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
Taft Stettinius & Hollister
Taft Stettinius & Hollister has over 100 years of experience, dating all the way back to 1885. The firm is headquartered in Cincinnati, but has 10 other offices in Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Delaware (Ohio), Denver, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, Northern Kentucky and Phoenix.
Focusses / specialisms
The firm’s Indianapolis office is a market leader in Indiana for the financial and corporate practice.
In banking the team advises lenders and borrowers in real estate financing, acquisition financing, refinancing and general working capital financing.
In the corporate and M&A practice the firm acts on the buy and sell side in strategic and private equity acquisitions, joint ventures and mergers. Many of the acquisitions are related to wider real estate transactions.
The firm also occasionally advises issuers in bond offerings as part of corporate financing as well as private equity funds in portfolio investments.
Key clients
Key clients for the firm include Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati, American Municipal Power, Chiquita, Steel Warehouse Company, ForeverCar Holdings, CENX, Cummins, Hopebridge, Zotec, AMG Holdings, Edgewater Capital Partners, Jumpstart, Minnesota Vikings, Stemonix and Northmarq Capital.
Research period review: 30th edition (2019/2020)
Throughout the research period the banking team, mostly located in Ohio, acted on the lender side in acquisition financing, real estate financing and general corporate financing. It did also represent issuers in corporate bond offerings.
In M&A, all of the offices worked mostly on strategic acquisitions, representing both the buy and sell side. Many of the transactions were related to other real estate transactions.
In lateral moves, the Illinois office brought banking and finance partner Jeffrey Friedman from Ginsburg & Jacobs. The Indianapolis office brought over corporate partner David Umpleby from Krieg DeVault.
In January 2020, Minnesota firm Briggs & Morgan merged with Taft, expanding the latter’s nationwide footprint.
Deal highlights: 30th edition (2019/2020)
CHS Therapy $60 million recapitalization
Aalberts $60 million acquisition of Precision Plating Company
Hammond Kennedy Whitney & Company acquisition of Fresh Direct Produce
Quotient Technology $20 million acquisition of Ahalogy
Castlelake acquisition of Pontotoc Sands
Thompson Hine
Full service business firm Thompson Hine was founded in 1911 in Cleveland. It has since opened offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton, New York and Washington DC.
Focusses / specialisms
Looking at the firm’s strengths geographically within the states, it maintains its strongest presence in Ohio, where it is a top tier firm in banking, M&A and restructuring and insolvency. It operates largely in the middle-market, representing public small to mid-size companies, as well as larger private companies.
The banking and finance group represents both lenders and borrowers in term loans, credit facilities and construction financing matters.
The firm’s M&A group represents private equity and strategic acquirers and sellers in acquisitions and mergers in a large variety of industries.
The restructuring and insolvency team represents creditors, trustees and debtors in out of court financial restructurings and Chapter 11 and 7 restructuring and insolvency cases.
In terms of sector focusses, the firm has a well-known dedicated real estate practice. The team represents property developers, managers and investors in all aspects of real estate including development, acquisition, financing and disposition.
The firm’s has been recognised for its diversity and inclusion initiatives, especially regarding equality for LGBTQ and women employees.
Key clients
Key clients for the firm include Home Depot, KeyCorp, Buckeye Power, Keybank, CIBC, Bank of America, Singleton, NRG Energy, Bay Point Advisors, Pratt & Whitney, Bank of China and Brookfield Asset Management.
Research period review: 30th edition (2019/2020)
In the research period the firm was active in banking and finance, M&A, real estate and restructuring and insolvency.
The banking and finance team represented both borrowers and lenders in term loans and credit facilities. Some of these transactions related to larger construction financing matters.
The M&A team represented a mix of private equity and strategic acquirers and sellers largely in the life sciences, industrial, automotive, manufacturing and technology industries. It was mostly on the buy side of acquisitions.
The real estate team represents a large amount of developers regarding commercial, residential and industrial property development. Many of these transactions had a relevant M&A portion as well.
The restructuring and insolvency team largely represented creditors and lenders in out of court financial restructurings. It also worked on a couple of DIP acquisitions.
Recent lateral moves saw the M&A team hire DC partner Owen Pinkerton from Morris Manning & Martin and the restructuring and insolvency team hire partners John Bae and Sean Gordon from Baker Botts and Greenberg Traurig, respectively. Bae is based in New York and Gordon is based in Georgia. The banking and finance practice, meanwhile, recruited New York based senior counsel Tarnetta Jones from Otterbourg. This research period also saw the departure of Georgia based partner John Isbell.
Deal highlights: 30th edition (2019/2020)
Brookfield Property Retail $1 billion redevelopment of NewPark Mall
Cintas Corporation No. 2 $1 billion revolving credit facility and $200 million term loan with a $250 million accordion option
Centre Lane Partners $104.5 million acquisition of assets of Hollander Sleep Products
Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company TireHub joint venture with Bridgestone Americas
