David L. Caplan

Partner

david.caplan@davispolk.com

Mr. Caplan is the global co-head of Davis Polk’s mergers and acquisitions practice. He advises corporate and investment banking clients in mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and related transactions. He has represented a number of clients in a range of matters, including Aetna, Campbell Soup, Canadian National Railway, Comcast, Harvard University, Limited Brands, Marsh and McLennan Companies, NBCUniversal, PepsiCo, Ralph Lauren, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Sterling Equities/The New York Mets.

Mr. Caplan is also active in our corporate governance practice, advising managements and boards with respect to a wide range of corporate governance matters (including takeover defense and shareholder activism).

Contact

New York
450 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10017
P: 212-450-4156
F: 212-701-5156

Related Practices

Bar Admissions

State of New York

Education

A.B., Princeton University - Woodrow Wilson School, 1983
- summa cum laude
J.D., Harvard Law School, 1986
- cum laude

Work Highlights

Selected Representations

Comcast’s:
- Acquisition of a majority stake in NBCUniversal and its related joint venture with GE
- Subsequent acquisition of GE’s remaining 49% common equity stake in NBCUniversal
- Sale of wireless spectrum to Verizon Wireless
- Investment in Clearwire with Google, Intel, Sprint, Time Warner Cable
Aetna’s:
- Acquisition of Coventry
- Acquisitions of US Healthcare and the health care businesses of New York Life and Prudential
Campbell Soup’s acquisition of Bolthouse Farms and the sale of Godiva Chocolatier
Limited Brands’ divestitures of its Express, Lane Bryant, Lerner and Limited Stores businesses
Marsh & McLennan Companies’ sale of Putnam
NBCUniversal’s acquisition from Blackstone of a 50% interest in the Universal Orlando joint venture
PricewaterhouseCoopers’ acquisitions of PRTM and Diamond Management & Technology

Recognition

Listed as a leading M&A lawyer in several legal industry publications, including:
- Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business
- Chambers Global: The World’s Leading Lawyers for Business
- IFLR1000
- Best Lawyers
- The Legal 500 (United States)
Listed by Lawdragon as one of the 500 leading lawyers in the United States
Recognized as a “BTI Client Service All-Star” in a BTI Consulting Group survey of corporate counsel at Fortune 1000 organizations

Of Note

Membership

Member, Board of Trustees, Playwrights Horizons

Professional History

Partner, 1994-present
Associate, 1986-1994

News

Six Davis Polk Lawyers Named “Client Service All-Stars”

Davis Polk Advises Comcast on Its Acquisition of General Electric’s Common Equity Stake in NBCUniversal

Davis Polk Advises Aetna on Its Sale of Missouri Care

View More > >

Publications

Comments on Subtitle E of Title IX–Accountability and Executive Compensation under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act
Comment Letter to the SEC

Client Publications

Compensation Committee and Adviser Implementation Begins July 1: What to Do Now
Client Newsflash

Delaware Court Temporarily Blocks Martin Marietta’s Hostile Bid to Acquire Rival Vulcan
Client Memorandum

SEC Clears the Way for “Private Ordering” for Proxy Access; Related Rules also Effective
Client Memorandum

View More > >

Events

Annette Nazareth and David Caplan to Speak at NACD Webinar on Proxy Access

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