GIL FRIEDLANDER focuses his practice on corporate law, bringing to bear more than 40 years of experience that includes service as Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary at Electronic Data Systems Corporation (EDS). He regularly advises boards and board committees in connection with internal investigations and various governance issues, as well as corporate, securities and crisis management matters. In addition, Gil has experience representing public corporations and private entities in various corporate  activities, among them, mergers, acquisitions, dispositions, initial public offerings, other equity and debt offerings and joint ventures.

Some of Gil’s experience prior to and since joining Sidley includes representing: 

• CEC, Inc. (Chuck E. Cheese) in its $1.3 billion sale to affiliates of Apollo, Inc.

• Sales of re-insurance companies owned by Brookfield Asset Management, Inc.

• Blockbuster, Inc. in connection with its Chapter 11 reorganization proceedings and including the sale of Blockbuster  to Dish Network, Inc. 

• Sales of certain assets and companies owned from the bankruptcy estate of Lehman Brothers, Inc.

• BancTec, Inc. in connection with an acquisition by certain qualified investors in a Rule 144A equity offering and in its ultimate sale to a private company in 2014. 

• The Special Committee of the Board of Directors of 7-Eleven, Inc. in connection with its successful “going private” transaction.

• The Special Committee of Best Buy, Inc. in connection with a publicly announced internal investigation.

• Sunterra Corporation, a public company in connection with various matters including the tender offer by Diamond Resorts International, Inc. 

• Two Special Committees of the Board of Directors of a major airline in connection with a shareholder derivative action  and for  demand letters relating to (i) alleged aircraft maintenance issues and the imposition by the FAA of a large fine and (ii) with respect to an in flight aircraft incident which resulted in no injuries to passengers or crew. 

• Special Committee of the Board of Directors of a publicly held resort company in connection with alleged violation of state licensing laws critical to their operation.

• The Special Litigation Committee of the Board of Directors of a public energy company in connection with its restatement of certain of its publicly filed financial statements.

• The Special Committee of the Board of Directors of an energy service public company in connection with  stockholder demands in respect of certain terms and disclosures in a public merger transaction.

• An internal investigation for the Board of Directors of a technology company in connection with potential violations of the Federal Corrupt Practices Act.

• An internal investigation for a Fortune 500 public company with respect to domestic and international matters. 

• The Special Committee of the Board of Directors of Fossil, Inc. in connection with its publicly announced investigation into its stock option granting practices.

• Representation of various Boards of Directors, Audit and Special Committees in unannounced public and private company internal investigations.

• Individuals and companies before the SEC and other regulatory bodies. 

• Various activities for “family offices” which include, in addition to general representation, various acquisitions and divestitures.

Gil is a certified mediator.

Gil has been ranked by Chambers USA in Corporate/M&A for Texas and is included in The Best Lawyers in America from 2007–2022. He also is recognized as a Texas “Super Lawyer” by Texas Super Lawyers and was named a “Best Lawyer” in Dallas by D Magazine (2012).