CASE STUDY

Eurofins Scientific, the Brussels-based international life sciences company, is one of the fastest-growing public companies in Europe and is executing an ambitious five-year “growth acceleration programme.” M&A attorneys at Cozen O’Connor have represented the laboratory testing giant since 2010 and have played a key role in many of Eurofins’ largest and most complex transactions to date.

Indeed, over a recent 12-month period, Cozen O’Connor supported more than $1.6 billion in Eurofins acquisitions. In October 2018, M&A attorneys handled Eurofins’ purchase of TestAmerica Environmental Services LLC, which operates a network of testing laboratories and service centers across the United States, valued at $175 million on a cash-free, debt-free basis.

Cozen O’Connor also handled Eurofins’ acquisition of Covance Food Solutions in August 2018 for $670 million and the December 2017 acquisition of EAG Laboratories, a leading global scientific services company, for $780 million, which is Eurofins’ largest deal ever.

Each of these transactions presented unique challenges and opportunities — and had to be executed on a tight timeline. The Cozen O’Connor team, led by M&A partner and International Practice Co-Chair Steve Dickinson, handled all aspects of the transactions, from due diligence and drafting to negotiating purchase agreements. The firm advised Eurofins on employment law and employee benefits, antitrust issues and Hart-Scott-Rodino Act filings, tax implications and other strategic considerations.

“Cozen O’Connor has been an important partner in Eurofins’ execution of critical acquisitions, including the largest transactions in the history of our company to date,” says Raymond Kelly, senior vice president and director of corporate development for North America. “Steve Dickinson and his team consistently provide clear, sophisticated and timely counsel on complex cross-border deals.”