What we say about the firm's legal practice in United States
Mergers, acquisitions and buyouts
Within M&A: middle-market (sub-$500m), Baker Hostetler is a second tier firm,
Cleveland-based Baker Hostetler frequently advises market-leading Fortune 1000 companies and private companies within a wide spectrum of industries in implementing M&A, and counsels growing middle-market companies seeking strategic acquisitions and private companies trying to achieve liquidity through sale or merger. Key matters included advising Gruner + Jahr, Europe’s largest newspaper and magazine publisher, on sale transactions concerning its US magazine business; acting for Developers Diversified in the formation of DDR Macquarie Fund, a joint venture with a newly-formed Australian-based listed property trust; and representing The EW Scripps Company, when taking its broadcasting subsidiary private, in the sale of its cable television business, and in its acquisition of cable networks and online comparison shopping services. Fisher Scientific International was assisted in its acquisitions of Cellomics, McKesson BioServices and Lancaster Laboratories, marking important steps in its strategy to enhance product and service offerings, and Blue Point Capital Partners was advised in its acquisition of CLAD Metals Division from Texas Instruments. In the large deal space, the practice was counsel to Wendy’s in its $2.3bn merger with Triarc. New York-based Steven Goldberg co-chairs the transactions practice team. In Cleveland, Ronald Stepanovic also co-chairs the national M&A team and heads the private equity practice. Stepanovic has particular experience in the acquisition and disposition of middle-market manufacturing companies, and regularly represents equity funds in highly leveraged management-led buyout acquisitions, add-on acquisitions and dispositions and recapitalizations of portfolio companies.