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Nicholas A.
Dorsey

Partner, Corporate

ndorsey@cravath.com
  • New York+1-212-474-1764
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Nicholas A. Dorsey focuses his practice on representing corporate issuers and borrowers, and financial institutions, lenders and other parties, in public and private offerings of securities, loan transactions and other financing transactions. He also represents companies in mergers and acquisitions and regularly advises clients in connection with public disclosure and corporate matters. He is Co-Head of the Venture Capital & Growth Equity Practice, where he dedicates significant time to providing commercial and strategic advice to startup, early‑stage and founder‑led companies and investors in such companies. Clients regularly seek his counsel for the practical, commercial advice he offers with respect to their most challenging matters.

In addition to traditional capital markets offerings and banking transactions, Mr. Dorsey’s financing practice includes advising on liability management transactions, asset- and royalty-based financings and securitizations. He has extensive cross‑border experience and counts multiple international companies and financial institutions among his diverse client base.

Notable work highlights include:

  • IPOs, direct listings, SPAC combinations and spin-offs for companies such as Alliant Techsystems (ATK), Cano Health, Climate Transition Capital Acquisition I, Costamare, DRI Healthcare Trust, On, Palantir, SciPlay, Swvl, Vaxxinity, Vista Outdoor and Younited
  • Public and private equity financings for companies such as Akorn, Beacon Roofing Supply, Credit Suisse, DRI Healthcare Trust, Forterra, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Oddity, Orcosa, PG&E, PNC, Replimune and Swvl 
  • Investor representations such as DMGT in the $8.1 billion business combination of Cazoo and AJAX I SPAC; Prosus in its $500 million PIPE investment in connection with Churchill II SPAC’s $1.5 billion merger with Skillsoft and acquisition of Global Knowledge; Richemont in its $1.1 billion PIPE investment in Farfetch, in partnership with Alibaba; Shaolin Capital Management in its $50 million PIPE investment in connection with the business combination of Bitcoin Depot and GSR II Meteora Acquisition Corp.; a large investor in connection with the $5.1 billion IPO of Lineage; DRI Capital and its affiliates in multiple matters, including equity investments and acquisitions of traditional and synthetic royalty interests; and a variety of venture capital firms, corporate venture capital departments and angel investors in investments of all sizes
  • Debt offerings for companies such as Beacon Roofing Supply, CBRE, Chemours, Corteva, Credit Acceptance, Credit Suisse, Disney, Expedia, Graham Holdings, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, HP, Lazard, Navistar, Nestlé, Occidental Petroleum, Oddity, Outbrain, Parker‑Hannifin, PG&E and Sherwin‑Williams
  • Banking and credit transactions for companies such as Bay Club, Beacon Roofing Supply, Centene, The Collective, Outbrain, PG&E, RedHill Biopharma and WiLine Networks
  • Accounts-receivable financings, securitizations and other structured financings for companies such as Albemarle, Amentum, Citibank Credit Card Issuance Trust, Corteva, Crown Castle, Drug Royalty, Ferroglobe, INEOS, Martin Marietta, Mylan, Occidental Petroleum, Olin, RedHill Biopharma, US Foods and Viatris
  • PG&E’s tri‑tranche offering, which represents the largest utility public equity offering in history, as well as the arrangement of its Debtor‑in‑Possession (“DIP”) financing and other advisory matters relating to its chapter 11 proceedings

Mr. Dorsey has been recognized for his work in capital markets by Chambers USA, Chambers Global, The Legal 500 US, IFLR1000 and Lawdragon. He has been named to Bloomberg Law’s “40 Under 40” list and was named the “Equity Capital Markets Lawyer of the Year” by IFLR1000 in its United States Awards and a “Rising Star” by Law360, recognizing him as one of five outstanding capital markets lawyers in the nation under the age of 40. Mr. Dorsey’s representations of the Founders of Palantir in the company’s direct listing and PG&E in its $5.5 billion DIP financing have been featured as the “Equity Capital Markets Deal of the Year” and “Banking and Finance Deal of the Year,” respectively, by IFLR1000.

