Kori M. Cooper

KORI COOPER focuses her practice on advising clients in connection with public and private company mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, carve-outs, private equity, and other significant transactions. She also advises clients on corporate governance matters and maintains a robust pro bono practice, helping entrepreneurs, emerging non-profits, and small businesses.

Prior to joining Sidley, Kori served as an associate at another global law firm where she participated in all aspects of a complex corporate transactional practice.

Kori holds a J.D. from Columbia Law School. While in law school, she served as an academic fellow of the Ira M. Millstein Center for Global Markets and Corporate Ownership, among other institutions, and earned a Parker School Certificate in international and comparative law. Kori holds a B.A. in English literature and Chinese language and culture from Northwestern University, where she graduated with honors.

Representative matters and clients have included:

• Bonaccord Capital Partners in its passive minority investment in Kingswood Capital Management, LP.
• GIC in connection with a purchase of shares of SiteTracker from New Enterprise Associates (NEA) alongside Energize Ventures.
• Global Container International (GCI), a leading lessor of marine intermodal containers, in its acquisition by Triton International Limited, the world’s largest lessor of intermodal freight containers, for a total transaction value of over US$1 billion.
• The Special Committee of Nordstrom, Inc. in its US$6.25 billion acquisition by members of the Nordstrom family and El Puerto de Liverpool.
• GlycoMimetics, Inc., a clinical-stage hematology-oncology focused biotechnology company, in its acquisition agreement with Crescent Biopharma, Inc., a privately held biotechnology company advancing a pipeline of oncology therapeutics designed to treat solid tumors. Upon completion of the transaction, the Company plans to operate under the name Crescent Biopharma, Inc (pending).
• An investment portfolio in its investment in a leading energy infrastructure company.
• Funds managed by affiliates of Apollo Global Management in the US$7.5 billion acquisition of the incumbent local exchange carrier (ILEC) business of Lumen Technologies in 20 U.S. states to create Brightspeed, the nation's fifth largest ILEC.
• Restaurant Brands International in its US$1 billion acquisition of Firehouse Restaurant Group.
• General Motors Co. in its US$2.1 billion acquisition of SoftBank Vision Fund 1’s equity ownership stake in the autonomous vehicle joint venture Cruise.
• A multinational technology company in its proposed acquisition of a consumer robotics company.
• A pulp and paper company in its sale to another pulp and paper manufacturing group through the group’s wholly-owned subsidiary.
• Carrier Global Corporation in its US$4.95 billion sale of its global access solutions business to Honeywell.
• The Special Committee of Duck Creek Technologies’ board of directors in connection with Duck Creek’s US$2.6 billion take-private sale to Vista Equity Partners.
• The nation’s fifth largest incumbent local exchange carrier (ILEC), Brightspeed, an Apollo Global Management portfolio company, in receiving a US$500 million investment as part of its strategic partnership with the Mubadala Investment Company.
• A private equity firm in the sale of an aircraft maintenance company to a continuation fund.
• Driven Brands Holdings, a portfolio company of Roark Capital, in its US$170 million acquisition of Auto Glass Now.
• A leading home building company in its acquisition of another home construction company.
• A private equity firm in its investment and partnership with a veterinary practice management service.

Some of the above matters were handled prior to joining Sidley.

Kori serves on the Board of Visitors for the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences at Northwestern University.

In addition, she is a member of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations, the American Bar Association and the New York State Bar Association.

Representative clients have included:

• A charitable organization fighting poverty in New York City
• A network for Black and brown professionals in the hedge fund industry
• Start Small, Think Big
• A fellowship supporting Black and Latino men working in the education sector
• Parsons Dance
• An official initiative of the City of New York to support and empower women entrepreneurs
• A children’s literacy program
• A COVID-19 recovery program for small business
• A center for the study of global affairs

The above representations were handled prior to joining Sidley.