National firm Akerman was founded in Orlando in 1920. It has now has 25 offices across 15 states but Florida remains core to the firm and is the state where it has the largest number of offices.

Focusses / specialisms

The firm is best known for mid-market M&A and real estate work in Florida and is active in capital markets and restructuring.

The firm has a national capital markets practice of note that represents issuers in bond issuances, IPOs and share offerings.

Its M&A team, bolstered by the Florida offices, represents strategic and private equity buyers and sellers in acquisition related matters, including acquisition financing.

It also has a restructuring and insolvency practice in Texas.

Key clients

Key clients for the firm include HIG Capital, AE Industrial Partners, AutoNation, Carrols Holdco, RumbleOn and Green Growth Brands.

Research period review: 30th edition (2019/2020)

The capital markets team represented issuers in mostly share offerings. Many of these offerings were tied to public M&A deals. It also worked on an IPO and bond offering.

Throughout the research period the M&A team represented a large amount of private equity clients on both the buyer and seller side in acquisitions across a wide variety of industries including automotive, consumer goods and services, cannabis and manufacturing.

In lateral movements, partners Otavio Carneiro joined the Florida corporate practice from Veirano Advogados; Amanda Leech and Roy Ide joined the Georgia corporate practice from Dentons; Paul Foley joined the North Carolina investment management practice from Kilpatrick Townsend; and, Ricardo Hollingsworth joined the New York investment management practice from Katten Muchin Rosenman. 

In 2019, Akerman opened two offices in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and Atlanta, Georgia. 

Deal highlights: 30th edition (2019/2020)

Ceres Acquisition NEO Exchange IPO

Ferguson Enterprises acquisition of James Martin Signature Vanities 

Pentair $120 million acquisition of Pelican Water Systems

Client feedback: 30th edition (2019/2020)

Private Equity

“Smart and responsive and modestly priced.”