M&A Execution: Strategy from Skadden Expert Arash Attar-Rezvani

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Aug 11, 2025

Arash Attar-Rezvani, an M&A Partner at Skadden with over 20 years of experience, dives deep into execution strategies in M&A. He demystifies French labor laws and offers savvy ways to structure workforce reductions. With a spotlight on cross-cultural negotiation, he emphasizes that listening trumps dominating discussions. Arash also discusses the revolutionary role of AI in legal services, advocating for a shift to success fees instead of traditional hourly billing, ensuring clients get better value.

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INSIGHT

High Stakes Mean Lives, Not Just Money

High stakes are situations where people's lives or livelihoods are at risk, not only large dollar values.
Telecom deals in Africa can be high stakes because they enable financial inclusion and access.

ANECDOTE

Cross-Jurisdictional Take‑Private Solution

We executed a first-of-its-kind L'Occitane take-private across Luxembourg and Hong Kong.
The team used a Hong Kong tender plus company bylaws and coordinated 100+ lawyers to bridge conflicting laws.

INSIGHT

Legal Fees Reflect Problem-Solving Value

Clients pay for the value of solving problems, not just for hours logged.
For complex deals, legal fees can effectively reach 0.5–1% of transaction value reflecting delivered value.

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Arash Attar-Rezvani - M&A Partner, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

In part two of this masterclass conversation, Arash Attar-Rezvani gets into the execution challenges that separate successful M&A practitioners from the rest. From deconstructing French labor consultation myths to revealing how AI will reshape legal advisory models, this segment delivers actionable frameworks for advanced deal execution.

Things You'll Learn

How to structure aggressive workforce reduction plans within French labor laws and turn compliance into deal terms
The psychology of cross-cultural deal-making and why listening trumps being the loudest voice in the room
How AI will reshape M&A legal services and why success fees may replace hourly billing

_____________________

📅 Join Me at the Inside the Deal Session on August 14th! 📅

See how US Heart & Vascular scaled M&A with DealRoom on August 14th,11am EST

Learn how to consolidate diligence across vendors, the simple system they use to hit deadlines, and how they cut weeks off close timelines, without burning out the team.

____________________ Episode Chapters

[00:33:00] French Labor Law Reality – Why employment consultation is easier than American buyers think [00:36:00] Aggressive Cost Synergy Planning – How to structure 40% workforce reductions within European frameworks [00:40:00] Cross-Cultural Negotiation Mastery – Reading the room and adapting communication styles for French business culture [00:47:00] Defining High-Stakes Transactions – Why people's livelihoods matter more than dollar amounts in deal significance [00:51:30] First-of-Kind Deal Innovation – Creating the Luxembourg/Hong Kong take-private structure when no legal path existed [00:55:30] AI's Impact on Legal Advisory – How automation will force fee model evolution and reshape junior lawyer training [01:01:30] Deal Structure Evolution – From SPACs boom-bust to emerging PE club deals and earnout complications [01:06:30] Partnership Career Strategy – Why obsessing over partnership tracks derails early career development [01:10:00] Integrity Under Pressure – Handling government interference and corruption while maintaining client relationships

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