The Legal 500 > United States > United States > M&A: middle-market (sub-$500m)

Akerman LLP acts on complex middle-market deals valued at between $50m and $500m; the practice’s experience includes buy-side and sell-side M&A, leveraged recapitalizations and buyouts, spin-offs and sales of divisions, control and minority investments, growth equity investments, distressed company transactions, cross-border transactions, and joint ventures. Active notable clients are Grossinger Auto Group, Ferguson Industries, H I G Capital and Warren Equity Partners. Jonathan Awner and Carl Roston are the co-corporate practice chairs. Awner is widely respected for purchases and sales of car dealerships across the US; recent examples include his advice to Grossinger Auto Group, the oldest family-operated dealership chain in Illinois, on the $86m sale of 15 dealerships to AutoCanada. Roston’s recent highlights include assisting Branford Castle Partners with its acquisition of Vitrek, a manufacturer of electrical safety test and measurement equipment; and acting for KLX, a global manufacturer of aircraft cabin interior products, in multiple transactions, including the acquisition of AM Aircraft Supply from SPS Technologies. Also key to the practice are Teddy Klinghoffer, Stephen Roddenberry, Paul Quinn, who divides his time between the West Palm Beach and Chicago offices, and Kenneth Wiggins. Klinghoffer acted for Associated Grocers of Florida, a wholesale grocer that supplies South Florida, the Caribbean and other international markets, in its sale to publicly traded Supervalu, a supermarket chain; and Roddenberry, as co-counsel with Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, advised the special committee of Perry Ellis International, a designer, distributor and licensor of apparel, accessories and fragrances, on a merger agreement under which a newly formed entity controlled by Perry Ellis' founder took Perry Ellis private. Notable growth in the practice included the hiring of Brazil experts Karyn Koiffman in Washington DC and New York-based Peter Eccles from Baker McKenzie LLP and Foley & Lardner LLP, respectively. Attorneys listed are based in Miami unless otherwise stated.

Arnold & Porter's M&A practice includes advising strategic and financial buyers and sellers on mergers, stock, asset and whole-business acquisitions, LBOs and tender offers; it is best known for large and complex domestic and cross-border transactions, including deals in the US for Canadian clients, while the firm's San Francisco office has a significant China inbound and outbound practice. Other areas of strength are acting for life sciences and pharmaceutical companies and assisting with technology transactions; advising private equity firms on middle-market M&A transactions; and the firm also fields lawyers with key experience in regulatory matters, IP, employment, tax, environmental law, real estate, antitrust and litigation. The client list includes American Securities, BlueMountain Capital Management, Novartis and Pfizer. It acted for Sandoz, the generics division of pharmaceutical company Novartis, on the divestment of selected portions of its US portfolio to Aurobindo Pharma USA; advised longstanding private equity client American Securities on the sale of ASP Unifrax Holdings, known for high-temperature thermal management applications, to an affiliate of Clearlake Capital Group; and assisted Koepon Holding, a private Netherlands-based company involved in cattle artificial insemination genetics and farm management information, with its combination with Wisconsin-based Cooperative Resources. It also advised Celestica, which is known for design, manufacturing and supply chain solutions for innovative companies, on its agreement to acquire Impakt Holdings for approximately $329m. The co-corporate and finance group chairs are Emanuel Cherney and Washington DC’s Kevin Lavin, while San Francisco-based Edward Deibert and Derek Stoldt co-head the M&A practice. Other highly rated individuals are Nick O’Keefe in Silicon Valley, Steven Kaplan and Matthew Owens in Washington DC, Robert Azarow, who heads the firm’s financial institutions M&A practice, co-private equity heads Stephen Koval and Andrew Varner in Washington DC, Lowell Dashefsky, Thomas Yadlon, Ronald Levine II in Denver, and Canada practice head and senior counsel Joel Greenberg. Attorneys listed are in New York unless otherwise stated.

Ballard Spahr LLP acts for both buyers and sellers, ranging from small, privately held companies to multinational public companies, in deals spanning the middle- and lower-middle markets; and the practice has deal experience in sectors such as life sciences, technology, aerospace, manufacturing and telecoms. Other industry areas of expertise include gaming, consumer products, retail, healthcare, financial services, waste management and energy. Active clients are Vynamic, Organa Brands and PVH. The firm's M&A attorneys also regularly work alongside its tax, securities, executive compensation, employee benefits, IP and environmental law colleagues. The M&A practice group has worked on a broad variety of M&A transactions, including public and private mergers, stock acquisitions and divestitures, and asset purchases and sales. Karen McConnell in Phoenix and Minneapolis' Robert Tunheim co-chair the private equity group. New York's retail and fashion group practice leader David Landau led advice to PVH on the acquisition of Geoffrey Beene, a men’s clothing brand; Michele Rowland in Denver acted for Organa Brands, which comprises cannabis industry brands, in the sale of its National Concessions Group operations to Slang Worldwide, a newly formed special purpose Canadian company; and co-practice leader of the emerging growth and venture capital group Gregory Seltzer assisted Dan Calista, the sole owner of the membership interest of Vynamic, a healthcare industry management consulting firm, with the sale of the membership interest to Riverwalk Healthcare, a newly formed subsidiary of UDG Healthcare US Holdings. Also highly regarded are co-practice life sciences and technology group leader Brian Doerner; David Rudd in Salt Lake City, whose clients include private equity fund buyers and sellers as well as strategic buyers and sellers; Damon Barry leads the firm’s sports practice in Denver. Amit Kakkar is a notable associate. Named individuals are in Philadelphia unless otherwise stated.

Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP is widely respected for its advice to US and international buyers, sellers, financing sources and investors on middle-market M&A and other strategic transactions; the firm also assists with M&A-related financings, including leveraged loans and high-yield debt across a variety of industries, and regularly utilizes attorneys from its antitrust, environmental, executive compensation and employee benefits, IP, real estate and tax practices. High-profile clients include 1-800-Flowers, Arch Capital Group and Trans World Entertainment. Kimberly Petillo-Décossard led advice to publicly traded Canadian company Tembec, its board and its special committee in Tembec’s sale to Rayonier Advanced Materials, a publicly traded US company. Other representative work included advising 1-800-Flowers on the sale of Fannie May Confections Brands to Ferrero International; and assisting The Empire District Electric Company with its sale to a US subsidiary of Algonquin Power & Utilities. The team has also acted for a high-profile, global asset manager in the acquisition of a majority stake in an asset management company in Brazil and it advises Ireland's ICON, a global provider of drug development solutions and services, as general outside counsel. Chair of the firm William Hartnett acts for public and private companies and commercial and investment banking firms in a broad range of domestic and cross-border M&A; and Helene Banks has extensive experience practicing in the food, beverage, entertainment, media, healthcare and insurance industries. Other highly rated partners include John Schuster, Susanna Suh, Michael Sherman and John Papachristos; Ross Sturman is a key senior associate. All named advisers are based in New York.

Choate, Hall & Stewart's corporate department regularly works alongside the firm's IP, litigation, real estate and labor and employment practice groups on M&A deals. Its experience includes advising acquirers, targets, financing sources and investment bankers on public and private M&A. The team also has significant experience acting for technology and life sciences companies, and is known for its cross-border capabilities, including serving as US counsel to companies in Canada, Israel and Europe (particularly those in the UK and Ireland), that are involved in acquisitions involving expansion into the US. SeaChange International, Teradyne, Candescent Partners and US Dermatology Partners (Oliver Street Dermatology) are clients. The practice group leaders are John Pitfield and Brian Goldstein. Goldstein led advice to Oliver Street Dermatology Management in a series of roll-up acquisitions of dermatology practices nationwide; and Robert Jahrling, who acts for companies in a wide range of industries, including software, telecoms, market research, medical devices and healthcare services, assisted public company Datawatch Corporation with its acquisition of Ontario-based Angoss Software Corporation, a privately held data science platform provider. Jahrling also acted for Forrester Research, a publicly traded research and advisory company, in its acquisition of FeedbackNow. Other highlights for the practice included its advice to Bradford Networks, an Internet-of-Things-focused network security and automation company, in its sale to strategic buyer Fortinet; its work for Logomix, an online platform that provides custom marketing products and services to small businesses, during its sale to Deluxe Small Business Sales; and its assistance to Claris Vision Holdings, a portfolio company of Candescent Partners, with the sale of Claris Vision (which provides vision care services) and its subsidiaries and affiliates to CV Investments, an Eli Global portfolio company. Daniel Riley is a highly regarded corporate and securities counsel. All listed advisers are in Boston.

Eversheds Sutherland's 'team is very responsive; it is also very practical and down-to-earth with its solutions, and has a real understanding of business aspects'. Typical work includes M&A and joint ventures, private equity investments, general corporate advice, corporate governance, reinsurance, asset transfers and corporate finance, and the team is increasingly active in major mid-market and high-end corporate and M&A transactions. The firm fields attorneys with industry expertise in insurance, financial services, energy and natural resources, life sciences, manufacturing and transportation, and active, key clients are First Data, Gypsum Management & Supply, MSouth Equity Partners, SunTrust Bank and Royal Dutch Shell. Practice head Wade Stribling's 'broad connections and real world business perspective that he brings to legal issues are appreciated'; and Edward Kallal is 'a great mentor and partner to clients who benefit from great service, advice and results'. Michael Gurion acted for Gypsum Management & Supply, the largest independent distributor of wallboard, acoustic and other specialty building products in the US, in its continued expansion program, including the acquisition of WSB Titan, the largest distributor of building products throughout Canada; Gurion also advised, together with Stribling, private equity firm MSouth Equity Partners, on the acquisition of TRP Construction Group. In other matters, Michael Voynich advised Shell Oil Company on the acquisition of an interest in Silicon Ranch Corporation, a Nashville-based solar power producer, from one of its existing shareholders, Partners Group; Thomas Herman assisted The Forestland Group, a privately owned timberland investment manager, and its affiliate Anderson-Tully Lumber Company (ATLC), with the sale by ATLC of substantially all the assets of a Mississippi sawmill complex to Vicksburg Forest Products; and in cross-border mandates, Robert Pile led advice to Perkins+Will, a global architecture and design firm, on its acquisition of Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects, a Danish architecture practice. Also highly regarded are Brian Murphy and Marc Rawls, while Bert Adams and Robert Copps are key New York contacts, and William Dudzinsky Jr, Douglas Leary and recently promoted Katie Blaszak are experienced Washington DC-based advisers. Notable associates are Hill Jeffries and the 'dedicated and talented' Rob Ellis. Attorneys are based in Atlanta except where otherwise stated; David Zimmerman left for Taft, Stettinius & Hollister LLP.

Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP's 'M&A team provides excellent representation on transactions of varying sizes; it takes a practical and realistic approach and is always focused on delivering the right outcomes at the right cost for the client. The practice also has great depth, from senior partners to junior associates, and ensures that work is performed at the right level and with appropriate supervision at all times'. The firm was created in 2018 from the merger of Hunton & Williams LLP and Andrews Kurth Kenyon LLP and advises clients on negotiated acquisitions, takeover defenses and contested situations, LBOs and spin-offs. Other areas of strength are holding company formations, corporate auctions, mergers-of-equals, go-private transactions and strategic acquisition and divestiture programs; and the practice has a particular focus on the consumer products, retail, defense, real estate, healthcare, energy, technology and financial services sectors. Regular clients include ExxonMobil, Smithfield Foods, Citibank International and Diageo; the practice also assisted the conflicts committee of diversified midstream company Andeavor Logistics (AL) with AL's acquisition of Western Refining Logistics; acted for Carlisle Companies in the sale of its Carlisle FoodService Products division to funds managed by middle-market private equity firm The Jordan Company; and advised longstanding client Xenith Bankshares on its sale to Union Bankshares. Other significant highlights included the team acting for Canadian energy infrastructure company AltaGas, as Virginia counsel, in its $9bn acquisition of WGL Holdings, as well as its advice to Pebblebrook Hotel Trust on its acquisition of LaSalle Hotel Properties. Steven Haas, who is based in both Richmond and Washington DC, and Steven Patterson in Washington DC, co-head the firm’s M&A team; Houston-based Robert Jewell has particular experience in the energy and forest products industries, master limited partnerships, real estate investment trusts, and representing special committees of boards of directors; and Fernando Alonso, who divides his time between Miami and New York, heads the Latin America team. Other key advisers include Houston's co-corporate team head Michael O’Leary, Richmond-based Gary Thompson, who chairs the public company M&A practice, Michael McCann, Houston's energy law specialist Ashley Burns Muehlberger and special counsel  Allen Goolsby.

Loeb & Loeb LLP is experienced in the purchase and sale of closely held businesses, with special expertise in the entertainment, media, technology, marketing and communications sectors. The team advised notable client Oprah Winfrey and her company, Harpo, on recent critical investments and strategic partnerships, including the sale of a 24.5%  stake in The Oprah Winfrey Network joint venture to Discover Communications. It also assisted NeuLion, a technology product and service provider, with its agreement to be sold to entertainment leader Endeavor; acted for Clearview Capital Fund II in the sale of its majority interest in GCR, a provider of vertical specific software and services, to an affiliate of HKW Capital Partners; and advised Little Airplane Productions, an Emmy-winning animation studio, on its sale to Studio 100 Group, one of the largest animation and live-action studios in Europe. New York-based Mitchell Nussbaum and Los Angeles' Arash Khalili are co-chairs of the firm's capital markets and corporate practice. In addition to Nussbaum's work with US-based companies in technology, life sciences and energy, his international practice includes working with companies from Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Greece, India, Israel, Russia, South Africa and the UK; and Khalili is recommended for complex corporate and commercial transactions in the media, entertainment, technology, sports, health, wellness and fitness industries. Lloyd Rothenberg in New York, who works with both early-stage growth and more mature companies, and Los Angeles' Steve Hurdle, who has acted for numerous buyers and sellers of scripted and unscripted television production companies in cross-border transactions, are the deputy capital markets and corporate chairs. Other highly regarded attorneys are Chicago-based Ross Emmerman, Allan Duboff in Los Angeles and New York's Giovanni Caruso.

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP's M&A team advises high-profile public and private companies, private equity firms, and investment banks; it also has significant experience acting for boards of directors and independent board committees in changes of control and going-private transactions, shareholder disputes and internal corporate investigations. The team is particularly recognized for its strength in technology, energy, financial services, communications and healthcare transactions; active clients are AT&T, Holtec International, JXTG Nippon Oil & Energy and Synnex. Justin Hovey in San Francisco and New York's Jonathan Russo are the co-M&A leaders, and Chris Patay leads the corporate group in Los Angeles. Alongside the firm's Tokyo office, Russo advised Japanese med-tech company Hoya, as a consortium member, on Bain Capital’s acquisition of Toshiba’s flash memory chip business; Silicon Valley-based Allison Leopold Tilley and Christina Pearson acted for Synnex, an IT supply chain services company, in its cash-and-stock deal to acquire Convergys, which sells customer management and information management products; and James Masetti, who heads up the Northern California emerging growth and venture capital team, led advice to Sigma Designs, which builds system-on-a-chip semiconductor technologies, on the sale of its Z-Wave Business to Silicon Laboratories. Elsewhere, Washington DC-based global corporate practice section leader Robert Robbins and Northern Virginia's Steven Kaplan advised Grammer, a global supplier of auto parts, on its acquisition of Toledo Molding & Die, which produces innovative thermoplastic components. Also highly rated are Don Kilpatrick in New York, San Francisco's Nathaniel Cartmell, Jeffrey Grill in Washington DC, Silicon Valley’s Jorge del Calvo and San Diego North County-based Mike Hird. Growth in the New York office saw the recruitment of Stephen Amdur as private equity head and Michael Flynn, whose practice focuses on corporate law, venture capital, private equity and M&A, from Latham & Watkins LLP and Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP, respectively.

