Michelle Rae Heisner

Michelle Rae Heisner

Biography

Michelle Heisner is a member of the Firm's Global Corporate and Securities Practice Group. Michelle's industry experience includes clients in the energy, telecommunications, financial services, and technology sectors. Earlier in her career, Michelle worked as an M&A attorney at a leading global law firm at its offices in New York, Australia and Washington, DC.

Practice Focus

Michelle focuses on clients with respect to a variety of types of cross border and US domestic acquisitions mergers and acquisitions, including majority and minority investments, share purchases, mergers and joint ventures. She also has significant capital markets experience. Michelle also regularly counsels financial advisors in connection with fairness opinions, solvency opinions and similar matters.

Representative Legal Matters

  • Advising ALDI on its acquisition of Southeastern Grocers, home of the Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket brands.

  • Advised Galapagos, a Belgian headquartered biotechnology company listed on Nasdaq and Euronext, on its acquisition of AboundBio, a US headquartered, privately held biotechnology company focused on developing antibody-based biological therapeutics for cancers.

  • Advised MiddleGround Capital in its multijurisdictional carve out acquisition of PVI Holdings, a flow control distributor focused on serving MRO applications across marine, chemical, downstream energy, and W&O Supply, a distributor of valves, actuated valves, pipe, fittings and engineered solutions to the maritime industry, from Pon Holdings.

  • Advised Aurora Acquisition Corp., a Nasdaq-listed SPAC, in its USD 6.9 billion (and a post-money equity value of approximately USD 7.7 billion) business combination with Better HoldCo, Inc., a fully digital homeownership platform.

  • Advised JHD Holdings (Cayman) Limited, operating in China under the brand Ji Hui Duo®("积惠多"), in its USD 1 billion de-SPAC transaction with publicly traded special purpose acquisition company East Stone Acquisition Corporation.

  • Advised Okada Manila, as holder of one of the Philippines' biggest casino resorts, in its de-SPAC with 26 Capital Acquisition Corp. at a USD 2.6 billion valuation.

  • Advised MiddleGround Capital in acquisition of Race Winning Brands and subsequent roll-up of aftermarket performance motor sports parts suppliers around the globe.

  • Advised Aeris Cleantech AG, a provider of air purifiers, and its shareholders on its acquisition by iRobot Corporation.

  • Advised a newly formed joint venture providing competitive intelligence and specialist data to the retail and commercial banking market. The joint venture combined Novantas, a provider of analytic advisory services and technology solutions, and Informa Financial Intelligence's FBX Group.

  • Advised Daily Mail and General Trust's on the sale of its education technology business in two transactions for an aggregate approx. USD 410 million to PowerSchool and EAB Global.

  • Advised PointsBet Holdings, an ASX listed corporate bookmaker with operations in Australia and the United States that has developed a scalable cloud-based wagering platform through which it offers its sports and racing wagering products, on its 5-year, USD 393 million US media partnership with NBCUniversal Media involving the sale of an equity stake in their business.

  • Advised North Equity LLC in its acquisition of various digital media brands, including Domino, Popular Science, Field & Stream, Outdoor Life and Saveur.

  • Advised CRIF S.p.A., a global company specialized in credit bureau, business information, credit and open banking solutions, in its acquisition of Strands, Inc., a FinTech company specialized in advanced digital banking solutions.

  • Advised Brazilian education business YDUQS (formerly known as Estácio Participações S.A.) on its acquisition for USD 465 million of Adtalem Educacional do Brasil, the Brazilian education business of Adtalem Global Education, a US public company.

  • Advised Sika AG, a Swiss chemical company, on its CHF 2.5 billion (USD 2.55 billion) offer for Parex, mortar manufacturer.

  • Advised Brookfield Business Partners on its USD 13.2 billion acquisition of Johnson Controls' Power Solutions business.

  • Advised Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan in its sale of a majority stake in GCT Global Container Terminals Inc., an operator of marine container terminal facilities in New York, New Jersey and Vancouver, to IFM Investors and British Columbia Investment Management Corporation.

  • Advised ORIX Capital Partners, a business unit of ORIX USA Corporation, in its private equity investment and acquisition of Hoffman Southwest Corp., commercial and residential drain services provider and the largest franchisee of Roto-Rooter in the United States, from US-based private equity firm Sterling Partners.

  • Advised RR Donnelley & Sons, a NYSE-listed provider of marketing and business communications, commercial printing, and related services, in the spin-off of its financial print and PRS businesses to create three independent, publicly traded companies.

  • Advised Shanda Games Ltd., a NASDAQ-listed Chinese game developer, operator and publisher, as advisor to the special committee, on its USD 1.9 billion Rule 13e-3 going-private transaction.

  • Advised ASX-listed Telstra Corporation Ltd, Australia's leading telecommunications company, in connection with various US legal advice, including its sale of 47.4% of NYSE-listed Autohome Inc., its A 454 million sale of 70% stake in Sensis Pty Ltd., the USD 123.6 million initial public offering of Autohome Inc., with Telstra Corporation Ltd as controlling shareholder, on NYSE and USD 410 million follow- on offering.

  • Advised Duff & Phelps, Goldman Sachs, Rothschild and H.C. Wainwright in connection with their roles as financial advisors to various transactions.

*Includes representations during work with prior law firms.

Professional Honors

  • Women in Business Law (Americas) - Mergers & Acquisitions Lawyer of the Year Shortlist 2023 and 2024
  • Women in Business Law (Americas) - Corporate Rising Star Shortlist 2022

Professional Associations and Memberships

  • Maryknoll Lay Missioners - Director
  • D.C. Bar, M&A and Corporate Disclosure Subcommittee - Co-Chair
  • D.C. Spartans (Michigan State University Alumni Association) - Director of Professional Development

Admissions

  • District of Columbia~United States (2013)
  • New York~United States (2012)

Education

  • Georgetown University Law Center (JD, magna cum laude) (2011)
  • Michigan State University (BA) (2005)

Languages

  • English