Mr. Dorsey is a frequent speaker and author on a range of finance topics. He has authored the U.S. Law & Practice chapter of the Chambers Venture Capital Guide and served as Contributing Editor of multiple editions of the Chambers Acquisition Finance Guide. In addition, Mr. Dorsey authored the “Special Considerations for Non-EU Issuers” chapter in the Third Edition of European Securities Law and co‑authored an article entitled “SPAC Transactions in the United States” in The Legal 500’s “Mergers & Acquisitions Country Comparative Guide.” He has spoken at events such as the International Bar Association’s “From Start‑Up to IPO,” “Global Entrepreneurship” and “Silicon Hills – the Tech Epicentre of Texas: from Start-Up to Exit” conferences, the Practising Law Institute’s “Institute on Securities Regulation,” TechGC’s First-Time GC Summit and Cornell Tech’s Board of Directors Forum.

Mr. Dorsey is a member of the International Bar Association and serves as the Entrepreneurship Conference Know‑How Officer of the Closely Held Companies Committee.

Mr. Dorsey was born in Canton, Ohio. He received a B.S. and M.Acc. summa cum laude from Case Western Reserve University in 2006 and a J.D. summa cum laude from Cornell Law School in 2009, where he was a Notes Editor of the Law Review and was elected to the Order of the Coif.

Mr. Dorsey joined Cravath in 2009 and was elected a partner in 2017. He worked in the Firm’s London office from 2011 to 2013 and is currently based in the Firm’s New York office.

In addition to traditional capital markets offerings and banking transactions, Mr. Dorsey’s financing practice includes advising on liability management transactions, asset- and royalty-based financings and securitizations. He has extensive cross‑border experience and counts multiple international companies and financial institutions among his diverse client base.

Notable work highlights include:

  • IPOs, direct listings, SPAC combinations and spin-offs for companies such as Alliant Techsystems (ATK), Cano Health, Climate Transition Capital Acquisition I, Costamare, DRI Healthcare Trust, On, Palantir, SciPlay, Swvl, Vaxxinity, Vista Outdoor and Younited
  • Public and private equity financings for companies such as Akorn, Beacon Roofing Supply, Credit Suisse, DRI Healthcare Trust, Forterra, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Oddity, Orcosa, PG&E, PNC, Replimune and Swvl 
  • Investor representations such as DMGT in the $8.1 billion business combination of Cazoo and AJAX I SPAC; Prosus in its $500 million PIPE investment in connection with Churchill II SPAC’s $1.5 billion merger with Skillsoft and acquisition of Global Knowledge; Richemont in its $1.1 billion PIPE investment in Farfetch, in partnership with Alibaba; Shaolin Capital Management in its $50 million PIPE investment in connection with the business combination of Bitcoin Depot and GSR II Meteora Acquisition Corp.; a large investor in connection with the $5.1 billion IPO of Lineage; DRI Capital and its affiliates in multiple matters, including equity investments and acquisitions of traditional and synthetic royalty interests; and a variety of venture capital firms, corporate venture capital departments and angel investors in investments of all sizes
  • Debt offerings for companies such as Beacon Roofing Supply, CBRE, Chemours, Corteva, Credit Acceptance, Credit Suisse, Disney, Expedia, Graham Holdings, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, HP, Lazard, Navistar, Nestlé, Occidental Petroleum, Oddity, Outbrain, Parker‑Hannifin, PG&E and Sherwin‑Williams
  • Banking and credit transactions for companies such as Bay Club, Beacon Roofing Supply, Centene, The Collective, Outbrain, PG&E, RedHill Biopharma and WiLine Networks
  • Accounts-receivable financings, securitizations and other structured financings for companies such as Albemarle, Amentum, Citibank Credit Card Issuance Trust, Corteva, Crown Castle, Drug Royalty, Ferroglobe, INEOS, Martin Marietta, Mylan, Occidental Petroleum, Olin, RedHill Biopharma, US Foods and Viatris
  • PG&E’s tri‑tranche offering, which represents the largest utility public equity offering in history, as well as the arrangement of its Debtor‑in‑Possession (“DIP”) financing and other advisory matters relating to its chapter 11 proceedings

Mr. Dorsey has been recognized for his work in capital markets by Chambers USA, Chambers Global, The Legal 500 US, IFLR1000 and Lawdragon. He has been named to Bloomberg Law’s “40 Under 40” list and was named the “Equity Capital Markets Lawyer of the Year” by IFLR1000 in its United States Awards and a “Rising Star” by Law360, recognizing him as one of five outstanding capital markets lawyers in the nation under the age of 40. Mr. Dorsey’s representations of the Founders of Palantir in the company’s direct listing and PG&E in its $5.5 billion DIP financing have been featured as the “Equity Capital Markets Deal of the Year” and “Banking and Finance Deal of the Year,” respectively, by IFLR1000.

