E William Bates II (Bill)

Bill Bates is a partner in the Corporate Practice Group of King & Spalding and is Co-Head of the firm’s Mergers and Acquisition Practice.  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, and also includes joint ventures and strategic alliances.  A significant part of his practice historically 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, Sprint Nextel Corporation, CVS Caremark Corporation, BioScrip, Inc. and Rock-Tenn Company.

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 included in the 2011 edition of The Best Lawyers in America; has been selected as one of the Best Lawyers in America by Corporate Counsel magazine; has been named a New York Super Lawyer by Law & Politics; and has been included in the “Top 10 List” of merger and acquisition lawyers by United States Lawyer Rankings.  In 2011 he was named a “Deal Maker of the Week” by The AmLaw Daily.  He also has been recognized for providing the most outstanding client service by corporate counsel at large and Fortune 1000 companies, according to BTI Consulting Group’s 2012 Client Service All-Stars Survey. 

Articles by Bill Bates include:

• The Daily Deal: “In the Lead: ‘The Deal’”
  
  
• 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”
  
  
• Businessweek.com interview/article: Effective Board Oversight of M&A
  
  
• King & Spalding Client Alert: “What Boards Should Be Doing Right Now: Practical Advice for Public Company Directors”
  
  
• King & Spalding Client Alert: “Delaware Court of Chancery Considers Applicability of Material Adverse Effect Clause”
  
  
• 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: Chancery Court Upholds “Sign and Consent” Transaction and Board Process in OPENLANE Decision
  
  
• King & Spalding Client Alert: Delaware Court Addresses Important Revlon Duties in Cash/Stock Merger
  
  
• King & Spalding Client Alert: “The SEC’s M&A Release and Cross-Border Release”