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MoFo Advises Autodesk on Acquisition of Wonder Dynamics

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Morrison Foerster advised Autodesk (NASDAQ: ADSK) in connection with its acquisition of Wonder Dynamics, makers of Wonder Studio...

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Morrison Foerster advised Autodesk (NASDAQ: ADSK) in connection with its acquisition of Wonder Dynamics, makers of Wonder Studio which is a cloud-based 3D animation and VFX solution that combines artificial intelligence (AI) with established tools. The MoFo team advising Autodesk on the deal was led by corporate partners Eric McCrath and Chere See and associates Astrid Menendez-Muharram, Ludovica Gardani-Menendez, and Angelina Ditta. Critical IP and commercial contract matters were handled by technology transactions partner Tessa Schwartz and associates Manny Perez and Michelle Kelley.Read the <a href="https://adsknews.autodesk.com/en/pressrelease/autodesk-acquires-wonder-dynamics-offering-cloud-based-ai-technology-to-empower-more-artists-to-create-more-3d-content-across-media-and-entertainment-industries/" target="_blank">press release</a>.

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Eric T. McCrath is the Chair of Morrison Foerster.Eric has been a trusted advisor on hundreds of public and private M&A, private equity, and financing transactions over the course of his career. As part of his market-leading M&A practice, he counsels strategic acquirers and targets in a variety of industries, including technology (semiconductors, software, AR/VR, FinTech, AI), healthcare, consumer products, financial institutions, media, gaming, and transportation. He represents leading U.S. and global companies and regularly advises on complex cross–border transactions.Eric is regularly recognized by leading publications, including Legal 500 US and Chambers USA, with client sources describing him as “greatly skilled at advising on the most complex and high–profile M&A transactions,” and noting that he “combines strong technical skills and a flair for complexity with commercial awareness, pragmatism and sound judgment.”Eric joined Morrison Foerster as a partner in 2007. He has held multiple leadership roles at the firm prior to being elected chair in June 2022. He has been a member of Morrison Foerster’s Executive Committee since 2016, the Compensation Committee since 2019, has served as Global Co-Chair of the firm’s Corporate Department of over 400 lawyers since 2018, and has also held a number of practice leadership roles.A diverse lawyer of Asian heritage, Eric is also one of the longest-standing members of Morrison Foerster’s Diversity Strategy Committee, having served since 2010.

Eric McCrath

Chair

Chere See is a corporate partner in the Denver office of Morrison Foerster. Chere represents public and private companies in a variety of transactional matters, with a focus on mergers and acquisitions (M&A).Chere advises clients in domestic, cross-border, and multijurisdictional acquisitions and divestitures, joint ventures, strategic investments, securities offerings, and general corporate matters. Chere has advised clients across a broad range of industries, including companies operating in the technology, finance, semiconductor, consumer goods and retail, and healthcare industries.Chere is a member of the firm’s Artificial Intelligence Group and co-leads the firm’s AI M&A Initiative.Prior to joining Morrison Foerster, Chere was an associate in the New York and London offices of a top international law firm, where she advised on M&A and capital markets transactions.Chere earned her J.D. cum laude from Harvard Law School, where she served as vice president of the Harvard Law School Advocates for Human Rights. Prior to law school, she graduated as valedictorian from New York University College of Arts and Science.

Chere See

Partner

Tessa Schwartz has an active practice counseling companies on intellectual property issues, and negotiating complex intellectual property and commercial agreements. She advises on a range of strategic transactions, including key patent licenses and acquisitions, technology procurement agreements, and complex development, collaboration, joint-venture and distribution deals. Tessa also regularly advises companies on the IP aspects of their M&A transactions.In addition to maintaining an active practice and working with clients on a daily basis, Tessa currently serves as co-chair of the firm’s Transactions Department. Tessa is also founder and co-chair of the Artificial Intelligence Group.Tessa advises clients primarily in technology and data intensive sectors, representing artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, machine learning, software, SaaS, cloud computing, hardware, consumer electronics and products, social media, Internet, mobility and wireless, e-commerce, advertising, healthcare, fintech, transportation, semiconductor, and other companies. Tessa’s M&A experience includes advising Autodesk, BlackBerry, Fortive, Honeywell, Salesforce, Uber, Unilever, Unity, Walmart, and others on the IP aspects of strategic transactions. Tessa provides clients with prelitigation and litigation advice. She frequently advises executives and senior management on strategic business, legal and commercial issues, including the structuring of transactions, risk management and contract compliance. She also counsels clients with respect to a wide variety of IP issues, including patent exhaustion and implied licenses, standing and standards, the protection of data and other trade secrets and the development and distribution of open-source software.In addition to her transactional expertise, Tessa’s litigation background includes representing clients in arbitration, as well as in state and federal courts in such areas as antitrust, false advertising, unfair competition, breach of contract, securities, trademark, copyright and trade secret law. Her litigation experience includes complex, multidistrict and class action litigation, as well as appellate advocacy.Tessa has been ranked in Chambers and Legal 500, with clients describing her as, “one of the best attorneys I've ever worked with.” Tessa has been recognized by Chambers USA 2022 as being highly experienced in the field of technology and intellectual property transactions. Clients have commented on Tessa as having "...the ability to translate complex topics into what's necessary to get a deal done. She does a good job of making our technology accessible”. Further, Tessa "ticks all of the essential boxes, timely, efficient, knowledgeable and helpful, but she really stands out by taking time to learn our business and our products so she can give practical and actionable advice. Tessa helps us focus on key issues and balance risks to make choices."Tessa’s pro bono efforts have included work for The Biomimicry Institute, Goodwill, Common Sense Media, Business for Social Responsibility, The World Wildlife Fund, Build Change and the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB). She also provides IP advice to a variety of cultural, media and arts organizations; and other assistance for nonprofits. She recently received the Wiley W. Manuel Award for Pro Bono Legal Services from the State Bar of California.Tessa received her B.A. magna cum laude from Harvard College in 1991. In 1996, she earned her J.D. from the University of California at Los Angeles, where she was elected to the Order of the Coif.Tessa served as global managing partner of Morrison Foerster from 2016 to 2022 and previously served as co-chair of the firm’s Technology Transactions Group.