Mr. Dorsey is a frequent speaker and author on a range of finance topics. He has authored the U.S. Law & Practice chapter of the Chambers Venture Capital Guide and served as Contributing Editor of multiple editions of the Chambers Acquisition Finance Guide. In addition, Mr. Dorsey authored the “Special Considerations for Non-EU Issuers” chapter in the Third Edition of European Securities Law and co‑authored an article entitled “SPAC Transactions in the United States” in The Legal 500’s “Mergers & Acquisitions Country Comparative Guide.” He has spoken at events such as the International Bar Association’s “From Start‑Up to IPO,” “Global Entrepreneurship” and “Silicon Hills – the Tech Epicentre of Texas: from Start-Up to Exit” conferences, the Practising Law Institute’s “Institute on Securities Regulation,” TechGC’s First-Time GC Summit and Cornell Tech’s Board of Directors Forum.

Mr. Dorsey is a member of the International Bar Association and serves as the Entrepreneurship Conference Know‑How Officer of the Closely Held Companies Committee.

Mr. Dorsey was born in Canton, Ohio. He received a B.S. and M.Acc. summa cum laude from Case Western Reserve University in 2006 and a J.D. summa cum laude from Cornell Law School in 2009, where he was a Notes Editor of the Law Review and was elected to the Order of the Coif.

Mr. Dorsey joined Cravath in 2009 and was elected a partner in 2017. He worked in the Firm’s London office from 2011 to 2013 and is currently based in the Firm’s New York office.

Education

  • J.D., 2009, Cornell Law School
    Order of the Coif, summa cum laude
  • M.Acc., 2006, Case Western Reserve University
    summa cum laude
  • B.S., 2006, Case Western Reserve University
    summa cum laude

Admitted In

  • New York

Professional Affiliations

International Bar Association

  • Entrepreneurship Conference Know-How Officer, Closely Held Companies Committee

 

New York City Bar Association

New York State Bar Association

Rankings

Bloomberg Law

  • They’ve Got Next: The 40 Under 40 (2023)

Chambers Global

  • Capital Markets: Debt & Equity - USA (2025-2022)

Chambers USA

  • Capital Markets: Debt & Equity - Nationwide (2025-2021)

IFLR1000

  • Banking - US (2024-2021)
  • Capital Markets - US (2024-2020)
  • Equity Capital Markets Lawyer of the Year - US (2021)
  • Mergers and Acquisitions - US (2020)

Law360

  • Rising Star: Capital Markets (2019)

Lawdragon

  • 500 Leading Dealmakers in America (2024)

The Legal 500 US

  • Capital Markets: Debt Offerings (2025-2019)
  • Capital Markets: Equity Offerings (2025-2020)
  • Capital Markets: Global Offerings (2025-2022)

Deals & Cases

May 27, 2025

CBRE Services, Inc.’s $1.1 Billion Registered Senior Notes Offering

Cravath represented the underwriters in connection with the $1.1 billion registered senior notes offering of CBRE Services, Inc., a direct wholly‑owned subsidiary of CBRE Group, Inc. (“CBRE”). CBRE is the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm. The transaction closed on May 12, 2025.

Deals & Cases

March 14, 2025

Credit Acceptance Corporation’s High‑Yield Senior Notes Offering

Cravath represented the initial purchasers in connection with the $500 million Rule 144A high‑yield senior notes offering of Credit Acceptance Corporation, a leading independent auto finance company. The transaction closed on February 28, 2025.

Deals & Cases

February 25, 2025

OT Midco Inc.’s High‑Yield Senior Secured Notes Offering

Cravath represented OT Midco Inc. in connection with its $637.5 million 144A/Reg. S high‑yield senior secured notes offering. OT Midco Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Outbrain Inc., a leading technology platform that connects media owners and advertisers to over a billion unique consumers around the world. Proceeds of the offering were used to repay, in full, the bridge facility used to finance Outbrain Inc.’s acquisition of Teads S.A. The transaction closed on February 11, 2025.

