Cravath’s New York Office Moves to Two Manhattan West
Stephen L. Burns focuses his practice on representing companies and investment banking firms in connection with public and private offerings of securities, as well as on general corporate matters, including corporate governance and M&A matters. Mr. Burns was named Best Lawyers’ 2014 New York City “Lawyer of the Year” for Securities/Capital Markets Law. In 2019, he was named a Capital Markets Trailblazer by The National Law Journal.
Mr. Burns’s clients have included Crown Castle, Flowserve, IBM, Time Inc., Cox Enterprises, Credit Suisse, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan. He has advised Crown Castle in its $7.1 billion acquisition of Lightower; its $600 million acquisition of Wilcon; its $1.5 billion acquisition of FiberNet; the $1.6 billion sale of CCAL, its Australian subsidiary, to a consortium of investors led by Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets; its $1 billion acquisition of Sunesys; its $9.1 billion (including purchase options) acquisition of the rights to approximately 9,700 AT&T towers; its $4.8 billion (including purchase options) acquisition of the rights to approximately 7,100 T‑Mobile towers; and on over $30 billion in debt and equity financings since 2012. Mr. Burns advised IBM on its $20 billion debt financing to fund its acquisition of Red Hat. He also advised the underwriters in connection with Actavis’s offerings of $30 billion of debt and equity securities and Essential Utilities’ recent offerings of $4.7 billion of debt and equity securities. In addition, Mr. Burns represented the underwriters in connection with recent offerings by American Axle, Beacon Roofing, Cardtronics, Chesapeake Energy, Denbury Resources, Expedia, Goodyear and TI Automotive.
Mr. Burns has been cited as one of the country’s leading practitioners in capital markets law for over a decade by Chambers USA, Chambers Global, The Legal 500 US, IFLR1000 and The Best Lawyers in America. He has also been recognized by The Legal 500 US for his work in mergers and acquisitions and for his transactional work in the telecoms and broadcast industry. Mr. Burns’s work was also featured by the Financial Times in its annual FT North America Innovative Lawyers 2014 report.
Mr. Burns was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He received a B.B.A. with distinction from the University of Oklahoma in 1987 and a J.D. with honors from the University of Texas School of Law in 1990, where he was named to the Chancellor’s honor society and was an Associate Editor of the Texas Law Review. Mr. Burns currently serves as a Trustee of The University of Texas Law School Foundation.
Mr. Burns joined Cravath in 1990 and was elected a partner in 1997.
Mr. Burns’s clients have included Crown Castle, Flowserve, IBM, Time Inc., Cox Enterprises, Credit Suisse, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan. He has advised Crown Castle in its $7.1 billion acquisition of Lightower; its $600 million acquisition of Wilcon; its $1.5 billion acquisition of FiberNet; the $1.6 billion sale of CCAL, its Australian subsidiary, to a consortium of investors led by Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets; its $1 billion acquisition of Sunesys; its $9.1 billion (including purchase options) acquisition of the rights to approximately 9,700 AT&T towers; its $4.8 billion (including purchase options) acquisition of the rights to approximately 7,100 T‑Mobile towers; and on over $30 billion in debt and equity financings since 2012. Mr. Burns advised IBM on its $20 billion debt financing to fund its acquisition of Red Hat. He also advised the underwriters in connection with Actavis’s offerings of $30 billion of debt and equity securities and Essential Utilities’ recent offerings of $4.7 billion of debt and equity securities. In addition, Mr. Burns represented the underwriters in connection with recent offerings by American Axle, Beacon Roofing, Cardtronics, Chesapeake Energy, Denbury Resources, Expedia, Goodyear and TI Automotive.
Mr. Burns has been cited as one of the country’s leading practitioners in capital markets law for over a decade by Chambers USA, Chambers Global, The Legal 500 US, IFLR1000 and The Best Lawyers in America. He has also been recognized by The Legal 500 US for his work in mergers and acquisitions and for his transactional work in the telecoms and broadcast industry. Mr. Burns’s work was also featured by the Financial Times in its annual FT North America Innovative Lawyers 2014 report.
