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Irishman now on ABA leadership team for M&A

Gary McSharry, partner and head of McCann FitzGerald’s US office, has been invited to join the leadership of the American Bar Association (ABA) Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) Committee. He is the first Irishman to be so honoured.

McSharry has also been appointed vice chair of its international M&A sub-committee.

The ABA M&A Committee is the world’s largest forum for M&A lawyers, with more than 5,000 members, and is the leading forum for ABA members to discuss legal issues, best practice and emerging trends in domestic and cross-border M&A transactions.

It works with law schools, the judiciary, investment banking, private equity, corporate and other professionals and includes M&A practitioners from the USA and Canada and more than 40 different countries.

McSharry will be the first Irish vice chair of the International M&A sub-committee, where American and non-US lawyers working on cross-border M&A transactions share issues of common interest and examine the latest legal developments, and best practice for international transactions and country-specific issues.

Other committee members include M&A partners from Skadden, Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, Morrisson & Foerster LLP, McDermott Will & Emery, Greenberg Traurig LLP, Covington & Burling LLP, Hogan Lovells, and K&L Gates LLP.

“This is a tremendous honour for me personally and professionally, but also for McCann FitzGerald and the firm’s reputation in the American market and at home,” McSharry said.

“I have been involved with the ABA for a number of years and it is great to receive this opportunity to play a role in helping the ABA achieve its objectives and in sharing learnings, developments and best practice through our extensive experience of international transactions, " he said.

McSharry counselled Pfizer on the Irish aspects of its $11-billion acquisition of Biohaven Pharmaceuticals (NYSE), advised Beckman Coulter Life Sciences/Danaher Corporation on its acquisition of ValitaCell, and worked with Vista Equity Partners-backed Four Winds Interactive on its agreement to merge with Ireland-based Poppulo.

He also advised Sysco Corp, the global leader in food service distribution, on its acquisitions of Classic Drinks, Pallas Foods and the Brakes Group; he worked with EQT on the Irish aspects of its $2.5-billion acquisition of EdgeConneX and TA Associates on the Irish aspects of its acquisition of The Insight Software Group, and its $1.15-billion acquisition of Russell Investments.