Industries: Private Equity & Venture Capital

McGuireWoods represents private equity and hedge funds cradle to grave. McGuireWoods understands that a successful investment must be made, managed and sold properly. Representing private equity clients at every stage of the investment cycle, we form private equity funds, provide due diligence review, assist in the evaluation of proposed acquisitions, structure investments, negotiate and draft acquisition, credit, equity and mezzanine agreements, represent portfolio companies, take companies public, advise on securities laws and fiduciary duty issues, and sell portfolio companies.

McGuireWoods’ hands on approach and entrepreneurial nature have allowed us to take a special focus on first time (or first institutional time) or otherwise newer buyout, venture and hedge funds, as well as “one-off” or “pledge” funds. Partners see themselves as educators, helping our clients understand their options and maximize their goals. By having offices in both major and secondary cities throughout the East Coast, the Mid West and the West Coast, as well as internationally, McGuireWoods has attorneys on location to provide a network of deal opportunities and financing options for its clients. This geographic reach, in addition to McGuireWoods’ size of almost 900 attorneys, also facilitates time and cost efficient due diligence and lessens the need for local counsel.

The Fund Formation Practice has grown substantially in the past several years. General Partners are coming to us because of our focus on first time or first institutional time funds. McGuireWoods generally continues to represent our fund clients after formation.

The Private Equity Group works closely with industry specific teams such as health care, energy and technology and business to provide its clients with market and documentation expertise, superior due diligence and deal flow.

McGuireWoods’ methodology has also allowed us to be of particular service to entrepreneurs and businesses doing business with private equity funds. Private equity funds have different goals than strategic buyers, and as a result, the definitive documents look different and the negotiations are different. Our non-private equity clients find our experience with private equity funds an invaluable tool when pursuing their transactions.

We have experience in all types of private equity investing, including leveraged buy-outs (LBOs), roll-ups, minority investments (including PIPEs), going private transactions, convertible debt, and purchases of troubled companies in or out of bankruptcy. We realize the importance of tax consequences, aligning management's interests with the investors' interests, exit strategies and control.

McGuireWoods’ history representing clients of all sizes allows us to handle small, several-million-dollar transactions up to large transactions in the hundreds of millions to billions of dollars’ range. On the debt side, McGuireWoods’ experience and contacts allow us to help our clients finance transactions of all proportions. With offices coast to coast and abroad, a reputation for providing great client service and developing solutions that accomplish our client's business goals, there is no middle market, private equity transaction McGuireWoods cannot efficiently handle.

Our Differentiators

Hands-On-Approach: McGuireWoods’ attorneys give their clients personal attention. The Firm’s entrepreneurial spirit allows us to relate and help our clients.

Middle-Market Dominance: In key U.S. regions including the Mid-Atlantic, the Southeast and Midwest, leveraged by coast-to-coast, financial center and international office locations and contacts

Venture-to-Buyout Coverage: Creative fee and staffing arrangements designed for the particular type and size of transaction, whether a smaller minority investment or leveraged buyout, and whether we represent the investor/buyer or the company

Industry Group Focus: Including technology, IT, health care, life sciences, media and publishing, energy, business services, manufacturing, distribution and beyond

Capital Markets Orientation: Providing expertise in all aspects of corporate finance, from structuring common and preferred equity to mezzanine, junior and senior debt

Inter-Firm Coordination and Efficiency: In key areas such as tax, securities, employment, intellectual property, and real estate, our specialists respond and help close deals

Business Partners: Whether in sharing contacts and identifying business opportunities for our clients, or sourcing transactions or financing – we know our clients expect us to provide more than legal advice

Representative Work

  • Representation of a private equity fund in the roll-up of franchisor and franchisees in the waterproofing and foundation repair space. The transaction was also financed by a private equity fund.
  • Representation of a general partner in formation of Falfurrias Capital Partners.
  • Representation of private equity fund in first three investment transactions requiring creative tax structures, and totaling over $250 million in value and representing three industries (including equity, mezzanine and senior debt)
  • Representation of a private equity firm in the cash acquisition of all of the assets of distributor of residential lighting fixtures for $190 million.
  • Representation of a franchisee of fried chicken restaurants in the company's acquisition of all franchisor operations of a restaurant chain (including 230 franchisees), as well as acquiring 52 company-owned stores.
  • Representation of a Virginia-based private equity company in the stock acquisition of an international water filtration and treatment company based in Cleveland, Ohio.
  • Representation of management in a management buyout from a private equity fund in the industrial fabric manufacturing and distribution space.
  • Representation of private equity investors in the acquisition of a pump business based in Toledo, Ohio from a spark plug company in California.
  • Representation of institutional investors in the recapitalization of an operator of heavy lift helicopters used to put out forest fires around the world.