Michael J. Riella

Michael J. Riella is an associate in the firm’s corporate and securities practice group.  Mr. Riella represents public and private companies in a broad range of transactional matters, including mergers and acquisitions, financing and licensing transactions, securities offerings and joint venture arrangements.  Mr. Riella also regularly advises public and privately-held companies and boards of directors in connection with federal and state securities law, corporate governance and general corporate law matters.

Representative Matters

Representative Transactional Matters

• ExxonMobil in structuring and forming the Marine Well Containment Company, a joint venture with Chevron, Shell and ConocoPhillips dedicated to developing and, if needed, deploying, a rapid response system to capture and contain oil in the event of a future deepwater well blowout in the Gulf of Mexico.
• LIN Television Corporation in its issuance of $200 million of senior notes.
• New media start-up LX.TV, a producer of local lifestyle broadband and television content, in its sale to NBC Universal.
• The Procter & Gamble Company in its 50/50 joint venture with Inverness Medical Innovations, Inc. for the development, manufacturing, marketing and sale of existing and to-be-developed consumer diagnostic products in a transaction valued at $650 million.
• The Washington Post Company in the sale of its government publishing and events group.
• The NBC Television Affiliates in its joint venture with NBC Universal to establish and operate an online digital syndication business.
• The D.C. Sports and Entertainment Commission in connection with stadium development and lease arrangements with Major League Baseball and the Washington Nationals.
• JLG Industries, Inc. in its disposition of Gradall Industries.
• Public and private companies and investors in the media, technology and pharmaceutical industries in connection with mergers and acquisitions and financing transactions.

• Advises public company clients regarding reporting obligations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
• Advises public company clients in connection with securities offerings under the Securities Act of 1933.
• Advises clients regarding corporate governance matters, including executive compensation, director independence, board policies and charters, shareholder proposals, majority voting, voting policies of proxy advisory firms and state corporate law developments.
• Advises public company clients on a range of matters, such as share repurchase plans, takeover defense strategies and securities matters applicable to employee benefit plans.

Pro Bono

• Advises multiple nonprofit organizations in the DC metropolitan area regarding governance, strategic planning, commercial and general corporate matters.
• Advises a multinational nonprofit relief organization regarding corporate governance matters.

Memberships and Affiliations

• American Bar Association
• The District of Columbia Bar
• Virginia Bar Association

Publications and Speeches

• "Considering Director Independence," Covington Advisory (7/12/2007), Co-Author
• "New Executive Compensation Disclosure Rules," Covington Advisory (8/23/2006), Co-Author
• "Exchange Act Reporting Update," Covington Advisory (1/9/2006), Co-Author