Squire Patton Boggs' corporate M&A practice regularly advises on domestic and multi-jurisdictional transactions spanning a broad array of key industries, including automotive, aviation, diversified industrials and chemicals, as well as financial and business services, food and beverage, and consumer brands. Lincoln Electric, Lassonde Industries, Meritor and Valvoline are regular clients. In Cleveland, Daniel Berick, the Americas chair of the global corporate practice and co-head of the global family office team, acted for the Japan-based Asahi Glass Company in the acquisition of Park Electrochemical's electronics business; Cipriano Beredo advised Lassonde Industries, a Canadian agri-food company, on its $146m acquisition of Old Orchard Brands, a family-owned juice and beverage company; and Laura Nemeth assisted global IT company Enea on its acquisition of software developer Openwave Mobility. Elsewhere, Phoenix's Matthew Holman led advice to Engenavis, which designs and manufactures energy storage batteries, on a complex, cross-border M&A transaction whereby Engenavis amalgamated with a Swiss company and contemporaneously closed a new credit facility and acquired an Italian target company; Columbus-based Donald Hughes advised Core Molding Technologies, through two newly formed acquisition subsidiaries, on its acquisition of Horizon Plastics International and certain of its affiliates; and James Hsu, who divides his time between Los Angeles, Beijing and Shanghai, acted for Huabao International, as majority equity owner, in the merger of its portfolio company VMR Products with JUUL, a Delaware company that manufactures and promotes e-cigarettes. Also key to the practice are managing partner of the New York office Carolyn Buller, Cleveland office managing partner Michele Connell, Frank Placenti and Jaime Daddona in Phoenix, David Zagore in Cleveland, and Cincinnati-based Edward Steiner and Toby Merchant. Wayne Bradley and Ann-Marie McGaughey were hired in Atlanta from Dentons.

Vedder Price acts for public and private companies, family-held businesses, financial institutions, private equity firms and hedge funds in M&A, tender and exchange offers, going-private deals, spin-offs and divestitures, LBOs and asset-purchase transactions; and the firm fields attorneys in regulated industries such as financial institutions and banking, healthcare, construction, gaming, aerospace and investment services. Significant clients are L Squared Capital Partners, GrubHub and Valor Equity Partners. Michael Nemeroff chairs the finance and transactions group and is noted for his advice to private equity firms and hedge funds on leveraged and management buyouts; Nemeroff advised Teaching Strategies and L Squared Capital Partners on the sale of an equity interest in UTJ Holdco (the parent company of Teaching Strategies) to Summit Partners. Joseph Kye and Venu Talanki are the vice-finance and transactions group chairs; Kye acted for Samuel, Son & Co, an integr​ated network of metal manufacturing, processing and distribution divisions, in the acquisition of CAID Industries. The team also acted for Vance Street Capital, a Los Angeles-based private equity firm that invests in middle-market businesses in the aerospace, defense, industrial and medical sectors, in the acquisition of Jet Parts. In other matters, it advised MB Financial Bank on its large-deal merger with Fifth Third Bank; assisted Advanced Analytical Technologies, which develops and manufactures nucleic acid and genetic analysis systems, with its merger with Agilent Technologies; and advised Chamberlain Group, which makes garage and commercial door openers and entry systems, on its acquisition of Systems, which manufactures loading dock equipment. Adam Lewis, Guy Snyder, William Bettman, John Obiala, John McEnroe and recently promoted Shelby Parnes are also key advisers, Scott Adamson and Jason Reese are notable Los Angeles contacts, and Benjamin Williams is an experienced associate. Attorneys listed above are based in Chicago, unless otherwise stated.

Venable LLP is 'a go-to firm for US M&A transactions that is always good value for money'. The practice's clients include Fortune 100 companies, international and regional entrepreneurs, family businesses, venture capitalists, underwriters, and a range of investors; it is widely praised for its advice on acquisitions, mergers, spin-off and carve-out deals, minority interest acquisitions and joint ventures. The practice also assists with complex tax structuring, transaction financing, IP, employee benefit and executive compensation, corporate finance and securities, and regulatory issues. Recent work includes advising Drummond Company, a privately owned company that mines and processes coal and coal products, on the $400m sale of its Shoal Creek mining business to Peabody Energy. Charles Morton Jr divides his time between Washington DC and Baltimore, and focuses on the technology, consumer products and healthcare industries; Washington DC-based Robert Bolger Jr acts in a range of business transactions, including M&A, private placements, joint ventures, liquidations and sales; and across traditional and emerging media, Los Angeles-based Christopher O’Brien's clients include content producers and distributors, talent agencies, investors, and financing sources. Other key advisers are the 'highly recommended' Baltimore-based Anthony Rosso, whose clients include a global data-driven, technology–enabled performance marketing agency, a Fortune 250 provider of IT, consulting and business process services, and one of the largest US-based family-owned, innovative food and agricultural products companies; and Bryan Rakes, whose representative experience includes acting for a private equity fund in its acquisition of two restaurant franchise groups as well as advising the US subsidiary of a Canadian company on its acquisition of a global business-to-business digital music services and rights platform.

