Helena K. Grannis
Partner
Helena K. Grannis’ practice focuses on capital market transactions and corporate governance.
Her transactional practice is focused on domestic financial transactions for U.S. and international clients, including initial public offering and equity and debt offerings. She is known for her work on complex issuances, including in complex capital markets and M&A matters.
In addition to her transactional practice, she regularly advises companies on corporate governance matters, including disclosure matters, environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues, board composition and director independence, stock exchange listing compliance matters, shareholder proposals and proxy matters, and shareholder engagement.
Her work spans numerous industries, including financial institutions, healthcare, technology, and retail.
Helena joined the firm in 2000, became counsel in 2012, and became partner in 2023.
Notable Experience
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Regularly advises clients on corporate governance and disclosure matters, including for Albany International, Bed Bath & Beyond, Clorox, Honeywell, LivaNova, MDC Partners, Post Holdings, Sixth Street Specialty Lending, and Tronox.
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Astound Broadband in a $1.9 billion notes offering consisting of $900 million of senior secured notes and $1 billion of senior unsecured notes.
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Honeywell in the spin-off of its home automation solutions business, and in multiple registered bond and exempt bond offerings totaling over $10 billion, and a bond concurrent abbreviated cash tender offer, and over €7 billion in Eurobond offerings.
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Cushman & Wakefield and its principal shareholders in the company’s $765 million initial public offering and multiple follow-on offerings and its inaugural secured notes offering.
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TPG Specialty Lending (now Sixth Street Specialty Lending) in its $112 million initial public offering and concurrent $50 million private placement, in an approximately $74 million follow-on offering, and in over $300 million of senior and convertible notes offerings.
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The carve-out and sale of Surgical Care Affiliates of HealthSouth to a leading private investment firm, and in its subsequent $270 million initial public offering.
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Copa Holdings in a $350 million offering of convertible senior notes in a private offering to qualified institutional buyers.
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Biomet in its proposed initial public offering and Biomet, Goldman Sachs PIA, and KKR among other financial institutions in the $13.35 billion sale of Biomet to Zimmer Holdings; and subsequent secondary sales by the consortium.
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Hellman & Friedman as stockholders in the SEC-registered IPO of Artisan Partners Asset Management and SEC-registered secondary offerings.
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HSBC in several SEC-registered notes offerings, totaling more than $8 billion.
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BNP Paribas in multiple unregistered notes offerings, totaling more than $10 billion.
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Allergan in its $30 billion three-part offering in connection with its $70.5 billion acquisition of a pharmaceutical company; in the company’s structured accelerated share repurchase of $10 billion of outstanding shares; in its concurrent bond offering and tender offer; and in multiple bond offerings.
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The Hartford on multiple high-profile matters, including the $2.5 billion capital investment by Allianz and the $3.3 billion capital raise to repay TARP funds, and on securities regulatory, disclosure, and corporate governance matters.
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The underwriters, structuring agents, and dealer managers in a series of capital markets transactions by AIG totaling over $10 billion.
Selected Activities
trigger- Member, Committee on Securities Regulation, New York City Bar Association
- Staff member, United States Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, 1995 to 1997
Publications
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SEC Charges Four Companies With Misleading Cyber Disclosures
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It’s Not Going to Be Easy Being Green: Final SEC Climate Rules
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Crossing a New Threshold for Material Cybersecurity Incident Reporting
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The Potential U.S. Federal Shutdown – Planning Considerations for Our Clients
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New SEC Disclosure Rules for Cybersecurity Incidents and Governance and Key Takeaways
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Corporates Face Novel Risks From Debt Ceiling Impasse—Even if No Default Occurs
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Turning a Corner on Corporate Governance: The SEC’s Disclosure Agenda
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Final Pay vs. Performance Rules: Teaching Old Disclosure New Tricks
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SEC Imposes Largest-Ever Audit-Firm Penalty in Exam-Cheating Case
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The SEC Climate Disclosure Proposal – Top Ten Issues for Comment
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Beyond Just “Green”: The EU Taxonomy as a Traffic Light – From Red, to Amber, to Sustainable
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Climate Change Disclosures – Three Deep Dives Into the SEC Proposal
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SEC Proposes New Disclosure Rules for Cybersecurity Incidents and Governance
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European Taxonomy: A “Green” Future for Nuclear, Gas and Bioenergy?
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A Global Overview of Sustainability Disclosure Rules for the Asset Management Industry
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Virtual Shareholder Meetings now Permanently Permitted in NY
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Fulfilling the Board’s Expanded Oversight Role in Human Capital Management
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SEC Amends Requirements for Shareholder Proposals in Proxy Statements
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ISS Issues Additional Voting Policy Guidance in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic
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The Keys to Emergency Succession: Planning For Boards and Senior Management During a Health Pandemic
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Glass Lewis Revised Guideline Regarding Virtual Meetings for 2020 Proxy Season
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Cuomo Executive Order Gives New York Corporations Relief on Physical Annual Meetings
Events
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August 13, 2024
Governance Watch Webcast: Highlights From the 2024 Proxy Season
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May 3, 2024
New SEC ESG Disclosure Reporting Rules – What to Expect and Tips to Respond
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February 15, 2024
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February 6, 2023
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November 9, 2022
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August 9, 2022
Governance Watch Webcast: Highlights From the 2022 Proxy Season
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June 22, 2022
The Society for Corporate Governance 2022 National Conference
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January 13, 2022
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July 26, 2021
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July 23, 2020
Governance Watch Webcast: Highlights From the 2020 Proxy Season