ANIKA HERMANN BARGFREDE’s principal areas of practice include the representation of buyers and sellers in public and private mergers and acquisitions, as well as the advising of numerous publicly traded corporations on a wide range of matters, with a particular focus on federal securities laws and corporate governance. Anika also has experience advising publicly traded corporations in connection with shareholder activism, proxy contests and rights plans, and regularly represents boards of directors in connection with special committee assignments.
Anika previously served as Assistant Corporate Secretary and Senior Counsel, Securities & Transactions at a Fortune 200 company. In this role, she reported directly to the General Counsel to support the Office of the Corporate Secretary for the company’s Board of Directors and represented the company in domestic and international M&A transactions, including carveout divestitures, acquisitions and other strategic partnerships and investments.
Anika graduated second in her class and summa cum laude from the University of Illinois College of Law and was elected to the Order of the Coif. During law school, Anika received Rickert Awards for Excellence in Academics and Excellence in Legal Writing, as well as numerous CALI Awards for achieving the highest grade in the class, including for Securities Regulation. Also while in law school, Anika served as a notes editor for the University of Illinois Law Review and as a judicial extern to the Honorable Michael M. Mihm of the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois. Prior to earning her J.D., Anika graduated first in her class, summa cum laude and with Highest Distinction, from the University of Illinois with a B.A. in Political Science and Communication. She also earned Phi Beta Kappa, Bronze Tablet and Senior 100 honors.