Kerry E. Berchem is the co-head of Akin Gump’s corporate practice and a member of the firm’s management committee.

Practice & Background

Ms. Berchem advises companies, including boards of directors, and private equity funds in mergers, acquisitions and private equity investments, capital markets transactions, corporate governance matters, and reorganizations and recapitalizations. She serves as outside general counsel to several publicly traded and private companies. In 2010, she led one of the largest financial services mergers of the year.

Ms. Berchem serves on the New York City Bar Association’s Mergers, Acquisitions and Corporate Control Contests Committee, the Business Law Partner Advisory Board of Thomson Reuters Accelus and the Corporate Advisory Board of the Practical Law Company.

Representative Matters

Ms. Berchem’s recent engagements include serving as counsel to:

  • a publicly traded reinsurance company in connection with the $3.1 billion sale of the company
  • one of the largest glass container manufacturers in the United States, a private equity portfolio company, in its $880 million sale to a Luxembourg-based glass and packaging manufacturer
  • a leading provider of mobile broadband solutions in its $780 million sale to a consortium of investors
  • a Canada-based provider of aircraft maintenance and repair services in connection with its financial restructuring efforts
  • a publicly traded reinsurance company in connection with a $3 billion merger of equals
  • a publicly traded reinsurance company in connection with a $3 billion merger, including responding to a competing tender offer and proxy contest
  • a special committee of the board of directors of a household appliance company in connection with a $915 million equity issuance to a majority stockholder, the funds of which were used by the company to fund a strategic acquisition
  • a special committee of the board of directors of a minerals company in connection with its $1 billion merger with a strategic buyer
  • a sovereign wealth fund in connection with a $1.35 billion investment in the management company of a portfolio of private equity funds
  • the official committee of unsecured creditors of a glass container corporation and the subsequent representation of the company and its board of directors in connection with a $350 million leveraged recapitalization
  • the official committee of unsecured creditors of a telecom company and subsequent representation of the company in connection with a $207 million merger with a strategic buyer
  • a Cayman Island reinsurance company in connection with its formation, its initial $250 million capitalization, and its $212 million initial public offering and concurrent $50 million private placement
  • a Bermuda reinsurance company in connection with its formation, its initial $600 million capitalization, its $192 million initial public offering, its $100 million 144A debt offering and its $500 million universal shelf registration statement
  • an investor in $61 million preferred shares of a segregated cell of a Bermuda property and casualty reinsurer.

Community Involvement

Ms. Berchem is an active participant in Humanity Now and Ludlowe Corps, an organization that empowers United States students to improve the lives of others by helping them gain access to clean water, health services and a better education.

Awards & Accolades

  • Named to the American Lawyer’s “45 Under 45” list, recognizing the top female lawyers in private practice, 2011
  • Named in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business as a leading lawyer in the area of corporate/M&A, 2006-2011.

Speaking Engagements

  • Moderator, General Counsel track, Corporate Board Member Mid-Cap Board Committee Peer Exchange
  • Using Evaluations to Enhance Board Effectiveness, Annual Corporate Board Member Boardroom Summit.