"Three years out of law school, in 1990, David Goldschmidt landed the kind of assignment most young corporate lawyers only dream of: taking a company public. When a senior partner at the venerated New York law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom told him to "run with" biotech company Regeneron's IPO, his career changed. Goldschmidt sweated his way through writing the prospectus, translating the company's scientific ambitions into plain language for investors. Regeneron raised twice the expected amount in the initial offering."
"Goldschmidt rose through the ranks to become a partner and, eventually, the global head of Skadden's capital markets practice, advising companies on raising capital in the public or private markets. His name appeared routinely on the opening pages of S-1 filings, including those of Casper, Match Group, and Rivian Automotive, whose $12 billion raise was one of the largest US IPOs in history. In 2025 alone, the hundred-person Skadden group handled more than $300 billion worth of transactions."
David Goldschmidt led Regeneron's IPO three years after law school, writing the prospectus and translating scientific goals into investor-friendly language, and Regeneron raised twice the expected amount. Post-IPO volatility prompted shareholder lawsuits that a federal judge dismissed for accurate disclosures, and the experience convinced him of his abilities. He rose to partner and global head of Skadden's capital markets practice, appearing on S-1 filings for companies including Casper, Match Group, and Rivian. In 2025 Skadden's hundred-person capital markets group handled over $300 billion in transactions. He retired after 37 years, having witnessed the industry's shift from analog to algorithmic and expressing skepticism that smarter machines make better lawyers.
Read at Business Insider
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]