ATLANTA (April 4, 2023) – Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP (SGR) is pleased to announce that the Firm served as due diligence and corporate counsel to Via Transportation, the global leader in TransitTech, in its acquisition of Citymapper, the UK-based premier journey planning app and transit technology company.
Through the Citymapper acquisition, Via accelerates its vision to build the end-to-end digital infrastructure for transit systems. While Via’s software enables cities and transit agencies to efficiently plan and operate their public transit networks, Citymapper empowers transit riders with the ability to navigate the urban transport network through intuitive and beautifully designed apps. By integrating Citymapper into its platform, Via will be able to connect all elements of a transit system, offering a unified solution for cities, transit agencies, and riders.
The SGR team served as due diligence and corporate counsel, working alongside another global law firm that was lead transaction counsel. The SGR legal team was led by New York Partner Alon Harnoy, handling corporate matters, and Partner Sasha Bau, handling Intellectual Property matters, including software, cybersecurity and data privacy. Also advising on the transaction were Atlanta partners Brett Lockwood and Michael Riesen, along with New York attorneys Partner Moty Ben Yona, Counsel Danielle Comanducci, and Foreign Legal Consultant Mark Leventhal and New York Paralegal Veronika Cegielski.
About Via
Founded in 2012, Via pioneered the TransitTech category by using new technologies to develop public mobility systems — optimizing networks of buses, shuttles, wheelchair accessible vehicles, school buses, autonomous vehicles, and electric vehicles around the globe. Building the world’s most efficient, equitable, and sustainable transportation network for all riders — including those with limited mobility, those without smartphones, and unbanked populations — Via works with its partners to lower the costs of public transit while providing transportation options that rival the convenience of a personal car while reducing the environmental impact. At the intersection of transportation and technology, Via is a visionary market leader that combines software innovation with sophisticated service design and operational expertise to fundamentally improve the way the world moves, providing technology in 600 communities and more than 35 countries and counting. For more information, visit ridewithvia.com.
About Smith Gambrell Russell
SGR is a full-service, international law firm that advises regional, national and global businesses on a wide range of legal matters. The Firm’s nearly 400 attorneys provide legal counsel in more than 50 specialized practice areas, including corporate transactions, litigation, intellectual property, aviation, banking, real estate, insurance/reinsurance, construction, employment law, international, and employee benefits and executive compensation. Founded in 1893, SGR has 14 domestic and international offices, including Atlanta; Austin; Charlotte; Chicago; Jacksonville, FL; London; Los Angeles; Miami; Munich; New York; Southampton; Springfield, IL; Tampa, FL; and Washington, D.C.