Katten's 'team is very hands-on; it takes the time to understand clients' business and works with them to find the right work product for their needs'. The practice has particular sector knowledge in healthcare, pharmaceuticals and life sciences, sports, financial services, investment funds, education, manufacturing, parking and transportation, publishing and media, and technology. The team regularly advises on LBOs, management buyouts, going-private transactions, proxy contests, spin-offs, tender offers and restructurings; it fields attorneys with experience in all aspects of takeovers, both friendly and hostile, including designing and implementing defensive controls. Significant clients include Chicago-based private equity fund Ellipse Capital, septic services company Wind River Environmental, and Sterling Partners, a diversified investment management platform. Recent work saw the team advise Ellipse Capital on the sale of its portfolio company Monroe Engineering to ShoreView Capital, a Minneapolis-based private equity fund. It also acted for Wind River Environmental on several matters, including the acquisition of Certified Environmental Services, an environmental testing service; assisted Harmony Biosciences, a biopharmaceutical company, with its acquisition of the exclusive right to develop, register and market the narcolepsy treatment drug pitolisant in the US; and advised Versatex Holdings (Versatex), a portfolio company of Highlander Partners and manufacturer of branded trip, sheet and mouldings, on the sale of Versatex to The AZEK Company. New York's Evan Borenstein is 'a terrific resource and a trusted partner, who consistently provides high-quality, practical advice and gets quickly to the heart of the matter'; and Mark Grossmann, who focuses on advising private equity funds, as well as institutional and entrepreneurial corporate clients, is global corporate practice head and divides his time between Chicago and New York. Other notable advisers are Chicago-based entrepreneurial ventures practice head Matthew Brown, Jeffrey Patt and Kimberly Smith; Charlotte's Russell Black; Washington DC-based Mara Glaser McCahan; and New York's Farzad Damania.

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP's M&A attorneys regularly act in high-profile deals in the firm's core specialty areas: healthcare, financial services and technology. The team's expertise also includes international tax, antitrust and regulatory matters, as well as assisting with the sales of family businesses. Community Bank, Blue Shield of California and Stamps.com are active clients of the firm. In a landmark transaction that combined two of the oldest Southern California-headquartered banks, San Francisco-based Craig Miller advised Community Bank on its $903m sale to CVB Financial, a holding company for Citizens Business Bank; Miller also assisted El Dorado Savings Bank with its $467m sale to PacWest Bancorp. Elsewhere, Gordon Bava in Los Angeles assisted KCETLink, an independent broadcast and digital network, with its merger with the KOCE Foundation, the operator of public broadcasting service, SoCal; and Orange County's Thomas Poletti advised Monster Digital, which develops action sports cameras and premium memory storage products, on its merger with publicly traded Innovate Biopharmaceuticals. Also in Orange County, Matthew O’Loughlin is highly rated for corporate, strategic and transactional matters; he acted for Houlihan Lokey, a Los Angeles-based global investment bank, in its acquisition of UK- headquartered BearTooth Advisors, which provides advisory and placement agency services. Los Angeles-based Ben Orlanski is chair of the business, finance and tax division and Aydin Caginalp is a key New York contact. Jordan Hamburger joined Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP and Alan Noskow and Brian Ashin left for King & Spalding LLP.

Nixon Peabody LLP's practice assists major strategic clients, particularly companies with sophisticated in-house legal departments, with M&A, LBOs, joint ventures, and other corporate transactions; it advises clients in the food and beverage, agribusiness, consumer products, life sciences, manufacturing, technology and energy sectors, among others. Corporate group leader David Martland acted for Refresco Group, the world’s largest independent bottler of soft drinks and fruit juices, in its acquisition of Cott Corporation’s (Cott) worldwide bottling business, including half of Cott’s US, UK, Canadian and Mexican operations; Brian Krob in Chicago led advice to ThoughtWorks, a global software development and digital transformation consulting company, on its sale to an affiliate of British private equity firm Apax Partners; Gregory O’Shaughnessy assisted Fusionstorm, a software and cloud-based IT-solution business, with its merger with Computacenter; and Washington DC-based John Partigan advised TEGNA, an American broadcast, digital media and marketing services company, on its acquisition of Midwest Television’s broadcasting television station and two radio stations in San Diego. Christopher Keefe - who recently advised longstanding client Sensata Technologies on the sale of its valves business to Pacific Industrial - and Lori Green in Rochester are the co-M&A and corporate transactions team leaders. Also recommended are Haydon Keitner and New York's Daniel McAvoy. Attorneys are in Boston unless otherwise stated. In San Francisco, Thomas Gaynor and Jinjian Huang joined DLA Piper LLP (US) in 2019.

