Brett J. Rodda

Profile

Brett J. Rodda is a corporate partner in the Los Angeles office of Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP. In 2010, he was named one of California’s top 20 attorneys under 40 by the Daily Journal for his work on Berkshire Hathaway’s $44 billion acquisition of Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp. and the blockbuster merger of the William Morris and Endeavor talent agencies. His practice touches on a wide variety of corporate transactions and securities matters, with an emphasis on public company corporate governance and M&A.

Mr. Rodda regularly represents public companies and their boards with respect to SEC regulations, stock exchange listing requirements, executive compensation matters, fiduciary duties and internal investigations. He was also responsible for the securities and regulatory analysis that led to the structure for Warren Buffett’s historic gift to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

In the mergers and acquisitions area, Mr. Rodda has represented the buyer in numerous public company deals, including tender offers and one-step mergers. He has also negotiated dozens of private company acquisitions and joint ventures, as well as more than 100 debt and equity investments for private equity firms and strategic investors.

Mr. Rodda is a member of the board of directors of Junior Achievement of Southern California, a non-profit group dedicated to educating students about entrepreneurship, financial literacy and work readiness. He is a director of Friends of the Observatory, the non-profit support group for Los Angeles’ Griffith Observatory. Mr. Rodda is also a member of the California and Los Angeles Bar Associations.

Mr. Rodda received his law degree from Stanford Law School, where he graduated Order of the Coif and was an associate editor of the Stanford Law Review. He received his undergraduate degree from George Washington University, where he majored in Political Communication and graduated at the top of his class. Prior to attending law school, Mr. Rodda worked as an associate in the corporate communications department of the NASDAQ Stock Market.

Key Representations

  • Berkshire Hathaway, in its $44 billion acquisition of Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway Co. 
  • The William Morris Agency, in its merger with The Endeavor Talent Agency, creating one of the largest full-service talent agencies (William Morris Endeavor Entertainment) in Hollywood. 
  • Prominent real estate developer Michael Costa, in the formation of Highridge Costa Housing Partners and the acquisition from Citigroup Inc. of the general partnership interests in a $3.4 billion residential real estate portfolio. 
  • Berkshire Hathaway, in its merger agreement with Wesco Financial Corp. in a cash and stock deal valuing Wesco at $2.7 billion. 
  • Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta (and their company, Fertitta Entertainment LLC) in their joint venture with the former lenders to Station Casinos LLC to purchase Station’s gaming properties and land holdings out of bankruptcy through a plan restructuring more than $6.5 billion in liabilities. 
  • 99¢ Only Stores, in its $1.6 billion going private transaction.
  • KB Home, in a public offering of $350 million in new senior notes and a simultaneous tender offer for older senior notes.

Brett J. Rodda is a corporate partner in the Los Angeles office of Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP. In 2010, he was named one of California’s top 20 attorneys under 40 by the Daily Journal for his work on Berkshire Hathaway’s $44 billion acquisition of Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp. and the blockbuster merger of the William Morris and Endeavor talent agencies. His practice touches on a wide variety of corporate transactions and securities matters, with an emphasis on public company corporate governance and M&A.

Mr. Rodda regularly represents public companies and their boards with respect to SEC regulations, stock exchange listing requirements, executive compensation matters, fiduciary duties and internal investigations. He was also responsible for the securities and regulatory analysis that led to the structure for Warren Buffett’s historic gift to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

In the mergers and acquisitions area, Mr. Rodda has represented the buyer in numerous public company deals, including tender offers and one-step mergers. He has also negotiated dozens of private company acquisitions and joint ventures, as well as more than 100 debt and equity investments for private equity firms and strategic investors.

Mr. Rodda is a member of the board of directors of Junior Achievement of Southern California, a non-profit group dedicated to educating students about entrepreneurship, financial literacy and work readiness. He is a director of Friends of the Observatory, the non-profit support group for Los Angeles’ Griffith Observatory. Mr. Rodda is also a member of the California and Los Angeles Bar Associations.

Mr. Rodda received his law degree from Stanford Law School, where he graduated Order of the Coif and was an associate editor of the Stanford Law Review. He received his undergraduate degree from George Washington University, where he majored in Political Communication and graduated at the top of his class. Prior to attending law school, Mr. Rodda worked as an associate in the corporate communications department of the NASDAQ Stock Market.

Key Representations

  • Berkshire Hathaway, in its $44 billion acquisition of Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway Co. 
  • The William Morris Agency, in its merger with The Endeavor Talent Agency, creating one of the largest full-service talent agencies (William Morris Endeavor Entertainment) in Hollywood. 
  • Prominent real estate developer Michael Costa, in the formation of Highridge Costa Housing Partners and the acquisition from Citigroup Inc. of the general partnership interests in a $3.4 billion residential real estate portfolio. 
  • Berkshire Hathaway, in its merger agreement with Wesco Financial Corp. in a cash and stock deal valuing Wesco at $2.7 billion. 
  • Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta (and their company, Fertitta Entertainment LLC) in their joint venture with the former lenders to Station Casinos LLC to purchase Station’s gaming properties and land holdings out of bankruptcy through a plan restructuring more than $6.5 billion in liabilities. 
  • 99¢ Only Stores, in its $1.6 billion going private transaction.
  • KB Home, in a public offering of $350 million in new senior notes and a simultaneous tender offer for older senior notes.