M&A: middle-market (sub-$500m)

James E Abbott

Partner

Frank Chaiken

Frank is a partner in the firm and leads Thompson Hine’s Corporate Transactions & Securities practice group, which comprises the firm’s practices in the areas of Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Securities, Investment Management and Funds, Venture Capital, Contracting and General Corporate. He focuses his practice on private M&A, on both the buy and sell sides, including transactions for private and private equity-backed companies and their sponsors; cross-border transactions (in-bound and out-bound); and corporate restructurings. Frank provides general counsel and trusted adviser services to clients and their senior management.

Mark Grossmann

Mark Grossmann knows how to make deals happen. For more than 20 years, he has guided principals and finance sources alike through critical transactions that have helped them grow, compete and realize value. He is known for a refreshingly direct approach that cuts away extraneous issues and gets to the heart of what the parties need. Mark knows that lawyers are often seen as obstacles who can bury the deal in the legal details. He takes a different approach — one based on market knowledge, sharp analysis and a keen sense of priorities. He'll stand firm to get the "right" terms for every deal, but never lets minor or academic issues bring progress to a halt. By keeping the deal moving toward a timely close, Mark makes sure his clients reap its full benefit, while at the same time protecting their legal interests. A deft quarterback, Mark assembles and balances resources from around the firm to address the diverse issues that arise in every transaction. He weighs competing points of view with client priorities in mind and emerges with strategies that meet both immediate needs and long-term goals. Mark has handled hundreds of transactions in the United States and around the world. Clients often turn to him for insight on "what's market," in a given industry or deal structure. Not only does he know the terms, he knows why they matter and how they will play out from contract negotiations through post-closing operations. Mark has deep experience in industries including finance, technology, manufacturing, consulting, real estate, retail, parking, pharmaceutical, security and health care.

Michael A. Nemeroff

President and CEO Shareholder

Mitchell Nussbaum

Vice Chair, Loeb & Loeb LLP; Co-Chair, Capital Markets and Corporate

Suzanne Saxman

Partner and Chair of Mergers & Acquisitions Practice Group

Aaron Gilltt

Partner

Danielle Lemberg

Kenneth Wiggins

Ken Wiggins represents public and private companies, private equity funds, and individuals in a variety of complex corporate transactions and general corporate matters, including mergers and acquisitions, private equity, venture and growth capital investments, private placements of debt and equity securities, recapitalizations, executive employment agreements, and management equity plans. In addition, Ken represents several companies with respect to all of their corporate transactions, and effectively serves as their outside general counsel. Ken also represents both insureds and underwriters in connection with transactional risk products, including the issuance of representations and warranties insurance policies. Ken’s experience spans numerous sectors, including: automotive retail; plumbing; HVAC and industrial product distribution; IT; transportation; aerospace; and correctional services. His private equity experience includes advising numerous firms on a diverse range of acquisitions and dispositions and other corporate matters.

Benjamin Armour

Ben is the leader of the Mergers & Acquisitions group at Sullivan. He represents clients in a range of complex corporate matters, with a focus on mergers and acquisitions, private equity, and capital raising transactions. Ben provides sophisticated transactional counsel to diverse clients pursuing growth strategies, liquidity events, and the investment of capital. He represents public and private companies and investment funds across a broad array of industries, including technology and artificial intelligence, fintech, life sciences, medical technology, gaming, and sports and entertainment. Ben advises clients through all stages of the corporate life cycle – including initial formation, early-stage financing, growth, and exit. Ben’s practice includes an emphasis on cross-border work and assisting clients maximize business opportunities in the U.S. market. His practice also encompasses a range of corporate governance and emerging companies matters. Ben is a leader of the firm’s Opportunity Zones practice group and advises a range of clients in forming private investment funds, partnerships, joint ventures and other investment structures to take advantage of the U.S. Tax Cut and Jobs Act of 2017's Opportunity Zone Program. He also plays an active role in the firm’s Fintech and Blockchain practice group and counsels companies with respect to blockchain and related technologies, virtual currencies and digital token sales, and related securities laws and regulatory matters.

William Henry

Will is a partner in the Corporate Transactions & Securities practice group. He focuses his practice in the following areas: Mergers and acquisitions, principally in the middle-market space; Private equity, including add-on acquisitions and exits; Commercial contract drafting and associated counseling; and Corporate organization and general governance matters. Will has extensive experience in middle-market M&A transactions, having negotiated and closed transactions ranging in value from less than $1 million to over $500 million, with an aggregate value exceeding $3 billion over his career. His clients include private equity firms as well as privately-held and publicly-held Fortune 1000 companies. With regard to corporate drafting and counseling, in addition to working on transactions, Will has assisted clients in the drafting and negotiation of complex commercial agreements, ranging from purchase and supply agreements to complex long-term partnership and joint venture agreements. He also advises on day-to-day corporate governance matters, including employment agreements, consulting agreements and separation agreements. Recently, he completed a secondment at a division of a Fortune 10 company.

Nick Katsanos

Nick Katsanos is a partner in the Business Transactions Group at Seward & Kissel. Nick joined the Firm in 2008 after practicing in-house at a global media company for more than five years. Nick works with public and private companies, private equity firms, financial institutions, and individual business owners in connection with a variety of U.S and cross-border business transactions and general corporate matters. His practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions, private equity and venture capital transactions, joint ventures and strategic alliances in a wide range of industries, including shipping, investment management, broker-dealer and other financial services, B2B media and events, business information and marketing services, and veterinary transactions. Nick also advises clients on compliance with the premerger notification requirements of the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act. Prior to joining Seward & Kissel, Nick worked in-house in the legal and corporate development departments of UBM, a global media company listed on the London Stock Exchange. During his time at UBM, Nick worked on evaluating, structuring and completing acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, minority investments and strategic alliances throughout the world, focusing on B2B media (including online and print), exhibitions and events, news distribution, market research and data and software services and solutions. Nick currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the Hellenic-American Chamber of Commerce. In addition, Nick acts as an editor for IM Deals® (a blog covering investment management industry transactions). Nick’s work has been recognized by Chambers USA, The Legal 500, The M&A Advisor, New York Super Lawyers and Euromoney Institutional Investor’s LMG Rising Stars (Expert Guides). Legal 500 USA 2019 said this about Nick: “…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.” Nick is admitted to practice in New York and is a member of both the New York City and New York State Bar Associations. Nick received a B.S. degree, magna cum laude, from New York University’s Stern School of Business in 1996, and a J.D. degree from New York University School of Law in 1999.

Andrew Lucano

Partner, Vice Chair of Mergers & Acquisitions Practice Group, and Office Chair of New York Corporate

John Pitfield

John Pitfield, co-chair of Choate’s Business & Technology Group, helps private equity and growth equity clients to maximize the value of their transactions and strategic initiatives. John excels in leading teams in mergers and acquisitions and public and private debt and equity offerings, bringing a unique business judgment to these matters. He regularly advises public companies on a range of disclosure, governance, and board level matters. Additionally, John has years of experience working with Canadian companies on a wide range of matters. A gifted collaborator, John utilizes Choate’s superior resources and expertise in the areas of intellectual property and healthcare to provide exceptional service to clients in the life sciences and health services industries. John’s clients include a range of investors and operating companies – particularly in the health services, life sciences, and technology, media, and telecom sectors – including Bain Capital, Candescent Partners, Summit Partners, Haemonetics, Pegasystems, and Forrester Research.

Lewis Segall

Partner

Gregory Seltzer

Partner

Benjamin O. Williams

Shareholder

Michael Woodard