Michael Traube

Michael Traube is a deal lawyer with substantive experience on a broad range of corporate matters, including public and private mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, strategic investments, alliances and collaborations, SPACs, PIPEs, spin-offs, real estate transactions and leases, commercial transactions and services arrangements (including tech-focused arrangements), venture capital transactions, Section 363 sales, corporate restructurings, reclassifications and corporate finance. Michael has led cutting edge technology and media-focused deals around the world, including Europe, Asia and Latin America, for both local and international clients.

• Representation of Geller & Company on the sale of its multi-family office business to Corient, one of the fastest-growing national wealth advisors in the U.S.
• Representation of Sphere, a live entertainment and media company, in its acquisition of Advanced Electronic Design, an engineering product development firm
• Representation of AMC Networks in (i) the acquisition of a 49.1% stake in BBC America, and (ii) the subsequent purchase of BBC Studios’ equity in BBC America
• Representation of Sotheby’s in connection with a definitive agreement with Abu Dhabi-based investment and holding company ADQ under which ADQ acquired a minority interest in Sotheby’s
• Representation of Hyve Group, an international organizer of exhibitions and conferences, in connection with its acquisition of healthcare event company HLTH
• Sale of Tao Group Hospitality (Operator of Tao, Hakkasan, Stanton Social, Marquee, Lavo, Beauty & Essex, and Avenue restaurants and nightclubs) to Mohari Hospitality
• Representation of MSG Sports in connection with the combination of Counter Logic Gaming, of which MSG Sports previously owned a controlling interest, with NRG, a professional gaming and entertainment company. As a result of the transaction, MSG Sports now owns a noncontrolling equity interest in the larger, combined NRG/CLG company
• Representation of Advance Local in connection with its purchase of Search Optics, one of the nation’s leading providers of digital marketing services and advertising technology solutions for the automotive industry
• Representation of CF Acquisition Corp. VIII, a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) sponsored by Cantor Fitzgerald, in its merger with XBP Europe, Inc., the European business of Exela Technologies Inc.
• Representation of certain members of management in their buyout of Cenveo Enterprises
• Representation of Cenveo Worldwide Limited, a world leader in the management and distribution of print and related offerings, in the sale of its Custom Labels Group to Brook + Whittle    
• Representation of Tao Group Hospitality in its acquisition of Hakkasan Group, creating a premium hospitality powerhouse that includes a global portfolio of brands and properties
• Representation of the Howard Hughes Corporation on its $55 million investment in award-winning restaurant group Jean-Georges Management, which is led by Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten
• Representation of Advance Local in connection with its sale of MatchCraft, a search, display, and social media advertising platform, to Vendasta
• Representation of CF Finance Acquisition Corp. VI, a SPAC backed by Cantor Fitzgerald, in its $2.1 billion IPO merger with Rumble Inc. that took the Canadian neutral video platform public
• Representation of Bershtel Enterprises LLC (dba WePackItAll) in its sale to Akoya Capital Partners, LLC and other investors
• Representation of Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc. in its sale to parent company and majority shareholder Santander Holdings USA Inc. in a $2.5 billion deal that took the Dallas-based auto lending and consumer finance company private
• Representation of financial advisory firm Geller & Co. in connection with the sale of Geller’s outsourced CFO and business services division to Bloomberg LP
• Representation of CF Acquisition Corp. V, a SPAC backed by New York investment firm Cantor Fitzgerald, in a $850 million IPO merger with Satellogic that took the satellite earth imagery provider public
• Representation of SPAC Isos Acquisition Corp., in its $2.6 billion IPO merger with Bowlero Corp. that took the world’s largest owner and operator of bowling centers public
• Representation of Roku, Inc. in its deal to acquire Nielsen's advanced video advertising (AVA) business
• Representation of CF Finance Acquisition Corp. III in its merger with AEye Inc. that took the LiDAR company public
• Representation of CF Finance Acquisition Corp. II in its $1.6 billion merger with View Inc. that took the smart window company public
• Representation of CF Finance Acquisition Corp. in its $2 billion merger with GCM Grosvenor that took the Chicago asset manager public
• Representation of U.K. sports and fashion retailer JD Sports Fashion in the acquisition of U.S. athletic footwear, apparel and accessories retailers Shoe Palace and Nice Kicks
• Representation of Turnitin, a subsidiary of Advance Publications, in its acquisition of online assessment platform Examsoft
• Representation of Wipro in connection with the acquisition of engineering services company Eximius Design
• Representation of Coupang, the largest South Korean e-commerce website, in its acquisition of the HOOQ video streaming software out of liquidation
• Representation of Grab, Southeast Asia's leading super app, in securing $706 million from MUFG, Japan's largest bank, and $150 million from Tokyo-based TIS Inc., a provider of network solutions and system integration services, for a total of $856 million. Grab and MUFG will also co-develop next-generation financial products and services
• Representation of global information technology leader Infosys in its acquisition of Kaleidoscope Innovation, a full-spectrum product design, development and insights firm
• Representation of global information technology leader Infosys in its acquisition of Simplus, a leader in Salesforce quote-to-cash implementations
• Representation of Bluestar Alliance and affiliates in the purchase of Hurley International from Nike
• Representation of Patrick Drahi in his $3.7 billion acquisition of Sotheby's
• Representation of Cenveo Corporation in:
