W. Leslie Duffy

SENIOR COUNSEL

Les represents corporations and private equity firms in negotiating and structuring merger and acquisition transactions. A corporate and securities practitioner of more than 30 years, Les has led transactions for companies operating in a variety of industry sectors, including oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, automotives, professional services, industrial manufacturing, telecommunications, consumer products, and food services.

Les is recommended as a leading lawyer for mergers and acquisitions by legal industry publications.

• Representation of Energy Partners Ltd. in response to a tender offer by Woodside Petroleum Ltd.
• Representation of Engelhard Corporation in its $4.5 billion acquisition by BASF.
• Representation of Sola International in its $1.2 billion acquisition by Carl Zeiss and a European private equity fund.
• Representation of UBS Paine Webber in its sale of Correspondence Services Inc. to Fidelity Management & Research.
• Representation of Ares Corporate Opportunities Fund in its acquisition of Ameriqual Holdings and Ares Corporate Opportunities Fund II in its acquisition of Aspen Dental Management Inc.
• Representation of pharmaceuticals manufacturer Élan Corp. PLC in multiple acquisitions and dispositions totaling more than $4 billion.
• Representation of Consolidated Natural Gas Co. in a $6.3 billion merger with Dominion Resources and in defeating an acquisition attempt by Columbia Energy Corp. designed to disrupt that merger.
• Representation of Chock Full o’ Nuts Corp. in response to an unsolicited bid by Sara Lee Corp., which resulted in a negotiated $250 million cash acquisition.
• Representation of Hain Celestial Group in its stock merger with Spectrum Organic Products.
• Representation of Yellow Corp. multiple transactions including its spin-off of a regional trucking business.

Les has practiced at Cahill following his graduation from Columbia Law School. He became a partner in 1972.