Helping sponsors and investors close the deal and position portfolio companies for growth and success
We offer clients broad and deep legal expertise gleaned through years of hands-on experience. We partner with our clients’ deal teams and operators to understand their business goals, risk tolerance, regulatory shortfalls, growth opportunities and more.
Portfolio Company Representation
When requested, we will also act as a portfolio company’s legal quarterback and provide legal advice on day-to-day matters and challenges. With our diverse team of attorneys stretching across countless industries, our clients know they have a deep bench of experience from which to draw. We also help our clients assess legal and regulatory risk exposure for businesses across industries, helping organizations make informed decisions in a cost-effective manner.
Your Go-To Buy & Build Partner
We’re M&A specialists that have advised on countless transactions for our private equity, venture capital and other sponsor-backed clients. We provide the speed, flexibility and experience to quickly jump on a transaction and ensure the deal gets done.
Portfolio Company Transactions. We count among our clients some of the largest financial institutions in the country. We draw upon our experience representing asset-based, cash-flow and subordinated debt lenders to assist our clients in financing portfolio company acquisitions with senior, mezzanine and subordinated debt.
Buchanan currently represents a Florida-based private equity-backed company executing a “buy and build” strategy across the U.S. In 16 months, Buchanan served as lead transaction counsel on 14 acquisitions, ranging in value from $7 million to $130 million.
M&A Experience. Our long history of sophisticated M&A experience lets us address any issue that may arise in the purchase or sale of a portfolio company. Our M&A experience transcends geographic boundaries and includes transactions in Canada, Mexico, South America, Europe and Asia.
Private Equity Experience
Our work in private equity encompasses many industries and funding stages. We represent private equity funds, hedge funds, family offices and other private capital sponsors.
Regulatory Compliance. Our securities, tax, ERISA and government relations teams assist clients with the securities, tax and other regulatory areas that impact funds, sponsors and investors. We advise clients on compliance with requirements under the Securities Act, the Securities Exchange Act, the Investment Advisers Act, the Investment Company Act, applicable privacy regulations, Sarbanes Oxley and the USA PATRIOT Act.
Management Team Compensation. We are experienced in the structure and negotiation of compensation arrangements for portfolio company management, including equity-based incentives and appropriate noncompetition-related restrictions.
Fund Formation. We help our clients choose the best tax-efficient structure, including limited partnerships, limited liability companies, corporations and offshore entities, to give them the flexibility they desire in raising capital, making investments and compensating their management teams. We also help our fund clients shape and negotiate the terms of their funds and with their efforts to raise capital.
Fund Investors. We help institutional and other investors review proposed investments in private equity and other funds and negotiate the terms and documentation for their investments.
Other Fund Investments. We represent our private fund clients in other investment transactions, including minority investments; real estate investments; venture capital investments; PIPE investments; senior, mezzanine, and subordinated debt transactions; and purchases of companies in chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings.
Venture Capital Support
Our substantive knowledge, practical judgment, depth of talent and focus make us the firm of choice for national, regional and local early-stage capital providers and the emerging technologies and companies in which they invest. Buchanan’s commitment to venture capital and our transaction experience have us on the forefront of recognizing new legal and business developments. We have a wide range of talented venture capital attorneys, from experienced associates to highly regarded partners who are leaders in the venture capital and entrepreneur community.
Emerging Companies. We represent emerging companies in many aspects of their development. We understand the mix of legal and business problems that emerging companies face and help them evaluate risks and identify potential financing sources, bringing the benefit of our experience and contacts, as well as our perspective on alternative financing methods that may be available.
Portfolio Company Investments. We represent capital providers active in a variety of industries, including life sciences and medical devices, communications and technology, and information and business services. Our clients invest in companies at all stages of development, providing angel and seed funding, early- and later-stage preferred stock financings, bridge loans and mezzanine financing.
Transfers of Portfolio and Fund Investments. We represent venture capital and private equity funds in connection with the private transfer of portfolio company investments. We also represent funds and their investors in connection with private transfers of interests in venture capital and private equity funds.
Fund Formation. Our venture capital attorneys collaborate with our tax attorneys to help fund managers and their investors form venture capital and private equity funds. We help shape and negotiate the terms and structure of the fund. And we counsel clients on matters such as choice of entity, regulatory compliance (including issues involving ERISA investors and state plan investors), fund raising, tax issues related to tax exempt and international investors and issues related to the allocation and distribution of fund gains and losses.
The Right Resources for Every Transaction
Our multi-disciplinary and highly collaborative private equity and venture capital teams draw on our bench strength across practice disciplines as appropriate for each specific matter, such as securities, tax, labor & employment, intellectual property, antitrust, real estate, environmental, energy, bankruptcy, financial institutions and others.