Lawyers
The American Lawyer recognized restructuring partner Chris Hopkins as a “Litigator of the Week” on July 18, highlighting a series of courtroom wins Paul, Weiss secured allowing the bankruptcy sale of leading human genetics and biotechnology company 23andMe to close.
Chris co-led the representation of 23andMe in its $305 million sale to TTAM Research Institute, a California nonprofit led by 23andMe co-founder and former CEO Anne Wojcicki. Crucially, Chris, alongside litigation partners Jeff Recher and Billy Clareman, led the Paul, Weiss team that produced four consecutive victories, in bankruptcy, district and circuit courts, successfully countering data privacy-related objections by several states, which tried to block the sale—all the way up to the state of California’s emergency motion to the Eighth Circuit to stay the sale, which the appellate court denied on July 11.
“This litigation was existential to the company—absent a successful sale process and expeditious closing, the company faced an imminent liquidity shortfall and potential liquidation,” Chris noted. The tremendous result for all stakeholders “is a great example of what Chapter 11 is intended to achieve—preserving businesses as going concerns, saving jobs and maximizing value for the benefit of the company’s creditors and shareholders.”
Chris also commented on the remarkable, cross-disciplinary collaboration among the firm’s litigation, restructuring, data privacy, appellate and corporate lawyers, who worked quickly and seamlessly to reach the finish line. The team’s key members also included restructuring partner Paul Basta, litigation partners Kannon Shanmugam and John Carlin, corporate partner Jeff Marell, restructuring associates Grace Hotz, Jessica Choi, Lindsey Wasserman, Lauren Castillo, Justin Simms and Elizabeth Gonzalez, and litigation associates Lyuba Shamailova, Christine Ray, Anna Lucardi and Vida Robinson.
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