Kai H.E. Liekefett
- Corporate Governance and Executive Compensation
- M&A
KAI LIEKEFETT is a partner in New York and chairs Sidley’s Shareholder Activism practice. He is one of very few lawyers in the world who devote 100% of their time to activism defense and proxy fights. He has more than 18 years of experience in corporate law in New York, London, Germany, Hong Kong and Tokyo. In the last five years, Kai has been involved in nearly 50 proxy contests, more than any other defense attorney in the world.
Kai has been named a “2019 Dealmaker of the Year” by The American Lawyer for the Wynn Resorts proxy contest. He has been recognized in the 2017, 2018 and 2019 editions of Chambers USA as one of only seven leading attorneys for Corporate/M&A: Takeover Defense.
He frequently teaches classes on shareholder activism, including at Harvard University and speaks regularly on panels around the world.
Kai is frequently interviewed and quoted as a thought leader by the national and international media, including CNN, The Wall Street Journal, CNBC, The New York Times, Bloomberg, Reuters, Financial Times, USA Today, Forbes, Law360 and The Deal. He sits also on the advisory board of the New York Chapter of the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD).
Kai holds a Ph.D., magna cum laude, from Freiburg University; an EMBA, summa cum laude, from Münster Business School and an LL.M., James Kent Scholar, from Columbia Law School. He was in the top 0.1% nationwide in his First Legal State Exam (J.D. equivalent) and in the top 1.5% nationwide in his Second Legal State Exam in Germany.
Experience
- Representative Matters
- Memberships and Activities
- Apogee Enterprises in its cooperation agreement with Engaged Capital
- Texas Pacific Land Trust in its proxy contest defense against SoftVest and Horizon Kinetics
- Argo Group International in its proxy contest defense against Voce Capital
- MiMedx in its proxy contest defense against Prescience Point and Parker Petit
- HomeStreet in its proxy contest defense against Roaring Blue Lion Capital
- Knowles in its proxy contest defense against Caligan Partners, Falcon Edge Capital and Patriot Global Management
- Cat Rock Capital in its activist campaign against Just Eat
- Fujifilm in its litigation and related matters against Xerox, Carl Icahn and Darwin Deason
- Elaine Wynn in her proxy contest against Wynn Resorts
- Luby’s in its proxy contest defense against Bandera Partners
- One Span in its activism defense against Legion Partners and Ancora
- Cigna in the proxy contest defense of its merger with Express Script against Carl Icahn
- AmTrust Financial in its proxy contest defense of its going private transaction against Carl Icahn
- Navigant Consulting in its proxy contest defense against Engine Capital
- Potbelly in its proxy contest defense against Privet Fund
- InnerWorkings in its proxy contest defense against Engine Capital
- Consolidated-Tomoka in its proxy contest defense against Wintergreen Advisors
- SandRidge Energy in its proxy contest defense against Carl Icahn*
- Ruby Tuesday in connection with a threatened proxy contest by Engaged Capital*
- Fiesta Restaurant Group in its proxy contest defense against JCP, BLR Capital and other investors*
- Matrix Service Company in its proxy contest defense against Engine Capital*
- Rice Energy in the proxy contest defense of its merger with EQT against JANA Partners*
- Fred’s Pharmacy in connection with its cooperation agreement with Alden Global Capital*
- Simpson Manufacturing in its proxy contest defense against Iron Compass*
- Bluescape Energy in its activist campaign against NRG Energy*
- Immunomedics in its proxy contest defense against venBio Select Advisor*
- Ecology and Environment in its proxy contest defense against Mill Road Capital*
- Senomyx in its proxy contest defense against VCM Group*
- magicJack in its proxy contest defense against Carnegie and Kanen Wealth Management*
- Alcobra in its proxy contest defense against Brosh Capital*
- Stratus Properties in its proxy contest defense against Carl Berg*
- Omega Protein in its proxy contest defense against Wynnefield Capital*
- Rubicon Technology in its proxy contest against Paragon Technologies*
- RiceBran Technologies in its proxy contest defense against LF-RB Management*
- Dakota Plains Holding in its proxy contest defense against Lone Star Value*
- O2Micro International in its proxy contest defense against Lone Star Value*
- Endeavour International in its proxy contest defense against the Talisman Group*
- VAALCO Energy in its proxy contest defense against Group 42 and BLR Capital*
- Miller Energy in its proxy contest defense against Bristol Capital and Lone Star Value*
- Crest Financial in its proxy contest against the $6 billion Clearwire-Sprint merger*
*The above matters were handled by Kai prior to joining Sidley.
Kai is a member of the American Bar Association and the New York City Bar Association. He also sits on the advisory board of the New York Chapter of the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD).
News & Insights
Credentials
Admissions & Certifications
- New York
Education
- Columbia University School of Law, LL.M., 2006 (James Kent Scholar)
- University of Freiburg, Ph.D., 2004 (magna cum laude)
- University of Münster, MBA, 2003 (summa cum laude)
Languages
- German