Mr. Lavender has extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions ranging from small asset acquisitions and dispositions to multi-million dollar transactions, including providing strategic counsel and conducting primary negotiations. He has advised numerous manufacturing clients on strategic alliances, balancing protection of their intellectual property, management control and economic expectations. He represents sellers and financial and strategic buyers, as well as private equity firms.
Mr. Lavender also has many years of experience representing clients, including issuers and investors, in debt and equity financings. His experience ranges from early-stage venture financing to more traditional private equity funding, and includes the representation of private investment funds in their formation and operation. He also assists clients in preparation for financings, including private placement memorandums. Mr. Lavender’s financing experience extends to the securities area, where he has familiarity with both the private and public issuance of equity and debt.
Mr. Lavender regularly acts as outside general counsel for his clients. Utilizing his tax, corporate and securities backgrounds, he is able to independently handle myriad projects without additional staffing, allowing for the efficient delivery of legal advice. Additionally, Mr. Lavender’s undergraduate degree and work experience in accounting have given him an understanding of the financial and accounting impact to operational issues. Mr. Lavender is therefore able to assume various roles for his clients, from negotiating contracts (including employment, joint venture, distribution and lease agreements) to advising on corporate structure (including entity formations) to counseling on general governance issues.
Representative Experience
Mergers & Acquisitions
Represented a skin and hair care consumer products company in a $43 million sale of the company to a consortium of private equity firms.Represented an Ohio-based energy services firm and a Chicago-based technology firm in Alternative Public Offering transactions (reverse merger into a public shell).
Represented a Chicago-based private equity fund in various acquisitions ranging from $5 to $20 million for high-tech, manufacturing, distribution, telecommunications and publishing companies in various stages of development.
Represented a publicly traded company in the acquisition of a dairy products manufacturer.
Represented management in a $60 million private equity buyout of a direct marketing company.
Represented publicly-traded company in a $28 million acquisition of a telecommunications service firm.
Represented registered investment advisor in the $160 million sale of the company to a Canadian based public company.
Equity and Debt Financing
Represents a major Chicago-based second lien financing fund, a division of a large U.S. based bank. Mr. Lavender has represented this fund in several financings ranging from $7.5 million to $20 million.Represented various commercial lenders loans ranging from $10 million to $50 million in various industries.
Represented various registered investment advisors in their general corporate needs. Specifically assisted one of these advisor in a leveraged ESOP transaction of $10 million (subsequently sold – see above).
Represented issuer in two 144A financings totaling $78 million for the acquisition of real estate.
Represented a Midwest-based in various venture capital fundings in over $100 million of equity investments in high tech companies.
Represented issuer in a $128 million debt equity offering for the development of hotel and leisure property.
Represented a large life insurance company in the formation of a $300 million mezzanine debt fund and the formation of a $200 million affiliate fund.
Represented a $1.0 billion hedge fund in its formation and annual securities filings.
Honors & Awards
Ranked as a leading practitioner in the Corporate/M&A and Private Equity areas by Chambers USA, 2008-2011.
Recommended in US Legal 500 for his work in the M&A: Middle Market area, 2010 and 2011.
