Conahan_Joseph

Joseph B. Conahan

Partner

  • Co-Chair, Mergers and Acquisitions Practice
Joe Conahan serves as co-chair of the firm’s Mergers and Acquisitions Practice and regularly counsels public companies and their boards of directors on complex mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures and other strategic transactions in the life sciences, technology, FinTech and industrial sectors, as well as on complex governance and disclosure matters.

Experience

  • Life Sciences Transactions

    • Alkermes in its acquisition of Rodin Therapeutics
    • Akouos in its sale to Eli Lilly
    • Arteaus Therapeutics in the sale of its Emgality Royalty to Royalty Pharma
    • AVEO Oncology in its sale to LG Chem
    • Braintree Laboratories in its sale to Sebela Pharmaceuticals
    • Astria Therapeutics (f/k/a Catabasis Pharmaceuticals) in its acquisition of Quellis Biosciences
    • Cynosure in the acquisition of the assets of Ellman International
    • Decibel Therapeutics in its sale to Regeneron Pharmaceuticals
    • Disarm Therapeutics in its sale to Eli Lilly
    • Durata Therapeutics in its sale to Allergan (formerly Actavis)
    • Exonics Therapeutics in its sale to Vertex Pharmaceuticals
    • Imara in the sale of assets to Cardurion Pharmaceuticals
    • Imara in its merger with Enliven Therapeutics
    • Intercept Pharmaceuticals in its acquisition of US rights to bezafibrate
    • Kolltan Pharmaceuticals in its acquisition of Xetrios
    • Levitronix in the sale of its medical device business to Thoratec Corporation
    • Lexicon Pharmaceuticals in the sale of Xermelo to TerSera
    • Nabriva Therapeutics in its acquisition of Zavante Therapeutics
    • The Medicines Company in its acquisition of Recothrom from Bristol-Myers Squibb Company
    • The Medicines Company in the sale of its hemostasis business to subsidiaries of Mallinckrodt
    • MPM BioImpact in its take-private acquisition of Reunion Neuroscience
    • Schrödinger in its acquisition of XTAL BioStructures
    • Syros Pharmaceuticals in its acquisition TYME Technologies
    • Tecan Group in multiple acquisitions, including its acquisition of Paramit Corporation
    • Thermo Fisher Scientific in its acquisition of Advanced Scientifics
    • Thermo Fisher Scientific in its proposed acquisition of the Gatan business from Roper Technologies
    • Thermo Fisher Scientific in the sale of its Anatomical Pathology business to PHC Holdings Corporation
    • Thermo Fisher Scientific in the sale of its cell culture, gene modulation and magnetic beads businesses to GE Healthcare
  • Tech/FinTech Transactions

    • Affirmed Networks in its sale to Microsoft Corporation
    • Akamai Technologies in its acquisition of Janrain
    • Analog Devices in its acquisition of Linear Technologies
    • Analog Devices in its acquisition of Hittite Microwave
    • Analog Devices in its acquisition of the assets of Sand9
    • Analog Devices in the sale of its MEMS microphone business to InvenSense
    • Analog Devices in the sale of Symeo GmbH to indie Semiconductor
    • Bottomline Technologies in its acquisition of Andera
    • Constant Contact in its acquisition of NutshellMail
    • Constant Contact in its acquisition of the assets of Bantam Networks
    • LTX in its business combination with Credence Systems
    • MKS Instruments in its proposed acquisition of Coherent
    • MKS Instruments in its acquisition Electro Scientific Industries
    • MKS Instruments in its acquisition of Newport Corporation
    • QD Vision in the sale of its business to Samsung
    • Rudolph Technologies in its all-stock merger of equals with Nanometrics to form Onto Innovation
    • Sonus Networks in its business combination with GENBAND
    • Starent Networks in its sale to Cisco Systems 
    • TARGUSinfo in its sale to Neustar
    • TechTarget in its combination with Informa Tech’s digital businesses
  • Other Transactions

    • BAE Systems Safety Products in its sale to Takata Corporation
    • CIRCOR International in its acquisition of a global fluid handling business from Colfax
    • Cumberland Farms in its sale to EG Group
    • Cumberland Farms, Inc. in the sale of its Gulf Oil and Assured Dealer business 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
    • Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in its sale to affiliates of Veritas Capital
    • Lydall in its acquisition of Interface Performance Materials
    • Merchants Fleet in its sale to affiliates of Bain Capital and ADIA

Recognition

  • Selected for inclusion in The Legal 500’s 2023 and 2024 M&A Powerlist - USA Region.
  • Named to Boston Magazine’s inaugural Top Lawyers list in 2021–2024 in the area of corporate law.
  • Named a 2019 New England Trailblazer by the Connecticut Law Tribune.
  • Recognized as a "Leading Lawyer" by The Legal 500 United States for his M&A: Middle-Market practice.

Insights & News

Credentials

  • Education

    • JD, Georgetown University Law Center, 2004

      magna cum laude Order of the Coif, Articles and Notes Editor, American Criminal Law Review
    • BS, Georgetown University, 2001

      cum laude
  • Admissions

    • Massachusetts

    • District of Columbia

    • Pennsylvania

Credentials

Notice

Unless you are an existing client, before communicating with WilmerHale by e-mail (or otherwise), please read the Disclaimer referenced by this link.(The Disclaimer is also accessible from the opening of this website). As noted therein, until you have received from us a written statement that we represent you in a particular manner (an "engagement letter") you should not send to us any confidential information about any such matter. After we have undertaken representation of you concerning a matter, you will be our client, and we may thereafter exchange confidential information freely.

Thank you for your interest in WilmerHale.