Frank Aquila advises a broad range of companies, boards of directors and special committees with respect to corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, takeover defense, strategic alliances and related matters.
Mr. Aquila serves as a regular adviser to global leaders such as Amgen, Anheuser-Busch InBev, British Airways and Diageo. He has represented Amgen, the world's largest biotech company, in its acquisitions of Abgenix, Alantos Pharmaceuticals, Avidia, BioVex and Ilypsa, and their collaborations with Kirin and Takeda. Mr. Aquila has represented British Airways in numerous transactions over the last 20 years, including its recently completed merger with Iberia, as well as in its previously completed joint venture with American Airlines and Iberia. Mr. Aquila represented InBev in its unsolicited acquisition of Anheuser-Busch and has subsequently represented Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world's largest brewer, in the sale of Busch Entertainment to an investor group led by Blackstone and other divestitures. Over the last decade he has represented Diageo, the top premium beverage alcohol company, in many significant transactions, including its sale of Burger King to an investor group led by Texas Pacific Group and the merger of Pillsbury with General Mills; its acquisitions of Seagram Wines and Spirits, The Chalone Wine Group, Rosenblum Cellars and Stirrings; the restructuring of its U.S. joint venture arrangements with Moët Hennessy; and its joint ventures with respect to Ketel One Vodka and Zacapa Rum.
Rankings and Recognitions
- Recognized in The US Legal 500 (2011)
- Listed in the IFLR1000 as a "Leading Lawyer" (2011)
- The American Lawyer, "Dealmaker of the Year" (April 2009)
- The American Lawyer, "Dealmaker of the Week" (November 21, 2008)
- Recipient of the Atlas M&A Award as the "Global M&A Lawyer of the Year" in 2010
- Selected by the American Bar Association in 2009 as a "Legal Rebel" - one of the profession's 50 leading innovators
- Recognized as a leading M&A lawyer in The Lawyer, "Transatlantic Elite" (2008, 2009)
- Recipient of the Burton Award for Legal Achievement (2005, 2010)
- Featured twice in The American Lawyer, "Daddy's Weekend on the Phone" (January 2002) and "Supersonic Lawyers" (May 2004)
- Featured in The Wall Street Journal, "Business Trips Leave Little Time for Luxuries" (May 31, 1996)
- Cited in Seeing the World Through Clients' Eyes (Nisus Consulting) as an adviser who had "really gone the extra mile and surpassed your expectations" (2004)
Professional Activities and Community Involvement
- Chairs the Practising Law Institute's annual conference on "going private" transactions, as well as regularly chairing a number of PLI's "Hot Topic" Briefings every year
- Regular columnist in Business Week and frequent commentator on M&A, corporate governance and related trends on Bloomberg Radio, Bloomberg TV, CNBC and Fox Business
- Chair, Board of Trustees of The NALP Foundation for Law Career Research and Education
- Board of Directors of the International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution (CPR)
- Board of Directors of Dress for Success Worldwide
- Board of Trustees of Brooklyn Law School
- Board of Advisors of the Salvation Army of Greater New York
- Member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Economic Club of New York and the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity