Clifford H. Aronson represents clients in antitrust matters relating to mergers and acquisitions. He has been involved in numerous high-profile transactions and strategic alliances over the years and has experience in multiple industries, including entertainment, consumer products, health care, manufacturing, pharmaceutical, retail and technology.
Recently, Mr. Aronson represented Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company in its approximately $23 billion acquisition by Mars Incorporated as well as in its acquisition of Kraft’s confectionary business; and UST, Inc. in its $11.7 billion acquisition by Altria Group. He also advised Wild Oats in its approximately $671 million merger with Whole Foods, overcoming a challenge in federal court by the Federal Trade Commission; and Laidlaw International, Inc. in its merger with FirstGroup plc.
In the entertainment industry, he has advised Activision, Inc. in its $18.9 billion sale of an approximately 52 percent stake to Vivendi, and The Walt Disney Company in its approximately $7.4 billion acquisition of Pixar Animation Studios.
His representations in the health care and pharmaceutical industries include Pacificare in its sale to UnitedHealth Group; UnitedHealth Group in its acquisition of Oxford Health Plans, Inc.; Express Scripts, Inc. in its $248 million acquisition of the workers’ compensation pharmacy benefit management business of Medical Services from Monitor Clipper Partners; Advanced Medical Optics in its approximately $808 million acquisition of IntraLase Corp.; and Warner-Lambert Company in its merger with Pfizer, Inc.
Mr. Aronson has handled technology-related matters such as the representation of EMC Corporation in connection with its acquisition of Data General Corporation and Apple Computer Inc. in its strategic alliances with IBM.
Major companies such as CEMEX S.A.B. de C.V. and Tenet Healthcare Corp. have relied on Mr. Aronson for representation in their acquisitions, including CEMEX’s purchase of RMC and Southdown Inc., its divestiture of certain assets in connection with its acquisition of Rinker and in the sale of certain of its assets to CRH plc.; and Tenet Healthcare’s acquisition of OrNda Healthcorp and American Medical Holdings, Inc.
Mr. Aronson also represents clients before federal and state antitrust agencies and grand juries. For example, he represented Christie’s Inc. in connection with the U.S. Department of Justice’s auction house investigation as well as in connection with certain private class actions.
In addition, Mr. Aronson represented Chicago Bridge & Iron in an appeal from a decision and order of the Federal Trade Commission requiring the divestiture of certain assets. He has handled other complex cases, such as representing the National Football League in litigation arising out of the Oakland Raiders’ move to Los Angeles and in an antitrust lawsuit brought by the now-defunct United States Football League.
Mr. Aronson has been an instructor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and is a regular speaker on mergers and acquisitions at Wharton’s Executive Education Program. In addition, he was the co-editor of a book entitled Mergers and Acquisitions — Understanding the Antitrust Laws, published by the American Bar Association. He was also vice-chair of the Mergers and Acquisitions Committee of the Antitrust Section of the American Bar Association.
Mr. Aronson was selected for inclusion in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business 2009 and The Best Lawyers in America 2010.