Deals & Cases

February 03, 2025

Outbrain’s Acquisition of Teads

On February 3, 2025, Outbrain Inc. (“Outbrain”), a technology platform, announced the closing of its acquisition of Teads, a global omnichannel platform, from Altice. The two companies will merge their offerings to create an omnichannel outcomes platform for the open internet, and will operate under the name Teads. Outbrain, Altice and Teads have amended the previously announced share purchase agreement. Under the terms of the revised agreement, Outbrain will be paying a total consideration of approximately $900 million, consisting of $625 million upfront cash and 43.75 million shares of common stock of Outbrain valued at approximately $263 million. Cravath is representing Outbrain in connection with the transaction.

Deals & Cases

January 06, 2025

Disney’s Combination of its Hulu + Live TV Business with Fubo

On January 6, 2025, The Walt Disney Company (“Disney”) and FuboTV Inc. (“Fubo) announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement for Disney to combine its Hulu + Live TV business with Fubo, forming a combined virtual MVPD company of which Disney will become the majority owner.

Publications

June 12, 2025

SEC Solicits Public Comment on the Eligibility Criteria for Foreign Private Issuer Status

On June 11, 2025, Cravath prepared a memo for its clients entitled “SEC Solicits Public Comment on the Eligibility Criteria for Foreign Private Issuer Status.” The memo examines a concept release recently published by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to seek public comment on whether to revise the “foreign private issuer” definition in light of shifting trends in the characteristics of the FPI population.

Publications

June 06, 2025

Scott Bennett, Nick Dorsey, Virginia Anderson and Ellen Park Co‑Author U.S. Chapter of 2025 Chambers Venture Capital Guide

Cravath partners D. Scott Bennett and Nicholas A. Dorsey and of counsels Virginia M. Anderson and Ellen H. Park co‑authored the U.S. Law and Practice chapter of the Chambers Venture Capital Guide, which was published in May 2025. The guide, which is part of the publisher’s Global Practice Guides series, provides the latest legal information on trends in the venture capital market; fund structures, economics and regulation; investments in VC companies; government subsidies and tax; employee incentivization and exits in the 26 jurisdictions covered. The U.S. Law and Practice chapter examines how the artificial intelligence sector drove momentum in the venture capital market throughout the past year; the continued prevalence of “down round” raises, bridge financing solutions and alternative financing solutions for companies that have faced financing challenges; typical venture capital fund structure in the United States and more.

Activities

March 28, 2025

Dave Kappos, Noah Phillips and Nick Dorsey Speak at Cornell Tech’s Board of Directors Forum

Cravath partners David J. Kappos, Noah Joshua Phillips and Nicholas A. Dorsey participated in Cornell Tech’s Board of Directors Forum, which was held from March 26‑27, 2025 in New York. The forum, designed for board members and senior leaders, convened business and legal practitioners, Cornell faculty, former senior government regulators and directors of private and public companies to discuss how corporate boards can stay ahead of developing technologies, regulatory trends and geopolitical shifts.

Activities

March 06, 2025

Nick Dorsey and Kelly Smercina Speak at NOVA and CFGI’s US – IPO Readiness Event

On March 6, 2025, Cravath partners Nicholas A. Dorsey and Kelly M. Smercina participated in NOVA and CFGI’s US – IPO Readiness event, which was hosted by BNY in London. The event convened representatives of the four organizations for a training session on IPO readiness in U.S. capital markets, covering the IPO process and timeline, team and organizational setup and legal considerations.

Activities

February 18, 2025

Nick Dorsey Speaks at IBA’s 6th Silicon Hills Conference

On February 13, 2025, Cravath partner Nicholas A. Dorsey participated in the International Bar Association’s 6th Silicon Hills Conference – the Tech Epicentre of Texas: from Start‑Up to Exit, which was held from February 12‑14 in Austin, Texas. Nick spoke on a panel entitled “Investing in Tech Startups. Is it Still Worth it?,” which explored investors’ skepticism around tech startups, the current and future M&A environment’s effect on exit valuations, the regulatory environment’s effect on international startup investments and whether investors should look to ventures beyond the tech industry.

