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Lawyer Profile

Image of Daniel A. Neff

Daniel A. Neff

Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz
Best Lawyers Advisory Board Member
  • Recognized Since:
    2001
  • Recognized in:
    Mergers and Acquisitions Law
  • Website:
    http://www.wlrk.com
  • Location:
    51 West 52nd Street
    New York, NY 10019

Daniel A. Neff is the co-chairman of the Executive Committee and partner in the law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, which he joined in 1977.  He is a corporate and securities lawyer, and has focused on mergers and acquisitions and advice to boards of directors and board committees.  Throughout his career, Mr. Neff has been extensively involved in negotiated as well as hostile acquisitions, and has represented bidders and targets, public and private companies, private equity firms, leveraged acquirers and special committees of directors.  He has represented companies in divestitures, cross-border transactions and proxy contests, and has counseled managements and boards of directors concerning acquisition matters, responses to shareholder activism, conflict transactions, corporate governance and other significant issues. 

Among the significant matters he has handled are the successful defense of Airgas against a hostile takeover bid by Air Products and Chemicals (2009-2011), the sale of Airgas to L’Air Liquide S.A. and the $130 billion acquisition by Verizon Communications of the 45% interest in Verizon Wireless owned by Vodafone plc.  Mr. Neff has represented clients in a broad range of industries.

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Lawyer Bio

Daniel A. Neff is the co-chairman of the Executive Committee and partner in the law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, which he joined in 1977.  He is a corporate and securities lawyer, and has focused on mergers and acquisitions and advice to boards of directors and board committees.  Throughout his career, Mr. Neff has been extensively involved in negotiated as well as hostile acquisitions, and has represented bidders and targets, public and private companies, private equity firms, leveraged acquirers and special committees of directors.  He has represented companies in divestitures, cross-border transactions and proxy contests, and has counseled managements and boards of directors concerning acquisition matters, responses to shareholder activism, conflict transactions, corporate governance and other significant issues. 

Among the significant matters he has handled are the successful defense of Airgas against a hostile takeover bid by Air Products and Chemicals (2009-2011), the sale of Airgas to L’Air Liquide S.A. and the $130 billion acquisition by Verizon Communications of the 45% interest in Verizon Wireless owned by Vodafone plc.  Mr. Neff has represented clients in a broad range of industries.

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  • Award List
  • Additional Information
  • Lawyer of the Year Badge

Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers for:

  • Mergers and Acquisitions Law, New York City (2018)
 

Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America for work in:

  • Mergers and Acquisitions Law

Special Focus:

  • Mergers & Acquisitions
  • Securities
 

Additional Information:

Energy and Related Industries
  • Spectra Energy Corp in its pending $28 billion merger with Enbridge Inc.
  • El Paso in its $38 billion sale to Kinder Morgan
  • Unocal Corporation in its acquisition by Chevron Corporation for $19 billion, its response to an unsolicited merger proposal by CNOOC Limited and its acquisition of Pure Resources
  • Talisman Energy Inc. in its $8.3 billion sale to Repsol S.A.
  • Dresser-Rand Group in its $7.6 billion sale to Siemens AG
  • Chicago Bridge & Iron in its $3 billion acquisition of The Shaw Group
  • Berry Petroleum in its $4.9 billion sale to Linn Energy
  • Smith International in its $11 billion merger with Schlumberger
  • Western Atlas in its $5.3 billion merger with Baker Hughes
Technology and Telecom
  • Verizon Communications in its $130 billion acquisition of the 45% interest in Verizon Wireless owned by Vodafone Plc
  • VoiceStream Wireless in its $55 billion acquisition by Deutsche Telekom
  • Verizon Communications in its $4.83 billion acquisition of Yahoo!’s operating business
  • Alibaba Group in its $7.8 billion repurchase of stock from Yahoo!
  • Agilent Technologies in its spinoff of Keysight Technologies, its electronic measurement business
  • BEA Systems in its $8.5 billion merger with Oracle
  • Western Wireless Corporation in its merger with ALLTEL Corporation
Chemicals
  • Airgas in its $13.4 billion acquisition by L’Air Liquide S.A.
  • Airgas in successfully defending against a $5.8 billion hostile takeover bid by Air Products and Chemicals
  • Rohm and Haas in its $18 billion sale to Dow Chemical
  • Goldman Sachs Capital Partners and Apollo Advisors LP in their acquisition of Nalco Chemical Company
Pharmaceuticals
  • Medivation in its $14.6 billion acquisition by Pfizer
  • Allergan in its defense against a hostile takeover bid by Valeant Pharmaceuticals and its $66 billion acquisition by Actavis plc
  • Alexion Pharmaceuticals in its $8.4 billion acquisition of Synageva BioPharma
Manufacturing/Industrials
  • Cooper Industries in its $11.8 billion combination with Eaton Corporation
  • Temple-Inland in its $3.7 billion sale to International Paper
  • Litton Industries Inc in its merger with Northrop Grumman Corporation
  • Vivendi Universal in its $7.8 billion acquisition of United States Filter Corporation
Retail/Consumer Products
  • Sears Holdings in the separation of its real estate assets into Seritage Growth Properties, a real estate investment trust
  • Kellogg Company in its $4.6 billion acquisition of Keebler Foods Company and its $2.7 billion acquisition of  Procter & Gamble’s Pringles business
  • Vons Companies in its merger with Safeway Inc
  • Vivendi Universal SA in its acquisition of Cendant Software Corporation
Gaming
  • Penn National Gaming in the separation of its real estate assets into Gaming and Leisure Properties, a REIT
  • Gaming and Leisure Properties in its $5.1 billion acquisition of Pinnacle Entertainment's real estate assets
  • Mirage Resorts Incorporated in its merger with MGM Grand Inc
  • Wynn Resorts Limited in successful proxy contests with former directors of the company
Other
  • Centex Corporation in its $3 billion merger with Pulte Homes
  • Newmont Mining Corporation in its acquisitions of Franco-Nevada Mining Corporation Limited, Normandy Mining Limited and Santa Fe Pacific Gold Corporation
  • Knight-Ridder, Inc in its merger with The McClatchy Company
 

Lawyer Client Comments

Firm Details

Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz
http://www.wlrk.com
 
1 Office Location
in 1 Country

United States

United States

New York

New York

New York, NY

51 West 52nd Street

New York, NY 10019

United States

(212) 403.1000

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