Akerman
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.”
Bilzin Sumberg
Bilzin Sumberg Baena Price & Axelrod
is a firm that services the entirety of the United States, but the history of the firm starts in Miami, Florida.
Professionals at the firm are skilled in banking, capital markets, investment funds and M&A.
The banking team
works closely with the debt capital markets team advising financial institutions and private equity firms
on complex financial structures.
In capital markets, the firm works on the debt and equity side in the automotive, technology and life sciences sectors.
The M&A team and the investment funds team collaborate to advise investors, acquirers and sellers in various industries.
Some of the firm’s key clients include
Related Fund Management, GL Financial Services, Kawa Capital Partners,
Landsea Homes, Green Ops Group, World Omni Financial, LV Lending and Property Markets Group.
Greenspoon Marder
Full-service business law firm Greenspoon Marder was founded in 1981. It has since grown to 15 offices and 10 other locations. The firm is best known for its work in Florida, where it has the greatest number of offices.
Greenspoon Marder is best known for its work in the real estate industry. It represents property developers, owners and financiers regarding commercial and residential real estate in any type of real estate work. This includes acquisitions, development and financing.
Key clients for the firm are confidential.
Research period review: 32nd edition (2022/2023)
Over the research period, the
team largely worked on deals in the real estate industry. This included representing developers in
construction financings and acquisitions. It also represented lenders in real estate financings and refinancings.
McDermott Will & Emery
McDermott Will & Emery is an international firm founded and headquartered in Chicago. It has offices in 13 locations in the United States, and seven offices across five European countries.
Focusses / specialisms
The firm does notable work across many financial and corporate practice areas including banking, M&A, private equity, project finance and restructuring and insolvency.
In banking work the firm represents borrowers and lenders in term loans, secured and unsecured credit facilities, subordinated debt facility and refinancings.
The M&A team represents private equity and strategic buyers and sellers in acquisition, mergers and corporate reorganization related matters.
In real estate, the team represents lenders in mortgage loans, mezzanine loans, acquisition financing, joint ventures and acquisitions.
In restructuring and insolvency work the firm represents creditors, debtors and trustees in insolvency, financial restructuring, Chapter 11 and Chapter 9 bankruptcy cases.
Key clients
Key clients for the firm include Natixis Real Estate Capital, Apollo Global Management, Fireman Capital Partners, Rhône Group, Goldman Sachs Asset Management, US Bank, HIG Capital, Peak Rock Capital, Dogfish Head Brewery, Sierra Nevada Brewing, Premier and Wells Fargo Capital Finance.
Research period review: 30th edition (2019/2020)
Over the research period the banking team worked on numerous loans and credit facilities.
In M&A, the team worked on mostly acquisition related matters, representing both buyers and sellers across a wide variety of industries. The team represented a large amount of private equity acquirers.
The restructuring and insolvency team represented largely indenture trustee and debtors in financial restructuring and Chapter 11 cases.
The New York real estate team hired partners Pejman Razavilar, Stacie Trott and Todd Eisner in 2019.
Deal highlights: 30th edition (2019/2020)
Boston Beer Company / Dogfish Head Brewery merger
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico restructuring
Fireman Capital Partners initial investment in Garden Remedies Holdings
HIG Capital acquisition of Lipari Foods
Maefield Development $1.9 billion acquisition of 20 Times Square
PG&E Chapter 11 restructuring
Premier $1.35 billion credit facility
Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough
Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough was founded in 1897 in Columbia, South Carolina. The Columbia location still stands as the firm’s headquarters but has since expanded to 25 total locations across 12 states, largely in the southeast. Though the firm has the most locations in Florida it is also highly regarded in South Carolina.
Focusses / specialisms
The full-service firm is especially active in the banking, M&A and restructuring and insolvency practice areas.
In banking the team works on acquisition financing, construction financing, real estate financing, project financing, refinancing and general corporate financing. It acts for borrowers and lenders.
The firm’s M&A practice is concentrated in the Georgia, South Carolina, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts and Tennessee locations. It is focused on the mid-market, advising strategic clients on both the buy and sell side.
The restructuring and insolvency team acts for trustees, creditors, debtors and other related parties in Chapter 7 and 11 proceedings and reorganizations. Also of note is the Floridian real estate teams, which are market leaders in the state.
Key clients
Key clients for the firm include Avenger Flight Group, Amzak Capital Management, Chemical Finance Corporation, CenterState Financial Corporation, Cosmopolitan Travel Services, Sprinturf, PIETech, and Lime Energy.