  • the sale of a portion of its print publication (e.g., journals, magazines) businesses to Intellicor Communications;
  • the carve-out sale of its content services business to CJK Group Inc.; 
  • the carve-out sale of its long-run labels and receipt paper businesses to Iconex (a portfolio company of Atlas Holdings);
  • the carve-out sale of its office products envelope business to LSC Communications;
  • its merger with Nashua Corporation;
  • the purchase of the assets of National Envelope Corporation out of bankruptcy; and
  • the carve-out sale of its packaging business to WestRock Company
• Representation of Advance Publications, Inc. in connection with:
  • sale of Golf Digest to Discovery
  • sale of W Magazine to Future Brand Media Group
  • sale of Brides Magazine to Dotdash
• Representation of Cipla in connection with its acquisition of U.S.-based specialty pharmaceutical firm Avenue Therapeutics
• Representation of the Independent Directors of Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in connection with the public spinoff of Cyclerion Therapeutics, Inc. and related sponsor $175 million equity financing
• Representation of lighting designer Robert Sonneman in the sale of Sonneman - A Way of Light, a designer and manufacturer of high-end architectural lighting, to Dunes Point Capital
• Representation of U.K. sporting goods retailer JD Sports Fashion in connection with its acquisition of Finish Line, a NASDAQ-listed retailer of athletic footwear, apparel and accessories
• Representation of Federal-Mogul Powertrain in its acquisition of British clean-tech development company Controlled Power Technologies
• Representation of Greenbriar Equity Group LLC in its sale of transportation management firm Transplace Holdings LLC to TPG Capital
• Representation of Japanese-themed restaurant chain Benihana Inc. in:
  • The successful proxy contest and shareholder vote to overturn the company's dual-class stock structure and convert the company's Class A common stock into regular common stock 
  • Subsequent sale to private equity firm Angelo, Gordon & Co.
• Representing Daimler AG in its:
  • Investment in, and strategic cooperation with, Tesla Motors Inc., the Silicon Valley-based designer and distributor of zero-emission vehicles
  • Sale of an interest in the entity holding the Tesla stake to Aabar Investments
  • Participation in a subsequent Tesla capital-raising round
  • Role as a significant stockholder of Tesla in Tesla's Nasdaq initial public offering
  • Acquisition of Tesla common stock through a private placement effected in conjunction with a public secondary offering of common stock by Tesla
• Representing Cablevision Systems Corp. in its acquisition of Newsday from the Tribune Co.
• Representation of Cablevision affiliate PVI Virtual Media Services in its sale of assets to ESPN Technology Services and Sportvision
• Representation of Mark Cuban Companies in:
  • The AXS TV (formerly HDNet) joint venture among Mark Cuban Companies, Anschutz Entertainment Group, Creative Artists Agency and Ryan Seacrest Media 
  • The addition of CBS Corp. to the AXS TV joint venture
• Representation of the trustee for the liquidation of Lehman Brothers Inc. in:
  • The proposed multibillion-dollar settlement of claims with Lehman Brothers International (Europe) 
  • The unwind of numerous derivative and other contracts with counterparty claimants
• Representation of Innovative Power Solutions, a US manufacturer of electrical power generators and converters used primarily in military aircraft, in its sale to Zodiac Aerospace, a world leader in aeronautical equipment and systems headquartered in France
• Representation of the U.S. Department of the Treasury in connection with its investments in financial institutions under the TARP Capital Purchase Program
• Representation of Continental Airlines, Republic Airways and Azul Linhas in several aircraft purchases and financings
• Representation of the Trustee for the liquidation of MF Global Inc. in the sale process and transfer of customer securities accounts to another broker dealer, and other transactional matters
• Representation of MediaNews Group in several debt financing transactions and related restructuring
• Representation of Wafra Capital Partners in several investments and joint ventures, including a $1,000,000,000 investment in TriplePoint Capital
• Representation of Galaxy Brands (owner of the AND1 brand and other brands) in:
  • The sale of a majority stake in Galaxy to Carlyle Group
  • Its purchase of the Avia and Nevados brands from Brown Shoe Co.
  • Its purchase of the Linens 'n Things brand from a team including Hilco Global and Gordon Brothers
• Representation of The Madison Square Garden Company in its sale of the New York Liberty women's basketball team to Joe Tsai (49% owner of the Brooklyn Nets)
• Representation of The Madison Square Garden Company in its investments in:
  • Brooklyn Bowl Las Vegas LLC
  • Tribeca Enterprises (operator of the Tribeca Film Festival cofounded by Robert DeNiro); and
  • SACO Technologies Inc., a global provider of high-performance LED video lighting and media solutions
• Representation of The Madison Square Garden Company in its purchase of a controlling stake in:
  • Obscura Digital (live entertainment technology and production company)
  • Boston Calling Events (operator of the Boston Calling Music Festival)
  • Tao Group (operator of the Tao, Marquee, Lavo, Avenue, The Stanton Social, Beauty & Essex, and Avenue restaurants and nightclubs)
• Representation of Bancar Technologies Ltd. in connection with financing for the Argentine financial technologies startup
• Representation of Starboard Value in its settlement with Forest City Realty Trust
• Representation of Fundamental Partners in several investments
• Representation of Brambles Limited in:
  • the sale of its North American recycled pallets business to private equity firm Grey Mountain Partners
  • the sale of its Transport Management System (TMS) business, LeanLogistics, to UK-based Kewill Inc., a global provider of supply-chain software
  • its 50/50 joint venture with First Reserve relating to their container solutions businesses Hoover Container Solutions, Ferguson Group and CHEP Catalyst & Chemical Containers