In what appears to be the largest tech merger since the HP/Compaq deal, today Juniper Networks announced its intended acquisition of NetScreen Technologies.
After a marathon deal negotiation that ended with a non-stop 72 hour session over the weekend, on Monday, February 9, 2004, Juniper Networks, Inc. (Nasdaq: JNPR) signed an agreement to acquire NetScreen Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: NSCN), in a stock for stock merger transaction deal estimated to be worth approximately $4 Billion. The acquisition is subject to regulatory review and other customary closing conditions and is expected to close by the end of May 2004.
Fenwick & West represented its longtime client NetScreen in this transaction. Fenwick & West has served as principal outside counsel to NetScreen since its founding in October 1997, though its IPO in December 2001 and in its acquisitions of OneSecure, Inc. and Neoteris, Inc. during the past 18 months. Juniper Networks was represented by Wilson Sonsini Goodrich and Rosati.
The Fenwick & West transaction team included: corporate attorneys Matt Quilter, Katrin Robb, Melissa Eisenberg, Melanie Grace, Brian Hicks, Doug Stewart, Nicole Harper, Paul Nelson, and Yoonie Chang; technology transactions attorneys Stephen Gillepsie, David Lisi, Dan Johnson and Michael Blum; compensation and benefits attorneys Scott Spector and Tahir Naim; tax attorney Ron Schrotenboer; and trademark attorney Connie Ellerbach. The NetScreen corporate counsel team included Tom Tovar, Michael Johnson, Robert Bradley, Brad Johnsen, Lana Krtolica.
