They’ve Got Next: The 40 Under 40 - Jonathan Davis of Kirkland & Ellis

Please describe two of your most substantial, recent wins in practice.
I advised Bristol Myers Squibb on its $90 billion acquisition of Celgene Corporation, which represents the largest purchase of a pharmaceutical company in history. Two unique challenges associated with the deal included opposition to the transaction from Wellington Management and activist shareholder Starboard Value, as well as navigating a complex FTC review process. We were able to successfully defend against the shareholder opposition and structure an antitrust remedy which included one of the largest antitrust divestitures in history to enable the deal to close.

I also represented AbbVie on its $83 billion acquisition of Allergan plc., the largest cross-border deal of 2019 and one of the largest pharmaceutical transactions, and largest M&A transactions, in history. Both deals were extremely rewarding to be a part of.

What is the most important lesson you learned as a first-year attorney and how does it inform your practice today?
One of the main lessons I learned as a young associate is the importance of understanding your clients’ commercial objectives and then devising an approach around that. I believe the role of an attorney should be as a trusted advisor and that to achieve that you first need to understand the bigger picture and have an appreciation that each client and transaction is unique. Only then can you devise a creative and thoughtful approach to bring value to your client and help them to achieve their goals.

How do you define success in your practice?
I really enjoy being able to guide companies and their executives through transformative events, as well as building lasting relationships. Working in partnership with a client and having them trust you to solve some of their greatest business challenges is a privilege and can be extremely rewarding. Establishing this type of long-term partnership is a key metric in how I define my success.

What are you most proud of as a lawyer?
I’ve been fortunate to have worked on some incredible deals so far in my career, many of which were transformative for the businesses involved and the industries in which they operate. More broadly, I am incredibly proud to be a part of an amazing team at Kirkland and to help continue to build a truly remarkable M&A platform. The group is extremely dynamic and entrepreneurial and it’s been a lot of fun to be a part of. We have come a long way in a relatively short amount of time, and I think we’ve only begun scratching the surface of what we are capable of.

Who is your greatest mentor in the law and what have they taught you?
I’ve had many mentors and people I’ve learned from over the course of my career, but one in particular who stands out is David Fox, a partner at Kirkland (and now a client of mine) who played a key role in the growth of our New York office and the firm overall, and who greatly influenced my decision to move to Kirkland. David places a strong emphasis on developing talent and encouraging younger lawyers to take leadership roles free from hierarchal restrictions. This approach helped me to hit the ground running at Kirkland and I’m extremely grateful for all of David’s guidance and support. David is not only a mentor but also a close friend.

Just for fun, tell us your two favorite songs on your summer music playlist.
Avicii “Wake Me Up”. I think Avicii was one of the most talented artists of all time and this is one of my favorite Avicii songs and a summer anthem.

Allman Brothers Band, “Blue Sky.” Growing up my friends and I would go to Allman Brothers concerts every summer at an outdoor amphitheater outside Boston. These concerts are some of my favorite memories from my childhood and Blue Sky is a classic summer song that brings me back to that.