Tessa Schwartz

Astrid Menendez-Muharram is an associate in the firm’s Corporate Practice. She advises clients on a broad range of corporate matters, including public and private mergers and acquisitions, private equity investments, joint ventures, and general corporate governance in the United States and Latin America.Astrid regularly assists corporations and venture capital funds in a variety of transactional matters including financings, strategic investments, mergers and acquisitions, and cross-border licensing and technology transactions. She is also active in the firm’s pro bono program, including through volunteering at a variety of immigration clinics and criminal record clearing clinics.  She speaks fluent Spanish.<h4>Representative Experience</h4><ul><li>Aurotech, a provider of digital services and business solutions for U.S. federal healthcare and adjacent civilian agencies, in connection with its acquisition by OpenGate Capital, a global private equity firm.</li><li>Autodesk in its acquisition of CAMplete, a developer of simulation and other software for machine tooling machinery.</li><li>Banco Inter S.A., a publicly traded Brazilian digital bank and its affiliates, in connection with its $157 million acquisition of Pronto Money Transfer Inc. (also known as “Usend”), a fintech company established in the United States and with subsidiaries in Brazil, Canada, and the United Kingdom.</li><li>Definitive Logic in connection with its acquisition, and related acquisition financing, of Digital Mobilizations, a digital transformation firm with market leading capabilities for enterprise-level digital transformation initiatives at the U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. Intelligence Community.</li><li>Divvy, a leader in spend management, in its sale to Bill.com (NYSE: BILL), a provider of cloud-based software that simplifies, digitizes, and automates complex back-office financial operations for small and midsize businesses (SMBs). The stock and cash transaction was valued at approximately $2.5 billion.</li><li>Dolphin Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ: DLPN), a leading independent entertainment marketing and premium content development company, in its acquisition of Shore Fire Media, Ltd., a public relations and media management firm based in Brooklyn, New York that specializes in music, entertainment and popular culture.</li><li>DPR Construction in connection with its acquisition of GE Johnson, a general contractor headquartered in Colorado Springs with projects in the healthcare, education, multi-family/hospitality, advanced technology, commercial office, public/Federal, and cultural markets.</li><li>onsemi (NYSE: ON), a leading supplier of intelligent power and sensing technologies, in connection with its acquisition of GT Advanced Technologies (GTAT), a producer of silicon carbide (SiC), for $415 million in cash. </li><li>Shinagawa Refractories in connection with its acquisition of Saint-Gobain’s ceramic businesses mainly used in the traditional iron and steel industry, including Vinhedo in Brazil and Latrobe in the U.S.</li><li>SoftBank Latin America Fund in connection with its investment in the $200 million Series C funding round in Addi, a fintech startup based in Bogota, Colombia that offers buy-now-pay-later technology.</li><li>SoftBank Latin America Fund, Riverwood Capital, Igah Ventures, and Volpe Capital in connection with their investments in CRM&BONUS’s R$280 million financing round. CRM&BONUS is a Brazilian-based platform that allows real-time control of giftback delivery to consumers.</li><li>SoftBank in its investment in the Series B financing of Buser, Ltd., an intercity bus charter online booking service in Brazil.</li><li>SoftBank in connection with a Series D investment round totaling $250 million in QuintoAndar, a Sao Paulo-based real estate leasing platform that is changing the long-term rental marketplace in Brazil.</li><li>SoftBank in the Series B $108 million financing round in Brazilian IDTech pioneer in ID protection solutions, Acesso Digital. General Atlantic, a leading global growth equity firm, also invested in the round.</li><li>SoftBank as lead investor in the $83 million Series E financing of Brazilian test-prep startup Descomplica.</li><li>Uber Technologies, Inc. on its acquisition of a majority stake in Cornershop, a grocery delivery start-up that is active in Chile, Mexico, Peru and Canada, to expand its food delivery business.</li><li>Uber Technologies, Inc. in its $1.4 billion acquisition of the remaining 47% stake in Chilean grocery delivery company Cornershop Inc., which followed the company's acquisition of a majority stake.</li><li>Unity Technologies, Inc., the world’s leading platform for developing interactive, real-time 3D (RT3D) content, in its acquisition of Codice Software S.L., a Spain-based developer of version control technology designed to handle source code and all related assets in software projects.</li></ul>

