Awards & Rankings 06.04.26
Pillsbury’s Standout Performance in 2026 Chambers USA Rankings Underscores Continued Excellence Across Industries and Disciplines
Firm Earned Recognition Across 60 Practice Areas, Including 26 National Rankings
Chris is a brilliant corporate lawyer. He is an excellent drafter and superior negotiator, and is able to distill legal principles into plain English so clients can understand them and turn issues into business decisions.
Chris Patay, co-leader of the firm’s Japan Practice Team and former leader of Pillsbury’s Corporate Group in Los Angeles, advises companies on mergers and acquisitions, financings, joint ventures, strategic alliances and other significant corporate matters.
Chris advises companies with respect to mergers and acquisitions, investments and joint ventures. He regularly handles cross-border transactions, including representing many Japanese, Korean and UK companies in their U.S. acquisitions and investments. Chris also represents both issuers and investors in venture capital transactions involving debt and equity securities, including dozens of startup companies in angel and venture capital investment rounds. He has substantial experience advising companies with respect to corporate governance, commercial transactions, technology license and development arrangements and product distribution.
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Chris’ award-winning practice recently earned him ranking in Chambers USA (2020–2025) for Corporate/M&A in Southern California. He is also recognized by The Legal 500 U.S., M&A: Middle-Market (2019).
Representative Experience
- Represented Ventura Foods in the sale of its Marie’s dressings and Dean’s Dip businesses to Brynwood Partners, a deal honored as the 2024 USA Food & Beverage Deal of the Year by USA M&A Atlas Awards.
- Represented Panasonic Corporation on its sale of Panasonic Lighting Americas Inc. to global private investment firm Atar Capital LLC.
- Represented JSR Corporation in its acquisition of Inpria Corporation for $514 million.
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- Represented Ventura Foods in the closing of its acquisition of DYMA Brands, an Atlanta-based leader in liquid portion control and bulk condiments, seasonings and dry blend mixes for the food service industry.
- Represented The Yokohama Rubber Company in the sale of its Hamatite adhesives and sealants business in the U.S. to Sika AG.
- Represented Vectrus in its acquisition of Advantor Systems Corporation, a leading provider of integrated electronic security systems to the federal government.
- Represented ENEOS Corporation (formerly JXTG Nippon Oil & Energy) in its sale of Irvine Scientific to Fujifilm Corporation. Irvine Scientific is a leading manufacturer of cell culture media, reagents and medical devices.
- Represented Archer Education in its acquisition of Circa Interactive, a higher education digital marketing firm.
- Represented Eagle Pictures in its investment in Spyglass Media Group, a joint venture with Lantern Entertainment and Gary Barber, to hold the media assets of the former Weinstein Co. and Spyglass Media.
- Represented Spruce Naturals in the sale of its Napa Valley Naturals and Montebello brand olive oils, vinegars and pastas business to Stonewall Kitchen.
- Represented All Nippon Airways Trading Co. Ltd. in its acquisition of an equity interest in and joint venture with GA Telesis.
- Represented BTL Machine in the sale of its of its business to Acronil LLC. BTL Machine specialized in machining of structural airframe components for commercial and military applications.
- Represented Sojitz Corporation and Green Tec Corporation in their acquisition of Stratosphere Quality LLC.
- Represented Therapak Corporation in its sale to VWR International.
- Represented Hampson Industries PLC in multiple acquisitions of aerospace industry suppliers, including Odyssey Industries Inc., Global Tooling Systems, Composites Horizons Inc., Coast Composites Inc. and Lamsco West Inc.
- Represented International Coffee & Tea LLC (a.k.a. The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf) in its sale to Advent International, CDIB Capital and Mirae Asset Private Equity.
- Represented Blue Planet-works in its acquisition of AppGuard LLC.
- Represented NEC Corporation on U.S. legal matters in connection with its sale of Tokin Corporation to KEMET Corporation.
- Represented MP Biomedicals in its sale to Valiant Co. Ltd.
- Represented Nagatanien Holdings Co. Ltd. in its acquisition of Chaucer Food Group.
- Represented Solize Corporation in its acquisition of CSM Software Group.
- Represented Hitachi America Ltd. and Hitachi Industrial Equipment Systems Co. Ltd. in their acquisition of L.A. Supply Co.
- Represented Bell Helicopter Textron Inc. in its acquisition of Carbide Technology Inc.
- Represented Zensho America Corporation in the sale of Catalina Restaurant Group (operator of Coco’s and Carrows restaurants).
- Represented Shapco Inc. in the sale of Kelly Pipe to JFE Shoji Trade America Inc.
- Represented Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market Inc., a subsidiary of Tesco PLC, in sale of its operating business to YFE Holdings LLC, an affiliate of The Yucaipa Companies LLC.
- Represented Evolution Robotics Inc. in connection with its sale to iRobot Corporation.
- Represented Sanyo Electric Co. Ltd. in sale of its wireless business in North America to Kyocera Corp.
- Represented Eddy Packing Co. Inc. in connection with its sale to private equity group, Mason Wells.
- Represented Hampson Industries PLC in sale of its Shims Businesses in the United States.
- Represented Noritsu America Corp. in connection with the sale of its majority interest in Lucidiom Inc.
- Represented Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market Inc. in connection with its acquisitions of 2 Sisters Food Group Inc. and Wild Rocket Foods LLC.
- Represented EB Bradley Co. in sale of its business to a private equity group.
- Represented Cottage Bakery Inc. in the sale of its business to Ralcorp Holdings Inc.
- Represented MarkMonitor Inc. in its acquisition of First to File Inc.
- Represented Fox Interactive Media in its acquisition of Intermix Media Inc.
- Represented Alldomains Inc. in sale of its retail domain name business to Dotster Inc.
- Represented Sammy Studios Inc. in sale of its business in a management-led buyout.
- Represented Xerox Corp. in its acquisition of the global Color Printing and Imaging Products Division of Textronix Inc.
- Represented Forth Tier Inc. in sale of its business to Keane Inc.
- Serves as outside general counsel to a number of venture-backed and other startup and emerging growth companies, where he advises boards of directors on strategic business matters.
Professional Highlights
- Chair, Japan America Society of Southern California
- Past President/Board Advisor and Member of Executive Finance Committee of Harbor Regional Center
- Member, Japan House Los Angeles Steering Committee
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- Recognized in Chambers USA, Corporate/M&A – Southern California (2020–2025)
- Recognized by The Legal 500 U.S., M&A: Middle-Market (2019)
- Associations
- American Bar Association
- Los Angeles County Bar Association
- Speaking Engagements
- “Corporate Transparency Act,” Southern California Family Office Forum, Nov. 2, 2023.
- “Where M&A and Government Contracts Intersect,” 2021 California CLE Marathon Webinars, Jan. 28, 2021.
- “TEI Mergers & Acquisitions Seminar,” Tax Executives Institute’s Los Angeles Chapter Mergers & Acquisitions Seminar, March 7, 2019.
- “M&A Trend from a Legal Point of View,” The Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ, May 24, 2017.
Education
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J.D., University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law, 1996
Order of the Coif, Law ReviewB.A., Economics and Political Science, University of California, Berkeley, 1992
Phi Beta Kappa
Admissions
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California