The Financial Times named Sidley a “Highly Commended” firm in the Innovation in Legal Expertise category, for enabling business growth and transformation, as a part of its FT Innovative Lawyers North America Awards. The annual awards highlight law firms and in-house teams for innovation in a range of categories pertaining to the practice of law.
Sidley was recognized for representing Volkswagen AG in its US$2.6 billion investment in Argo AI, LLC, Ford Motor Company's autonomous vehicle platform company. The investment of US$1 billion in capital commitment and the contribution of Volkswagen's US$1.6 billion autonomous vehicle company, Autonomous Intelligent Driving, to Argo, valued the company at more than US$7 billion. The Financial Times praised Sidley for guiding Volkswagen through cultural differences between the three companies and helping devise an agreement that acknowledges Ford and Argo’s prior working relationship. The Sidley team was led by Palo Alto partner Martin A. Wellington and Munich partner Kolja von Bismarck.
