Ariel J. Deckelbaum is a deputy chair of the Corporate Department and a member of the Mergers and Acquisitions Group, the Private Equity Transactions Group and the Canadian Practice Group. Mr. Deckelbaum’s practice is diverse with extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, alternative asset management and restructuring transactions. In each of his practice areas, Mr. Deckelbaum helps clients develop and protect their long-term interests and investment strategies.

Mr. Deckelbaum’s mergers and acquisitions work includes going-private transactions, special committee representations, merger proxies, tender offers and hostile proxy contests. Mr. Deckelbaum’s recent mergers and acquisitions experience includes the following representations:

• Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma Co. in its acquisition of Sepracor Inc. pursuant to a tender offer
• TowerBrook Capital Partners in the recapitalization of Wilton Holdings Inc., parent company of Wilton Brands Inc.
• Marc Ecko in his sale of a controlling interest in the Ecko portfolio brands to Iconix Brand Group, Inc.
• Sumitomo Metal Industries, Ltd. as it partnered with Vallourec S.A. in the merger of two premium joint companies, VAM USA Company and V&M Atlas Bradford LLC, to establish a new premium joint threading joint venture, VAM USA LLC
• Perella Weinberg, as financial advisor to the special committee of Sealy Corporation in connection with a restructuring involving KKR
• TowerBrook Capital Partners in its acquisition of a majority interest in Broadlane, Inc.
• Time Warner Cable in its separation from Time Warner Inc.
• Exor Group, as a minority investor in Graphic Packaging Corporation, a leading provider of paperboard packaging solutions, in connection with the combination of its business with Altivity Packaging, LLC for approximately $1.75 billion
• Time Warner in its complex, $12.7 billion joint bid with Comcast Corporation to acquire the assets of Adelphia Communications Corporation
• The Special Committee of the Board of Directors of Kerzner International Limited in connection with the $3.8-billion sale of Kerzner to an investment group that included management, Istithmar PJSC, Whitehall Street Global Real Estate Limited Partnership 2005, Colony Capital LLC, Providence Equity Partners, Inc. and The Related Companies, L.P.
• Oak Hill Capital Partners in its acquisition of Duane Reade Inc.
• Oak Hill Capital Partners in the sale of its investment in WideOpenWest, a cable systems operator with subscribers in Illinois, Michigan and Ohio, to Avista Capital Partners.

Mr. Deckelbaum has a wide range of experience and a thorough understanding of the private equity and hedge fund marketplace. In addition to representing funds in exploring, structuring, negotiating and executing innovative acquisitions and dispositions, he has extensive experience representing clients in connection with investments in alternative asset managers, including:

• Perella Weinberg Partners as financial advisor to BlackRock, Inc. in its acquisition of Barclays Global Investors
• Approximately 75 former Lehman Brothers professionals in the formation of their new hedge fund, R3 Capital Partners, and its subsequent acquisition by BlackRock Inc.
• Nomura Holdings, Inc. in its acquisition of a 15-percent, $888 million stake in Fortress Investment Group
• Avenue Capital Group, a hedge fund manager with $12 billion in assets under management, in connection with the sale of a minority interest to Morgan Stanley for $280 million.

As a member of the Canadian Practice Group, Mr. Deckelbaum regularly represents Canadian clients in transactions with U.S. components as well as U.S. private equity firms and other companies seeking to invest in Canadian companies.

Mr. Deckelbaum also represents clients in an array of international and cross-border deals, including Nomura Holdings, Inc. and Sumitomo Metal Industries, Ltd., which he recently represented in connection with the formation of a joint venture manufacturing company in Brazil with Vallourec Group.

His transaction experience covers a variety of sectors, including consumer and retail, financial services, healthcare, industrial, media and telecommunications, travel and leisure.

Mr. Deckelbaum serves on the advisory board of DealLawyers.com, is a member of the American Bar Association and has been elected to the Board of Directors of the Lawyers Alliance for New York.

In 2010, Mr. Deckelbaum was recognized as one of Crain's “40 Under 40”, a list of a “dynamic group of New Yorkers who have excelled in their respective fields.”