Bill Bates is the senior Mergers & Acquisitions partner in the firm’s New York office. Mr. Bates has significant experience in representing buyers and sellers in mergers, stock and cash acquisition transactions. His practice routinely involves rendering advice on various corporate and corporate governance matters, including the application by Boards of Directors of their fiduciary duties. He also participates in a number of partnership and joint venture acquisition and financing transactions. A significant part of his practice historically has involved the representation of companies and underwriters in public offerings and private placements of equity and debt securities. His recent engagements include work for clients such as General Electric Company, Jefferson-Pilot Corporation, Metal Management Inc, Sprint Nextel Corporation and Caremark Rx Inc.

Mr. Bates graduated with highest honors from the University of North Carolina in 1976. He also received his law degree with the highest honors from the University of North Carolina in 1979 and was a member of the Order of the Coif. He was an editor of the North Carolina Law Review. Mr. Bates is a member of the State Bar of Georgia, the Supreme Court bar, and the New York City and State, Atlanta, District of Columbia and American Bar Associations.

Mr. Bates is included in the 2009 edition of The Best Lawyers in America, has been selected as one of the Best Lawyers in America by Corporate Counsel magazine and has been named a New York Super Lawyer by Law & Politics.

Articles by Bill Bates include:

• Directors & Boards Magazine “The Evolution of the US Public Company Governance Model”
• New York Law Journal “A Beacon in the Storm: A lead director’s responsibilities in M&A transactions”
  
• New York Law Journal "Sarbanes-Oxley Act Less Applicable To Not-for-Profits"
  
• New York Law Journal "Mutual Life Companies as Acquisition Targets?"
  
• King & Spalding Client Alert: Delaware Court of Chancery considers applicability of Material Adverse Effect Clause.
  
• King & Spalding Client Alert "Proposed Changes to the Rules Governing Securities Offerings and Takeovers - The 'Aircraft Carrier' Release"
  
• King & Spalding Client Alert "Majority Stockholder's Tender Offer Obligation as set forth in In Re Pure Resources, Inc. shareholders litigation"
  
• King & Spalding Client Alert "The SEC's M&A Release and Cross-Border Release"