Greenberg Traurig has named former Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft senior partner Dennis Block the senior chairman of its global M&A practice, according to a press release issued yesterday by the firm. Mr. Block joined Cadwalader in 1998 in a high-profile lateral move from Weil, Gotshal & Manges. The 69-year-old lawyer is considered a major Wall Street dealmaker. Among the significant transactions on which he has played a leading role are advising pharmaceutical giant Pfizer on its $68 billion takeover of rival Wyeth in 2009, and earlier this year he led a Cadwalader team advising power provider DPL on its $4.7 billion acquisition by AES Corp.
Mr. Block’s move to Greenberg Traurig becomes effective Monday. He is expected to work closely with former Cadwalader restructuring co-chair Bruce Zirinsky, who joined Greenberg Traurig from Cadwalader in January 2009. Mr. Zirinsky had moved with Mr. Block to Cadwalader from Weil Gotshal in 1998.
