Dennis J. Block is the Senior Chairman of Greenberg Traurig's Global Mergers & Acquisitions practice, based in the New York office. Greenberg Traurig has approximately 3100 lawyers in 51 U.S. and international offices, including a global corporate practice of more than 500 lawyers. Mr. Block's practice is national and international in scope.
Mr. Block is known for precedent-setting transactions. These include:
•Pfizer Inc.'s $68 billion acquisition of Wyeth, the largest M&A transaction of 2009;
•P&G's acquisition of Gillette;
•Westinghouse's acquisition of CBS Corp;
•Bear Stearns Companies Inc. acquisition by JPMorgan Chase; and
•US West's acquisition of Continental Cablevision and its subsequent split-off and joint venture with Time-Warner and the ultimate sales of both US West (to Qwest Communications) and Media One (to AT&T).
Mr. Block also represented Pfizer, Inc in connection with its:
•$100 billion hostile acquisition of Warner-Lambert, the largest domestic hostile takeover to date;
•$60 billion acquisition of Pharmacia;
•acquisition of King Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; and
•its sale of the Capsugel business to KKR.
In 2010, he was named for the third time as an American Lawyer Dealmaker of the Year, for serving as counsel to Pfizer in its acquisition of Wyeth. Mr. Block has consistently been ranked in the first tier as one of the leading corporate/M&A lawyers by Chambers and Partners in its US and global editions. Mr. Block advises a broad range of entities including companies, boards of directors and special committees on corporate governance, M&A and related matters. Prior to entering private practice, he was a branch chief for enforcement in the New York Regional Office of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Mr. Block has been co-chairman of the Committee on Corporate Counsel and a member of the Council of the Section of Litigation of the American Bar Association. From 1993-1998, Mr. Block served as a member of the Committee on Corporate Laws of the Section of Business Law of the American Bar Association.
He has co-authored The Business Judgment Rule: Fiduciary Duties of Corporate Directors (5th ed. 1998 and Supp. 2000). He was also co-author of a monthly column in the New York Law Journal, co-editor of The Corporate Counsellor's Deskbook (5th ed. 1999), and a member of the editorial boards of several legal publications.
Mr. Block frequently lectures on mergers and acquisitions, the business judgment rule, corporate governance, federal securities law, corporate litigation, the attorney-client privilege and indemnification and insurance of corporate officials.
Mr. Block is a graduate of Brooklyn Law School, where he taught advanced corporate law as an adjunct professor. He holds a BA from the State University of New York at Buffalo.
Concentrations
•Mergers and acquisitions
•Private equity
•Proxy contests
•Joint ventures
•Third-party/self-tender offers
•Other corporate restructurings
•Corporate governance and board representation
•SEC matters
•Finance
•Risk and crisis management
Recognition & Leadership
Awards & Accolades
•Listed, Who's Who Legal, 'Thought Leaders - M&A and Governance,' 2023
•Listed, The Best Lawyers in America, 2006-2026
•Corporate Law, 2006-2026
•Mergers and Acquisitions Law, 2006-2026
•Corporate Governance Law, 2006-2021
•Listed, Chambers USA Guide, 2003-2025
•'Senior Statespeople,' 2025
•'Eminent Practitioners,' 2014-2023
•Listed, The Legal 500 United States
•M&A Corporate and Commercial - M&A: Large Deals ($1bn+), 2016-2019
•Mergers, Acquisitions and Buyouts - M&A: Large Deals - Leading Lawyers, 2012-2015
•“M&A Private Practice Powerlist - USA Region,” 2023-2024
•Listed, Super Lawyers magazine, New York Metro Super Lawyers, 2006-2024
•Listed, 'Top 100 Lawyers in New York,' 2013
•Listed, Thomson Reuters, 'Stand-Out Lawyers,' 2022-2024
•Listed, Acritas Stars Independently Rated Lawyers, 'Star Lawyers,' 2018-2021
•Listed, Chambers Global
•Corporate/M&A (International & Cross-Border), 2023-2026
•'Senior Statespeople,' 2025-2026
•'Eminent Practitioner,' 2023-2024
•Corporate/M&A (USA), 2015-2023
•'Eminent Practitioner,' 2015-2023
•Team Member, Corporate Board Member magazine and FTI Consulting Inc., one of 'America’s Best Corporate Law Firms,' 13th Annual Legal Industry Study, 2013
•Named, Client Service All Star, BTI Client Service All-Stars Report, 2012
•Listed, Euromoney’s Guide to the World’s Leading Mergers and Acquisitions Lawyers, 2011
•Listed, Lawdragon 500, 'Leading Lawyers in America,' 2011
•Named, 'Dealmaker of the Year,' The American Lawyer, 2000, 2003 and 2010
•Named, 'Most Influential Lawyers in America,' The American Lawyer, 2006
•Rated, AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5.0
