Phillip R. Mills
  1. Partner
  1. New York
+1 212 450 4618

Mr. Mills is a partner in Davis Polk’s Mergers & Acquisitions Group, advising on domestic and cross-border transactions for public and private companies across all industries. He also advises on stockholder activism, corporate governance, fiduciary duties and takeover defense.

Work Highlights

  • Emerson’s:
    • Acquisition of Textron's Tools and Test Equipment business
    • Disposition of its network power and power transmission solutions businesses
    • Acquisition of Pentair’s Valves & Controls business
    • Acquisition of Paradigm
    • Successful hostile acquisition of Chloride Group plc
  • Mobile Mini on its all-stock merger of equals with WillScot
  • Tokyo Century on its acquisition of the interest it does not own in Aviation Capital Group
  • Mitsubishi Leasing’s:
    • Acquisition of Jackson Square Aviation
    • Acquisition of ENGS Holdings Inc. from Aquiline Capital Partners 
  • Heineken’s acquisition of Brasil Kirin from Kirin
  • ABB’s acquisition of GE Industrial Solutions
  • PartnerRe's:
    • Contested merger of equals with AXIS Capital and subsequent sale to EXOR
    • Acquisition of ParisRe
  • Commonwealth Bank of Australia's sale of its Asset Management Business to Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corporation
  • Ruby Tuesday's contested acquisition by NRD Capital
  • MHR Fund Management with respect to Lions Gate Entertainment and its acquisition of Starz
  • Royalty Pharma's hostile bid for Elan
  • Dalian Wanda’s acquisition of AMC Entertainment
  • Cigna’s acquisition of HealthSpring
  • Citigroup’s:
    • Rescue transaction with Wachovia
    • Consortium acquisition of Guangdong Development Bank
  • MCI’s acquisition by Verizon
  • Kingdom of Sweden’s sale of Absolut vodka maker, V&S Vin & Sprit
  • FirstGroup’s acquisition of Laidlaw International
  • Alliance Capital Management’s acquisition of Sanford Bernstein
  • Assurant on its acquisitions of American Financial & Automotive Services and American Financial Warranty Corporation
  • Keebler Foods’ acquisition by Kellogg
  • EMI’s agreement to combine with AOL Time Warner’s music business
  • Various transactions for Comcast, Roche and ImClone Systems
  • Private equity clients Mr. Mills has advised include EQT on various cross-border transactions; Quadrangle on various media and telecom investments; Lindsay Goldberg & Bessemer; and Tailwind Capital
  • Financial advisory assignments for J.P. Morgan, Morgan Stanley, Deutsche Bank and Lazard

Recognition

Mr. Mills is recognized for his work in the legal industry:
  • The American Lawyer – "Dealmaker of the Week," 2015 and 2011
He is consistently recognized as a leading M&A lawyer in several legal industry publications, including:
  • Chambers Global
  • Chambers USA
  • IFLR1000
  • Cross-border Mergers and Acquisitions Handbook
  • Corporate Counsel: Best Lawyers in Corporate, Mergers and Acquisitions and Securities Law
  • Expert Guide to the World’s Leading M&A Lawyers
  • Super Lawyers

Of Note

Current Memberships
  • Member, American Intellectual Property Law Association
  • Member, American Bar Association
  • Member, New York City Bar
Past Membership
  • Trustee, The Cathedral School, 2006-2009
  • Member, Board of Directors, Foreign Policy Association
  • Member, Executive Committee, Foreign Policy Association  

Professional History

  • Partner, 1993-present
  • Associate, 1986-1993

Practice Focus

Bar Admissions

  • State of New York

Education

  • B.Com., University of Queensland, 1980
  • LL.B., University of Queensland, TC Beirne School of Law, 1982
    • first-class honours