Seward & Kissel LLP 'understands clients' business M&A strategy and understands the markets they operate in; the practice is a trusted partner that provides practical advice and solutions to complex M&A projects, where timing and execution are of the essence'. The firm is a widely respected legal adviser to investment management and shipping industry clients. Beyond these areas, it is also a go-to practice for middle-market M&A for businesses and frequently assists with international deals and transactions involving private equity firms; in addition, the team has handled deals in the media and technology industries. Notable clients are iM Global Partner, UBM, Borr Drilling, White Oak Equity Partners (WOEP) and Euronav. The team advised New York-based private equity firm WOEP on its acquisition of a minority interest in FCO Advisors, a private municipal investment fund. Other recent work includes assisting Hunter Maritime Acquisition Corporation, a special purpose acquisition company, with its business combination with NCF Wealth Holdings, a Chinese fintech company; and acting for Ocean Rig, an international offshore drilling contractor, in its merger agreement with Transocean, the world's largest offshore drilling contractor. The team also advised alternative asset manager TIG Advisors on its acquisition of a minority interest in Romspen Investment Corporation, a real estate-focused alternative credit manager. The co-business transactions group heads are the 'particularly helpful' James Abbott and Craig Sklar, who is 'singularly good at identifying the common sense core of a question and teasing out the solution'. Abbott led advice to Belgium-based Euronav, the largest NYSE-listed independent crude oil tanker company in the world, on its merger with Gener8 Maritime; and Sklar acted for Harvest Volatility Management, known for derivative asset management, in the sale of its business to Victory Capital, a global investment management firm. Also highly rated is Nick Katsanos, who 'understands the nuances that differentiate one deal from the next and provides practical advice to overcome the inevitable hurdles that arise'. Gerhard Anderson and Meir Grossman are other key contacts, and Danielle Lemberg and Dora Pulido are notable senior associates. All advisers named are in New York.

Seyfarth Shaw LLP's 'M&A team is efficient, timely and provides excellent business advice'. It acts for private and public companies in all aspects of M&A transactions, including joint ventures, divestitures and investments, and frequently advises on cross-border work. The firm's highly rated labor and employment practice regularly supports the M&A team on deals and the practice stands out for healthcare and franchise M&A. Corporate office chair for the Washington DC team Andrew Sherman led advice to a construction and insurance technology solutions company on the sale of construction bidding software; Atlanta-based Andrew Hough acted for IG Design Group Americas, an international stationery business, in a purchase of all of Impact Innovations' shares; Houston's Paul Pryzant assisted Nasdaq-listed TapImmune, which develops immunotherapeutics, with its merger of equals with immunotherapy innovator Marker Therapeutics; and Theodore Cornell III in Chicago advised a private equity firm on the acquisition of a flooring company. Also in Chicago, M&A chair Suzanne Saxman is 'terrific; she delegates when appropriate but participates on every important call, and is a good source of market intelligence that is helpful for benchmarking anticipated negotiation points'. Saxman advised a human resources services and technology company on the acquisition of a corporation that provides employee engagement and wellbeing solutions, and its subsidiaries. Elsewhere, vice-national M&A chair Andrew Lucano 'may just be the best M&A attorney in New York City - his expertise and attentiveness to detail, along with his business savvy, are critical'; also in New York, Stanley Bloch is 'the most practical and learned M&A attorney' some clients have worked with and 'brings to the table a perspective that few else have'. Washington DC's Robert Bodansky and Douglas Mancino in Los Angeles are other notable advisers; counsel Leslie Kersey was hired in New York from Paul Hastings LLP and Chicago-based Whitney Schmidt is an experienced associate.

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP' deal sector experience includes aerospace and defense, financial services, healthcare and technology, as well as entertainment, electronics, telecoms, food and beverage, retail and transportation. Active clients are adidas, LendingTree, Belgacom International Carrier Services (BICS), Lions Gate Entertainment and Samsung Semiconductor. Highlights included acting for BICS, which provides wholesale connectivity and interoperability services, on its $230m acquisition of TeleSign Holdings, which provides a telephone and SMS verification system; and assisting AMN Healthcare, a provider of healthcare workforce solutions and staffing services, with its $195m acquisition of MedPartners. Other work included M&A team leader Will Chuchawat, who divides his time between Los Angeles and Shanghai, leading advice to Mercury Systems, a hi-tech company serving the aerospace and defense industries, on its agreement to acquire Themis Computer, which manufactures manufactures computing products; and Lucantonio Salvi in Washington DC acting, as US counsel, for Charme Partners, an Italian private equity fund, on its acquisition of ammunition maker Fiocchi Minuzioni. The co-corporate and securities practice group leaders are Century City's Jeryl Bowers and Linda Michaelson, and Ariel Yehezkel in New York, while Los Angeles' Lawrence Braun is also highly rated. Recent growth includes the arrivals of Jordan Hamburger in Centruy City, whose experience includes advising clients in the healthcare and financial services industries, and Eric Newsom in San Francisco, who is focused on the technology and healthcare sectors; both joined from Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP. Also, John Booher, who works with life sciences, healthcare, aerospace, transportation and technology industry clients, was hired in Silicon Valley from Hogan Lovells US LLP.

Sullivan & Worcester LLP 'provides amazing quality of service and expertise that is always on-point and with a practical business grounding'. The team's clients include large public companies with aggressive acquisition programs, buyout firms, foreign enterprises expanding into the US, and technology companies and family-owned businesses seeking liquidity; it is also well known for advising some of the country’s largest public and private REITs in M&A and regularly works alongside the firm's tax planners on corporate transactions and M&A deals. In addition, the practice has carved out a niche representing Israeli companies in securities offerings on Nasdaq as well as other corporate work in the US. The team assisted Delaware corporation Newbury Taleo Group, which specializes in talent acquisition solutions, with its stock sale to Evolutionary Systems, a subsidiary of Evosys. Lewis Segall heads the corporate and M&A practice group; his clients include companies in the renewable energy, advertising, healthcare, communications, manufacturing and software industries. Other key attorneys are the 'standout attorney' William Curry; Carol Wolff, who is highly rated for advising privately held middle-market companies on domestic and cross-border M&A, joint ventures and investments; and Benjamin Armour, who advises clients through all stages of the corporate life cycle. The associates to note are Matthew Lane and Avinash Rao. Named attorneys are based in Boston.

