Public Companies

The ongoing convergence of capital and innovation requires advisors who are fluent in both worlds. At Goodwin, we have a global team that we believe is unique in BigLaw – a team that is equally proficient in advising the innovators and the investors across the technology, life sciences, real estate, private equity, and financial industries. Companies seeking to grow, increase liquidity for their investors or reduce their cost of capital regularly turn to Goodwin. We have one of the most active capital markets and public company practices in the United States, serving as outside counsel to public companies in a range of industries and who are listed on both U.S. and non-U.S. exchanges. We combine deep industry knowledge with broad technical expertise across all equity and debt securities and alternative investment structures. Since 2010, we have advised clients in more than 600 public offerings for over $145 billion in equity proceeds. We are consistently recognized by industry publications as one of the most active and innovative advisers for capital markets transactions and public companies.

Workouts. Reorganization. Liquidation.

Companies of all sizes – from start-ups to more established businesses and international corporations – have benefited over the last several years from sustained economic growth, favorable interest rates and higher investment income. Banner years have been common for many businesses. Yet the reality is that not every business succeeds. Shifting investor preferences, regulatory developments, ongoing disputes over tariffs and trade, and the potential for economic slowdown could mean trouble for many companies going forward.

Succeeding in the life sciences industry is as much about strategy and execution as it is about research and development. And with the breakneck pace of technology disrupting industries on a global scale, Goodwin’s depth of experience not only in the life sciences space, but also in collaboration with our technology, healthcare, real estate and private equity lawyers, makes our team exceptionally suited to address whatever the future brings. We partner with clients to embrace the promise and potential of innovation to make a profound and lasting impact.

Lawyers in our life sciences practice are deeply experienced in corporate governance, financing and M&A transactions, collaborations and licensing, regulatory matters, and intellectual property law. We understand the challenges of securing funding, safeguarding intellectual property, establishing partnerships, bringing new products to market, opening up new revenue streams, and protecting existing product lines. As part of our interdisciplinary approach, we collaborate with lawyers in our patent litigation, products litigation, privacy and cybersecurity, employment and tax practices to protect client interests and to advocate on their behalf.

When businesses need counsel at the intersection of real estate and the public markets, they turn to Goodwin, a proven leader and innovator. From the dawn of the REIT market in the 1960s through the modern REIT era that began in the early 1990s, our lawyers are the industry vanguard – helping to draft the Real Estate Investment Trust Act of 1960, pioneering the creation of the first public UPREIT structure, and successfully representing issuers in the largest and most complex REIT IPOs to date. And with the breakneck pace of technology disrupting industries around the world, we partner with our clients and embrace the promise and potential of innovation to make a lasting impact.

Goodwin has been consistently recognized as a leader serving the public REIT market, including in connection with alternative uses of the REIT vehicle, REIT conversions and innovative compensation structures like the modern LTIP partnership unit. As REITs have matured into a mainstream investment with expanded reach around the globe, the industry’s top players continue to rely on our expertise and dedication. And as REITs seek to take advantage of regulatory reforms that broaden their access to capital, such as new exemptions from registration or innovative equity securities, our lawyers are always first on the scene.

When a company is faced with a securities class action or shareholder derivative litigation, they need a partner who understands what is at stake and can think outside the box to achieve resolution. Goodwin’s deep experience, creative thinking and tenacity has led to our involvement in precedent-setting securities cases in courts across the country. The results we achieve are best of breed and have helped shape the law nationally, including outright dismissals of billions of dollars in putative class action and shareholder derivative claims. Our cases range from defending high tech and biotech companies in class action securities fraud litigation brought following restatements of earnings or the release of bad business news, to resolving shareholder derivative challenges, to multibillion dollar mergers and acquisitions.

Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs) are newly-formed companies that raise capital in an initial public offering (IPO) for the sole purpose of using that capital to acquire assets or, more typically, one or more companies identified after the IPO. Our lawyers have a deep understanding of the legal, business, financial and marketing issues that affect the success of SPACs. We offer a global team, with lawyers in the U.S., Europe and Asia working collaboratively to assist clients with fast-track cross-border transactions.

As a growing technology company, your prospects are exciting and your challenges are unique – from securing funding, protecting IP, and navigating the regulatory environment, to differentiating yourself in the marketplace, managing customer acquisition and scaling your business. We get it. Our dedicated team brings a comprehensive, coordinated approach that interconnects business, new technologies and the law. Our depth of experience in the private equity space along with our technology, healthcare and life sciences lawyers makes Goodwin uniquely suited to harness the breakneck pace of technology. We partner with clients to embrace the promise and potential of innovation to make a profound and lasting impact.