PJ Harris advises clients on mergers and acquisitions, private equity and independent sponsor transactions, and a wide range of corporate matters. He represents public and private companies in mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, platform and add-on acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, and other complex strategic transactions.
PJ counsels business owners and management teams on corporate governance and operational issues throughout the life cycle of a company—from formation and growth to exit.
Before joining McGuireWoods, PJ practiced corporate law in Charlottesville, Virginia, representing emerging growth companies. His prior experience also includes co-founding and operating a software-as-a-service platform and advising on strategic transactions at a Big Four professional services firm.
PJ currently serves as a member of the Clean Energy Advisory Board for the Commonwealth of Virginia.
- Regularly supports one of the leading multinational banks in complex commercial negotiations with vendors.
- Represented a private, family-owned holding company in a $130 million asset acquisition out of a bankruptcy restructuring.
- Represented a multinational telecommunications company in the restructuring of its commercial framework with a key partner.
- Provided commercial and governance counsel to a global infrastructure operator with respect to a key project.
- Represented a world class research company in a $30 million Series A financing.
- Represented an energy-focused private equity firm in a $7 million acquisition of a radiation shielding and containments product business.
- Represented a fueling infrastructure company in a $14 million acquisition of a petroleum services company.
- Represented an institutional financier in the procurement of over $100 million in debt financing.
- Represented a renewable energy company in a $20 million sale to a leading energy-focused SaaS platform.
- Represented a clean energy platform in a $700 million credit, equity and debt financing from a global alternative investment manager.
- Represented a healthcare private equity firm specializing in middle market acquisitions in several hundred-million dollar buyouts of physician practices.
- Represented a manufacturer of electrical distribution equipment in a $500 million sale to a leading middle-market private equity firm.
- Represented the $120 million sale of one of the nation’s fastest growing private technology companies to a leading middle-market private equity firm that invests in software & technology.
- Advised an electric car company in a transformational cybersecurity implementation transaction.
- Prepared deal economics and transactional documents for a $45 million tax deal for a global snack company.
- Prepared deal economics and transactional documents for a $32 million carveout of a global asset manager.
- Prepared transactional documents for a $47 million data-as-a-service deal for an investment management company.
- Drafted transactional documents for a $55 million acquisition for a leading global insurance organization.
- Drafted transactional documents for a $36 million outsourcing deal.
- Negotiated and closed a commercial loan for a health and real-estate minority business enterprise from a Community Development Financial Institution (“CDFI”) on a pro bono basis.
Podcasts
- Co-host, "Catalyzing Growth and Diversity, With Demetrius Sidberry of New Catalyst Strategic Partners," Accessing the Pipeline Podcast Series, January 7, 2025
- Co-host, "How Investing in Hotels Can Unlock Wealth With Kendra Plummer of Elise Capital," Accessing the Pipeline Podcast Series, August 7, 2024
- Co-host, "Combining Real Estate Investing and Social Impact, with Chris Grant of Yoke Management Partners," Accessing the Pipeline Podcast Series, April 24, 2024
Insights
- Co-author, "Defining What Matters: The Importance of Materiality, Material Adverse Effects and Materiality Scrapes in a Deal," Deal Points, Fall 2024
- Co-author, "A Deal Lawyer’s Guide to Purchase Price Considerations," Deal Points: The Newsletter of the Mergers and Acquisitions Committee, American Bar Association, Spring 2024
- Author, BPE Deal Tracker: Minority and Woman-Led Firm Announces Investment in Middle Market Private Credit Firm, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, March 21, 2024
- Author, BPE Deal Tracker: Minority-Owned Alternatives Investment Firm Funds Sponsor-Backed Physician Services Platform, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, March 7, 2024
- Author, Black-Led Middle Market Private Equity Firm Announces Portfolio Company’s Strategic Acquisition, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, February 29, 2024
- Co-author, "A Deal Lawyer’s Guide to Calibrating the Capital Stack," Deal Points, Winter 2024
- Author, BPE Deal Tracker: Physician-Led PE Firm Brings Ophthalmic Surgical Innovations to Rural Health Communities, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, July 19, 2023
- Co-author, "ESG Considerations in the Context of M&A," Deal Points: The Newsletter of the Mergers and Acquisitions Committee, American Bar Association, Spring 2023
- Co-author, "M&A Considerations for Management in Small Deals," Deal Points: The Newsletter of the Mergers and Acquisitions Committee, American Bar Association, Winter 2023