Private Equity

Alston & Bird has an active and highly regarded team of lawyers who specialize in assisting private equity clients with all of their transactional needs.  We represent private equity and venture capital funds, financial institutions and other private investors in all aspects of the investment cycle, including fund formation, early-stage venture capital investments, later-stage growth financings, going-private transactions and leveraged buyouts and recapitalizations.  We also represent the portfolio companies of our private equity clients in a wide range of transactions, including add-on acquisitions, dispositions, recapitalizations and financings.

EXPERIENCE

Our private equity attorneys have extensive experience in developing strategies for structuring and implementing acquisitions and investments that are both innovative and practical.  In addition to our corporate expertise, our practice integrates lawyers that specialize in tax, executive compensation, ERISA, labor, intellectual property, real estate and environmental law in order to provide our clients with comprehensive advice to address the multitude of issues that arise in today’s corporate transactions.

REPRESENTATIONS

Cravey,Green & Wahlen.  We have represented Cravey, Green & Wahlen, the largest private equity fund in the southeastern United States, in numerous acquisitions and recapitalizations of middle-market companies, including the formation and rollup of debt collection companies and staffing companies, the acquisition and subsequent recapitalization of a leading independent distributor of aftermarket parts and accessories for heavy-duty vehicles and the acquisition of a leading designer and builder of pre-stressed concrete tanks.

Wachovia Capital Partners.  We represent Wachovia Capital Partners, the private equity affiliate of Wachovia Corporation, in connection with its investment activities and portfolio company management.  Recent engagements for WCP include the leveraged acquisitions and recapitalizations of a number of their current portfolio companies, including American Renal Associates and TMW Systems, and the acquisition of a substantial minority equity position in IntraLinks, Inc. through a private purchase and second-step tender.

The Carlyle Group.  We have represented the Carlyle Group in connection with its acquisition of a leading designer and manufacturer of systems and associated expendable products for anti-ship missile defense and anti-submarine warfare training and in a going-private transaction involving a provider of investment and financial management software and related services focused exclusively on the financial services industry.

Nautic Partners.  We have represented Providence, Rhode Island-based Nautic Partners in connection with certain of its private equity investments.   We recently represented Nautic in its sale of a leading manufacturer of plastic pipe adhesives and plumbing hardware that we helped Nautic acquire in 2004.

RECOGNITION

Our private equity practice is national in scope, consisting of lawyers recognized regularly in the legal industry, including in The Best Lawyers in America.