Mr. Burns was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He received a B.B.A. with distinction from the University of Oklahoma in 1987 and a J.D. with honors from the University of Texas School of Law in 1990, where he was named to the Chancellor’s honor society and was an Associate Editor of the Texas Law Review. Mr. Burns currently serves as a Trustee of The University of Texas Law School Foundation.
Mr. Burns joined Cravath in 1990 and was elected a partner in 1997.
Education
-
J.D., 1990, The University of Texas School of Lawwith Honors
-
B.B.A., 1987, University of Oklahomawith Distinction
Admitted In
- New York
Organizations
The University of Texas Law School Foundation
- Trustee
Rankings
Best Lawyers in America
- Corporate Law (2023)
- Securities/Capital Markets Law (2023‑2007)
- Securities/Capital Markets Law: Lawyer of the Year - New York City (2014)
Chambers Global
- Capital Markets: Debt & Equity - USA (2025‑2008)
Chambers USA
- Capital Markets: Debt & Equity - Nationwide (2024‑2007)
IFLR1000
- Capital Markets - US (2024‑2007)
- Capital Markets: Structured Finance - US (2008)
Lawdragon
- 500 Leading Dealmakers in America (2024-2021)
The Legal 500 US
- Capital Markets: Debt Offerings (2024-2020, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2013, 2009, 2008)
- Capital Markets: Equity Offerings (2020-2017, 2014, 2012, 2010‑2007)
- Capital Markets: Global Offerings (2020)
- Capital Markets: High‑Yield Debt Offerings (2020, 2019, 2018, 2014‑2011)
- M&A: Mega‑Deals, $5bn+ (2008)
- Telecoms and Broadcast: Transactions (2019, 2017, 2016, 2014)
The National Law Journal
- Finance, Banking & Capital Markets Trailblazers (2019)
Deals & Cases
September 23, 2024
Essential Utilities, Inc.’s $1 Billion At‑The‑Market Offering of Common Stock
Cravath represented the sales agents in connection with the at‑the‑market offering of common stock totaling up to $1 billion of Essential Utilities, Inc., a holding company for regulated utilities providing water, wastewater and natural gas distribution services to an estimated five million people in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, Illinois, North Carolina, New Jersey, Indiana, Virginia, West Virginia and Kentucky.
Deals & Cases
August 29, 2024
Essential Utilities, Inc.’s Senior Notes Offering
Cravath represented the underwriters in connection with the $500 million senior notes offering of Essential Utilities, Inc., a holding company for regulated utilities providing water, wastewater and natural gas distribution services to an estimated five million people in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, Illinois, North Carolina, New Jersey, Kentucky, West Virginia, Indiana and Virginia. Essential Utilities, Inc. was formerly known as Aqua America, Inc. The transaction closed on August 15, 2024.
Deals & Cases
August 26, 2024
Crown Castle Inc.’s $1.25 Billion Registered Senior Notes Offering
Cravath represented Crown Castle Inc. in connection with its $1.25 billion registered senior notes offering. Crown Castle Inc. is an owner, operator and lessor of shared wireless infrastructure. The transaction closed on August 12, 2024.
Deals & Cases
March 05, 2024
Kyndryl Holdings, Inc.’s Registered Senior Notes Offering
Cravath represented the underwriters in connection with the registered $500 million senior notes offering of Kyndryl Holdings, Inc., a leading technology services company and the largest IT infrastructure services provider in the world. The transaction closed on February 20, 2024.
Deals & Cases
February 20, 2024
IBM International Capital’s $5.5 Billion Registered Notes Offering
Cravath represented IBM International Capital Pte. Ltd (“IIC”) and International Business Machines Corporation (“IBM”) in connection with IIC’s $5.5 billion registered notes offering. IBM is a guarantor of the notes. IIC is a wholly owned finance subsidiary of IBM, a globally integrated innovation company, serving the needs of enterprises and institutions worldwide. The transaction closed on February 5, 2024.
