Rusty Conner focuses his practice on mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance and related strategic matters, with a particular emphasis on financial services companies. Having worked on more than 250 transactions with an aggregate deal value in excess of US$100 billion, Mr. Conner has extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions of both public and privately held entities, including joint ventures and strategic alliances. He also represents both underwriters and issuers in a variety of securities offerings and private placements. As part of his practice, he regularly advises boards of directors on corporate governance matters and legal and fiduciary duties in the context of strategic decisions.

Mr. Conner is a frequent author and speaker on matters relating to mergers and acquisitions, including deal design and structure, and fiduciary duties of boards of directors. Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business lists Mr. Conner for his corporate, mergers and acquisitions, and private equity practices and says his clients "describe him as a 'seasoned M&A lawyer who brings common sense and rationality to a transaction; he is the steady guiding hand in negotiations that get irrational.'" Mr. Conner is listed in The Best Lawyers in America in the areas of banking law, corporate law and mergers and acquisitions law.

Mr. Conner serves on the boards of Ford's Theatre, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, the DC Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, and the Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia. He also serves as counsel to the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs. He previously served as chairman of the board of the Virginia College Savings Plan and as a trustee of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.

Mr. Conner serves as managing partner of the Washington, DC office and as a member of the Executive and Policy Committees of DLA Piper.

Mr. Conner comes to DLA Piper from Alston & Bird LLP, where he had practiced since completing law school and served as chairman of the firm's executive committee, co-head of the firm's corporate practice, and partner-in-charge of the firm's Washington, DC office.