michael j. whidden

Associate
Corporate and Securities Law
whidden@dssvlaw.com

Mr. Whidden practices in the areas of general corporate and securities law. He has represented public and private company clients in a variety of industries, including the restaurant, entertainment, pharmaceutical, technology and shipping industries. He has participated in a broad range of transactions, including corporate acquisitions ranging in value between $250,000 and $500 million; loan facilities ranging in value between $5 million and $500 million; and the formation/start-up of companies involved with restaurants, lounges, the wine industry, tourism, film production and speech-language therapy.

Mr. Whidden has drafted and negotiated acquisition agreements, loan agreements, franchise development agreements, supply contracts, services/consulting agreements, outsourcing agreements, employment agreements, location contracts, event/catering contracts, software licenses, storage contracts and sales agreements, among others. In securities law, he has prepared annual and quarterly reports, periodic reports, proxy statements, ownership reports and filings related to a stock dividend, among other filings. Mr. Whidden also has expertise in filings under the federal Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Act.

Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Whidden spent three years as an associate at Debevoise & Plimpton, LLP, where he was involved in mergers and acquisitions and private equity fund formation, including a $3.2 billion merger of packaging companies, the management group buy-out of a South African investment bank, the near-IPO of a $1 billion business development company and the spin-out of a $1.75 billion private equity fund.

From 1993 to 1997, Mr. Whidden served as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Navy, serving aboard the guided-missile cruiser, USS Bunker Hill (CG-52), based in Yokosuka, Japan. Among other duties, he directed multiple airplanes, helicopters and ships in exercise combat operations.

Mr. Whidden is admitted to practice in New York. He is a member of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York.

He received his J.D. from Fordham University School of Law in 2002, where he wrote, in May 2001, the student note “Unequal Justice: Arabs in America and United States Antiterrorism Legislation.” He received his B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1993, cum laude, with Honors in American History.