Mr Brooks Gruemmer > McDermott Will & Emery LLP > Chicago, United States > Lawyer Profile

McDermott Will & Emery LLP
444 WEST LAKE STREET
CHICAGO, IL 60606-0029
ILLINOIS
United States
Brooks Gruemmer photo

Work Department

Corporate Advisory

Position

Brooks B. Gruemmer is a corporate partner with a wide-ranging practice representing private equity and other investment funds and private and public companies, with an emphasis on mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, recapitalizations, joint ventures, and the related financing required to fund such transactions. Brooks is a former member of the Firm’s Management Committee and served as head of the Chicago office’s Transactions Practice Group for over a decade.

Brooks has represented clients in a wide range of transactions, business ventures and general corporate matters. He regularly represents a number of private equity and other investment funds in leveraged buyouts of public and private companies, venture capital and growth equity investments, divestitures and recapitalizations. He also represents privately held and publicly traded corporations in connection with a variety of corporate matters, including strategic mergers and other acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, financings, securities law disclosure and compliance matters, and executive compensation. In recent years, Brooks has advised acquirers of financially distressed companies, inside and outside of bankruptcy, and in connection with debt and equity restructurings, workouts and related financings.

Brooks brings a unique perspective to private practice, having spent approximately four years as vice president of administration and general counsel of Favorite Brands International, Inc., the fourth-largest manufacturer of confectionery products in the United States. While at Favorite Brands, Brooks was a member of the executive committee and oversaw numerous acquisitions, financings that raised more than $1 billion, and the eventual sale of the Company to Nabisco.

Lawyer Rankings

United States > M&A/corporate and commercial > M&A: middle-market ($500m-999m)

With great geographical reach in the US and internationally, McDermott Will & Emery LLP enjoys a strong reputation in the middle-market M&A space, where it frequently advises chemicals, energy, healthcare, and manufacturing clients. New York-based Todd Finger has deep experience advising private equity and corporate clients active in the life sciences, consumer products, media and retail industries. Leader of the global transactional group Harris Siskind and Frederic Levenson, who co-heads the private equity practice, are based in Miami. Wilson Chu is a name to note in Dallas, while Brooks Gruemmer is a key contact in Chicago for strategic and private equity clients. Sam Snideris an excellent attorney’ in Atlanta, who specializes in M&A, corporate minority investments and joint ventures.

United States > M&A/corporate and commercial > Private equity buyouts: large deals ($500m+)

Leveraging a deep bench of private equity specialists across New York, Boston, California, Washington DC, and other business hubs, the team at McDermott Will & Emery LLP continues to establish its reputation for guiding clients through a variety of complex acquisitions, dispositions, and leveraged recapitalizations. Key clients include a number of significant funds including H.I.G. Capital, AUA, and Convest Partners. In Miami, Harris Siskind has specialist knowledge of the securities and manufacturing sectors, while private equity co-chair Frank Steinherr is renowned for his skill handling complex leveraged buyouts. Also heading the PE practice from Chicago is Gregory Metz, who has broad industry experience encompassing distribution, manufacturing, and retail. New York-based Frederic Levenson is a go-to lawyer for take-privates and carve-outs, while Kristian Werling and Brooks Gruemmer handle a diverse range of acquisitions and investments from Chicago. In Boston, Kevin Sullivan joined from Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP in January 2023.