Overview
Locke Lord attorneys have comprehensive experience in all aspects of the private equity business. Our private equity practice is focused on three principal areas: private equity/venture capital, fund formation and leveraged buy-outs.
Our private equity practice focuses on representing private equity firms in the deployment of their capital. We regularly represent firms and funds in all aspects of their investments, from specialized due diligence to drafting and negotiating the investment documentation. We also have attorneys who regularly represent emerging growth, middle market and seasoned companies in connection with their capital raising transactions. As an accommodation to our clients, we frequently assist them in cross-selling – we bring investment opportunities to our private equity clients and we facilitate the introduction of financing sources to our corporate clients seeking debt or equity financing from private equity sources.
Lawyers in our firm regularly represent venture capitalists, private equity firms and other sponsors in connection with the formation of their investment funds, including private equity, mezzanine and hedge funds. In connection with these services, we advise the parties on tax-efficient structures (domestic and international), regulatory issues, cross-border fundraising, and we negotiate with investors and draft fund documents. After the funds are financed, we represent the funds in connection with acquiring portfolio companies. We typically represent the fund’s portfolio companies in connection with their add-on acquisitions or dispositions.
Attorneys in our practice group are active in the management buy-out and leveraged buy-out areas. These buy-outs range from buy-outs of private family businesses to buy-outs of multi-billion dollar public companies.
Locke Lord’s experience and knowledge allow us to contribute more than just legal advice to our clients’ business goals and objectives; we understand the goals and perspectives of all parties and know how to get deals done. And our collaboration with other practice areas – especially intellectual property, ERISA and executive compensation, corporate governance, litigation, environmental, bankruptcy, real estate, securities and tax – adds breadth and focus for effective result-oriented private equity transactions. The relationships our attorneys have formed with many of the industry’s major participants bring real value to our clients.
We regularly represent investors in their review of investment opportunities in funds, so our Firm is aware of all new and emerging trends and approaches in fund formation, management and governance. Our attorneys are able to offer cutting-edge advice and counsel on matters of jurisdiction, preparation of offering documents, co-investment arrangements, state, federal and international tax planning, regulatory matters and sponsor compensation.
Quick turnaround and incisive decision-making are often the keys to completing deals, and our attorneys handle private equity transactions with a sense of urgency. Our lawyers explore alternative billing arrangements that make our years of experience affordable for our emerging clients. During the financing transaction itself, we control costs, plan ahead for contingencies and avoid “over-lawyering.”
Our experience in private equity and venture capital transactions includes telecommunications, technology, medical device, health care, real estate, food services, financial services, manufacturing, consumer products, retail, technology and media and entertainment.
Our attorneys help clients in other legal matters ancillary to our private equity and venture capital focus, including debt financing transactions (including both senior debt and subordinated/mezzanine debt); succession planning and disputes between owners; employment agreements and incentive arrangements; distribution and sales representative agreements; domestic and international joint ventures and other strategic alliances; and regulatory and compliance matters.
When it comes to the special needs of non-public companies, we believe private companies are more than just “pre-public companies” and we develop unique solutions for their needs. We appreciate the no-nonsense management style of owner-operated companies and realize the need for direct, prompt interaction between experienced lawyers and shareholder owners. We help private companies tailor their business strategies to meet legal requirements.