Astrid Menendez-Muharram

Associate

Ludovica Gardani is an associate in the firm’s Corporate Practice. She advises clients in the United States and Latin America on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, securities and capital market transactions, and public and private offerings.Ludovica works with public and private companies on strategic investments, financings, and cross-border licensing in a wide range of industries, including technology, retail, infrastructure, and fintech. She also represents companies in connection with a wide range of securities matters such as public and private offerings, SEC reporting obligations, and offerings pursuant to Rule 144A and Regulation S.Ludovica graduated from University of Miami School of Law where she was Executive Editor of the Business Law Review.<h4>Representative Experience</h4><ul><li>Represented Petlove&Co. in connection with its financing round with existing major investors, Tarpon, SoftBank, L Catterton, Porto Seguro and Monashees, and a new initial investment by Riverwood Capital. This is the largest financing round in Petlove&Co’s history.</li><li>Represented SoftBank Latin America Fund in connection with a Series C funding round in Addi, a fintech startup based in Bogota, Colombia that offers buy-now-pay-later technology.</li><li>Represented Inchcape, the leading global independent multi-brand automotive distributor and retailer, in its cash-free and debt-free £47 million acquisition of Autolider, a distributor of Daimler brands in both Uruguay and Ecuador.</li></ul>

Ludovica Gardani é associada da área empresarial. Ela assessora clientes nos Estados Unidos e na América Latina em fusões e aquisições, joint ventures, transações de valores mobiliários e de mercado de capitais e ofertas públicas e privadas.Ludovica trabalha com empresas públicas e privadas em investimentos estratégicos, financiamentos e licenciamentos cross-borders em uma ampla gama de indústrias, incluindo tecnologia, varejo, infraestrutura e tecnologia financeira. Ela também representa empresas em relação a uma ampla gama de questões sobre valores mobiliários, como ofertas públicas e privadas, obrigações de reporte da U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) e ofertas de acordo com a Regra 144A e o Regulamento S.Ludovica se formou na Faculdade de Direito da Universidade de Miami, onde foi editora executiva da Business Law Review.<h4>Experiência Representativa</h4><ul><li>Representou a Inchcape, líder global independente na distribuição e varejo de carros multimarcas, na aquisição, por £ 47 milhões, da Autolider, distribuidora das marcas da Daimler no Uruguai e no Equador.</li></ul>

Ludovica Gardani es asociada en el Departamento Corporativo de la firma. Asesora a clientes en los Estados Unidos y América Latina sobre fusiones y adquisiciones, empresas conjuntas (joint ventures), transacciones de valores y mercado de capitales, y ofertas públicas y privadas.Ludovica trabaja con empresas públicas y privadas en inversiones estratégicas, financiamientos y licencias transfronterizas en una amplia gama de industrias, que incluyen tecnología, comercio minorista, infraestructura y tecnología financiera. También representa a empresas en relación con una amplia gama de asuntos de valores, tales como ofertas públicas y privadas, obligaciones de informes de la SEC y ofertas de conformidad con la Regla 144A y el Reglamento S.Ludovica se graduó de la Facultad de Derecho de la Universidad de Miami, donde fue Editora Ejecutiva del Business Law Review.<h4>Experiencia Representativa</h4><ul><li>Representó a Inchcape, el distribuidor y comerciante automotriz independiente líder a nivel mundial, en su adquisición de Autolider, un distribuidor de las marcas Daimler en Uruguay y Ecuador por £ 47 millones.</li></ul>

Ludovica Gardani-Menendez

Angelina is a corporate associate in Morrison Foerster’s San Francisco office.Prior to joining the firm, Angelina was a Summer Law Clerk with the National Football League’s Management Council.Angelina earned her J.D. at Duke University School of Law, where she served on the Executive Board of the Innocence Project and was a member of the Business Law Society. She also received a B.S., cum laude, from Tulane University.

Angelina Ditta

Michelle is an associate in Morrison Foerster’s Technology Transactions Group.Michelle’s practice is focused on transactions involving a broad range of intellectual property and technology, with a particular emphasis on patent licensing arrangements, software and SaaS licenses, and emergent technologies. Prior to joining the firm, Michelle was a Judicial Extern to the Hon. Alexander F. MacKinnon at the U.S. District Court, Central District of California. She was also a Summer Associate in the Technology Transactions Group.Michelle earned her J.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law with a specialization in Media, Entertainment, and Technology. She also holds a B.A. from the University of Michigan.