Practice Focus

Sarah Kahn practices in the area of corporate and securities, with a focus on mergers and acquisitions and private equity transactions. She also regularly counsels clients in connection with their commercial contracts and the establishment and restructuring of credit facilities.

Ms. Kahn has represented clients in a broad range of industries in connection with acquisitions of both private and public companies, with special experience in acquisitions for clients in international aerospace and defense and government contracting (primarily information technology services). She also assists private equity clients with portfolio company acquisitions, follow-on investments, and portfolio company sales. Ms. Kahn was named the 2009 Top Washington Lawyer-Corporate M&A by the Washington Business Journal. Ms. Kahn has also been recognized by The Legal 500 US 2009 for her M&A work.

Representative Matters

• General Atlantic Service Company, LLC and Kohlberg, Kravis & Roberts Co. L.P., in their US$1.65 billion acquisition of TASC, Inc., a provider of advanced systems engineering and advisory services, from Northrop Grumman Corp. in government contracts, national security and export control matters.
• Finmeccanica-Societá per azioni, Italy's largest aerospace and defense company, in its US$5.2 billion acquisition of DRS Technologies, Inc., a supplier of integrated defense electronics products, services, and support.
• SES Americom, Inc. and Americom Government Services, Inc. (AGS), in AGS's acquisition of AOS, Inc., a provider of satellite and secure communications services, network mobility, and managed networks to US government customers.
• DFI International, a Washington, DC-based national security consulting firm, in
  • Sale of DFI Corporate Services to The Avascent Group, a Washington, DC-based strategy and management consulting firm focused in defense, aerospace, and homeland security industries;
  • Sale of DFI International and DFI Government Services to Detica Group plc, a UK-based information technology consulting and security services provider listed on the London Stock Exchange.
• BAE Systems, Inc., the US subsidiary of a UK-based international defense contractor listed on the London Stock Exchange, in due diligence relating to:
  • Acquisition of DigitalNet, a Virginia based company that provides networked infrastructure and information assurance technologies to federal agencies, in a transaction valued at US$693 million;
  • Acquisition of United Defense Industries, a Virginia-based company that designs, develops and produces combat vehicles, artillery systems, naval guns, missile launchers, and precision munitions, in a transaction valued at US$4.2 billion;
  • Acquisition of Armor Holdings, a Florida-based defense company that manufactures various products for the military, law enforcement and personnel security markets, in a transaction valued at US$4.1 billion;
  • Acquisition of MTC Technologies, Inc., an Ohio-based technical and professional services provider, in a transaction valued at US$450 million.
• A Kenya-based company that provides security services to governments, international organizations, and commercial enterprises in eastern Africa in connection with its expansion activities, commercial contracts, and general corporate counseling.
• HSBC Taxpayer Financial Services and HSBC Bank USA in:
  • Various transactions with H&R Block relating to the provision of HSBC Bank originated loans to H&R Block customers through H&R Block offices and franchises;
  • Sales of interests in certain financial assets to institutional investors.
• CIVC, a Chicago, Illinois-based private equity fund, in connection with its acquisition and follow on investments in Partners Equity Capital Company, a financial leasing company, as well as PECC's negotiation and restructuring of its credit facilities.
• Perseus LLC, a Washington, DC-based private equity fund, and its affiliates in connection with various transactions including investments in Nexus Energy, Beacon Power Corporation, Blue Energy Technologies, Northern Power Systems, Iridian Technologies, Inc., Biometric Access Corporation, and Ilex Oncology, Inc.; acquisition and sale of Fisk Electric Company; and sale of Sygma, SA, an international photographic press agency based in Paris, France, with subsidiaries in the United Kingdom, United States, Hong Kong, and Hungary.
• Perseus Books, LLC, a subsidiary of Perseus LLC, in connection with acquisitions of Running Press Publishers, Da Capo Press, and Basic Books, a division of HarperCollins.
• Tellme Networks, Inc., a provider of voice recognition technology, in connection with its negotiation of various commercial contracts with AT&T for the development and implementation of specialized telecommunications systems.