Amy Meyers Batten

Amy Batten has over 30 years of experience in counseling public and private companies on corporate governance and complex securities laws and co-leads Smith Anderson’s Corporate and Transactional team. She works closely with executives and boards of directors, assisting with day-to-day compliance and advising on strategic corporate and capital raising transactions. Amy has advised many of the region’s largest and growing public companies and previously spent time in house with IBM Corporation.

Amy has served as primary outside counsel for companies conducting public and private offerings and facilitating secondary offerings from private equity sponsor shareholders in a wide variety of offering structures, including, among others, initial public offerings, fully marketed underwritten offerings, confidentially marketed shelf takedowns, bought deals, PIPEs and registered and private notes offerings.

In addition to providing securities advice, Amy regularly counsels public and private companies on governance structuring and best practices, conducts board and committee self-assessments, advises on general corporate matters and has substantial experience with mergers, acquisitions and other core corporate transactions.

Amy serves as Chair of the firm's Management Committee. 

Recognition

• Business North Carolina Legal Elite, Corporate (2024)
• Chambers USA: America's Leading Business Lawyers, Corporate/M&A (2015-2018; one of only two women in North Carolina)
• North Carolina Lawyers Weekly "Leaders in the Law" (2023)
• The Best Lawyers in America®
  • Best Lawyers® 2022 and 2025 Corporate Governance Law "Lawyer of the Year" in Raleigh
  • Securities/Capital Markets Law (2009-2025)
  • Corporate Law (2019-2025)
  • Corporate Governance (2023-2025)
  • Securities Regulation (2024-2025)
• Triangle Business Journal, Women in Business Award Winner (2022)
• Governing for Nonprofit Excellence, Harvard Business School Executive Education Program (2019)
• Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Rated

Education

• Duke University, J.D., with honors, 1992
• University of Pennsylvania, The Wharton School of Business, B.S., cum laude, 1989

Bar & Court Admissions

• North Carolina Bar Association
• Wake County Bar Association
• Ravenscroft School
  • Co-Chair, Head of School Search Committee (2023)
  • Chair, Board of Trustees (2020-2023)
  • Member, Board of Trustees (2015-2020)
  • Chair, Committee on Trustees (2016-2019)
• Co-Chair, Smith Anderson Corporate and Transactional Group
• Chair, Smith Anderson Management Committee
• Co-Chair, Smith Anderson Lawyer Development Committee
• Former Co-Chair, Smith Anderson Recruiting Committee
• Board of Directors, Carolina Ballet, 2001-2004

• Represented a leading genome editing company dedicated to improving life in its $145.4 million initial public offering of 9,085,000 shares of common stock at a public offering price of $16.00 per share.
• Advised a Nasdaq-listed pharmaceutical development company in the acquisition of a specialty dermatology company for up to $51 million in up-front and contingent consideration.
• Advised an investment banking firm and broker-dealer specializing in the financial services sector, as lead underwriter, in connection with a $20 million public offering of a community bank common stock.
• Advised a multinational Fortune 500 provider of product development and integrated healthcare services in its merger with a NYSE-listed global information and technology services company, creating a leading information and tech-enabled healthcare service provider. The equity market capitalization of the joined companies was more than $17.6 billion at closing.
• Advised a leading worldwide interactive entertainment and gaming company in a $1.25 billion strategic investment by leaders in the technology, financial, sports and entertainment communities.
  
• Represented a global provider of biopharmaceutical development services and commercial outsourcing services in its $1.1 billion initial public offering and listing on the New York Stock Exchange, as well as subsequent secondary offerings totaling proceeds of approximately $3 billion to selling shareholders.
• Represented a Nasdaq-listed pharmaceutical development company in a $38 million public offering of common stock
• Advised a leading timberland REIT in connection with its $207 million public offering.
• Represented a global biopharmaceutical services company with its $525 million offering of senior notes and a related holding company reorganization and spinoff of a subsidiary to its shareholders.
• Represented a global biopharmaceutical services company in connection with a tender offer for its outstanding $525 million senior notes.
• Represented a global solid state LED lighting and semiconductor manufacturing company in connection with its announced agreement for its $850 million sale of assets to a publicly traded German semiconductor company. The transaction was terminated before completion due to regulatory considerations.
• Represented a global biopharmaceutical services company in connection with a private equity transaction that reconstituted the company's ownership and provided liquidity to its existing security holders.
• Represented global solid state LED lighting and semiconductor manufacturing company in $434 million public offering of common stock.
• Advised a publicly traded supplier of water and water dispensers in an agreement to acquire by merger a publicly traded competitor for $263 million in cash and stock.
• Represented a multinational manufacturer and supplier to the papermaking industry in connection with a private placement of $240 million of senior notes and subsequent exchange offer for registered notes.
• Advised a semiconductor and LED company on the divestiture of its lighting products business unit for an initial cash payment of $225 million plus the potential to receive an earn-out payment based on the business’s post-closing performance.
• Represented the largest electric utility in the United States in tender offer for outstanding contingent value rights
• Represented major convenience store chain in connection with a tender offer and consent solicitation with respect to outstanding senior secured notes.
• Represented multiple public companies in regular 1934 Act compliance, securities filings and corporate governance matters.