Research period review: 30th edition (2019/2020)
Throughout the research period the banking and finance team assists both borrowers and lenders. The South Carolina partners focused more on acquisition financing, while the Floridian offices focused on project financing and real estate financing.
The M&A team worked on the buy and sell side in a large amount of deals in the banking and financial services and technology industries. The deals were both strategic acquisitions and private equity acquisitions.
The restructuring and insolvency team in mostly Chapter 7 proceedings, but also a significant number of Chapter 11 proceedings.
Regarding lateral moves, the corporate and M&A practice brought over numerous partners. M&A focused partners Adele Hogan moved over from Hogan Law, Andrew Tucker from Womble Bond Dickinson and Michael Bryan from K&L Gates. Corporate partners James Bartling and Sabring Conyers moved from in-house positions. In the Florida real estate practice, partners JJ Johnson, Michelle Tanzer and William Liss. The partners came from Johnson Real Estate Law, GrayRobinson and Santen & Hughes, respectively.
Deal highlights: 30th edition (2019/2020)
Avenger Flight Group $120 million financing
Chemical Bank / TCF Financial merger
PG&E Chapter 11 restructuring
Squire Patton Boggs
Full-service firm Squire Patton Boggs was founded in the UK in 1886. Over 135 years later, the firm has expanded to 44 offices in four continents. In the United States, the firm has 17 offices across the country. The firm has been lauded for its commitment to a healthy work-life balance.
Focusses / specialisms
The firm’s Ohio offices are a market leader in the region across financial and corporate practices. It also has highly regarded teams in Georgia, Florida and Arizona.
In financing, it acts on the borrower and lender side in loan agreements and credit facilities for general working capital financing and acquisition financing.
The corporate practice largely works on financing and acquisitions. In acquisitions, teams are on the buy and sell side in strategic acquisitions and joint ventures.
Key clients
Key clients for the firm include Nuverra Environmental Solutions, Walton International, Abercrombie & Fitch, Amtech Systems, Western Alliance Bancorp, Balbec Capital, East West Manufacturing, Delta, Tsuneishi Holdings and NSI-MI Technologies.
Research period review: 30th edition (2019/2020)
Throughout the research period the Atlanta team worked mainly on M&A transactions, while the Phoenix office worked on a mix of acquisitions and general corporate financing. In financing matters, it represented mainly borrowers.
The Atlanta office brought over corporate partner Scott Rafshoon from Hunton Andrews Kurth in 2019.
In 2020 the firm expanded its global reach with the opening of its Milan, Italy office.
Deal highlights: 30th edition (2019/2020)
Nuverra $41.9 million acquisition of Clearwater Solutions
Wheels Up acquisition of Delta Private Jets
Stearns Weaver Miller Weissler Alhadeff & Sitterson
Stearns Weaver Miller is a full-service firm located across Florida. It has offices in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa Tallahassee and Coral Gables. Despite only having offices in Florida, the firm has an international presence due its membership in Meritas.
Focusses / specialisms
The firm is best known for its work in banking and M&A, but also has a notable restructuring and insolvency practice.
In M&A, the practice acts on the buy and sell side in strategic and private equity acquisitions, joint ventures and mergers. The team is particularly active in the technology and real estate industries, though it has experience with a multitude of industries. It also works with private equity firms in fund formations and investments. The restructuring and insolvency practice advises debtors, trustees and receivers in out of court restructurings and Chapter 7 and 11 proceedings.
Key clients
Key clients for the firm include MPD Holdings, 3Cinteractive, FirstService, The Parker Company, Scout Capital Partners, BGGMC, QFK Capital, Alfred Angelo, DJ Roofing and Telepak Networks.
Research period review: 30th edition (2019/2020)
Over the research period, the corporate practice acted on the buy and sell side in strategic and private equity acquisitions, mostly in the technology and real estate industries. It also further advised private equity firms in fund formations and capital raises. The restructuring and insolvency team represented a large amount of trustees in Chapter 11 proceedings.
Deal highlights: 30th edition (2019/2020)
Alfred Angelo Chapter 7 proceedings
Entegris $165 million acquisition of MPD Chemicals
Client feedback: 30th edition (2019/2020)
M&A
“Responsiveness and value.”
Real estate
“Client centric, quality service and availability.”
Restructuring and insolvency
“Strategic expeditious resolution.”
