Joe Conahan provides sophisticated counsel to clients on a wide range of complex transactions in the life sciences, technology, financial services, FinTech, industrial and other sectors. His practice focuses on high-stakes mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, carve-outs, spin-offs and other strategic transactions, as well as related corporate governance and disclosure matters. Joe has consistently been recognized by The Legal 500 and Boston Magazine, among others.
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Work Highlights
Notable experience prior to joining Simpson Thacher includes advising:
- Cumberland Farms in its sale to EG Group and the sale of its Gulf Oil and Assured Dealer businesses to affiliates of ArcLight Capital Partners
- Eaton Vance in its sale to Morgan Stanley
- The Herb Chambers Companies in their pending sale of 33 auto dealerships and related real estate to Asbury Automotive Group
- Merchants Fleet in its sale to affiliates of Bain Capital and the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority
- MKS Instruments in multiple transactions, including its proposed acquisition of Coherent and its acquisitions of Electro Scientific Industries and Newport Corporation
- Onto Innovation in multiple transactions, including its predecessor company’s combination with Nanometrics to form Onto Innovation
- Tecan Group in multiple transactions, including its acquisition of Paramit Corporation
- TechTarget in multiple transactions, including its combination with Informa Tech’s digital businesses to form Informa TechTarget
Accolades
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The Legal 500 M&A Powerlist – USA Region 2023-2024
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Boston Magazine “Top Lawyers” in Corporate Law 2021-2023
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Connecticut Law Tribune “New England Trailblazer” 2019
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The Legal 500 United States “Leading Lawyer” in M&A: Middle-Market
Education
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Georgetown University Law Center, 2004 J.D.
magna cum laude; Order of the Coif; Articles and Notes Editor, American Criminal Law Review
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Georgetown University, 2001 B.S., Physics
cum laude
Admissions
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Massachusetts
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District of Columbia
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Pennsylvania
Joseph B. Conahan is a Partner in Simpson Thacher’s Mergers and Acquisitions Practice. Based in the Boston office, Joe provides sophisticated counsel to clients on a wide range of complex transactions in the life sciences, technology, financial services, FinTech, industrial and other sectors. His practice focuses on high-stakes mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, carve-outs, spin-offs and other strategic transactions, as well as related corporate governance and disclosure matters. Joe consistently has been recognized by The Legal 500 and Boston Magazine, among others.
Notable experience prior to joining Simpson Thacher includes advising:
Life Sciences Transactions
- Akouos in its sale to Eli Lilly
- Alkermes in its acquisition of Rodin Therapeutics
- Astria Therapeutics (f/k/a Catabasis Pharmaceuticals) in its acquisition of Quellis Biosciences
- AVEO Oncology in its sale to LG Chem
- Decibel Therapeutics in its sale to Regeneron Pharmaceuticals
- Disarm Therapeutics in its sale to Eli Lilly
- Emisphere Technologies (special committee) in Emisphere’s sale to Novo Nordisk A/S
- Exonics Therapeutics in its sale to Vertex Pharmaceuticals
- Imara in multiple transactions, including the sale of assets to Cardurion Pharmaceuticals and its merger with Enliven Therapeutics
- Kolltan Pharmaceuticals in its acquisition of Xetrios
- The Medicines Company in multiple transactions, including its acquisition of Recothrom from Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and the sale of its hemostasis business to subsidiaries of Mallinckrodt
- MPM BioImpact in its take-private acquisition of Reunion Neuroscience
- Nabriva Therapeutics in its acquisition of Zavante Therapeutics
- Schrödinger in its acquisition of XTAL BioStructures
- Syros Pharmaceuticals in its acquisition of TYME Technologies
- Tecan Group in multiple acquisitions, including its acquisition of Paramit Corporation
- Thermo Fisher Scientific in multiple transactions, including its acquisition of Advanced Scientifics, its proposed acquisition of the Gatan business from Roper Technologies, the sale of its Anatomical Pathology business to PHC Holdings Corporation and the sale of its cell culture, gene modulation and magnetic beads businesses to GE Healthcare
Technology/FinTech Transactions
- Affirmed Networks in its sale to Microsoft
- Analog Devices in multiple transactions, including its acquisitions of Linear Technologies, Hittite Microwave and the assets of Sand9 and the sales of its MEMS microphone business to InvenSense and Symeo GmbH to indie Semiconductor.
- Constant Contact in multiple transactions, including its acquisitions of NutshellMail and the assets of Bantam Networks
- Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in its sale to affiliates of Veritas Capital
- LTX in its business combination with Credence Systems
- MKS Instruments in multiple transactions, including its proposed acquisition of Coherent and its acquisitions of Electro Scientific Industries and Newport Corporation
- Onto Innovation in multiple transactions, including its predecessor company’s combination with Nanometrics to form Onto Innovation
- Sonus Networks in its business combination with GENBAND
- TechTarget in multiple transactions, including its combination with Informa Tech’s digital businesses to form Informa TechTarget
Other Transactions
- Cumberland Farms in its sale to EG Group and the sale of its Gulf Oil and Assured Dealer businesses to affiliates of ArcLight Capital Partners
- Dean Foods Company in the initial public offering and subsequent spin-off of its former subsidiary The WhiteWave Foods Company
- Eaton Vance in its sale to Morgan Stanley
- The Herb Chambers Companies in their pending sale of 33 auto dealerships and related real estate to Asbury Automotive Group
- Lydall in its acquisition of Interface Performance Materials
- Merchants Fleet in its sale to affiliates of Bain Capital and the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority
Joe received his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center in 2004,
magna cum laude, where he was a member of the Order of the Coif and Articles and Notes Editor of the
American Criminal Law Review. He received his B.S. in Physics from Georgetown University in 2001,
cum laude. He is admitted to practice in Massachusetts, the District of Columbia and Pennsylvania.