Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP has added four partners to its Corporate practice group: Richard A. Friedman, Jeffrey J. Fessler, Andrea Cataneo and Stephen A. Cohen. The group joins Sheppard Mullin’s New York office from Sichenzia Ross Friedman Ference LLP’s New York office.
"Richard, Jeff, Andrea and Steve bring incredible securities and capital markets expertise and knowledge that further expands our ability to provide the full spectrum of services to enable our clients to access capital. Our Life Sciences team represents companies across the globe in every phase of their growth cycle, and Jeff’s particular experience in this industry is of great value to clients," said Jon W. Newby, vice chairman of Sheppard Mullin.
"We are very pleased to welcome Richard, Jeff, Andrea and Steve to the firm. Their collective experience in all manner of securities offerings and compliance makes them significant assets for the firm and our clients," added Shon E. Glusky, co-leader of Sheppard Mullin’s Corporate & Securities practice group.
"We look forward to growing the firm’s Corporate & Securities practice, specifically in New York," Friedman said. "Sheppard Mullin is a top-notch national firm and we have been particularly impressed with its continued growth. Our clients will greatly benefit from the breadth and caliber of the firm’s full service capabilities. We are thrilled to continue practicing together, and Sheppard Mullin is the perfect fit for us."
Friedman has represented public and private companies and FINRA registered broker-dealers for nearly 30 years. His practice is primarily focused on the areas of Corporate and Securities Law, with a concentration on public offerings and private placements. His extensive experience includes representation of both issuers and placement agents and underwriters in initial (IPOs) and secondary public offerings (registered direct offerings (RDs) and confidentially marketed public offerings (CMPOs)), reverse mergers (involving both domestic and foreign companies) and secured and unsecured private financing transactions (PIPEs). He has also represented publicly-held companies with respect to 1934 Act reporting obligations and with NASDAQ, NYSE and other exchange listing and compliance matters, and he has advised boards of directors regarding corporate governance and other issues. Friedman was named a 2016 Top Rated Securities and Corporate Finance Attorney in New York by Super Lawyers.
Fessler represents public and private companies predominantly in the life sciences industry, but also in the technology, communications, broadcasting and healthcare industries. He has extensive experience representing investment banks and companies in public offerings and private placements as well as exchange listings and SEC compliance. In addition, Fessler has been involved in a wide array of corporate transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, proxy contests, restructurings and private equity and debt financings. Fessler’s representative clients include Synergy Pharmaceuticals Inc., ContraVir Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc., Trovagene, Inc., Tiziana Life Sciences plc and Rasna Therapeutics, Inc. Fessler was named SmartCEO’s New York Attorney of the Year in 2014.
Focusing on private and public equity financing transactions for emerging growth companies, Cataneo leads her clients through private and public offerings, shelf takedowns, registered direct financings, PIPEs and general corporate matters. She represents public companies in their SEC and NYSE or NASDAQ listing and compliance matters and has extensive experience representing institutional investors and venture capital funds. Cataneo’s practice covers domestic and international transactions, and she has been active in Argentina, Canada, China, Israel, Italy, Kenya and Russia. For more than 17 years, Cataneo has cultivated strong relationships in the investment banking community, presently serving on the Board of the National Investment Banking Association (NIBA), and Cataneo was twice named Woman of the Year by the National Association of Professional Women. She previously served as General Counsel to Power Station Entertainment, Inc., and Power Station Recording Studio.
Cohen represents issuers and underwriters in public and private corporate finance transactions, including venture capital and private equity investments, initial public offerings, follow-on public offerings, shelf registrations, registered direct transactions, PIPEs, private placements, secondary market purchases, specialty finance, and other securities offerings. In addition, Cohen represents buyers and sellers in connection with mergers and acquisitions transactions, advises companies and their boards on various securities law compliance and disclosure-related issues as well as in connection with corporate governance matters. He counsels broker-dealers, investment funds and investment advisors on legal, compliance and fund-related matters, including fund formation as well as in connection with regulatory-related inquiries. Cohen was named a “Rising Star” by New York Metro Super Lawyers in 2014, 2015 and 2016, an honor reserved for no more than two and one-half percent of the lawyers in the New York Metro area.
Sheppard Mullin has more than 80 attorneys based in its New York office. The firm's Corporate practice includes 150 attorneys firm wide.
Earlier in this year, Sheppard Mullin New York added Corporate Finance partner Bijal Vira from Winston & Strawn and Tax Partner David Passey from Sullivan & Cromwell.