Five Firms Aid WeWork $9 Billion SPAC Deal in New Go-Public Bid

Morrison & Foerster is advising Softbank Group Corp., the largest investor in WeWork, as the office-sharing startup takes a second stab at going public—this time by merging with a special purpose acquisition company.

Skadden, Arps is counseling WeWork. Cooley is advising the SPAC, BowX Acquisition Corp., on the deal, expected to close in the third quarter. The agreement values the merged company at around $9 billion.

The March 26 transaction announcement comes about two years after WeWork’s first attempt at an initial public offering fell flat amidst investor skepticism about the company’s business model and its co-founder and CEO ...