Nicholas A. Dorsey focuses his practice on representing corporate issuers and borrowers, and financial institutions, lenders and other parties, in public and private offerings of securities, loan transactions and other financing transactions. He also represents companies in mergers and acquisitions and regularly advises clients in connection with public disclosure and corporate matters. He is Co-Head of the Venture Capital & Growth Equity Practice, where he dedicates significant time to providing commercial and strategic advice to startup, early‑stage and founder‑led companies and investors in such companies. Clients regularly seek his counsel for the practical, commercial advice he offers with respect to their most challenging matters.

In addition to traditional capital markets offerings and banking transactions, Mr. Dorsey’s financing practice includes advising on liability management transactions, asset- and royalty-based financings and securitizations. He has extensive cross‑border experience and counts multiple international companies and financial institutions among his diverse client base.

Notable work highlights include:

  • IPOs, direct listings, SPAC combinations and spin-offs for companies such as Alliant Techsystems (ATK), Cano Health, Climate Transition Capital Acquisition I, Costamare, DRI Healthcare Trust, On, Palantir, SciPlay, Swvl, Vaxxinity, Vista Outdoor and Younited
  • Public and private equity financings for companies such as Akorn, Beacon Roofing Supply, Credit Suisse, DRI Healthcare Trust, Forterra, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Oddity, Orcosa, PG&E, PNC, Replimune and Swvl 
  • Investor representations such as DMGT in the $8.1 billion business combination of Cazoo and AJAX I SPAC; Prosus in its $500 million PIPE investment in connection with Churchill II SPAC’s $1.5 billion merger with Skillsoft and acquisition of Global Knowledge; Richemont in its $1.1 billion PIPE investment in Farfetch, in partnership with Alibaba; Shaolin Capital Management in its $50 million PIPE investment in connection with the business combination of Bitcoin Depot and GSR II Meteora Acquisition Corp.; a large investor in connection with the $5.1 billion IPO of Lineage; DRI Capital and its affiliates in multiple matters, including equity investments and acquisitions of traditional and synthetic royalty interests; and a variety of venture capital firms, corporate venture capital departments and angel investors in investments of all sizes
  • Debt offerings for companies such as Beacon Roofing Supply, CBRE, Chemours, Corteva, Credit Acceptance, Credit Suisse, Disney, Expedia, Graham Holdings, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, HP, Lazard, Navistar, Nestlé, Occidental Petroleum, Oddity, Outbrain, Parker‑Hannifin, PG&E and Sherwin‑Williams
  • Banking and credit transactions for companies such as Bay Club, Beacon Roofing Supply, Centene, The Collective, Outbrain, PG&E, RedHill Biopharma and WiLine Networks
  • Accounts-receivable financings, securitizations and other structured financings for companies such as Albemarle, Amentum, Citibank Credit Card Issuance Trust, Corteva, Crown Castle, Drug Royalty, Ferroglobe, INEOS, Martin Marietta, Mylan, Occidental Petroleum, Olin, RedHill Biopharma, US Foods and Viatris
  • PG&E’s tri‑tranche offering, which represents the largest utility public equity offering in history, as well as the arrangement of its Debtor‑in‑Possession (“DIP”) financing and other advisory matters relating to its chapter 11 proceedings

Mr. Dorsey has been recognized for his work in capital markets by Chambers USA, Chambers Global, The Legal 500 US, IFLR1000 and Lawdragon. He has been named to Bloomberg Law’s “40 Under 40” list and was named the “Equity Capital Markets Lawyer of the Year” by IFLR1000 in its United States Awards and a “Rising Star” by Law360, recognizing him as one of five outstanding capital markets lawyers in the nation under the age of 40. Mr. Dorsey’s representations of the Founders of Palantir in the company’s direct listing and PG&E in its $5.5 billion DIP financing have been featured as the “Equity Capital Markets Deal of the Year” and “Banking and Finance Deal of the Year,” respectively, by IFLR1000.

