In Memoriam: Scott Simpson | News & Rankings | About

We are greatly saddened to announce the sudden passing of our close friend and spouse Scott Simpson. Scott, who was only 65 several years aged, invested his total job at Skadden and served as co-head of our international transactions techniques for the earlier numerous several years.

One of the world’s top rated M&A lawyers, Scott oversaw numerous of the most noteworthy contested (and uncontested) promotions, these kinds of as Arcelor’s US$33 billion merger with Mittal Metal NV right after encouraging to block Mittal’s unsolicited US$22.8 billion bid, and Gucci’s defense against a hostile takeover try by LVMH. Scott went on to advise Gucci on numerous acquisitions, together with its acquire of Yves Saint Laurent and its sale to Kering. He also represented Mannesman AG in its $199 billion merger with Vodaphone AirTouch plc in 1999-2000. The transaction, which began as a hostile takeover, stays the premier corporate acquisition anyplace, at any time. Though managing these and other particularly extreme legal and company challenges, Scott projected an strange feeling of relaxed — together with intelligence, creativity and an unflinching perseverance to both our company and our clientele.

In 1990, as a youthful partner, Scott joined then-workplace chief Bruce Buck for a “two-yr tour of obligation” in our recently proven London place of work. He finished up remaining for 32 years and was instrumental in constructing and championing the good results of Skadden’s European platform. Scott was acknowledged many occasions as a single of Europe’s most influential attorneys, which include by the Monetary Periods, Night Common, Wall Road Journal and American Lawyer. Just past month, he was named a single of London’s most influential attorneys by the Economic Information.

Scott grew up on Very long Island in New York and took off a year concerning higher university and higher education to surf in Hawaii, his enthusiasm for which continued by the years. Past surfing, in his spare time he could also be uncovered snowboarding, watching Chelsea soccer or fowl shooting. He was also associated with charitable work for the Boy Scouts and lectured on intercontinental mergers and acquisitions at Fordham College Faculty of Legislation, Harvard Legislation College and the Moritz College of Legislation at Ohio State University.

Scott’s unflinching determination to clients and the organization mirrored the highest expectations of his mentor, Joe Flom, from whom he also took his mission to study from the earlier, evaluate the current and foresee the foreseeable future. Scott’s expertise, collegiality and sense of exciting will be sorely missed by colleagues globally.

As we grapple with this incomprehensible reduction, our most heartfelt feelings go out to Scott’s wife, Kathleen, and his young children Caitlin, Victor and Mairead, as properly as to our colleagues about the globe who were touched by him.