Stephen L. Burns focuses his practice on representing companies and investment banking firms in connection with public and private offerings of securities, as well as on general corporate matters, including corporate governance and M&A matters. Mr. Burns was named Best Lawyers’ 2014 New York City “Lawyer of the Year” for Securities/Capital Markets Law. In 2019, he was named a Capital Markets Trailblazer by The National Law Journal.
Mr. Burns’s clients have included Crown Castle, Flowserve, IBM, Time Inc., Cox Enterprises, Credit Suisse, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan. He has advised Crown Castle in its $7.1 billion acquisition of Lightower; its $600 million acquisition of Wilcon; its $1.5 billion acquisition of FiberNet; the $1.6 billion sale of CCAL, its Australian subsidiary, to a consortium of investors led by Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets; its $1 billion acquisition of Sunesys; its $9.1 billion (including purchase options) acquisition of the rights to approximately 9,700 AT&T towers; its $4.8 billion (including purchase options) acquisition of the rights to approximately 7,100 T‑Mobile towers; and on over $30 billion in debt and equity financings since 2012. Mr. Burns advised IBM on its $20 billion debt financing to fund its acquisition of Red Hat. He also advised the underwriters in connection with Actavis’s offerings of $30 billion of debt and equity securities and Essential Utilities’ recent offerings of $4.7 billion of debt and equity securities. In addition, Mr. Burns represented the underwriters in connection with recent offerings by American Axle, Beacon Roofing, Cardtronics, Chesapeake Energy, Denbury Resources, Expedia, Goodyear and TI Automotive.
Mr. Burns has been cited as one of the country’s leading practitioners in capital markets law for over a decade by Chambers USA, Chambers Global, The Legal 500 US, IFLR1000 and The Best Lawyers in America. He has also been recognized by The Legal 500 US for his work in mergers and acquisitions and for his transactional work in the telecoms and broadcast industry. Mr. Burns’s work was also featured by the Financial Times in its annual FT North America Innovative Lawyers 2014 report.
Mr. Burns was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He received a B.B.A. with distinction from the University of Oklahoma in 1987 and a J.D. with honors from the University of Texas School of Law in 1990, where he was named to the Chancellor’s honor society and was an Associate Editor of the Texas Law Review. Mr. Burns currently serves as a Trustee of The University of Texas Law School Foundation.
Mr. Burns joined Cravath in 1990 and was elected a partner in 1997.
Mr. Burns’s clients have included Crown Castle, Flowserve, IBM, Time Inc., Cox Enterprises, Credit Suisse, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan. He has advised Crown Castle in its $7.1 billion acquisition of Lightower; its $600 million acquisition of Wilcon; its $1.5 billion acquisition of FiberNet; the $1.6 billion sale of CCAL, its Australian subsidiary, to a consortium of investors led by Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets; its $1 billion acquisition of Sunesys; its $9.1 billion (including purchase options) acquisition of the rights to approximately 9,700 AT&T towers; its $4.8 billion (including purchase options) acquisition of the rights to approximately 7,100 T‑Mobile towers; and on over $30 billion in debt and equity financings since 2012. Mr. Burns advised IBM on its $20 billion debt financing to fund its acquisition of Red Hat. He also advised the underwriters in connection with Actavis’s offerings of $30 billion of debt and equity securities and Essential Utilities’ recent offerings of $4.7 billion of debt and equity securities. In addition, Mr. Burns represented the underwriters in connection with recent offerings by American Axle, Beacon Roofing, Cardtronics, Chesapeake Energy, Denbury Resources, Expedia, Goodyear and TI Automotive.
Mr. Burns has been cited as one of the country’s leading practitioners in capital markets law for over a decade by Chambers USA, Chambers Global, The Legal 500 US, IFLR1000 and The Best Lawyers in America. He has also been recognized by The Legal 500 US for his work in mergers and acquisitions and for his transactional work in the telecoms and broadcast industry. Mr. Burns’s work was also featured by the Financial Times in its annual FT North America Innovative Lawyers 2014 report.