Mr. Dorsey is a frequent speaker and author on a range of finance topics. He has authored the U.S. Law & Practice chapter of the Chambers Venture Capital Guide and served as Contributing Editor of multiple editions of the Chambers Acquisition Finance Guide. In addition, Mr. Dorsey authored the “Special Considerations for Non-EU Issuers” chapter in the Third Edition of European Securities Law and co‑authored an article entitled “SPAC Transactions in the United States” in The Legal 500’s “Mergers & Acquisitions Country Comparative Guide.” He has spoken at events such as the International Bar Association’s “From Start‑Up to IPO,” “Global Entrepreneurship” and “Silicon Hills – the Tech Epicentre of Texas: from Start-Up to Exit” conferences, the Practising Law Institute’s “Institute on Securities Regulation,” TechGC’s First-Time GC Summit and Cornell Tech’s Board of Directors Forum.

Mr. Dorsey is a member of the International Bar Association and serves as the Entrepreneurship Conference Know‑How Officer of the Closely Held Companies Committee.

Mr. Dorsey was born in Canton, Ohio. He received a B.S. and M.Acc. summa cum laude from Case Western Reserve University in 2006 and a J.D. summa cum laude from Cornell Law School in 2009, where he was a Notes Editor of the Law Review and was elected to the Order of the Coif.

Mr. Dorsey joined Cravath in 2009 and was elected a partner in 2017. He worked in the Firm’s London office from 2011 to 2013 and is currently based in the Firm’s New York office.

In addition to traditional capital markets offerings and banking transactions, Mr. Dorsey’s financing practice includes advising on liability management transactions, asset- and royalty-based financings and securitizations. He has extensive cross‑border experience and counts multiple international companies and financial institutions among his diverse client base.

Notable work highlights include:

  • IPOs, direct listings, SPAC combinations and spin-offs for companies such as Alliant Techsystems (ATK), Cano Health, Climate Transition Capital Acquisition I, Costamare, DRI Healthcare Trust, On, Palantir, SciPlay, Swvl, Vaxxinity, Vista Outdoor and Younited
  • Public and private equity financings for companies such as Akorn, Beacon Roofing Supply, Credit Suisse, DRI Healthcare Trust, Forterra, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Oddity, Orcosa, PG&E, PNC, Replimune and Swvl 
  • Investor representations such as DMGT in the $8.1 billion business combination of Cazoo and AJAX I SPAC; Prosus in its $500 million PIPE investment in connection with Churchill II SPAC’s $1.5 billion merger with Skillsoft and acquisition of Global Knowledge; Richemont in its $1.1 billion PIPE investment in Farfetch, in partnership with Alibaba; Shaolin Capital Management in its $50 million PIPE investment in connection with the business combination of Bitcoin Depot and GSR II Meteora Acquisition Corp.; a large investor in connection with the $5.1 billion IPO of Lineage; DRI Capital and its affiliates in multiple matters, including equity investments and acquisitions of traditional and synthetic royalty interests; and a variety of venture capital firms, corporate venture capital departments and angel investors in investments of all sizes
  • Debt offerings for companies such as Beacon Roofing Supply, CBRE, Chemours, Corteva, Credit Acceptance, Credit Suisse, Disney, Expedia, Graham Holdings, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, HP, Lazard, Navistar, Nestlé, Occidental Petroleum, Oddity, Outbrain, Parker‑Hannifin, PG&E and Sherwin‑Williams
  • Banking and credit transactions for companies such as Bay Club, Beacon Roofing Supply, Centene, The Collective, Outbrain, PG&E, RedHill Biopharma and WiLine Networks
  • Accounts-receivable financings, securitizations and other structured financings for companies such as Albemarle, Amentum, Citibank Credit Card Issuance Trust, Corteva, Crown Castle, Drug Royalty, Ferroglobe, INEOS, Martin Marietta, Mylan, Occidental Petroleum, Olin, RedHill Biopharma, US Foods and Viatris
  • PG&E’s tri‑tranche offering, which represents the largest utility public equity offering in history, as well as the arrangement of its Debtor‑in‑Possession (“DIP”) financing and other advisory matters relating to its chapter 11 proceedings

Mr. Dorsey has been recognized for his work in capital markets by Chambers USA, Chambers Global, The Legal 500 US, IFLR1000 and Lawdragon. He has been named to Bloomberg Law’s “40 Under 40” list and was named the “Equity Capital Markets Lawyer of the Year” by IFLR1000 in its United States Awards and a “Rising Star” by Law360, recognizing him as one of five outstanding capital markets lawyers in the nation under the age of 40. Mr. Dorsey’s representations of the Founders of Palantir in the company’s direct listing and PG&E in its $5.5 billion DIP financing have been featured as the “Equity Capital Markets Deal of the Year” and “Banking and Finance Deal of the Year,” respectively, by IFLR1000.

