Pinsent Masons advises RRD on the acquisition of Williams Lea

Headquartered in Chicago, RRD is a global provider of marketing, packaging, print and supply chain solutions with over 30,000 employees across 26 countries. Through this acquisition, Williams Lea will join RRD’s Digital, Creative and Business Services segment.

This acquisition strengthens RRD’s position as a transformation partner for business services and productivity solutions, with William Lea’s 7,000 employees and full product suite now enhancing its existing offering. It will also expand the company’s digital marketing capabilities that include a suite of full-funnel media, measurement and proprietary marketing technology offerings.

The Pinsent Masons team was led by corporate partner Alasdair Weir, supported by associates, Barbara Wang and Matt Joseph, and more than 20 other lawyers from across the firm’s anti-trust, tax, intellectual property, finance, pensions, and employment & reward practices.

Commenting on the deal, Alasdair said: “This was a significant milestone in RRD’s growth strategy and we are delighted to have supported the RRD team with it.  It is indicative of the continued strength of US-UK mergers and acquisitions activity.  Our advice was central to this transaction, which was governed by English law but needed a significant amount of cross-border expertise which we co-ordinated across the UK, Hong Kong, India and Japan".

Alasdair continued: “It was a pleasure joining as co-counsel with BakerHostetler, who we enjoy a close working relationship with having advised together on a number of transatlantic transactions in recent years.  We are very grateful to them for turning to us for this significant transaction for an important BakerHostetler client.”

Deb Steiner, Executive Vice President and General Counsel of RRD said: “Our external legal team at BakerHostetler and Pinsent Masons did a great job in this transformative transaction. Alasdair and the Pinsent Masons team were invaluable in helping us navigate the US to UK cross-border aspects of this acquisition, helping us to a successful completion under a tight timeline.”