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 After two days of schmoozing with attorneys over étouffée at Tulane's Corporate Law Institute, one thing is clear: everyone is focused on activism, Iran and Trump.

Yes, but: Many still seem confident that big-ticket dealmaking will carry on.

For those of you who weren't in NOLA, or had a lunch run a little too long, here are our takeaways.

On shareholder activism: Activists are working with private equity firms more than ever, a banker tells Axios Pro.

The aim is to find potential buyers for take-privates or carveouts before disclosing their respective stakes.

On one panel, several lawyers who defend against activist campaigns took issue with the bloodlust for the C-suite, calling attacks against executives "personal."

And, in case you're wondering, "Elliott is still terrifying," one lawyer told Axios Pro on the sidelines.

On the U.S. administration: Takes were more mixed on domestic dealmaking and the Trump team's role.

Advisors say the current antitrust environment feels favorable — and Trump's use of the golden share offers one example of creative structures for large deals.

However, the Trump administration's role in some cross-border negotiations could invite more tit-for-tat pushback.

"It is inconsistent with American tradition, and long-term, it is not good for dealmaking. Because when our nation departs from principles, then there is no reason to criticize others for not doing the same," said Leo Strine, a former Delaware judge who's currently counsel at Wachtell.

On private equity: Continuation vehicles remain popular, but their ubiquity has invited old questions about self-dealing and the risk of appraisal litigation.

"I'd be thinking about a real market check," says Lori Will, vice chancellor of the Delaware Court of Chancery. "Make sure you're running a process you're comfortable defending in court."

On Delaware litigation: A panel of Delaware attorneys managed to agree that SB21 quells some concerns around a so-called DExit.

"There has not been an avalanche. There have not been others following because of these decisions," says Latham partner Michele Johnson.

Activism, antitrust environment are hot topics at Tulane

Activists are working with private equity firms more than ever, a banker tells Axios Pro.

Illustration of a fleur de lis as an exclamation point. 

After two days of schmoozing with attorneys over étouffée at Tulane&#x27;s Corporate Law Institute, one thing is clear: everyone is focused on activism, Iran and Trump.Yes, but: Many still seem confident that big-ticket dealmaking <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="will carry on" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/pro/all-deals/2026/03/19/goldman-tulane-dealmaking-persists" data-vars-content-id="ad4b58d1-169f-4ce3-95ba-4e92b2d9146d" data-vars-headline="Activism, antitrust environment are hot topics at Tulane" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/pro/all-deals/2026/03/19/goldman-tulane-dealmaking-persists" target="_self">will carry on</a>.

Activism, antitrust environment are hot topics at Tulane

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