Florida

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 37 total locations across 17 states, largely in the southeast. Though the firm has the most locations in Florida it is also highly regarded in South Carolina. The full-service firm is especially active in the banking, M&A and restructuring and insolvency practice areas.

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 is a firm that services the entirety of the United States, but the history of the firm starts in Miami, Florida. 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. In the real estate sector, the firm advised on mortgage portfolio financing, loan purchase and sales agreements and specialty warehouse lending. 

Full-service firm Duane Morris got its start in Philadelphia but has since expanded to 29 offices over three continents. The firm is particularly active in the banking, capital markets, M&A and restructuring and insolvency practices. The banking team represents borrowers and lenders in credit facilities and term loan agreements for general working capital financing, acquisition financing, construction financing and real estate financing.  

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.  The firm does notable work across many financial and corporate practice areas including banking, M&A, private equity, project finance and restructuring and insolvency.

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 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.”

Since its founding in 1931, Weil Gotshal & Manges has grown to become one of the country’s leading firms in M&A, private equity and restructuring and insolvency. The firm is a market leader in M&A, private equity and restructuring and insolvency, but it is also well known for its work in the banking, real estate, structured finance and securitization, and private equity funds practices. Recent work includes advising Atalaya Capital Management in joint venture structuring and loan negotiations with respect to a project known as Crossroads LA.