Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton has a well-established shareholder activism practice encompassing M&A, corporate governance, and capital markets mandates. The team advises public companies on takeover preparedness, activist engagement strategy, and responses to hostile bids, and is experienced in managing cross-border campaigns requiring coordinated, multidisciplinary support. The practice is led by New York-based Kyle Harris, who advises clients across the consumer products, healthcare, industrials, and TMT sectors, and San Francisco-based J.T. Ho, whose experience includes proxy contests, activist negotiations, and governance disputes, including crisis communications. Francesca Odell contributes capital markets expertise, while Paul Shim handles transactional mandates. Kimberly Spoerri and Lillian Tsu advise boards on governance frameworks and disclosure obligations aimed at mitigating activism risk. Sebastian Alsheimer joined as co-head from Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati in January 2026.

Cooley LLP has a well-established shareholder activism practice advising public companies and boards on activism risk assessment, preparedness planning, and responses to activist campaigns. The team advises on board nomination contests, proxy fights, rights plan adoptions, and takeover defense situations, and assists management in navigating related governance disputes and crisis scenarios. The practice is led by Sean Brownridge, who has extensive experience defending against withhold campaigns, short seller attacks, and other activism-driven challenges. Bill Roegge combines M&A and corporate governance expertise with activism defense work, while Jamie Leigh  is a key advisor to boards and special committees of major US and international companies on contested transactions and strategic response processes. The team maintains a strong focus on the life sciences and technology sectors.

The takeover defense team at Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP forms part of the firm’s broader M&A practice and regularly advises boards and senior management on activism-related matters and unsolicited acquisition proposals. The group is frequently engaged on governance strategy, preparedness planning, and responses to activist campaigns. Robert Townsend III concentrates on corporate governance and activist preparedness work. Faiza Saeed is a key advisor to public companies, boards, and special committees on complex M&A transactions, takeover defense mandates, and proxy contests. Daniel Cerqueira and Andrew Wark are noted for their experience with cooperation agreements, shareholder rights plan adoptions, and defense against unsolicited tender offers.

Freshfields has a developing takeover defense offering and is sought out by global clients for advice on activism-related mandates, including preparedness planning, board-level strategy discussions, and new activist campaigns, often involving cross-border considerations. The practice is jointly led by Elizabeth Bieber, who advises boards and management on takeover defense, shareholder activism, and corporate governance matters; and Ethan Klingsberg, an M&A specialist. The team also advises on evolving governance trends, including SEC rule developments, environmental and social proposals, executive compensation issues, proxy advisory developments, and institutional investor expectations.

Goodwin’s takeover defense team is a key port of call for public companies across the life sciences, technology, and real estate sectors. The practice is jointly led by Leonard Wood, who joined from Sidley Austin LLP and is noted for his experience in proxy contests, activism preparedness, strategic investor relations, and contested M&A, and Joseph Johnson III , whose expertise includes cross-border shareholder activism matters, including campaigns addressing board composition, governance reform, and investor engagement across parallel US and European regulatory regimes.

Kirkland & Ellis LLP maintains a strong position at the top of the shareholder activism market, with a proven track record in high-stakes proxy contests. The practice advises companies and boards responding to activist campaigns and takeover situations, including negotiated settlements, board reconstitutions, and withdrawn contests. Shaun Mathew stands out for his experience across live proxy fights, hostile M&A, white squire transactions, and short attacks, advising companies from preparedness planning through negotiations and, where necessary, litigation. Evan Johnson focuses on advising registered funds, boards, and independent directors, including closed-end funds, drawing on extensive board-level experience in activism defense matters. Daniel Wolf combines M&A expertise for public and private companies and private equity sponsors with a focus on corporate governance, activism defense, and securities issues. The team was further strengthened in May 2025 by the arrival of Graham Robinson, Laura Knoll, and Chade Severin from Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP.

Based in New York, Kleinberg, Kaplan, Wolff & Cohen, P.C. maintains a focused investor activism practice advising hedge funds and other shareholders on engagement strategies and proxy-related situations. The team works with clients across the lifecycle of activist campaigns, from early-stage analysis and private engagement through escalation and contested processes, with particular emphasis on governance, disclosure, and board composition issues. The practice is frequently engaged by both established activists and first-time entrants, benefiting from a conflict-light profile rooted in long-standing work for the funds industry. Christopher Davis chairs the practice and remains closely involved in shaping campaign strategy, drawing on extensive experience advising investors on activism and proxy matters. He is supported by Alexander Shiekman, who is regularly involved in the execution of activist engagements.

The shareholder activism team at Latham & Watkins regularly advises on proxy contests, settlement negotiations, unsolicited takeover approaches, and short seller campaigns. The practice is jointly led by Josh Dubofsky in New York and the Bay Area, who handles complex M&A and shareholder engagement mandates, including hostile takeover preparedness and defense and public company transactions, and Chris Drewry in Chicago, a key advisor to multinational corporations on high-stakes activism campaigns across jurisdictions. Charles Ruck is noted for his experience defending proxy solicitations and advising boards in contested transactions. Tiffany Campion focuses on corporate governance, including engagement strategy development and shareholder surveillance programs aimed at identifying and mitigating activism risk. Adam Tamzoke joined the team in March 2025.

