Private Equity, Venture Capital and Corporate Finance

Reinhart's Business Law Practice includes attorneys with extensive experience in middle-market private equity, venture capital and corporate finance. Our private equity group represents a variety of client types, including:

• Leading Midwest institutional mezzanine sponsors
• Subordinated secured lenders
• Buy-out and venture capital funds
• Sophisticated fundless sponsors
• Angel investors

We have broad experience in a wide range of investment and exit structures, including:

• Traditional leveraged buyouts
• Change of control recapitalizations
• Minority investments
• Multisponsor "club" deals
• Management buyouts
• Initial public offerings

We structure, negotiate and document debt, equity and governance instruments for corporations, limited partnerships and limited liability companies. We are adept at identifying and resolving complicated tax issues arising in connection with management roll-over investments, section 338(h)(10) elections and the use of pass-through entities such as limited liability companies, S corporations and limited partnerships. We effectively design management equity programs, resolving issues under tax and benefits laws while achieving the investment and incentive objectives of ownership and management.

Our frequent representation of institutional and nontraditional investors provides our clients with a valuable resource. We often access this network for our corporate clients seeking financing alternatives for succession planning, recapitalizations, acquisitions or growth finance. Our familiarity with the objectives and concerns of the providers of capital is a significant advantage in building relationships and closing deals that work for our corporate clients.

Reinhart's Private Equity group also represents private equity fund sponsors in connection with the formation of investment partnerships and other pooled investment vehicles, and in the ongoing tax and governance issues that arise in connection with the management of these funds.

On behalf of pension plans, institutional investors and wealthy individuals, we evaluate and negotiate the terms and conditions of private equity fund offerings.