The Eighth Annual Berkeley Spring Forum
on M&A and the Boardroom
Hosted by Ethan Klingsberg of Freshfields and
Steven Davidoff Solomon of the University of California, Berkeley
Conference Schedule
The conference agenda is below (all in Pacific Time):
April 27, 2022
1:00 pm
The Berkeley Forum for M&A and the Boardroom Opens
1:05 pm
Welcome Remarks
1:10 pm
FTC Commissioner Noah Phillips on antitrust and M&A in 2022 and follow-up discussion
Speakers:
Noah Phillips, Commissioner, Federal Trade Commission
Jan Rybnicek, Partner, Freshfields
1:40 pm
Break
1:55 pm
Fireside chat with UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) General Counsel, Sarah Cardell, on the CMA’s approach to M&A by U.S. tech and life sciences companies
Speakers:
Sarah Cardell, General Counsel, Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), United Kingdom
Rod Carlton, Partner, Freshfields
2:20 pm
Reactions to Commissioner Phillips and GC Cardell and discussion of the impact of antitrust on the startup and tech M&A ecosystem
Speakers:
Sarah Cardell, General Counsel, Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), United Kingdom
Jeremiah Gordon, General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer, CapitalG
Kristen Limarzi, Partner, Gibson Dunn
Jan Rybnicek, Partner, Freshfields
2:50 pm
Break
3:00 pm
Changing Impact of U.S. National Security Considerations on M&A, Joint Ventures, and Alliances — Featuring Current and Former U.S. National Security Personnel
Speakers:
Peter Harrell, Special Assistant to the President of the United States and Senior Director for International Economics and Competitiveness, National Security Council, White House
Aimen Mir, Partner, Freshfields
Frank Partnoy, Professor, University of California, Berkeley
3:30 pm
Break
3:40 pm
SEC Commissioner Allison Lee, with former SEC Commissioner Robert Jackson, on disclosure and securities law issues for pre-IPO companies, followed by reactions from Silicon Valley insiders
Speakers:
Adam Eltoukhy, Vice President, General Counsel, Samsara
Robert Jackson, Former Commissioner, Securities and Exchange Commission
Scott James, General Counsel, DCVC
Allison Lee, Commissioner, Securities and Exchange Commission
Sarah Solum, Partner, Freshfields
Jen Yeh, Vice President, General Counsel, Checkr
4:35 pm
Break
4:50 pm
Fireside chat with the Honorable Lori Will, Vice Chancellor of the Delaware Court of Chancery, on troubling signs from recent M&A caselaw
Speakers:
Mary Eaton, Partner, Freshfields
Lori Will, Vice Chancellor, Delaware Court of Chancery
5:20 pm
Closing Remarks on Twitter, Poison Pills, and Deals in the Age of Social Media
Speakers:
Steven Davidoff Solomon, Professor, University of California, Berkeley
Ethan Klingsberg, Partner, Freshfields
5:35 pm
Cocktail Reception
Speakers

Sarah Cardell
General Counsel, Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), United Kingdom

Rod Carlton
Partner, Freshfields

Georgia Dawson
Senior Partner, Freshfields

Mary Eaton
Partner, Freshfields

Adam Eltoukhy
Vice President, General Counsel, Samsara

Jeremiah Gordon
General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer, CapitalG

Peter Harrell
Special Assistant to the President of the United States and Senior Director for International Economics and Competitiveness, National Security Council, White House

Robert Jackson
Former Commissioner, Securities and Exchange Commission

Scott James
General Counsel, DCVC

Ethan Klingsberg
Partner, Freshfields

Allison Lee
Commissioner, Securities and Exchange Commission

Kristen Limarzi
Partner, Gibson Dunn

Aimen Mir
Partner, Freshfields

Frank Partnoy
Professor, University of California, Berkeley

Noah Phillips
Commissioner, Federal Trade Commission

Jan Rybnicek
Partner, Freshfields

Steven Davidoff Solomon
Professor, University of California, Berkeley

Sarah Solum
Partner, Freshfields

Lori Will
Vice Chancellor, Delaware Court of Chancery

Jen Yeh
Vice President, General Counsel, Checkr