Mr. Dorsey is a frequent speaker and author on a range of finance topics. He has authored the U.S. Law & Practice chapter of the Chambers Venture Capital Guide and served as Contributing Editor of multiple editions of the Chambers Acquisition Finance Guide. In addition, Mr. Dorsey authored the “Special Considerations for Non-EU Issuers” chapter in the Third Edition of European Securities Law and co‑authored an article entitled “SPAC Transactions in the United States” in The Legal 500’s “Mergers & Acquisitions Country Comparative Guide.” He has spoken at events such as the International Bar Association’s “From Start‑Up to IPO,” “Global Entrepreneurship” and “Silicon Hills – the Tech Epicentre of Texas: from Start-Up to Exit” conferences, the Practising Law Institute’s “Institute on Securities Regulation,” TechGC’s First-Time GC Summit and Cornell Tech’s Board of Directors Forum.

Mr. Dorsey is a member of the International Bar Association and serves as the Entrepreneurship Conference Know‑How Officer of the Closely Held Companies Committee.

Mr. Dorsey was born in Canton, Ohio. He received a B.S. and M.Acc. summa cum laude from Case Western Reserve University in 2006 and a J.D. summa cum laude from Cornell Law School in 2009, where he was a Notes Editor of the Law Review and was elected to the Order of the Coif.

Mr. Dorsey joined Cravath in 2009 and was elected a partner in 2017. He worked in the Firm’s London office from 2011 to 2013 and is currently based in the Firm’s New York office.

Education

  • J.D., 2009, Cornell Law School
    Order of the Coif, summa cum laude
  • M.Acc., 2006, Case Western Reserve University
    summa cum laude
  • B.S., 2006, Case Western Reserve University
    summa cum laude

Admitted In

  • New York

Professional Affiliations

International Bar Association

  • Entrepreneurship Conference Know-How Officer, Closely Held Companies Committee

 

New York City Bar Association

New York State Bar Association

Rankings

Bloomberg Law

  • They’ve Got Next: The 40 Under 40 (2023)

Chambers Global

  • Capital Markets: Debt & Equity - USA (2025-2022)

Chambers USA

  • Capital Markets: Debt & Equity - Nationwide (2025-2021)

IFLR1000

  • Banking - US (2024-2021)
  • Capital Markets - US (2024-2020)
  • Equity Capital Markets Lawyer of the Year - US (2021)
  • Mergers and Acquisitions - US (2020)

Law360

  • Rising Star: Capital Markets (2019)

Lawdragon

  • 500 Leading Dealmakers in America (2024)

The Legal 500 US

  • Capital Markets: Debt Offerings (2025-2019)
  • Capital Markets: Equity Offerings (2025-2020)
  • Capital Markets: Global Offerings (2025-2022)

Deals & Cases

May 27, 2025

CBRE Services, Inc.’s $1.1 Billion Registered Senior Notes Offering

Cravath represented the underwriters in connection with the $1.1 billion registered senior notes offering of CBRE Services, Inc., a direct wholly‑owned subsidiary of CBRE Group, Inc. (“CBRE”). CBRE is the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm. The transaction closed on May 12, 2025.

Deals & Cases

March 14, 2025

Credit Acceptance Corporation’s High‑Yield Senior Notes Offering

Cravath represented the initial purchasers in connection with the $500 million Rule 144A high‑yield senior notes offering of Credit Acceptance Corporation, a leading independent auto finance company. The transaction closed on February 28, 2025.

Deals & Cases

February 25, 2025

OT Midco Inc.’s High‑Yield Senior Secured Notes Offering

Cravath represented OT Midco Inc. in connection with its $637.5 million 144A/Reg. S high‑yield senior secured notes offering. OT Midco Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Outbrain Inc., a leading technology platform that connects media owners and advertisers to over a billion unique consumers around the world. Proceeds of the offering were used to repay, in full, the bridge facility used to finance Outbrain Inc.’s acquisition of Teads S.A. The transaction closed on February 11, 2025.