Mr. Burns was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He received a B.B.A. with distinction from the University of Oklahoma in 1987 and a J.D. with honors from the University of Texas School of Law in 1990, where he was named to the Chancellor’s honor society and was an Associate Editor of the Texas Law Review. Mr. Burns currently serves as a Trustee of The University of Texas Law School Foundation.
Mr. Burns joined Cravath in 1990 and was elected a partner in 1997.
Education
-
J.D., 1990, The University of Texas School of Lawwith Honors
-
B.B.A., 1987, University of Oklahomawith Distinction
Admitted In
- New York
Organizations
The University of Texas Law School Foundation
- Trustee
Rankings
Best Lawyers in America
- Corporate Law (2023)
- Securities/Capital Markets Law (2023‑2007)
- Securities/Capital Markets Law: Lawyer of the Year - New York City (2014)
Chambers Global
- Capital Markets: Debt & Equity - USA (2025‑2008)
Chambers USA
- Capital Markets: Debt & Equity - Nationwide (2024‑2007)
IFLR1000
- Capital Markets - US (2024‑2007)
- Capital Markets: Structured Finance - US (2008)
Lawdragon
- 500 Leading Dealmakers in America (2024-2021)
The Legal 500 US
- Capital Markets: Debt Offerings (2024-2020, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2013, 2009, 2008)
- Capital Markets: Equity Offerings (2020-2017, 2014, 2012, 2010‑2007)
- Capital Markets: Global Offerings (2020)
- Capital Markets: High‑Yield Debt Offerings (2020, 2019, 2018, 2014‑2011)
- M&A: Mega‑Deals, $5bn+ (2008)
- Telecoms and Broadcast: Transactions (2019, 2017, 2016, 2014)
The National Law Journal
- Finance, Banking & Capital Markets Trailblazers (2019)
Deals & Cases
September 23, 2024
Essential Utilities, Inc.’s $1 Billion At‑The‑Market Offering of Common Stock
Cravath represented the sales agents in connection with the at‑the‑market offering of common stock totaling up to $1 billion of Essential Utilities, Inc., a holding company for regulated utilities providing water, wastewater and natural gas distribution services to an estimated five million people in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, Illinois, North Carolina, New Jersey, Indiana, Virginia, West Virginia and Kentucky.
Deals & Cases
August 29, 2024
Essential Utilities, Inc.’s Senior Notes Offering
Cravath represented the underwriters in connection with the $500 million senior notes offering of Essential Utilities, Inc., a holding company for regulated utilities providing water, wastewater and natural gas distribution services to an estimated five million people in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, Illinois, North Carolina, New Jersey, Kentucky, West Virginia, Indiana and Virginia. Essential Utilities, Inc. was formerly known as Aqua America, Inc. The transaction closed on August 15, 2024.
Deals & Cases
August 26, 2024
Crown Castle Inc.’s $1.25 Billion Registered Senior Notes Offering
Cravath represented Crown Castle Inc. in connection with its $1.25 billion registered senior notes offering. Crown Castle Inc. is an owner, operator and lessor of shared wireless infrastructure. The transaction closed on August 12, 2024.
Deals & Cases
March 05, 2024
Kyndryl Holdings, Inc.’s Registered Senior Notes Offering
Cravath represented the underwriters in connection with the registered $500 million senior notes offering of Kyndryl Holdings, Inc., a leading technology services company and the largest IT infrastructure services provider in the world. The transaction closed on February 20, 2024.
Deals & Cases
February 20, 2024
IBM International Capital’s $5.5 Billion Registered Notes Offering
Cravath represented IBM International Capital Pte. Ltd (“IIC”) and International Business Machines Corporation (“IBM”) in connection with IIC’s $5.5 billion registered notes offering. IBM is a guarantor of the notes. IIC is a wholly owned finance subsidiary of IBM, a globally integrated innovation company, serving the needs of enterprises and institutions worldwide. The transaction closed on February 5, 2024.
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