Levenfeld Pearlstein

Robert Connolly

Rob is a partner in and leader of Levenfeld Pearlstein’s Corporate Group and has been with the firm since its inception. Rob works with buyers, sellers, investors and operators of privately-held businesses throughout the company’s life-cycle. He helps his clients strategize, structure, negotiate, and close complex business transactions for a variety of matters across a range of industries. His clients include buyers and sellers in mergers and acquisitions transactions, companies undergoing meaningful growth or transition, private equity sponsors and others who buy, invest in or operate privately-held companies. He serves as “outside general counsel” for a number of his clients. Rob’s areas of concentration include: Mergers and Acquisitions Strategic Planning Equity Investments, Restructurings and Recapitalizations Corporate Governance and Partnership/Shareholder Agreements Joint Ventures, Capital Raises and Private Placements Private Investment Fund Formations IT Agreements (consulting, SaaS/”cloud,” managed services, outsourcing). Complex Commercial Agreements

Russell Shapiro

Russell Shapiro is a member of the firm’s Corporate Group, an area in which he has practiced for his entire career, focusing in particular on mergers and acquisitions. Russell's industry insight and his clients' diverse business objectives have shown him that every transaction demands its own solutions. As a result, he is committed to listening to his clients, understanding their business, and designing transactions to meet their specific strategic goals. Russell’s more than three decades of successful practice in this area have allowed him to serve as an expert witness in merger disputes. Russell's insight on tax and finance issues is deepened considerably by his status as a certified public accountant, giving him a nuanced understanding of his clients' needs and the ability to craft the most effective tax and finance strategies. Russell’s background has led him to develop especially deep experience representing accounting firms, where he regularly assists with partnership agreements, mergers and acquisitions, and the enforcement of restrictive covenants. He performs similar work for other professional services firms, including law firms, consulting firms and investment banks. In the last several years, Russell has worked on a number of nationally recognized accounting firm mergers, including PKF O'Connor Davies & private equity firms Investcorp and PSP Investments, Marks Paneth and CBIZ; Berdon and Citrin Cooperman; Lurie and EisnerAmper; Baker Tilly and Henry+Horne; and Aprio and Aronson, and many others. Russell has compiled a list of resources for accounting firms here. Russell also serves as outside general counsel to a variety of privately held companies that average between $20 million and $500 million in sales. Russell served more than a decade as the head of LP’s Corporate & Securities practice. Russell was also the Chair of the firm’s Transactional Practice Area.

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