MoFo’s deal advisers were at the center of the year’s high-stakes bets on mobile communications. A team led by San Francisco partners Robert Townsend, Brandon Parris, Jackie Liu and Palo Alto partner David Lipkin helped longtime client SoftBank acquire a 78 percent stake in Sprint Nextel for $21.6 billion. As that deal was moving through, MoFo was also advising SoftBank on Sprint Nextel’s acquisition of Clearwire Communications, and helping fend off Dish Network’s bids for both Sprint and Clearwire. In sweetening its offer, SoftBank put together a timeline for alternative bids and a shareholder rights plan that effectively forced Dish’s hand and helped seal the $44.8 billion deal.
The firm dove into the gaming fray, with Townsend and S.F. partner Erick McCrath representing Pinnacle Entertainment Inc. in its $2.8 billion acquisition of Ameristar Casinos Inc. Pinnacle added eight properties to its portfolio and will operate a total of 16 properties in nine states. MoFo also represented Pinnacle in the closing of a $2.6 billion amended and restated senior secured credit facility.
