McGuireWoods Independent Sponsor Weekly Virtual Forum

March - August 2020

Virtual Forum

Independent Sponsors logo

In early 2020, McGuireWoods launched the Independent Sponsor Weekly Virtual Forum exploring topics arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. Like our regional networking groups, we sought to provide an environment for independent sponsors to raise questions and exchange knowledge about matters impacting the community. Our installments highlighted a range of relevant topics, from parsing the SBA forgivable loan program, to navigating financial difficulties facing portfolio companies, to structuring deals in the current environment. Other topics included complexities of the Paycheck Protection Program on pending M&A transactions and lending structures in the current environment. We anticipate additional topics in early 2021.

Upcoming sessions and registration information will be posted here as it becomes available. If you’d like to receive industry-related news and alerts, please sign up here.

To learn about past topics or our commitment to the independent sponsor community, please contact Jon Finger or Laiza Goytia. 


Past Sessions

August 27, 2020

An informative update on lending structures in the current environment. Leading the discussion were McGuireWoods debt finance partners Brian Coughlan and Hamid Namazie.


August 13, 2020

A discussion on navigating the complexities and implications of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) on pending M&A transactions. Leading the discussion were McGuireWoods M&A partner Bryan Bylica and debt finance senior counsel Staci Rosche.


July 9, 2020

McGuireWoods provided an informative discussion on tax considerations in structuring entities, common diligence items and traps for the unwary, and investments under the New Market Tax Credit Program. We were joined by McGuireWoods partners Steve Keeler and Jon Neal and Keiter CPA Darden Bell.


June 25, 2020

Switching gears from COVID-19-related topics, we discussed fundamental concepts and recent trends in incentive equity grants, employment agreements and restrictive covenants as part of the “Independent Sponsor Legal Toolkit” initiative. M&A partners Jeff Brooker and Greg Hawver were joined by McGuireWoods lawyer Meghaan Madriz.


June 11, 2020

A discussion on the public contracting sector in the current economic environment, with McGuireWoods counsel Abram Pafford and Rose Stern. Learn about the opportunities worth pursuing and the unique risks and benefits associated with those opportunities.


May 21, 2020

An informative discussion on litigation in private M&A agreements, an area taking on increased focus in the pandemic era. We will be joined by McGuireWoods partners Aaron Jaroff and Mike Simes.  Our virtual panel addressed key topics on disputes in post-acquisition litigation, commonly litigated contract terms, buyer- and seller-friendly terms, and negotiation considerations.


May 14, 2020

Informative discussion on the nuts and bolts of structuring deals in the current environment. Joined by Tom Courtney of The Courtney Group, Justin Crane of Sancus Capital Group, John Huhn of Compass Group Equity Partners and Krishnan Ramaswami of Fallbrook Private Equity.


May 7, 2020

Discussion on restructuring and distressed investment strategies in a time of disruption, with Cynthia Romano and Chris Creger, of CohnReznick.


April 30, 2020

COVID-19 continues to impact the economy and markets worldwide. Uncertainty is the only certainty there is during this ongoing pandemic. Discussion on lending structures in this new environment with Brian Coughlan and Hamid Namazie of McGuireWoods and Bobby P.S. Bans, Senior Vice President, Business Capital at Bank of America.


April 23, 2020

Discussion on navigating closure rules and other federal and state responses to COVID-19, with Scott Frein, Michael Drobac and Ryan Bernstein of McGuireWoods Consulting LLC.


April 16, 2020

Featured McGuireWoods lawyers Mark Freedlander (restructuring and insolvency) and Rob Bittner (real estate) discussing navigating financial difficulties facing portfolio companies in the wake of COVID-19.


April 9, 2020

Discussed how COVID-19 has impacted business insurance, representations and warranties insurance and related coverage issues.

McGuireWoods lawyers Steve Foresta and Ann Terrell Dorsett highlighted changes to policies and processes resulting from the COVID-19 crisis.


April 2, 2020

Featured a discussion of the new SBA forgivable loan program under the CARES Act, led by McGuireWoods M&A partner Bryan Bylica and debt finance senior counsel Staci Rosche.


March 26, 2020

Featured leading employment and ERISA lawyers Peter N. Farley and G. William Tysse, to address the many employment-related issues we are currently seeing.