Stephen Besen
Partner
New York
Stephen Besen
Partner
New York
Contact Details
Stephen is a partner in the M&A practice, based in New York. He has over 35 years of experience representing clients in complex cross-border public and private M&A transactions. Clients rely on his broad-based experience in structuring and negotiating acquisitions, dispositions and joint ventures, as well as advising on general corporate legal matters.
Stephen has been recognized as one of the leading lawyers in corporate/M&A and private equity by Chambers USA and Legal 500. In 2022, Legal 500 said that “Stephen Besen is highly engaged and always readily available (even when taking into account the time differences). He combines an in-depth knowledge with excellent communication and negotiation skills and is able to remain his calm under stressful circumstances. He runs his team as a tight ship and makes sure there is appropriate (but not over the top) resourcing for our files, with equally capable other partners (tax, IP) and associates. Stephen is a real pleasure to work with, also from a personal perspective.” In 2008, Stephen was named “Dealmaker of the Year” by The American Lawyer for his role advising SABIC on the $11.6 billion acquisition of GE Plastics.
He regularly represents financial institutions, asset management firms and industrial/infrastructure clients in Asia, Europe and the United States.
Expertise
Practices
Sectors
Qualifications
Professional
Academic
S.B. Management and Economics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1980
J.D., Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar, Columbia University School of Law, New York, New York, 1983
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Experience highlights
Macquarie Investment Management on its agreement to acquire NYSE-listed Waddell & Reed Financial, Inc. for an equity value of approximately $1.7 billion, with the combined business becoming a top 25 U.S. mutual fund manager by assets under management; and on the subsequent sale of Waddell & Reed’s wealth management business to LPL Financial for $300 million, and a long-term partnership agreement with LPL.
TP ICAP plc on its acquisition of leading global electronic trading network Liquidnet Holdings, Inc. for a consideration of between $575 million and $700 million.
WillScot Corporation [NASDAQ:WSC] on its stock-for-stock merger with portable storage solutions provider Mobile Mini, Inc. [NASDAQ:MINI]. The public company combination creates an industry-leading specialty leasing company.
Apollo Global Management on a $265 million investment to acquire an equity stake in US Wind Inc. and fund a major offshore wind facility off the coast of Maryland.
Expertise
Practices
Sectors
Qualifications
Professional
Academic
S.B. Management and Economics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1980
J.D., Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar, Columbia University School of Law, New York, New York, 1983
Recognition
Stephen Besen is highly engaged and always readily available (even when taking into account the time differences). He combines an in-depth knowledge with excellent communication and negotiation skills and is able to remain his calm under stressful circumstances. He runs his team as a tight ship and makes sure there is appropriate (but not over the top) resourcing for our files, with equally capable other partners (tax, IP) and associates. Stephen is a real pleasure to work with, also from a personal perspective.
Legal 500, USA, 2022, M&A: Large Deals
Awards
The U.S. M&A Practice is ranked as Highly Regarded
Chambers USA: Mergers & Acquisitions, 2018
