A Partner in Simpson Thacher’s National Security Regulatory Practice, Mark Skerry advises some of the world’s largest and most well-known private equity asset managers, institutional investors, and multinational corporations on transactions undergoing national security reviews before the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) and analogous foreign direct investment (FDI) screening regulators worldwide. Mark has successfully secured CFIUS approvals and coordinated worldwide FDI clearances for transactions across a variety of industries considered sensitive to national security, including aerospace and defense manufacturing, classified government contracting, sea and airports, semiconductors, telecommunications, technology and software, social media, energy infrastructure, financial services, and life sciences, among others. Mark has successfully negotiated commercially acceptable mitigation, secured regulatory approvals for multiple unsolicited takeover proposals, and advised on non-notified investigations initiated by regulators.
Mark has been recognized by Chambers USA, The Legal 500, Law360, IFLR1000, and Benchmark Litigation for his achievements on numerous high-profile and cross-border transactions. He is also an author in the forthcoming edition of Global Competition Review’s Foreign Direct Investment Regulation Hub and currently serves on Law360’s International Trade Editorial Advisory Board.
Prior to joining the firm, Mark served in the Office of the General Counsel of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and clerked for the Honorable Reggie B. Walton of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.
Updated Oct 2025
Blackstone, The Carlyle Group and Hellman & Friedman in securing worldwide foreign investment approvals for the private equity consortium’s $34 billion acquisition of a majority interest in medical supplier Medline Industries, named “Deal of the Year in North America” by Private Equity International.
Microsoft in securing worldwide foreign investment approvals for its $19.7 billion acquisition of Nuance Communications.
Cisco Systems in securing worldwide foreign investment approvals for its $28 billion acquisition of cybersecurity firm Splunk.
Versum Materials in connection with CFIUS approval of its acquisition by Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany for $6.5 billion, which garnered the “Cross-border Deal of the Year” from The Deal.
- Melrose Industries PLC in securing CFIUS and worldwide foreign investment approvals for its successful £8.1 billion unsolicited takeover of aerospace and defense manufacturing firm GKN plc.
- Commercial
- Trade and customs
- Aviation
- Energy
- Financial services
- Government and public policy
- Pharmaceutical and life sciences
- Technology and telecommunications
- J.D. magna cum laude; Order of the Coif - Case Western Reserve University - 2011
- B.Sc. - Cornell University - 2007
- Law360’s 2025 International Trade Editorial Advisory Board
- U.S. District Court District of Columbia - 2016
- District of Columbia - 2013