Business News Digest

This month’s featured article is a topical exploration of the negotiable provisions of an engagement letter with an investment banking firm.

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Featured Article

Engagement Letters with Investment Bankers: A Primer

As companies begin the process of preparing for an M&A transaction, raising capital, financial restructuring, or other strategic alternative, the first step most of them take is to search for an investment banking firm to assist with identifying an appropriate buyer or investor and negotiating the contemplated transaction and the business diligence process, and to provide other services in connection with the transaction. Once the company has selected an investment banking firm and decides to move forward, an engagement letter comes into play.

2021 ACG Maryland Deal Forum

September 29-30 | Baltimore, MD

Back for its 10th year, Deal Forum brings together middle-market companies, executives, private equity groups, investment banker, lenders, and attorneys from across the East Coast to discuss deal opportunities.

Join us in-person as the Baltimore Orioles take on the Boston Red Sox at iconic Oriole Park at Camden Yards for an evening of baseball, invaluable networking, and signature Chesapeake Bay cuisine and cocktails served among private, air-conditioned party suites. Following the game, day two provides formal and informal opportunities to make connections and source deals via prearranged ACG DealSource meetings and open networking in the Deal Lounge.

2021 ACC Annual Meeting

October 19-21 | Virtual Event

Venable is pleased to sponsor the ACC Virtual 2021 Annual Meeting. In addition to having a space on the virtual tradeshow floor, Allyson Baker, chair of Venable's Financial Services Practice and a co-chair of the Consumer Financial Services Practice, is speaking on a panel presented by ACC's Financial Services Network on Wednesday, October 20, "Fairness in an Unfair World: How 'Neo-banks' & other Fintech Players Help Underserved Communities Gain Access to Credit & Innovative New Technologies." Please reach out if you plan to be at ACC and wish to connect!

New Attorney Announcements

Julian Zou, Partner

Julian Zou focuses his practice on corporate, venture capital, mergers and acquisitions, foreign direct investment (inbound into and outbound from China), banking and finance, real estate, and other commercial matters. Julian has exceptional experience advising multinational corporations on market entry and local operations in both China and the United States. He regularly structures transactions based on clients' commercial needs while providing regulatory compliance advice. He also has experience in private equity and venture investments, representing investors as well as portfolio companies, and in FCPA and Chinese anti-bribery law counseling and investigations.

Elizabeth Fuzaylova, Associate

Liz Fuzaylova assists clients with a wide range of corporate law and technology transactions matters. Prior to joining Venable, Liz served as an associate counsel at an industry-leading enterprise blockchain software firm. In that role, she drafted and negotiated software license, software as a service, professional services, and other commercial agreements, worked on minority investment matters, and assisted in international acquisitions. She also served as the contracting lead for a global working group consisting of central banks and international financial institutions, and managed a variety of agreements, patent applications, and insurance, real estate, and board committee matters.

Poornima Gopoji, Associate

Poornima Gopoji focuses her practice on corporate transactions. Poornima is highly experienced in handling a broad range of corporate matters, including issuances in equity and debt markets, cross-border investments, private equity, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate governance. She has worked with major stakeholders and institutional investors in an array of transactions in India and the United States, including private equity investments, initial public offerings (IPOs), and qualified institutional placements (QIPs). Poornima also regularly advises on general corporate and compliance matters.

Judah Rosenblatt, Associate

Judah Rosenblatt advises clients on a variety of corporate law matters. Before joining Venable, Judah defended companies in litigation involving a wide range of employment-related claims, including discrimination, employee misclassification, and breach of contract. Judah taught middle school English as a Teach for America corps member prior to attending law school.

Arif Soto, Associate

Arif Soto focuses his practice on corporate matters related to finance and governance, mergers and acquisitions, and capital markets transactions. Arif has been involved with a wide array of corporate transactions, including public and private offerings of equity, debt financing, and equity-linked securities. He also has experience drafting various transaction documents, term sheets, and stock and asset purchase agreements, as well as filings at the federal and state levels, public offering system filings with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), and Section 13/16 filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).