Goodwin hires Morrison Foerster partner to lead public company practice

Goodwin

27/11/2023 19:38

By David Thomas
       Nov 27 (Reuters) - David Lynn, the leader of U.S. law
firm Morrison Foerster's public company advisory and governance
practice, has moved to Goodwin Procter to lead a similar
practice there, Goodwin said Monday. 
    Lynn will lead Goodwin's public company advisory practice
from the firm's Washington, D.C., office, the firm said. He
worked at Morrison Foerster for more than 13 years and served
for more than a decade at the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission, including a stint as chief counsel of the agency's
corporation finance division.
    At Morrison Foerster, Lynn helped advise on the initial
public offering of SoftBank's Arm Holdings, a chip designer that
debuted on the Nasdaq in mid-September with a $65 billion
valuation. 
    Lynn said the opportunity to work at Goodwin was
"well-suited for my background." The firm is known for its work
representing companies involved in technology, life sciences,
real estate and financial services.
    "Clients come to me because I have particular expertise in
SEC matters that affect public companies and corporate
governance issues," Lynn said.
    A Morrison Foerster spokesperson did not immediately respond
to a request for comment.
    Lynn said he is waiting for the SEC to release its
long-anticipated rule on companies' climate-related disclosures.
The rule would require public companies to spell out their own
direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions.
    The proposal has drawn support from many investors, but
business groups have pushed back and sought more discretion
about the details they provide, with top business lobbying group
the U.S. Chamber of Commerce calling the requirements too
complex and rigid.
    The rule was expected to be finalized earlier this year.
Until the SEC says otherwise, Lynn said he is expecting the
final rule "any day now."