.
Mr. Zavaglia is Head of Leveraged Finance North America at Cravath and has been repeatedly recognized for his work in the capital markets arena by Chambers USA, The Legal 500 US, IFLR1000 and Super Lawyers. According to clients, Mr. Zavaglia is “amazing and very business‑oriented” and “provides extremely informed, diligent and thoughtful advice on complex situations.” He has been named a “Next Generation Partner” in Commercial Lending and a “Leading Lawyer” in Capital Markets: High Yield Debt Offerings by The Legal 500 US. Mr. Zavaglia has been named by IFLR1000 as a Market Leader and recognized as both a Leading Lawyer and a Rising Star. He has also been named one of the “500 Leading Dealmakers in America” by Lawdragon and a Metro New York Rising Star by Super Lawyers.
Mr. Zavaglia regularly speaks on topics germane to his practice, including in a mainstage presentation at a TechGC conference.
Mr. Zavaglia was born in Brooklyn, New York. He received a B.B.A. cum laude from the College of Insurance in 2001, and a J.D. summa cum laude from Brooklyn Law School in 2004. At Brooklyn Law School, Mr. Zavaglia was the valedictorian of his graduating class and a member of the Brooklyn Law Review.
Representative capital markets transactions include representing:
Altra in $1.64 billion of senior secured credit facilities and its issuance of $400 million of high‑yield senior notes, and in committed debt financing for the $3 billion Reverse Morris Trust transaction combining Altra with Fortive’s Automation & Specialty platform business;
Mr. Zavaglia has also represented private and public companies in connection with mergers and acquisitions matters, takeover defense and unsolicited change in control transactions.
Representative M&A transactions include representing (among others):
Mr. Zavaglia joined Cravath in 2004 and was elected a partner in 2011.
Diversity is a hallmark of Mr. Zavaglia’s practice. Bucking the industry trend towards specialization, Mr. Zavaglia instead maintains a broad-based corporate practice and advises his clients on their most significant matters—regardless of industry or manner of transaction.
Mr. Zavaglia is Head of Leveraged Finance North America at Cravath and has been repeatedly recognized for his work in the capital markets arena by Chambers USA, The Legal 500 US, IFLR1000 and Super Lawyers. According to clients, Mr. Zavaglia is “amazing and very business‑oriented” and “provides extremely informed, diligent and thoughtful advice on complex situations.” He has been named a “Next Generation Partner” in Commercial Lending and a “Leading Lawyer” in Capital Markets: High Yield Debt Offerings by The Legal 500 US. Mr. Zavaglia has been named by IFLR1000 as a Market Leader and recognized as both a Leading Lawyer and a Rising Star. He has also been named one of the “500 Leading Dealmakers in America” by Lawdragon and a Metro New York Rising Star by Super Lawyers.
Mr. Zavaglia regularly speaks on topics germane to his practice, including in a mainstage presentation at a TechGC conference.
Mr. Zavaglia was born in Brooklyn, New York. He received a B.B.A. cum laude from the College of Insurance in 2001, and a J.D. summa cum laude from Brooklyn Law School in 2004. At Brooklyn Law School, Mr. Zavaglia was the valedictorian of his graduating class and a member of the Brooklyn Law Review.
Representative capital markets transactions include representing:
Altra in $1.64 billion of senior secured credit facilities and its issuance of $400 million of high‑yield senior notes, and in committed debt financing for the $3 billion Reverse Morris Trust transaction combining Altra with Fortive’s Automation & Specialty platform business;
Mr. Zavaglia has also represented private and public companies in connection with mergers and acquisitions matters, takeover defense and unsolicited change in control transactions.
Representative M&A transactions include representing (among others):
Mr. Zavaglia joined Cravath in 2004 and was elected a partner in 2011.
Chambers USA
IFLR1000
Lawdragon
The Legal 500 US
Super Lawyers
Deals & Cases
June 28, 2024
Cravath represented the term loan facility administrative agent and revolving credit facility administrative agent in connection with $2.43 billion of upsized credit facilities made available to Pactiv Evergreen Inc. and certain of its subsidiaries. Pactiv Evergreen Inc. is a leading manufacturer and distributor of fresh foodservice and food merchandising products and fresh beverage cartons in North America. The facilities consisted of an upsized $1.1 billion revolving credit facility and an upsized $1.33 billion term loan facility. The transactions closed on May 1, 2024, and May 28, 2024.
Deals & Cases
June 17, 2024
Cravath represented the initial purchasers in connection with the $1.225 billion 144A/Reg. S high‑yield senior secured notes offering of CHS/Community Health Systems, Inc. CHS/Community Health Systems, Inc., together with its parent company, Community Health Systems, Inc., is one of the nation’s largest healthcare companies. The transaction closed on June 5, 2024.
Deals & Cases
May 28, 2024
On May 28, 2024, United States Cellular Corporation (“UScellular”) announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its wireless operations and select spectrum assets to T‑Mobile for a purchase price of $4.4 billion, including a combination of cash and up to approximately $2 billion of assumed debt. Under the terms of the agreement, T‑Mobile will acquire UScellular’s wireless operations and approximately 30% of its spectrum assets across several spectrum bands. In addition, T‑Mobile will enter into a new master license agreement with UScellular on more than 2,000 towers. The agreement follows a thorough strategic review process announced in August 2023 and has been unanimously recommended by the independent directors of UScellular and unanimously approved by the Board of Directors of UScellular. Cravath is representing the independent directors of UScellular in connection with the transaction.
Deals & Cases
April 08, 2024
Cravath represented Symetra Financial Corporation in connection with its $250 million 144A/Reg S. senior notes offering. Symetra Financial Corporation is a financial services company in the life insurance industry. The transaction closed on April 3, 2024.
Deals & Cases
March 28, 2024
Cravath represented the initial purchasers in connection with the $500 million 144A/Reg. S high‑yield senior notes offering of Xerox Holdings Corporation, a workplace technology company that builds and integrates software and hardware. The transaction closed on March 20, 2024.
Activities & Publications
September 23, 2022
Cravath partners Scott Bennett and Joe Zavaglia spoke on separate panels at TechGC’s 2022 IPO Conference, which was held from September 21‑23, 2022, in San Francisco. The annual event brings together GCs and outside experts directly involved in the past year’s tech IPOs to review developments and provide strategic guidance.
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