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Abby Brown focuses her practice on general corporate, US and international mergers and acquisitions, securities law matters and corporate governance issues. Abby has earned a reputation as a business-minded and efficient advisor, who takes a creative and innovative approach to legal matters, often strategizing with companies to provide tailored solutions in unique situations. She serves as primary outside securities compliance and governance counsel to public company clients, and has served as the corporate secretary of several public company government contractors and privately held financial institutions. She believes in building strong relationships with her clients, many of whom she has consistently served over the length of her career.
Abby is a frequent author on topics of interest to her corporate clients, and actively participates in a number of organizations to which her clients belong, including as the firm’s liaison to the National Capital Region chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC-NCR). Abby also co-chairs the American Bar Association's Corporate Governance subcommittee for Investor and Shareholder Engagement.
- Advising Sterling Bancorp in its acquisition of Astoria Financial Corp. for US$2.2 billion, announced March 2017.
- Representing the US Department of Treasury in connection with its TARP Capital Purchase Program and in making several hundred investments in US financial institutions from 2008 to 2010.
- Representing a regional bank in its US$5.4 billion purchase of another regional bank.
- Representing a US$2 billion stock savings bank in forming a no-stock mutual holding company and stock holding company.
- Advising Steritech Group, Inc. on its US$425 million all-cash acquisition by UK public company Rentokil Initial plc in 2015.
- Representing chemical company Ashland Inc. in its US$3.3 billion acquisition of Hercules Incorporated.
- Advising a public biopharmaceutical company in the following from 2015 to 2016: a series of private placements of common stock and warrants to both US and international investors; a public offering of common stock and warrants; and a reverse stock split.
- Advising public company Sterling Bancorp in the following from 2015 to 2016: public common stock offerings for US$89.7 million and US$90.7 million; offering of 5.25% fixed-to-floating rate bank subordinated notes and the later re-opening of the same; and purchase of NewStar Business Credit LLC for US$112 million.
- Advising a private equity investment fund in its formation of three investment funds and subsequent minority investment in 2015 and purchase of a minority interest in a Washington DC-based health IT government contracting firm in 2016.
- Representing the nation’s largest Verizon-exclusive cellular specialist on multiple acquisitions that closed in 2015 and 2016.
- Advising a California-based healthcare company in its asset purchase of a small Northern VA-based healthcare entity in 2015.
- Advising a Washington DC-based US public company in its US$295 million acquisition of a private-equity owned integrated marketing technology and digital services provider.
- Advising a Washington DC-based public government contractor in each of its warrant retirement program, a series of acquisitions, and its ultimate tender offer and US$75 million sale to a private strategic buyer.
- Representing a public technology company in eight private company acquisitions ranging from US$11 million to US$120 million over a two-year time frame.
Education
- Wake Forest University, J.D., cum laude, top 10%; Executive Editor, Wake Forest Law Review, 2003
- Vanderbilt University, B.A., magna cum laude, 2000
Admissions
- Virginia, 2014
- District of Columbia, 2004
- North Carolina, 2003
- Selected by peers as a Washington DC Super Lawyer – Rising Star in the category of persons age 40 or less or in practice 10 years or less