Frank Azzopardi
Co-head of IP & Commercial Transactions. Extensive experience counseling clients on complex commercial transactions and IP and technology related issues.
Frank is co-head of our IP & Commercial Transactions practice. He has extensive experience structuring and negotiating complex commercial transactions and counseling clients on IP and tech-related issues arising from those transactions.
Frank leads commercially significant transactions involving the exploitation of intangibles including bespoke licenses, IP-asset backed financings and royalty securitizations, media rights, sponsorships, IP sales, joint ventures and collaborations. He consults in connection with IP-related disputes, tax restructures and insolvency and distress management matters.
He has deep industry experience in telecom, sports, media, entertainment, transportation, infrastructure, energy, consumer products and fashion, among others. His clients include Baker Hughes, Emerson, BDT, Comcast, Related, Ferrero, NBCUniversal, VF, Natura, Reckitt, FSU and University of Michigan.
He is highly ranked by Chambers USA, Legal 500 and IAM Patent 1000, and has been named an “Intellectual Property Trailblazer” by the National Law Journal.
Experience
Tech, Media & Telecom
- Anthropic multi-gigawatt compute transaction
- Bertelsmann agreement with Great Mountain Partners to combine BMG and Concord
- Cboe extension of exclusive licensing agreement with S&P Dow Jones Indices
- Comcast agreement with Disney on Hulu’s future governance and ownership
- Comcast “SkyShowtime” partnership with ViacomCBS
- NBCUniversal $3.8 billion acquisition of DreamWorks Animation
- Prosus $1.7 billion acquisition of Despegar.com
- Quanta Computer strategic collaboration with and investment in Rigetti
- SS&C Technologies $1.03 billion acquisition of Calastone
- TPG Angelo Gordon debt and equity financing to DISH DBS Issuer
Sports
- Atairos investment in the parent company of the Aston Villa Football Club
- Comcast Spectacor eSports joint venture with SK Telecom
- Comcast acquisition of SportsEngine
- RedBird Capital Partners acquisition of AC Milan from Elliott Advisors
- Red Bull minority investment in and sponsorship of Leeds United Football Club
- University of Michigan All-Sport Agreement with Nike
Transportation & Logistics
- A.P. Moller – Maersk joint venture with IBM to commercialize blockchain platform
- American Airlines $10 billion AAdvantage secured financings
- Avianca senior secured notes offering and exchange offer and consent solicitation
- Azul emerges from chapter 11
- Azul $862 million exchange offers and consent solicitations
- Delta Air Lines $9 billion SkyMiles secured financings
- JetBlue strategic collaboration with United to launch Blue Sky
- Spirit Airlines prearranged chapter 11 filing
- Spirit Airlines $850 million senior notes offering
Industrials
- ABB $2.6 billion acquisition of GE Industrial Solutions
- American Industrial Partners $1.5 billion acquisition of Global Cellulose Fibers
- Baker Hughes long-term agreements with General Electric to maximize value
- BDT & MSD Partners acquisition of Summit Companies
- Emerson $7.2 billion acquisition of remaining outstanding shares of AspenTech
- Fisker confirms and consummates chapter 11 plan
- HNI $2.2 billion acquisition of Steelcase
- Lucid Motors $24 billion combination with Churchill Capital Corp IV
Consumer Products & Retail
- Arcos Dorados renewal of long-term master franchise agreement with McDonald’s
- Avon Products, Inc. chapter 11 filing, DIP financing and stalking horse bid
- Campbell Soup sale of Noosa Yoghurt to Lakeview Farms
- Campbell Soup $2.7 billion acquisition of Sovos Brands
- Cheney Brothers $2.1 billion acquisition by Performance Food Group
- Ferrero Group agreement to acquire Purely Elizabeth
- Ferrero Group $3.1 billion acquisition of WK Kellogg
- Natura $2.525 billion sale of Aesop to L’Oréal
- Shiseido transfer of Personal Care business to CVC
- VF $2.1 billion acquisition of Supreme Holdings
Healthcare & Life Sciences
- Bio-Reference Laboratories $1.47 billion acquisition by OPKO Health
- Clarivate sale of Life Sciences & Healthcare segment to Altaris
- McKesson $2.49 billion acquisition of controlling interest in Core Ventures
- McKesson sale of minority stake in Medical-Surgical Solutions to Apollo
- McKesson $2.25 billion acquisition of Precision Medicine Group
- Reckitt Benckiser Group acquisition of Biofreeze
- Shire $2.4 billion sale of its Oncology business to Servier
News
Recognition
Chambers USA – Intellectual Property: Patent: Transactional, New York, Band 1
Chambers USA – Intellectual Property: Trademark, Copyright & Trade Secrets: Transactional, New York, Band 1
Chambers USA – Technology, New York
IAM Patent 1000 – New York
Legal 500 U.S. – Technology Transactions
IP Stars – New York
National Law Journal – “Intellectual Property Trailblazer,” 2018
Education
- with honors
Prior experience
- Associate, Allens Arthur Robinson, 1998-2001
Qualifications and admissions
- State of New York