Kelvin Kesse

Kelvin Kesse is the founding partner of Kesse PLLC. Kelvin focuses his practice on securities, capital markets, SEC reporting, corporate governance and general corporate law. Kelvin regularly advises clients on public and private securities offerings and has significant experience with US-Canadian cross-border offerings and foreign private issuer offerings. He assists clients with IPOs, direct listings, follow-on/secondary offerings, special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) formations and business combinations (deSPACs), tender offers, all aspects of corporate governance matters, SEC reporting requirements and compliance, stock exchange initial and additional listing and on-going listing requirements and compliance.

AREAS OF PRACTICE

• Capital Markets
• Corporate, M&A and Securities
• Public Company Advisory
• Corporate Governance
• SPACs
• Life Sciences
• Technology

EXPERIENCE

Mr. Kesse’s representative transactions include:

• Representing Cerevel Therapeutics in its $350 million follow-on public offering.
• Representing EQRx in its $5.35 billion business combination with CM Life Sciences III.
• Representing a commercial-stage biotech company in its $345 million initial public offering.
• Representing a health-focused technology company in its initial public offering.
• Representing a cancer screening and diagnostics company in its acquisition of a healthcare company for total consideration of up to $2.15 billion.
• Representing a provider of integrated information management solutions and services for the public sector in its $600 million offering of convertible senior notes.
• Representing a Canadian mining company in its acquisition of mines in the United States pursuant to a plan of arrangement for $460 million, and in a $100 million offering in connection therewith.
• Representing the selling shareholders in a $645.3 million follow-on equity offering, including $252.7 million in shares offered by such selling shareholders.
• Representing a Canadian-based gold producer in connection with an at-the-market offering of up to $100 million.
• Representing a life sciences company focused on biopsy diagnostics in its follow-on equity offering of $40 million.
• Serving as U.S. counsel for a Canadian mining company in connection with a $130 million private placement.
• Serving as U.S. counsel to a Chinese maker of infant milk formula in its $855 million global offering.
• Routinely representing various domestic companies and foreign private issuers with registration of securities under the ’33 Act, SEC reporting and/or matters arising in connection therewith, and general corporate governance.
• Routinely representing various domestic companies and foreign private issuers with ’34 Act filings including Proxy Statements, Forms 10-K, 10-Q, 8-K, 20-F, 40-F and 6-K.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

During law school, Mr. Kesse was the President of the Harvard African Law Association and served as a submissions editor for the Harvard Business Law Review.

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

Mr. Kesse served as Past Secretary and Board Member of the Harvard Club of Seattle from 2015–2019.

RECOGNITION

Mr. Kesse was selected as a “Top 40 under 40” lawyer by National Black Lawyers in the State of Washington (2020–2021), North Carolina (2021-2022) and Texas (2023-Present).

EDUCATION

• Harvard Law School
  • J.D., 2015
• University of Washington, Bothell
  • B.A., 2012
  • magna cum laude

ADMISSIONS

• Texas
• District of Columbia
• Massachusetts
• North Carolina
• Washington