Based in New York, Olshan Frome Wolosky LLP fields one of the few practices dedicated exclusively to advising activist shareholders, and continues to sit at the center of the US shareholder activism market. The team is regularly engaged on high-intensity campaigns for hedge funds and other investors, providing end-to-end support that combines governance and securities execution with day-to-day strategic counseling throughout live engagements. The practice is particularly strong where campaigns require coordinated shareholder outreach, disciplined disclosure work, and sustained negotiations with boards and management teams, including in situations shaped by corporate transactions and change-of-control dynamics. The group is led by Andrew Freedman and Ryan Nebel, who remain closely involved in campaign strategy, nomination and notice processes, engagement planning, and settlement negotiations. Steve Wolosky continues to advise on complex proxy contest and hostile-scenario mandates. The bench is reinforced by Meagan Reda, Kenneth Mantel, Rebecca Van Derlaske, and Dorothy Sluszka, who play active roles across SEC filings, proxy rules, governance analysis, and negotiations, supporting a steady flow of domestic and cross-border shareholder engagements.

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP advises boards and senior management facing shareholder activism, including campaigns seeking leadership changes, capital allocation adjustments, strategic repositioning, and potential sale or break-up transactions. The team handles complex proxy contests and contested governance situations, as well as related M&A and takeover defense mandates. Scott Barshay is noted for his experience in high-profile proxy contests and contested board matters. James Langston advises on public and private M&A transactions and related activism defense issues. Kyle Seifried focuses on corporate governance, compliance, disclosure obligations, and takeover preparedness. Carmen Lu joined from Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz in January 2025.

McDermott Will & Schulte is a go-to for activist investors running campaigns where the margin between leverage and overreach is defined by execution. The team pairs campaign strategy with tight control of the mechanics that decide outcomes in practice: nomination and notice requirements, proxy and disclosure rules, and the sequencing of engagement and public messaging when negotiations harden. The New York-based practice is particularly effective in matters that sit at the intersection of activism and complex structures, including closed-end fund campaigns, transaction-adjacent activism, and situations where litigation risk and securities issues shape the path forward. Eleazer Klein leads the practice and is closely involved in the firm’s most sensitive live engagements, guiding clients through escalation points and settlement dynamics. Marc Weingarten remains a key figure on major shareholder-side mandates. Brandon Gold and Abraham Schwartz are integral to day-to-day campaign execution, from engagement planning through nominations and settlement documentation. Adriana Schwartz has left the firm.

Sidley Austin LLP maintains a leading shareholder activism practice advising boards and senior management, with a strong track record in takeover approaches, proxy contests, settlement negotiations, and related litigation across a range of industries. The team regularly advises on activism preparedness, shareholder engagement strategy, and defense against activist demands, including matters involving board reconstitution, cooperation agreements, and negotiated resolutions. The group is led by New York-based Kai Liekefett, who is particularly experienced in late-stage proxy contests and campaign defense strategy, and Palo Alto-based Derek Zaba, noted for his corporate governance and takeover defense work. Jessica Wood focuses on hostile takeover defense and public company M&A transactions, while Eric Goodwin advises on conflicted transactions and special committee mandates arising from activist pressure. Demetrius A. Warrick joined from Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP in April 2025, and Leonard Wood left the firm in August 2025.

The shareholder activism team at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP draws on the firm’s broader M&A platform and advises on corporate governance, capital markets, SEC compliance, and related litigation matters. The group regularly represents boards facing hostile bids and activist-driven acquisition attempts, advising on investor base analysis, governance reviews, and the implementation of structural defenses, including shareholder rights plans and advance notice bylaws. The practice is led by New York-based Elizabeth R. Gonzalez-Sussman, a key advisor to both companies and activist investors on takeover defense and shareholder activism matters. Richard Grossman retired from the partnership in December 2025.

The practice at Sullivan & Cromwell LLP is jointly led from New York by Patrick Gadson, who advises on activism-related investments, hostile takeovers, public and private M&A transactions, strategic minority investments, and capital raises, and Lawrence Elbaum, a securities specialist with extensive experience in proxy contests, hostile bids, merger contests, precatory proposals, and short seller attacks. Melissa Sawyer focuses on corporate governance matters, while Marc Trevino advises senior executives and boards on complex situations involving reputational risk, overlapping regulatory regimes, and fiduciary conflicts. Brett Peace is also recommended.

Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz maintains a preeminent shareholder activism practice, advising boards and senior management on ESG positioning, corporate purpose, and shareholder engagement strategy. The team is regularly engaged on activism preparedness, investor outreach, and defense against public campaigns, including contested proxy solicitations, settlement negotiations, and board reconstitution matters. The practice is led by New York-based Elina Tetelbaum, a trusted advisor to CEOs, general counsel, and boards on complex proxy contests and unsolicited bid defenses, including overall campaign coordination and negotiation strategy. Loren Braswell focuses on investor engagement and crisis response mandates arising from activist pressure. The group acts across the oil and gas, technology, chemicals, retail, and TMT sectors.

Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP advises activist investors on shareholder activism matters that frequently sit at the intersection of corporate governance, transactions, and shareholder litigation. The practice is integrated across the firm’s corporate and litigation capabilities, enabling it to support investors through engagement strategies, contested situations, and negotiated resolutions, particularly where campaigns raise complex legal or structural issues beyond core proxy mechanics. The team is also active on company-side mandates, giving it visibility into board dynamics and defensive considerations that shape activist outcomes. Russell Leaf and Tariq Mundiya anchor the firm’s shareholder activism work, combining transactional and contentious perspectives in campaigns involving board composition, governance reforms, and strategic alternatives. Jared Fertman plays a key role on investor-side engagements, supporting activists through negotiation-heavy campaigns and situations involving public company transactions.