Dennis Block Joining Greenberg Traurig

NEW YORK, Sept. 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP, announced that Dennis J. Block is joining the firm as Senior Chairman of its Global Mergers & Acquisitions Practice as of September 12, 2011. Block joins Greenberg Traurig from Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft, where he was a Senior Partner in its Corporate Practice group.

Block will be based in Greenberg Traurig’s New York office, which has grown to over 250 lawyers, and will further elevate the firm’s top tier M&A practice. Block will join nearly 1800 lawyers in 33 U.S. and international offices, including a global corporate & securities practice of more than 350 lawyers.

Block is known for precedent-setting transactions. These include:

• Pfizer, Inc.'s $68 billion acquisition of Wyeth, the largest M&A transaction of 2009;
• P&G’s acquisition of Gillette;
• Westinghouse’s acquisition of CBS Corp.;
• Bear Stearns’ acquisition by JP Morgan Chase; and
• US West’s acquisition of Continental Cablevision and its subsequent split-off and joint venture with Time-Warner and the ultimate sales of both US West (to Qwest Communications) and Media One (to AT&T).

Block also represented Pfizer, Inc. in connection with its:

• $100 billion hostile acquisition of Warner-Lambert, the largest domestic hostile takeover to date;
• $60 billion acquisition of Pharmacia;
• recent acquisition of King Pharmaceuticals; and
• its sale of the Capsugel business to KKR.

In 2010, he was named for the third time as an American Lawyer Dealmaker of the Year, this time for serving as counsel to Pfizer in its acquisition of Wyeth. Block has consistently been ranked in the first tier as one of the leading corporate/M&A lawyers by Chambers and Partners in U.S. and global markets. Block advises a broad range of entities including companies, boards of directors and special committees on corporate governance, M&A and related matters. Prior to entering private practice, he was a Branch Chief for Enforcement in the New York Regional Office of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

"Dennis is one of this country’s top mergers and acquisitions lawyers, advising corporations, boards and special committees of boards on matters of governance, M&A, SEC matters, risk management and financing," said Richard A. Rosenbaum, Chief Executive Officer of Greenberg Traurig. "He will help move our team into the ranks of the foremost M&A practices in New York City, building upon the firm's strong corporate and M&A practices across the United States, in London and beyond, including our highly regarded Latin American practice. We envision an exciting time of growth and collaboration, in which Dennis will play a pivotal role.”

At Greenberg Traurig, Block reunites with long-time colleague Bruce Zirinsky, with whom he worked for decades at both Weil Gotshal and Cadwalader. Zirinsky, Co-Chair of the firm's Global Business Reorganization & Financial Restructuring Practice, said, “I am delighted my good friend Dennis is coming to join us at Greenberg Traurig. Dennis is truly one of America’s great lawyers, and I look forward to working with him again to continue to build one of the best law firms in the world.”

Block said, "I was drawn to the unique opportunity to build on such a large and strong global platform, while joining once again with my friend Bruce Zirinsky and further strengthening Greenberg Traurig’s already exceptional M&A practice. In today’s business world, Greenberg Traurig’s business model works particularly well for clients, allowing the firm to deliver real value and an unusually broad range of practices, locations and relationships.”

"We are delighted to add Dennis’ unique talents to strengthen an already potent global corporate & securities team," said Gary Epstein, Chair of the firm’s Corporate & Securities Practice. "Because we work collaboratively across our unrivaled network of offices to deliver quality, expertise and value to our diverse client base, an addition of this caliber only makes us better."

"This is an essential move for the firm," said Paul Maher, Co-Chair of Global Mergers & Acquisitions, founder and Chair of the firm's London office. "The ability to deliver deep and experienced teams in both London and New York has always been important in order to maximize the potential of both offices."

Robert Ivanhoe, Chair of the firm’s New York City office and its Global Real Estate Practice, added, "Dennis' arrival will further elevate our office, where a range of successful practices with significant relationships in the New York business community are poised to take advantage of this important addition."

About Greenberg Traurig

Greenberg Traurig, LLP is an international, full-service law firm with approximately 1800 attorneys serving clients from more than 30 offices in the United States, Europe and Asia. In the U.S., the firm has more offices than any other among the Top 10 on The National Law Journal’s 2011 NLJ 250. In the U.K., the firm operates as Greenberg Traurig Maher LLP. Greenberg Traurig has a strategic alliance with the independent law firm, Studio Santa Maria in Milan and Rome. For additional information, please visit www.gtlaw.com.

SOURCE Greenberg Traurig, LLP