A&O Shearman was formed in 2024 via the merger of two historic firms, Allen & Overy and Shearman & Sterling. With nearly 4,000 lawyers globally, we are equally fluent in English law, U.S. law and the laws of the world’s most dynamic markets.
This combination creates a new kind of law firm, one built to achieve unparalleled outcomes for our clients on their most complex, multijurisdictional matters – everywhere in the world. A firm that advises at the forefront of the forces changing the current of global business and that is unrivalled in its global strength.
Our clients benefit from the collective experience of teams who work with many of the world’s most influential companies and institutions, and have a history of precedent-setting innovations.
Together our lawyers advise more than a third of NYSE-listed businesses, a fifth of the NASDAQ and a notable proportion of the London Stock Exchange, the Euronext, Euronext Paris and the Tokyo and Hong Kong Stock Exchanges.
A&O Shearman is advising Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited (TSX: FFH and FFH.U) (“Fairfax”) in the acquisition of Kennedy-Wilson Holdings, Inc.
United States
A&O Shearman is advising Fairfax Financial Holdings
Limited (TSX: FFH and FFH.U) ("Fairfax") in the
acquisition of Kennedy-Wilson Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: KW)
("Kennedy Wilson") in a take-private transaction by a
consortium led by Kennedy Wilson's Chairman and CEO and certain
other senior executives of the company, together with
Fairfax.
As part of the transaction, Fairfax committed up to USD1.65bn of
equity funding to the consortium, which is the amount necessary to
fund the full cash purchase price of the transaction and certain
other amounts required to be paid under the merger agreement.
Closing is expected in Q2 2026, subject to satisfaction of a number
of customary closing conditions. Upon closing, Kennedy Wilson's
common shares will be delisted from the NYSE and deregistered under
applicable SEC rules.
"Clients continue to turn to A&O Shearman for their
most complex, high-value deals, and this take-private is a strong
example of how our integrated global platform delivers clarity,
certainty and seamless execution across disciplines."
Contributor
A&O Shearman was formed in 2024 via the merger of two historic firms, Allen & Overy and Shearman & Sterling. With nearly 4,000 lawyers globally, we are equally fluent in English law, U.S. law and the laws of the world’s most dynamic markets.
This combination creates a new kind of law firm, one built to achieve unparalleled outcomes for our clients on their most complex, multijurisdictional matters – everywhere in the world. A firm that advises at the forefront of the forces changing the current of global business and that is unrivalled in its global strength.
Our clients benefit from the collective experience of teams who work with many of the world’s most influential companies and institutions, and have a history of precedent-setting innovations.
Together our lawyers advise more than a third of NYSE-listed businesses, a fifth of the NASDAQ and a notable proportion of the London Stock Exchange, the Euronext, Euronext Paris and the Tokyo and Hong Kong Stock Exchanges.
