Private Equity
Private equity investors today face a markedly
different landscape than just a few years ago. With credit
markets just beginning a slow thaw, funds must rely upon
increasingly innovative financing solutions to effectuate
deals. Nevertheless, the market for deals remains intensely
competitive. Having advised private equity sponsors and their
portfolio companies for decades, SNR Denton lawyers bring extensive
experience and a practical and results-oriented approach.
Every day, we help private equity funds tackle some of their
toughest challenges and achieve their economic
objectives.
In the face of increasing regulation, many
funds must understand and adapt to a more robust and frequently
onerous regulatory regime. Increased disclosure requirements,
limits on the types and structures of investments permitted, and
additional regulation of portfolio companies have all dramatically
altered the way in which funds do business. In an era of
political and financial turmoil, deals are often undone because
they cannot clear a regulatory or political hurdle. With a
deep bench of regulatory lawyers and policy professionals, we
provide fund clients with real-time legislative intelligence to
help guide their business decisions. Our team also includes
tax specialists who sit at the forefront of the debate on treatment
of carried interest.
As the drumbeat grows louder for creating
value, and as sponsors take an increasingly hands-on role with
management teams, our clients benefit from our sector
orientation. SNR Denton lawyers know the business of our core
sectors, and understand the trends, challenges, and the industry
actors specific to each space. We have the perspective to
identify latent issues and opportunities waiting to manifest.
Our sector entrenchment means a wide network of relationships, and
the ability to match sponsors with deals. And importantly,
this means efficient and effective counsel.
Areas of Focus:
- Fund formation, including offshore and
master-feeder structures
- Capital raising
- Portfolio company acquisitions, including cross-border and
tax-free rollover transactions
- Dispositions, including sales, IPOs and refinancings
- Equity documentation, including investment agreement, articles
and service agreements for management
- Finance documentation, including facility agreements, security
documents and intercreditor agreements
- Senior and mezzanine financing
- Leveraged recapitalization transactions
- Acquisitions of distressed companies and restructuring
transactions
- Tax structuring of management incentive compensation
- Regulatory compliance
- ERISA plan asset and UBTI concerns
- Management incentivization