David F.BirkeCo-Chair, M&Aand PrivateEquity Practice+1 305 3745600

Martin G.BurkettCo-Chair, M&Aand PrivateEquity Practice+1 305 982 5578

Our Team

Antitrust and TradeRegulationAviation andAerospaceBankruptcy andReorganizationCapital MarketsCorporateCorporate Finance andLendingCorporateRestructuringCorporate TaxEnergyFinancial ServicesHealth and LifeSciences

Practices

M&A and Private EquityWith competition for investment opportunities on therise, structuring and executing transactions on optimalbusiness and legal terms is increasingly difficult.Highly skilled legal counsel with knowledge ofcurrent market terms, conditions, and trends isessential for optimizing transaction terms whilemitigating risk.

Recognized by The Legal 500 as a national tier one lawfirm for Middle Market M&A, Akerman is known forour ability to close sophisticated transactionseffectively, cost efficiently, and with full considerationof the risks involved. Our lawyers advise private equityfirms and their portfolio companies, public companiesand other strategic investors, privately heldcompanies, family offices, management teams,emerging growth companies, and entrepreneurs oncomplex transactions, including buy-side and sell-sidemergers and acquisitions, leveraged recapitalizationsand buyouts, spin-offs and sales of divisions, controland minority investments, growth equity investments,distressed company transactions, cross-bordertransactions, and joint ventures. We have experienceacross a range of sectors, including automotive,aviation, business services, consumer products andservices, distribution and logistics, financial services,healthcare, industrials, insurance, life sciences,manufacturing, real estate, restaurants, retail, sportsand leisure, technology, telecommunications,transportation, and waste management.

Ranked Tier One in the United States in MiddleMarket M&A

The Legal 500

Connect With Us

Related Work

Hospitality andRestaurantInternationalInvestment FundsPrivate EquityLitigation

PErspectives providesinvestors, companies,and advisors insight onmarket trends andregulatorydevelopments in thesub-$1 billion and sub-$500 million PE funds.

Explore the inauguraledition

In private equity transactions, we ensure that each tierof the capital structure works in harmony with theothers and is aligned with financial objectives,management incentives, and exit strategy. We alsoimplement strategies designed to drive efficiencies,mitigate risk, improve governance, and facilitatesmooth exit processes for portfolio companies.

Because our clients' transactions often involve difficultbusiness, legal, and diligence issues and require rapidexecution, all transactions are led by senior lawyerswith support from a deep and talented bench—fromjunior partners to junior associates—who can quicklymobilize to meet client objectives. We form specializedteams for each deal—drawing on the right mix of tax,finance, capital markets, employee benefits, creditors’rights, intellectual property, real estate, environmental,litigation, healthcare, labor and employment, policy,and regulatory lawyers to achieve the best results.

Recognized among the most active law firms inthe United States for M&A deals

Pitchbook

Our lawyers develop close working relationships withclients—learning their business and transactionobjectives so we can provide straight-forward,practical advice. And because sourcing, negotiating,financing, and closing transactions are enhanced byconstructive relationships within the transactioncommunity, we routinely introduce our clients to theopportunities, relationships, and insights afforded byour national platform.

Public-to-public deals, including mergers,consolidations, and representation of specialcommittees

Public-to-private deals, including going private

What We Do

AkermanPErspectivesReport on U.S.Middle MarketPrivate Equity

transactions

Private-to-private deals, including leveragedrecapitalizations and buyouts, spin-offs, and salesof divisions and growth equity investments

Distressed company deals through bankruptcy andother structures

Joint ventures and strategic alliances

Tax planning

Antitrust counseling

Structure management compensation and equityincentive plans to align interests

Post-acquisition integration