Justin Macke advises companies on transactional matters, including M&A, corporate governance, takeover preparedness, shareholder activism, and proxy contests. He also advises boards of directors of public companies on their fiduciary duties in connection with internal governance matters. Additionally, Justin has significant experience with counseling public companies on public mergers in the face of activist shareholders.
Representative transactions include: Sherwin-Williams' $11.3 billion acquisition of Valspar, Lord Corporation's $3.7 billion sale to Parker-Hannifin, Associated Estates' $2.5 billion sale to Brookfield Asset Management, Cintas's $2.2 billion acquisition of G&K Services, Exelis's $4.8 billion sale to Harris Corporation, and OM Group's $1.03 billion sale to Apollo Global and Platform Specialty Chemicals. Other companies with which he has worked on substantial matters include ACI Worldwide, American Industrial Partners, Bennington Marine, Cardinal Health, CECO Environmental, Cliffs Natural Resources, Conagra Brands, Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, Cornfields, Jefferies & Co., KeyBanc, Kraft Foods Group, NACCO Industries, and Parker-Hannifin. He also regularly advises investment banking firms as financial advisors on a variety of transactions.
Publicly disclosed proxy contests and activism defense representations include: Associated Estates, Cleveland-Cliffs, Louisiana Pacific, Marathon Petroleum, OM Group, Northern Oil & Gas, TriMas Corporation, and Verint Systems.
Experience
- University of Notre Dame (J.D. magna cum laude 2011; Executive Managing Editor, Notre Dame Journal of Law, Ethics & Public Policy); Miami University (B.A. in Political Science & English Literature 2008)
- New York and Ohio
Ohio Super Lawyers, "Rising Star" (2017-2021)
- Judicial externship with the Honorable William H. Baughman Jr., U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio (Summer 2009)