Blank Rome LLP 'has depth at partner level and below to cover all specialty legal areas'. The firm's 70-lawyer national M&A team has its core groups in New York and Philadelphia, with additional centers of corporate activity in Pittsburgh, Washington DC and Los Angeles. The practice has particular strengths in the shipping, transportation, logistics and insurance sectors; it also has significant experience in the TMT industry, regularly advises fashion and brand management clients, and has a niche practice advising professional firms on their M&A work. Regular clients include AccuWeather, ExxonMobil, Paddy Power Betfair and Panasonic. Steven Dubow is 'a go-to deal attorney, who has broad experience and an ability to breakdown complex legal issues for non-attorney business people'; and Peter Schnur in New York advised Ryder System, which provides logistics, supply chain and transportation management solutions, on its $120m acquisition of MXD Group. Louis Rappaport chairs the firmwide corporate, M&A and securities team, while Linsey Bozzelli and Kathleen Cunningham in New York are its vice chairs, and Robert Mittman chairs the New York corporate practice. Rappaport has led on several deals for Togetherwork Holdings, which develops group management software and payments solutions, including its acquisition of Gingr, a provider of management software for dog daycare boarding and grooming businesses. Also key to the team are co-business department chair Gary Goldenberg, Alan Lieblich and New York-based Brad Shiffman and Michael Mullman. The names listed are based in  Philadelphia except where otherwise stated.

McGuireWoods LLP fields attorneys in the healthcare, solar energy, life sciences and technology sectors as well as in niche areas such as furniture, student housing, and food and beverage. Notable clients are SPX, a North Carolina-based supplier of highly engineered products and technologies, and Compass Group, a foodservice and support services company. Highlights included acting for Compass Group in several transactions, including the acquisitions of France-based Elior Group, a global contracted food and support services business; assisting Scotland-based Clyde Blowers Capital with its $245m sale of industrial gearing manufacturer Cone Drive to The Timken Company; advising SPX on the acquisition of Schonstedt Instrument Company, a manufacturer of magnetic locator products; and assisting private equity firm Falfurrias Capital Partners on several deals, including its investments in E-Technologies Group and Best Impressions Caterers. In large deals, the practice advised Dominion Energy, one of the US' largest energy producers, on its proposed stock-for-stock merger with SCANA Corporation. Michael Woodard in Richmond is the chair of the firm’s M&A department and Chicago-based Geoffrey Cockrell chairs the private equity group. Also highly regarded are Charlotte’s Chris Scheurer, Thomas Zahn in Pittsburgh and Richmond's Joanne Katsantonis.

Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg LLP's regularly handles complex M&A and stands out for its assistance to issuers in the metals and mining space. Other areas of strength include manufacturing, insurance, energy, healthcare, real estate, technology, hospitality and leisure, and venture capital and private equity. The team also regularly works alongside the firm's antitrust, employment, finance, IP, litigation, real estate, regulatory, restructuring and tax specialists. Goldcorp, Glencoe Capital Holdings and First Analysis are regular clients; recent work for other clients includes John Koenigsknecht  leading advice, as US M&A counsel, to Sweden-headquartered global engineering group Trelleborg, and its subsidiary Trelleborg Sealing Solutions, on its agreement to acquire Minnesota-based Sil-Pro. The team also acted for Fonterra (USA), which produces dairy products and ingredients, in its acquisition of a one-third equity interest in joint venture Columbia River Technologies, which manufactures whey protein concentrate and lactose products. Corporate and securities chair David Stone, whose deal experience includes the energy, mining, insurance and technology industries, is also co-chair of the firm's cross-border and international practice group, and Michael Gray leads the private equity, venture capital and growth companies practice. Other notable advisers are Cristina DeMento, Joshua Klein and Philippe Blanchard. All attorneys named are based in Chicago.

Thompson Hine LLP 'has no weak link; from the partners to the junior associates, the individuals are of the highest quality. It is not just that they know their subject incredibly well, it is their ability to communicate and deploy this knowledge in a professional, yet accessible way'. The corporate practice comprises approximately 100 attorneys, more than half of whom regularly work on M&A transactions, including domestic and cross-border transactions; significant clients include ProMach, The Home Depot, Honeywell International and Keycorp. The team assisted Pro Mach with its high-value sale to American private equity investment firm Leonard Green and Partners; and advised Tropicana Entertainment on both completing the sale of its real estate assets to a subsidiary of Gaming and Leisure Properties and the sale of its gaming and hotel operations to Eldorado Resorts. The team also advised Meritor Specialty Products, a global supplier for commercial vehicle manufacturers, on the acquisition of AA Gear; and acted for Starfire Holding Corporation in its take-private of Cadus Corporation. In Cincinnati, corporate transactions and securities practice group leader Frank Chaiken's 'ability to manage his team as well as understand and communicate risks are top-notch, he has knowledge in multiple subject areas, and is able to apply that information to help close deals'; and Todd Schild 'has gained impressive industry knowledge and helps tailor the M&A process to be as efficient as possible'. Elsewhere, Cleveland’s Tony Kuhel has been key to the strategic development of the firm’s M&A practice. Other key team members are David Willbrand, who leads the early stage and emerging company practice and divides his time between Cincinnati, Cleveland and Columbus, Cleveland-based William Henry, and New York-based Corby Baumann and counsel Branwen Buckley.

Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle LLP is particularly active on behalf of clients operating in the energy, commodities, telecoms, manufacturing, transportation and technology industries, and the group has extensive experience in complex cross-border transactions and foreign investments in the US, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and Asia. Lawrence Goodman is the M&A group chair and Andrew Seiden's recent experience includes representing high-net-worth clients in venture capital, private equity and private equity fund investments, as well as advising a pharmaceutical developer on the sale of a majority interest in its product development pipeline. Other notable advisers are chair of the firm’s securities practice group and opinions committee Jeffrey Ostrager, Raymond Hum, who divides his time between Washington DC and New York, former chair of the international corporate department Matias Vega, and Valarie Hing. The attorneys named are in New York, except where otherwise stated. Evan Borenstein left for Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP.

Haynes and Boone, L.L.P.'s practice covers LBOs, private equity M&A, corporate strategic acquisitions and divestitures, asset transactions, stock purchase agreements, and consolidations. Other areas of strength are distressed deals, strategic alliances, tender offers, cross-border transactions, going-private deals, hostile takeovers, and joint ventures. The practice acted for the equity owners of Corporacion POK, a Mexican industrial and oilfield services precision casting foundry, in the sale of stock to steel manufacturer Nucor Corporation; and advised Arcosa, a manufacturer of infrastructure-related products and services, on its acquisition of Harrison Gypsum Holdings. Tom Harris and Janice Sharry are the key Dallas contacts; also highly rated are Ricardo Garcia-Moreno and George Y. Gonzalez, who divide their time between Houston and Mexico City.

Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP 'delivers a timely and expeditious service and the assignment of practice specialists is fast and smooth'. The national corporate and M&A team has over 80 lawyers across the US; it stands out for banking and technology sector M&A and has significant private equity and venture capital expertise. It acted for Novolex, a plastics and packaging manufacturer, in its acquisition of the Waddington Group, a global consumer and commercial package manufacturing business; and in a $220m financial services M&A deal, the practice assisted Florida-based Gibraltar Private Bank and Trust on its sale to IberiaBank. In other matters, it advised pharmaceutical company Huvepharma on its acquisition of AgriLabs, the largest marketing and sales distribution company in the US for food animal products. Atlanta-based Rhys Wilson and 'his team always provide expertise, speedy delivery and creative solutions to solve problems'. Michael Hollingsworth II and Gus Dixon in Columbia are other key M&A contacts.

Perkins Coie LLP's practice comprises over 100 M&A attorneys, who advise on domestic and cross-border M&A, joint ventures, carve-outs, spin-offs, recapitalizations, growth equity investments and other transactions. Recent work includes acting for food and beverage client Sethness Products Company in its sale to France-based Roquette Frères; and advising Oberto, which produces meat snacks, on its sale to Premium Brands Holdings Corporation. Denver-based Jeffrey Beuche is firmwide chair of the M&A practice; also key to the group are vice chairs of the M&A practice, Gina Eiben in Portland and Seattle's Nicholas Ferrer.

Brown Rudnick LLP's M&A group provides complementary practices in IP, tax, Employee Retirement Income Security Act, finance, and government relations, and stands out for its work with emerging growth companies. Highlights included advising private equity real estate fund manager Queensgate Investments on its acquisition of Generator Hostels, Patron Capital’s premium hostels business. Boston-based Samuel Williams is managing partner and James Bedar is practice group leader.

Husch Blackwell LLP is a Midwest firm with significant inbound and outbound M&A experience on major transactions. The team acted for AMC Entertainment Holdings in its sale of a controlling interest in on-screen advertising company Screenvision Media to private equity firm Abry Partners. St Louis-based Matthew Schneider leads the corporate, M&A and securities practice.

Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell LLP is a Wilmington-based firm that is highly rated for its Delaware law advice on complex corporate transactions and corporate governance issues; and the practice frequently advises clients in the oil and gas and master limited partnership space. It acted for biotechnology company Celgene, as Delaware law counsel, in the acquisition of immunotherapy cancer treatment firm, Juno Therapeutics. James Honaker, Andrew Johnston, David Harris and Louis Hering are highly rated attorneys.

Wiggin and Dana LLP's 'team is highly competent in M&A matters and strong in communication with clients and counterparties as well as in their interactions with non-lawyers'. The firm has a significant cross-border M&A practice, with many clients in Europe and Asia; and it has particular experience in sectors such as medical devices, chemicals, software, construction, franchising and financial services, as well as healthcare, manufacturing and TMT. The team advised HTA, an electronic toll collection and traffic violation management provider, on its sale to Platinum Equity Partners portfolio company, ATS. Stamford-based Mark Kaduboski is M&A chair.