Our M&A practice group represents public and private companies, private equity investors, venture capitalists and other business organizations across the United States and internationally.
The M&A team at Smith Hulsey & Busey handles a broad spectrum of complex corporate transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, private equity and venture capital investments, bank financings, and strategic alliances. From six-figure deals to transactions approaching $1 billion, we counsel both buyers and sellers on matters of all shapes and sizes. (Learn more about our M&A team’s record years in 2021 and 2022.)
The firm represents public and private companies, private equity investors, and venture capitalists, among others. Our M&A attorneys help clients navigate transactions in diverse industries, including technology, health care, automotive, sports, aviation, logistics, staffing, financial services, insurance, and retail.
Over the years, our M&A team has represented a variety of companies, from fledgling startups to household names. Clients have included the top-selling Mack Trucks dealer network in North America, The Suddath Companies, Black Knight, Brightway Insurance, Parady Financial Group and investors in professional sports teams.
Given their wide-ranging business and corporate experience, our lawyers are often called upon to handle the most challenging, multifaceted transactions. Our M&A team offers clients holistically informed, first-hand perspectives on managing challenging transactions, contracts, executive compensation packages and other business deals. The team includes attorneys with business and engineering backgrounds and MBAs, enabling it to approach transactions from a legal perspective in the context of sound business strategy. Because of this, our lawyers often act as outside general counsel for our clients.
Our work spans the globe. Smith Hulsey & Busey has represented clients in numerous cross-border transactions, including acquisitions and investments in the United Kingdom, Canada, India and Mexico.
The transactional experience of our lawyers and the breadth of our M&A practice, combined with the flexibility and focus we offer to clients, enables us to provide outstanding service for even the most nuanced and complex transactions at costs that compare favorably with M&A practices across the country.
Areas of focus:
- Asset, stock and membership interest sales and purchases
- Corporate structuring and reorganization
- Private equity transactions
- Venture capital transactions
- Mergers
- Joint ventures
- Counseling and governance
Representative matters:
- Representation of a technology company in the acquisition of an industry-specific customer relationship management (CRM) and marketing automation system for approximately $250 million.
- Representation of a national insurance distributor in a majority investment by a private equity firm.
- Representation of a Fortune 500 company in various investments and divestitures.
- Representation of a private-equity-backed platform company in approximately 15 acquisitions over a two-year period.
- Representation of an agricultural business in the sale of stock for more than $90 million.
- Representation of a pre-revenue, startup technology company in connection with several rounds of equity financing and the ultimate sale of the company to an international public technology company with a purchase price of approximately $25 million.
- Representation of an early-stage pharmaceutical company in negotiating option and collaboration agreements with a Fortune 100 company.
- Representation of investors in the formation of a specialty insurance company with an initial capitalization exceeding $80 million and in the subsequent raise of additional capital in excess of $100 million.
- Representation of a borrower in connection with establishing a $60 million asset-based credit facility.
- Representation of a logistics company in connection with its acquisition of a competitor headquartered in London with operations throughout Europe and Asia.
- Representation of a cybersecurity company in the sale of its outstanding equity.
- Representation of a healthcare provider in connection with the sale of its business for a purchase price in excess of $30 million.
- Representation of a large health system in multiple bond financings with an aggregate principal amount of bonds issued in excess of $1 billion.
- Representation of one of the largest Mack Truck distributors in the United States in all aspects of the acquisition of numerous Mack Truck, Volvo, GMC, Isuzu and other distributorships throughout the Southeastern United States and in Missouri, Kansas, Colorado and Wyoming.
- Representation of the largest health systems in three cities in the formation of a multi-state integrated health system having combined annual revenues in excess of $1 billion, including obtaining tax-exempt status pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and obtaining clearance from federal and state antitrust agencies.
- Representation of equity owners of numerous companies in marketing their respective companies, from identifying investment bankers and selecting a purchaser to negotiating and closing the sale to private equity groups or strategic buyers
- Representation of a publicly traded technology company in strategic acquisitions across the country.
- Representation of a financial services company in an equity transaction with a purchase price in excess of $100 million.
