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Kyoko Takahashi Lin

Lawyers

Kyoko Takahashi Lin

Partner
Executive Compensation
New York

Advises boards, companies and executives on compensation, including in connection with M&A, IPOs, joint ventures, leadership transitions and succession planning.

Kyoko advises boards, compensation committees, companies and individual executives on executive, director and employee compensation, including executive employment agreements, deferred compensation, severance plans and other compensatory arrangements. Her practice includes a particular emphasis on issues arising in mergers and acquisitions transactions, initial public offerings, and new and joint ventures, as well as for financial institutions.

Kyoko also advises on the sensitive aspects of senior executive transitions and succession planning, building upon her extensive experience with corporate governance, public company disclosure and tax laws. She is a thought leader in executive compensation and related topics, and is a member of the Practical Law Company’s Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Advisory Board.

Law360 named Kyoko a “Benefits MVP of the Year” in 2021.

Experience highlights

M&A
  • JPMorgan’s acquisition of assets and assumption of certain liabilities of First Republic Bank
  • Summit Materials’ combination with Argos USA
  • Allegro MicroSystems’ $420 million acquisition of Crocus Technology
  • Livent’s $10.6 billion merger of equals with Allkem
  • Comcast’s acquisitions of Sky, DreamWorks Animation, Buzzfeed, iControl, FreeWheel Media and SportsEngine
  • Morgan Stanley’s $7 billion acquisition of Eaton Vance, $13 billion acquisition of E*Trade and $900 million acquisition of Solium Capital
  • Mobile Mini’s $6.6 billion merger of equals with WillScot
  • Clarivate’s $6.8 billion combination with CPA Global and $5.3 billion acquisition of ProQuest
  • Shire’s £46 billion acquisition by Takeda and Takeda’s $5.3 billion sale of Xiidra
  • IHS Markit’s $44 billion acquisition by S&P Global, $1.855 billion acquisition of Ipreo and $470 million sale of Jane’s Information Group
  • The Williams Companies’ $1.125 billion sale of its Four Corners Area business, $950 million acquisition of Haynesville assets, $423 million acquisition of NorTex Midstream Holdings, acquisition of MountainWest’s natural gas transmission and storage business, and sale 50% interest in Jackalope Gas Gathering Services
  • Masco’s $1 billion sale of Masco Cabinetry and $725 million sale of Milgard Manufacturing
  • SLM (Sallie Mae)’s spin-off of Navient
  • Republic Services’ $2.2 billion acquisition of US Ecology
Capital Markets
  • FMC’s IPO of its lithium business (Livent) and its subsequent spin-off of Livent
  • Fogo de Chão’s IPO and subsequent $560 million acquisition by Rhône Capital
  • Gyroscope Therapeutics’ $148.0 million Series C equity financing
  • Other IPOs: ADC Therapeutics, BRP Group, Freeline Therapeutics, Goosehead Insurance, Pactiv Evergreen, Privia Health, Prosensa, REV Group, Reynolds Consumer Products, SOPHiA GENETICS and Snail Games
Other Matters
  • Davis Polk comment letters to the SEC on various issues, including the clawback rule, pay versus performance rule, pay ratio rule and Rule 701/Form S-8
  • Advised SIFMA on its comment letter regarding Dodd-Frank Act Section 956 (regarding incentive compensation) and its submission to Treasury
  • Other clients advised include AIG, Charles River Laboratories, ExxonMobil, Fifth Third, Marsh & McLennan Companies, StoneX and Ventas
View more experience

Insights

Your 2023 Form 10-K roadmap

Credentials

Recognition

Chambers USA – Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation, New York, Band 1

Law360 – “Benefits MVP of the Year,” 2021

Education
J.D., Harvard Law School
A.B., Government, Harvard University
  • magna cum laude
Professional history
  • Partner, 2006-present
  • Davis Polk since 1996
Qualifications and admissions
  • State of New York
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