Deals & Cases

February 03, 2025

Outbrain’s Acquisition of Teads

On February 3, 2025, Outbrain Inc. (“Outbrain”), a technology platform, announced the closing of its acquisition of Teads, a global omnichannel platform, from Altice. The two companies will merge their offerings to create an omnichannel outcomes platform for the open internet, and will operate under the name Teads. Outbrain, Altice and Teads have amended the previously announced share purchase agreement. Under the terms of the revised agreement, Outbrain will be paying a total consideration of approximately $900 million, consisting of $625 million upfront cash and 43.75 million shares of common stock of Outbrain valued at approximately $263 million. Cravath is representing Outbrain in connection with the transaction.

Deals & Cases

January 06, 2025

Disney’s Combination of its Hulu + Live TV Business with Fubo

On January 6, 2025, The Walt Disney Company (“Disney”) and FuboTV Inc. (“Fubo) announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement for Disney to combine its Hulu + Live TV business with Fubo, forming a combined virtual MVPD company of which Disney will become the majority owner.

Publications

June 12, 2025

SEC Solicits Public Comment on the Eligibility Criteria for Foreign Private Issuer Status

On June 11, 2025, Cravath prepared a memo for its clients entitled “SEC Solicits Public Comment on the Eligibility Criteria for Foreign Private Issuer Status.” The memo examines a concept release recently published by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to seek public comment on whether to revise the “foreign private issuer” definition in light of shifting trends in the characteristics of the FPI population.

Publications

June 06, 2025

Scott Bennett, Nick Dorsey, Virginia Anderson and Ellen Park Co‑Author U.S. Chapter of 2025 Chambers Venture Capital Guide

Cravath partners D. Scott Bennett and Nicholas A. Dorsey and of counsels Virginia M. Anderson and Ellen H. Park co‑authored the U.S. Law and Practice chapter of the Chambers Venture Capital Guide, which was published in May 2025. The guide, which is part of the publisher’s Global Practice Guides series, provides the latest legal information on trends in the venture capital market; fund structures, economics and regulation; investments in VC companies; government subsidies and tax; employee incentivization and exits in the 26 jurisdictions covered. The U.S. Law and Practice chapter examines how the artificial intelligence sector drove momentum in the venture capital market throughout the past year; the continued prevalence of “down round” raises, bridge financing solutions and alternative financing solutions for companies that have faced financing challenges; typical venture capital fund structure in the United States and more.

Activities

March 28, 2025

Dave Kappos, Noah Phillips and Nick Dorsey Speak at Cornell Tech’s Board of Directors Forum

Cravath partners David J. Kappos, Noah Joshua Phillips and Nicholas A. Dorsey participated in Cornell Tech’s Board of Directors Forum, which was held from March 26‑27, 2025 in New York. The forum, designed for board members and senior leaders, convened business and legal practitioners, Cornell faculty, former senior government regulators and directors of private and public companies to discuss how corporate boards can stay ahead of developing technologies, regulatory trends and geopolitical shifts.

Activities

March 06, 2025

Nick Dorsey and Kelly Smercina Speak at NOVA and CFGI’s US – IPO Readiness Event

On March 6, 2025, Cravath partners Nicholas A. Dorsey and Kelly M. Smercina participated in NOVA and CFGI’s US – IPO Readiness event, which was hosted by BNY in London. The event convened representatives of the four organizations for a training session on IPO readiness in U.S. capital markets, covering the IPO process and timeline, team and organizational setup and legal considerations.

Activities

February 18, 2025

Nick Dorsey Speaks at IBA’s 6th Silicon Hills Conference

On February 13, 2025, Cravath partner Nicholas A. Dorsey participated in the International Bar Association’s 6th Silicon Hills Conference – the Tech Epicentre of Texas: from Start‑Up to Exit, which was held from February 12‑14 in Austin, Texas. Nick spoke on a panel entitled “Investing in Tech Startups. Is it Still Worth it?,” which explored investors’ skepticism around tech startups, the current and future M&A environment’s effect on exit valuations, the regulatory environment’s effect on international startup investments and whether investors should look to ventures beyond the tech industry.

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