Sasha
Rosenthal-Larrea

On October 25, 2024, Legal & General (“L&G”), one of the U.K.’s leading financial services groups and a major global investor, announced its strategic investment in Taurus Investment Holdings, LLC (“Taurus”), a Boston‑based, global real estate private equity firm, alongside an initial commitment of up to $200 million in seed capital to multifamily real estate. Cravath is representing L&G in connection with the transaction.

On October 7, 2024, Iris Financial, a Euronext Amsterdam-listed company focused on the financial services sector, and Younited S.A. (“Younited”), a leading European consumer credit business, announced they have signed a business combination agreement. Iris Financial will inject between €150 and €200 million of capital into Younited in consideration for newly-issued shares of Younited. At completion of the Combination (prior to the share capital increase), Iris Financial will own at least 95% of Younited, with any remaining Younited shares to be acquired by Iris after completion pursuant to drag-along provisions contained in Younited’s existing shareholder agreement and upon the exercise of put-call rights by Iris or certain historical Younited shareholders. Iris Financial will be renamed “Younited Financial” and will remain listed on Euronext Amsterdam while applying for an additional listing on Euronext Paris. Cravath is representing Iris Financial as U.S. counsel in connection with the transaction.

On October 4, 2024, Vista Outdoor Inc. (“Vista Outdoor”), the parent company of more than three dozen renowned brands that design, manufacture and market sporting and outdoor products, announced it has entered into a definitive agreement with funds managed by Strategic Value Partners, LLC, and its affiliates (“SVP”), a global alternative investment firm with approximately $19 billion of assets under management, to sell Revelyst in an all‑cash transaction based on an enterprise value of $1.125 billion. In connection with the SVP Transaction, Vista Outdoor also entered into an amendment to the merger agreement with Czechoslovak Group a.s. (“CSG”) to acquire The Kinetic Group, increasing the purchase price for The Kinetic Group to $2.225 billion. Together, the CSG Transaction and the SVP Transaction represent an enterprise value of $3.35 billion for Vista Outdoor and will deliver an estimated $45 per share in cash to Vista Outdoor stockholders. Cravath is representing Vista Outdoor in connection with the transaction.

On September 5, 2024, Verizon Communications Inc. and Frontier Communications Parent, Inc. (“Frontier”), the largest pure‑play fiber provider in the U.S., announced they have entered into a definitive agreement for Verizon to acquire Frontier in an all‑cash transaction valued at $20 billion. Cravath is representing Frontier in connection with the transaction.

On August 8, 2024, private investment firm Lindsay Goldberg and Golden State Foods, one of the largest diversified suppliers to the foodservice and retail industries, announced that they have entered into an agreement for Lindsay Goldberg to acquire a controlling interest in Golden State Foods. Cravath is representing Lindsay Goldberg in connection with the transaction.

On October 25, 2024, Cravath published an article by partners D. Scott Bennett, Benjamin Gruenstein, David J. Kappos, Evan Norris, Ryan J. Patrone, Elad Roisman and Sasha Rosenthal‑Larrea, in collaboration with Jason Trager, Senior Director of Blockchain & Digital Assets at FTI Technology, entitled “Bringing Blockchain Due Diligence into Focus Alongside Uptick in Strategic Dealmaking.” The article discusses the renewed momentum around blockchain and digital assets, predicting an increase in deal activity including M&A transactions and joint ventures going into 2025, and explores the key elements that dealmaking teams should consider when conducting due diligence for these transactions.

On October 8, 2024, Cravath partner Sasha Rosenthal‑Larrea participated in “Understanding the Intellectual Property License 2024,” a program presented by the Practising Law Institute in New York. Sasha delivered a presentation entitled “Antitrust Issues in Licensing,” which addressed antitrust issues that arise in connection with licensing of intellectual property and the antitrust analysis applicable to a variety of licensing practices and scenarios.

Cravath partners Benjamin Gruenstein, Sasha Rosenthal‑Larrea and Evan Norris and Variant deputy general counsel Daniel Barabander co‑authored an article entitled “Cybersecurity Liability for Web3 Platforms: Key Issues and Risk Mitigation Solutions,” which was published by Bloomberg Law on September 4, 2024. The article explores the liability landscape faced by web3 platforms in the wake of a cybersecurity incident, including potential for negligence, breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty claims, as well as securities law shareholder derivative claims. The article also details how parties can mitigate their risk through the integration of proactive security solutions.

On July 16, 2024, Cravath published the third edition of its Cravath Data Privacy and Security Review newsletter, which provides an overview of U.S. state and federal legislative and regulatory developments, alongside U.S. and global enforcement trends and takeaways, in the data privacy and security field for the first six months of 2024. The Review provides an update on emerging and existing privacy and security legislation at the federal level, including the American Privacy Rights Act, and highlights notable legislative developments at the state level across the country. This edition also highlights the heightened focus on cybersecurity and privacy‑related enforcement at federal agencies including the Federal Trade Commission and Securities and Exchange Commission, and provides global enforcement updates from China, the European Union, Germany and Chile.

Following the July 12, 2024 announcement by the European Union of the forthcoming entry-into-force of the Artificial Intelligence Act, Cravath has collaborated with UK firm Slaughter and May to publish a memo for clients entitled “EU AI Act to Enter into Force.” The memo outlines the Act’s approach to reduce the risks posed by certain types of artificial intelligence by focusing on responsible innovation and fines for violations. It reviews the Act’s key provisions, including those providing extra-territorial reach, looks at practical steps organizations can take to comply, and compares the Act’s approach to AI regulation to the current approaches in the United States and United Kingdom. The EU AI Act will come into force on August 1, 2024, starting a two-year transition period during which its provisions will take effect.