Introduction
Rhona is a shareholder in Fredrikson & Byron’s Mergers & Acquisitions and Life Sciences Groups, and is Co-Chair of the Commercial Law Practice Group.
Rhona represents private and publicly-held corporations as both buyers and sellers in a variety of corporate transactions, such as mergers, stock purchases, asset purchases, divestitures, minority investments, and other strategic arrangements. In addition to “healthy” M&A deals, she has experience with M&A deals involving distressed companies. She regularly assists clients with a variety of commercial contracts, including supply and manufacturing agreements, distribution agreements, services agreements, development agreements and other arrangements that are critical for the smooth exchange of goods and services between businesses.
Rhona has extensive experience representing clients in the medical device and pharmaceutical industries, and deals frequently with the unique aspects of life sciences transactions, such as regulatory, quality, compliance, and intellectual property considerations. Rhona also worked in-house at the world’s largest medical device company, Medtronic, Inc. where she was seconded as interim legal counsel periodically from 2003-2008.
Education
- University of Minnesota Law School, J.D., 2003, cum laude
- University of Manitoba, B.A. Honors, Political Science, 2000, First Class Honours
- Hebrew University of Jerusalem, One Year Study Abroad Program in International Relations, 1998-1999
Bar Admissions
- Minnesota, 2003
Practice Areas
Representative Experience
Mergers & Acquisition Experience
- Key member of primary legal team representing Medtronic, Inc. in:
- acquisitions such as Restore Medical, Inc. (2008), CoreValve, Inc. (2009), Osteotech, Inc. (2010), Salient Surgical Technologies, Inc. (2011) and PEAK Surgical, Inc. (2011)
- numerous strategic investments, technology development and licensing transactions (2003-2011)
- asset purchases of private entities located in the U.S. and abroad (2003-2011)
- divestitures of business and product lines, agreements for the provision of transition services, supply and distribution rights (2003-2011)
- Represented RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation’s acquisition of Apthera, Inc. (2011)
- Assisted American Medical Systems, Inc. in a private company investment (2011)
- Key member of legal team representing Genmar Holdings, Inc. in its sale of assets to multiple buyers through the bankruptcy process (2010)
Commercial Contract Experience
- Represented California-based diagnostics company in a key supply agreement with a European manufacturer (2011)
- Represented Minnesota equipment manufacturer in large sale of customized equipment (2011)
- Represented a California-based pharmaceutical company in a research agreement with a university (2010)
- Represented California-based pharmaceutical company in numerous supply agreements with drug component manufacturers located in the U.S. and abroad (2008-2011)
- Frequently assist clients with proposals, purchase orders, confidentiality agreements, and other agreements arising in the ordinary course
Professional Activities
- American Bar Association
- Minnesota State Bar Association
- Cardozo Society Steering Committee, and Program Committee, Co-Chair
- Young Deal Professionals, Steering Committee
- Turnaround Management Association, Young Professionals Committee
- Hope Chest for Breast Cancer, Putt for the Pink Steering Committee
- Volunteer at
- Volunteer at Business Law Clinic, Midtown Global Market
Honors & Distinctions
- Minnesota Journal of Global Trade, Note & Comment Editor, 2002-2003
- Nominated for the Art Pfefer Memorial Award