The "Weinstein Clause" and Social Due Diligence in Private Equity and M&A Transactions

Allegations of sexual misconduct in the workplace have given rise to a new world of potential risks for dealmakers. Under the rubric of what has become known as the "Weinstein Clause" (a reference to a contractual provision in deal documents allocating risk for allegations of sexual harassment), social due diligence has become a decisive factor in business transactions, particularly in the entertainment, media, and tech sectors. Deal professionals are now being pressed to evaluate a target through a social, ethical, and cultural lens, in addition to the traditional financial, operational, and legal considerations, and a premium is now being placed on understanding how issues related to workplace harassment, misconduct, and gender equality can impact the valuation and execution of a deal. Following a fireside chat on gender issues and workplace culture from an M&A perspective, a panel of company leaders, dealmakers, and innovators will share their insights on company culture and the current state of deal-making in the #metoo era. The program and discussion are geared toward professionals identifying, negotiating, and executing deals, including members of the C-suite, board members, VC, PE, or family office investors, and legal counsel and other deal advisors. Our panel of experts will address these and other questions: How important is workplace culture to business performance? How do you evaluate a company's culture from the acquirer's and seller's perspectives? Can technology play a role? How critical is the role of workplace culture in the success or failure of a deal? What issues in the workplace are being regarded by acquirers and investors as critical to the success of a given deal? To what extent are buyers and sellers in the entertainment, media, and technology space utilizing the "Weinstein Clause"? To view the agenda, please click here . Schedule Registration and Networking 4:30 – 5:00 p.m. ET Program 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. ET Networking Reception 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. ET Speakers Nabila Ahmed, M&A Reporter, Bloomberg News Gregory Bedrosian, Managing Partner and CEO, Drake Star Partners Rebekah Dopp, Global Partnerships, Founder of Exponent (Google's Gender Equality Incubator), Google Alan Epstein, Partner and Chair, Entertainment and Media Group, Venable LLP Kieron Faller, Co-Founder and CEO, Workio Cristy Irvin Phillips, Deputy General Counsel and Head of Litigation, 1/0 Capital LLC Ted Oberwager, Director, KKR Mark S. Vecchio , Partner, Corporate Group, Venable LLP