Katherine D. Ashley

Katherine Ashley’s practice concentrates on mergers and acquisitions, general corporate and securities matters, and corporate governance. Ms. Ashley has represented buyers and sellers in public and private acquisitions and divestitures, stock and asset transactions, auctions, proxy fights, initial public offerings, and joint ventures and other strategic alliances, including the representation of:

• Mars, Incorporated in its acquisition of Preferred Brands International, a manufacturer and marketer of Asian food products through its Tasty Bite® subsidiary, which is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange of India;
• Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in the sale of its cancer treatment drugs ONIVYDE and generic DOXIL to Ipsen S.A. for up to $1.025 billion;
• EQT Corporation in its transaction with PNG Companies, LLC (a portfolio company of SteelRiver Infrastructure Partners) involving the disposition of Equitable Gas Company in exchange for $720 million, certain midstream assets and certain commercial arrangements;
• Allegheny Energy, Inc. in its $4.7 billion acquisition by FirstEnergy Corp. in a stock-for-stock merger;
• The AES Corporation in its $155 million acquisition of Mountain View Power Partners, LLC, a wind-generating facility located near Palm Springs, Calif.;
• PPL Corporation in its acquisition of Penn Fuel Gas, Inc. and numerous acquisitions of energy services companies;
• Norfolk Southern Corporation in its consent solicitation in its unsolicited offer to acquire Consolidated Rail Corporation (Conrail).

Ms. Ashley also works closely with the firm’s Tax Group in the representation of developers and investors in tax-advantaged transactions in the energy sector. In the areas of general corporate and securities matters, Ms. Ashley advises clients on securities law compliance, disclosure issues and corporate governance matters. In addition, Ms. Ashley advises numerous clients on Rule 10b5-1 trading plans and practices and insider trading policies.

Education:

• J.D., The University of Michigan Law School, 1995 (cum laude; Executive Editor, Michigan Law Review)
• B.A., Duke University, 1992 (cum laude)

Admissions:

• District of Columbia
• Maryland