Martin Nussbaum
Partner | New York
Martin Nussbaum

Martin Nussbaum represents corporate clients, financial institutions, boards of directors, and special committees in mergers and acquisitions and corporate governance and securities matters. He also advises clients on transactions involving changes in control and proxy contests.

In addition, Mr. Nussbaum regularly advises boards of directors and special committees of public and private companies in connection with a range of issues, including fiduciary duties, risk management, board oversight, leadership structure, interested party transactions, and special investigations and disclosures. Mr. Nussbaum also represents institutional investors in connection with governance and risk management issues.

Mr. Nussbaum has been recognized as a leading corporate/M&A lawyer in the past seven editions of Chambers USA, a referral guide to leading lawyers in the United States. Chambers has praised him for his “‘trusted business insight,’ creativity and negotiating style” and for being a “fantastically strong, well-rounded practitioner” as well as “responsive to his clients’ needs.” Mr. Nussbaum has also been named a leading lawyer by Practical Law Company for corporate governance and by The Legal 500 U.S. for corporate governance and SEC, M&A, and private equity.

In addition, Mr. Nussbaum has also been recognized as a leading lawyer in the specialties of Corporate Governance and Compliance Law, Corporate Law, and Mergers & Acquisitions Law by Best Lawyers in America and was AV Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell for his high levels of skill and integrity. He has also been designated to serve on the panel of outside experts for RiskMetric Group’s Governance Exchange.

A nationally recognized figure in the M&A area, Mr. Nussbaum has chaired many panels on M&A and Restructuring issues for the Practising Law Institute and is frequently a guest speaker on topics on M&A, restructuring matters, and the securities industry.

  • Monster Worldwide, Inc. in connection with historical governance and transactional matters, including its US$225 million acquisition of HotJobs from Yahoo! and its acquisitions of Affinity Labs Inc. and Trovix, Inc.
  • The Lightstone Group, LLC and Arbor Realty Trust in their US$8 billion acquisition of Extended Stay Hotels from The Blackstone Group.
  • Griffon Corporation in various financings, including its: US$240 million rights offering and related investment by GS Direct, LLC, US$550 million high yield offering, US$100 million convertible subordinated notes offering, as well as in its US$542 million acquisition of Ames True Temper, Inc. from Castle Harlan.
  • Datascope Corporation in its US$865 million sale to Swedish healthcare-equipment maker Getinge AB and prior acquisitions and dispositions, including, most recently: the US$202 million sale of its patient monitoring division to China-based Mindray Medical International, Inc.; the US$24 million sale of its vascular closure business to St. Jude Medical, Inc.; and its acquisition of Artema Medical, a privately held Swedish manufacturer of proprietary gas analyzers.
  • Symbol Technologies, Inc., a leading end-to-end mobility solutions company, in its US$3.9 billion acquisition by Motorola.
  • A private shareholder in the US$4.1 billion sale of Energy Brands, Inc. to Coca-Cola, Inc.
  • Goody’s Family Clothing (Nasdaq:GDYS) in its US$300 million sale to Prentice Capital Management LP and GMM Capital LLC.
  • Independent directors of a major financial institution in matters related to governance and other obligations.
  • Danskin Inc. in the US$92 million sale of the Danskin brand to apparel marketer Iconix Brand Group Inc.
  • Dechert Book Launch & Bank Investment Program: The Bank Investor's Survival Guide — Dechert LLP, New York, NY (June 16, 2016)
  • Corporate Governance Seminar and ACC-GNY Annual Meeting — Presented by ACC GNY with sponsorship by Dechert LLP, New York, NY (September 16, 2014)
  • Spin-Offs and Split-Ups: Key Issues Driving the Trend — Dechert LLP, New York, NY (April 18, 2012)
  • What You Need to Know: Building The Risk Intelligent Board — Dechert LLP, New York, NY (July 14, 2011)
  • Foresight, Hindsight and Insight: Avoiding Corporate Governance Pitfalls — Presented by ACC GNY with Sponsorship by Dechert, New York, NY (April 14, 2010)
  • U.S. Rights Offerings: A Creative Way to Raise and Deploy Capital in a Dysfunctional Market — Dechert LLP, New York, NY (April 21, 2009)
  • Distressed Investing: Waiting for the Downturn — 2006 M&A Outlook Conference Hosted by The Deal, New York, NY (November 14, 2006)
  • The Strategies and Targets of Activist Investors — New York Association of Corporate Counsel, New York, NY (November 8, 2006)
Services Industries
    • Columbia College, A.B., 1967
    • Columbia Law School, J.D., 1970
    • New York
    • United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
    • United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York
    • United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
    • Bar of the City of New York’s Committee on Insurance Law
    • New York County Lawyers Association’s Committee on Securities and Exchanges