Ice Miller has been active in the private equity industry for over 40 years, representing both management teams building great companies and the private equity firms and individuals that invest in them.
We have extensive experience with all types of funds (formations and operations); leveraged buyouts, roll-ups, build-ups, and consolidations; portfolio company divestitures and other exits; mezzanine and junior capital financings; and complex litigation on behalf of investors and privately financed companies. We represent private equity funds; professional, institutional and angel investors; family offices; and independent sponsors and others seeking to raise capital in private equity and venture finance transactions.
We have acted as lead counsel in numerous domestic and international transactions. In the past five years, our attorneys have closed over 1,000 transactions worth in excess of $44 billion.
We are an AM 200 law firm principally based in the Midwest with longstanding relationships with investment professionals throughout the US, including buy-out, broad-based, seed, venture, mezzanine and "cross-over" investment funds, as well as fund of funds, family offices and independent sponsors. Our national practice provided us with insights on emerging trends in deal structures and formations. Our presence in New York allows us to provide further market knowledge and support to our client base. Ice Miller provides efficient, cost-effective, value-added service throughout each stage of the investment lifecycle and complete transparency and predictability with its billing arrangements.
Our Private Equity Group is comprised of more than 40 attorneys with experience in a wide variety of private equity and venture capital matters, including the creation of optimal fund and acquisition/investment structures; the allocation of control and contractual rights between management and investors; the development and implementation of exit strategies; including debt and equity recapitalizations; mergers and acquisitions; sales; and senior and junior debt financing transactions. Our Private Equity Group focuses on middle market transactions and understand the often unique dynamics of this space.
We also act as outside general counsel for most of the portfolio companies of our fund clients in handling both day-to-day legal issues, add-on acquisitions/divestitures and the eventual sale of the company. Acting as outside counsel gives our attorneys the depth of knowledge and experience needed to help portfolio company boards and their management teams navigate the often complicated legal and business landscape in matters including employee benefits, intellectual property, tax and corporate finance along with other personnel-related and day to day issues.
As a full-service law firm, we assist portfolio companies with a variety of services, including:
- Patents and trademarks
- Data privacy and security
- Federal, state and local regulatory compliance
- Heathcare
- Debt and equity financing
- Restructuring and bankruptcy
- Labor and employment
- Litigation
- Employee benefits
- Environment
- Tax
- Government investigations
- Real estate
Our professionals have experience working with a variety of industries, including:
| Aerospace |
Life Sciences |
| Automotive |
Manufacturing |
| Biotech |
Media |
| Colleges and Universities |
Medical device |
| Construction |
Medical Practice Management |
| Distribution and logistics |
Pharmaceuticals |
| Energy |
Plastics |
| Financial Services |
Retail |
| Food and Agriculture |
Software |
| Gaming |
Technology |
| Health Care |
Telecommunications |
| Industrials |
Transportation |
| Insurance |
Utilities |
At the acquisition/investment stage, we assist our clients in setting goals that align the operational, economic, accounting, tax and regulatory needs of a particular investment strategy. We have extensive experience in all aspects of an acquisition/investment transaction, including tax structuring, financing, and complex acquisition/investment negotiations.
Ice Miller also has vast experience in the area of fund formation having assisted in the formation of approximately 30 funds or fund of funds in the past five years. The specific services we provide in each fund formation are tailored to the needs of each client depending on various factors, such as the investment strategy and size of the fund, special tax, securities, ERISA or other regulatory or investor considerations, the complexity of the fund formation and the formation of the general partner and management company and most importantly, our client objectives. We are also frequently involved in the structuring of relationships between the fund and general partner and management company entities, as well as providing to them the full array of legal services the fund and those related entities require.