Barbara L. Borden is a partner in the Cooley Business department and head of the Firm's Mergers & Acquisitions practice. She joined the Firm in 1997 as a partner and is resident in the San Diego office.
Ms. Borden specializes in mergers and acquisitions, cross border transactions, joint ventures and other complex transactions and public securities law. Ms. Borden represents strategic and financial buyers and sellers in public and private acquisitions. Ms. Borden also has significant experience in counseling boards of directors in connection with mergers and acquisitions and related governance and anti-takeover matters.
Ms. Borden has experience representing a broad range of technology, life sciences and other growth companies including software, electronic commerce, semi-conductor, telecommunications, biotechnology, medical device, healthcare, consumer finance, defense contractors, sporting goods and apparel and service companies.
Ms. Borden was recognized by Chambers USA: America's Leading Guide for Business Lawyers in 2011, 2012 and 2013 in the areas of Corporate/Mergers & Acquisitions and named to the Legal 500: United States 2011, 2012 and 2013 Editions for Mergers, Acquisitions and Buyouts category for large deals. Ms. Borden was also selected as the Lawyer of the Year in the 2014 edition of The Best Lawyers in America in the San Diego Securities and Capital Markets category. She was recognized in The Best Lawyers in America from 2010 – 2015 in the specialties of Corporate Governance and Compliance Law, Corporate Law, Mergers & Acquisitions and Securities Law and by Super Lawyers in the category of Mergers & Acquisitions from 2007-2013. Ms. Borden was also named to the Daily Journal's "Top Women Lawyers" list in 2014.
Ms. Borden attended the Arizona State University School of Law, where she received a JD magna cum laude in 1984, and the University of Virginia, where she received a BA in Government with high distinction in 1981. Ms. Borden is a member of Order of the Coif and served as Senior Articles Editor for the Arizona State Law Journal. She also was a member of the Raven Society (an honorary literary society) at the University of Virginia. Following graduation from law school, she clerked for the Honorable William C. Canby, U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit.
