Patrick J. Lewis

Mr. Lewis represents acquirers, sellers, targets and financial advisors in a wide variety of transactions, including public and private mergers, acquisitions, dispositions (including auctions), joint ventures, reinsurance, shareholder activism, capital raising transactions and other corporate matters. In recognition of his work, Mr. Lewis has been named a Next Generation Partner by The Legal 500 U.S., a Rising Star by IFLR1000 and an Emerging Leader by The M&A Advisor. He also has received a Burton Award for Distinguished Legal Writing, one of the highest literary honors in law.

Significant U.S. and cross-border transactions include the representation of:

• Willis Towers Watson in its proposed (now terminated) $30 billion combination with Aon plc
• Catalent, Inc. in its pending $16.5 billion acquisition by Novo Holdings
• XL Group Ltd in its $15.3 billion acquisition by AXA SA
• BlackRock, Inc. in its pending $12.5 billion acquisition of Global Infrastructure Partners
• Apollo Global Management, Inc. in its $11 billion merger with Athene Holding Ltd.
• Endurance Specialty Holdings Ltd. in its $6.3 billion acquisition by Sompo Holdings, Inc.
• Validus Holdings, Ltd. in its $5.6 billion acquisition by American International Group, Inc.  
• Brookfield Reinsurance Ltd. in its $5.1 billion acquisition of American National Group, Inc.
• American Financial Group, Inc. in the $3.5 billion sale of its annuity business to Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company
• Privilege Underwriters, Inc. in its $3.1 billion acquisition by Tokio Marine Holdings, Inc.
• American Equity Investment Life Holding Company in its response to the unsolicited acquisition proposal by Athene Holding Ltd. and Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company
• Stone Point Capital LLC in its $2.7 billion going-private acquisition of AmTrust Financial Services, Inc., together with the Karfunkel and Zyskind families
• Fidelity & Guaranty Life in its:
  • $2.7 billion acquisition by Fidelity National Financial Inc.
  • $1.835 billion merger with CF Corporation, a special purpose acquisition company backed by The Blackstone Group, Inc. and Fidelity National Financial, Inc., and its proposed (now terminated) $1.6 billion merger with Anbang Insurance Group Co., Ltd.
• Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company in the $2.35 billion sale of its retirement plan business to Empower Retirement
• Liberty Mutual Holding Company Inc. in its acquisition of State Automobile Mutual Insurance Company and its publicly traded subsidiary State Auto Financial Corporation
• KAR Auction Services, Inc. in the $2.2 billion sale of its ADESA U.S. physical auction business to Carvana Co.
• Farm Bureau Property & Casualty Insurance Company and the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation in their going-private acquisition of FBL Financial Group, Inc.
• Argo Group International Holdings, Ltd. in its $1.1 billion acquisition by Brookfield Reinsurance Ltd.
• Ameriprise Financial, Inc. in the $1.05 billion sale of its auto and home insurance business to American Family Insurance Mutual Holding Company
• Markel Corporation in its acquisition of Nephila Holdings Ltd.
• Highmark Inc. in its:
  • affiliation with HealthNow New York Inc., d/b/a/ Blue Cross Blue Shield of Western New York and Blue Shield of Northeastern New York
  • sale of Davis Vision, Inc. and a minority interest in Visionworks of America, Inc. to Centerbridge Partners, L.P., and the subsequent sale of Visionworks of America, Inc. to Vision Services Plan
• State National Companies, Inc. in its $919 million acquisition by Markel Corporation
• The Blackstone Group, Inc. in its sale of Lendmark Financial Services to Lightyear Capital LLC and the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board
• OFG Bancorp in its $550 million acquisition of Scotiabank’s Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands banking operations
• Capital Z Partners, The Travelers Companies, Inc. and Further Global Capital Management as lead equity investors in the spin-off of Fidelis Insurance Holding Limited’s managing general underwriter business
• Cannae Holdings, Inc. in its strategic partnership with, and minority investment in, JANA Partners

Mr. Lewis also has represented numerous companies and boards of directors regarding shareholder activism, including Argo Group International Holdings, Ltd. in its successful proxy contest defense against Capital Returns Management and Principal Financial Group, Inc. in its response to, and settlement with, Elliott Associates, L.P.

He also serves on the board of directors of Catholic Guardian Services, one of the largest human services agencies in New York, offering a variety of programs and services addressing child welfare, family support, developmental disabilities, immigration and mental health needs.