216.696.8700

Practice Group

Private Equity

Attorneys

KJK’s Private Equity attorneys represent a variety of private equity funds, management teams, independent sponsors, investors and portfolio companies. Our team gets deals done in a responsive and cost-effective manner that focuses on our clients and their business and investment goals.

To help maximize opportunities while minimizing risk, our Private Equity attorneys advise our private equity clients through the structuring, evaluation, negotiation and consummation of their capital raises, leveraged buyouts, recapitalizations, club transactions, minority investments and other acquisition, divestiture and exit transactions, the negotiation of their equity, debt and mezzanine financing arrangements, the preparation of their management equity and compensation programs, and counseling on their investment regulation and compliance matters.

Private Equity Services

  • Buyouts
  • Capital for Growth
  • Exit Transactions
  • Family Offices
  • Follow-On Acquisitions
  • Fund Formation
  • General Counsel to Portfolio Companies
  • Restructuring & Liquidity Events

Private Equity

Representative Experience

Common Private Equity Clients

  • Fundless Sponsors
  • Independent Sponsors
  • Investors and Venture Capitalists
  • Portfolio Companies
  • Private Equity Funds
  • Private Equity Services
PRIVATE EQUITY/VENTURE CAPITAL
  • Representing a private equity company in the purchase, operation and eventual sale of an aviation cargo and logistics business operating at multiple domestic and international airports
  • Helping a client to form a private equity fund to invest in middle market wholesale distribution and logistics organizations across North America, and to acquire, divest and refinance multiple portfolio companies
  • Acting as counsel to the private equity buyer of a leading repackaging and distribution company, including its senior and mezzanine financings
  • Advising a client in the acquisition of a leading manufacturer and Internet retailer of ventilation hoods for commercial kitchens
  • Representing a private equity sponsor in the purchase, growth by strategic acquisition and eventual sale of a portfolio company that repairs landing gear components for commercial airlines
MANUFACTURING
  • Representing a publicly held maker of friction materials and parts in a sale of the company for $400 million
  • Advising a publicly held manufacturer with net sales in excess of $200 million in the formation and acquisition of businesses located in the United States and abroad
  • Assisting with the $35 million sale of a designer and manufacturer of actuators, valves and manifolds for various industrial markets
  • Representing one of the largest manufacturers of poultry hatchery and incubation equipment in the world in its sale to a European concern
RETAIL/SERVICE INDUSTRIES
  • Counseling one of the largest regional beer and wine distributors with over $100 million of acquisitions of competing distributors
  • Representing the owners of a nationwide direct marketer of women’s apparel, cosmetics and accessories, health-related merchandise and discount buying clubs in a leveraged buyout
  • Advising a nationwide wooden pallet logistics, management and brokerage services business in its sale to a competitor
  • Representing an OTCQX-listed company in its merger with companies owning 17 shopping centers
HEALTH CARE
  • Advising stockholders of a company providing billing services to the health care industry in a $90 million sale and recapitalization transaction
  • Representing a client in a $75 million sale of a leading seller and repairer of surgical and medical instruments
  • Counseling a client in a $35 million sale of a national physician practice
Energy
  • Representing a NYSE-listed natural gas utility with operations in four states in its $200 million acquisition by BlackRock
  • Assisting a publicly held natural gas utility with over $40 million in strategic acquisitions of other natural gas utility businesses
  • Counseling a start-up synthetic oil company regarding its capitalization, energy marketing agreements and protection of proprietary technology
EDUCATIONAL AND CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS
  • Advising buyers and sellers in the sale of over $30 million of pre-school businesses in the State of Ohio
  • Representing the corporate needs of a multi-state regional chapter of a large national, faith-based nonprofit organization dedicated to helping those in need
  • Acting as local corporate counsel to a religious congregation of women of faith
TECHNOLOGY AND STARTUPS
  • Acting as counsel to the developer of a life insurance policy management software system
  • Representing a provider of web-based data services for financial institutions in its first several rounds of equity financing
  • Acting as counsel to a leading provider of web-based employment screening solutions

Private Equity

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between private equity and venture capital?

Traditional private equity is typically for more mature companies, especially companies that are struggling or at a point where ownership is looking to take a step back. Private equity investors typically will buy a whole company, bring it into their portfolio and take control of the acquired companies, sometimes keeping former management teams and sometimes installing new ones. Venture capital, on the other hand, is aimed at startups and usually takes the form of either convertible notes (a loan that converts to equity under certain circumstances) or a priced round (buying a set number of shares for a certain price).

How do I start a private equity fund?

Starting a private equity fund is a complex mix of business planning, legal strategy, brand development experience, marketing know-how and technological skill. If you have an idea for a fund, contact your attorney as soon as possible to start these discussions off on the right foot. KJK’s Private Equity attorneys work closely with you, your accountants and our Brand and Marketing teams to craft compelling and compliant narratives for when you are pitching investors and building your pipeline.

What is middle market private equity?

Middle market private equity is generally defined as investments by private equity firms in the range of $50 to $500 million dollars. And while the private equity market continues to grow, much of the middle market remains untapped for a number of reasons. If you’re a middle market company looking to sell, you need to make sure you have the right lawyers on your team as you start this process. Contact a KJK private equity or M&A attorney to discuss the top items to consider before, during and after this process.

Private Equity

Attorneys

Jon Pinney Cleveland Corporate Lawyer

Jon J. Pinney

Managing Partner

Steven Bersticker Cleveland Corporate Attorney

Steven C. Bersticker

Partner

Jon W. Groza

Partner

Christopher J. Hubbert

Partner

Alex Jones Cleveland Corporate Attorney

Alex E. Jones

Partner

Andrew Wilber

Andrew J. Wilber

Partner

Samantha M. Cira

Associate

Peggy Beistel

Peggy S. Beistel

Senior Counsel

Kevin T. O’Connor

Of Counsel

Jon Pinney Cleveland Corporate Lawyer

Jon J. Pinney

Managing Partner

Steven Bersticker Cleveland Corporate Attorney

Steven C. Bersticker

Partner

Jon W. Groza

Partner

Christopher J. Hubbert

Partner

Alex Jones Cleveland Corporate Attorney

Alex E. Jones

Partner

Andrew Wilber

Andrew J. Wilber

Partner

Samantha M. Cira

Associate

Peggy Beistel

Peggy S. Beistel

Senior Counsel

Kevin T. O’Connor

Of Counsel

“Steve has served as our trusted counsel since we began our first fund in 2007. He and KJK have been involved in all legal aspects of our business, including entity formation, providing ongoing regulatory compliance and handling the acquisition and legal needs of many of our portfolio companies.”

– Jay Greyson

Supply Chain Equity Partners

Contact

CLEVELAND OFFICE

1375 East Ninth Street

One Cleveland Center, 29th Floor

Cleveland, OH 44114-1793

216-696-8700

 

 

COLUMBUS OFFICE

10 West Broad Street

One Columbus Center, Suite 2500

Columbus, OH 43215

614-427-5731