Michael L. Newquist

Michael Newquist is a Partner in, and Co-Chair of, our Private Equity & Venture Capital Group, focusing on all aspects of transactional corporate law, with a concentration in private equity and venture capital financings, mergers and acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, and restructurings. Michael also serves as outside general counsel to several portfolio companies of private equity fund clients.

Prior to joining the Firm, Michael was a Senior Associate at Kirkland & Ellis LLP in Chicago where he focused on complex private equity transactions and mergers and acquisitions. Prior to attending law school, Michael was an executive at the May Company, where he held several management positions and received company-wide awards for superior performance.

• Represented HES Facilities Services, LLC, a portfolio company of Nautic Partners, in its acquisition of WFF Facility Services and Clean-Tech Company
• Represented Kofile, Inc., and its majority investor, Audax Private Equity, in its October 2, 2020 acquisition of Bizodo, Inc. (d/b/a SeamlessDocs)
• Represented an affiliate of Nautic Partners, LLC, in its investment in AKAM Living Services, Inc., and in its new partnership with AKAM management
• Represented IPS Corporation and its private equity sponsor in its $700 million sale to Encapsys LLC, a portfolio company of Sherman Capital
• Represented Nautic Partners in its acquisition of Custom Window Systems, a manufacturer of premium impact resistant windows, doors and porch enclosures
• Represented Hastings Equity Partners and a co-investor group in its acquisition of Southern Petroleum Laboratories, a Houston-based provider of services necessary for the accurate measurement of volume and composition of hydrocarbon products for the oil and gas production industry. Michael subsequently represented Southern Petroleum Laboratories in its sale to a private equity fund
• Represented plastic container manufacturer and its investors in its sale to a private equity fund
• Served as special counsel to Worldwide Express and its private equity and individual investors in its sale to Quad-C Partners. Worldwide Express is a global package and freight shipping firm.
• Represented Nautic Partners in its acquisition of Applied Consultants, Inc., a Texas-based pipeline service and inspection business. Subsequently, Michael has served as Applied Consultants' outside counsel, including in connection with its acquisition of Cleveland Integrity Services, an Oklahoma-based pipeline service and inspection business. Michael later represented Applied Consultants in its sale to First Reserve.
• Represented Sleep Experts, a Dallas-based mattress retailer, in its sale to a subsidiary of Mattress Firm (NASDAQ: MFRM)
• Advised Hastings Equity in its control investment in Extreme Plastics Plus, Inc., a company providing liner, storage tanks and other installation services as well as distribution of a wide range of products to oil and gas exploration companies
• Represented FFG Holdings, Inc. in its sale of its flavors business to a national foodservice company and its fragrances business to a private equity firm
• Served as outside general counsel to Big Train, Inc. and represented Big Train and its investors in its sale to a strategic acquirer. Big Train, Inc. is a leader in specialty beverage mix products.
• Represented Nautic Partners in its acquisition of Reliant Hospital Partners, a Texas-based operator of inpatient rehabilitation hospitals
• Acted on behalf of MACTEC, Inc. and its private equity investors in the sale of MACTEC, Inc. to AMEC plc (LSE: AMEC) for a purchase price of $280 million. Headquartered in Georgia, MACTEC is an industry leader in engineering, environmental and construction services to public and private clients worldwide
• Served as lead counsel in complex leveraged acquisition of a U.S.-based manufacturer of heat dissipation products. Such representation included coordination of foreign counsel in China, Europe and India, where the target has substantial operations. Subsequently represented the Company in its sale to a private equity fund
• Advised private equity fund in its acquisition of a leading designer, importer and distributor of pet apparel and fashion accessories based in San Francisco
• Acted for Gaymar Industries, Inc. and its stockholders in connection with its approximately $150 million sale to Stryker Corporation. Gaymar specializes in support surface and pressure ulcer management solutions as well as the temperature management segment of the healthcare industry (NYSE: SYK)
• Represented Cavalier Telephone Corporation and its stockholders in its $460 million merger with Paetec Holding Corp. (NASDAQ GS: PAET)
• Advised Silver Oak Services Partners in its leveraged recapitalization of Nashville, Tennessee-based National Distribution & Contracting, Inc. (NDC), a master distributor of medical, dental and veterinary supplies, in partnership with management, certain existing NDC stockholders, and co-investors
• Represented HealthCor Partners Fund, L.P. in its Series E investment in ApaTech Limited, a UK-based company focused on the development of new bone growth technologies
• Represented Halyard Capital in the formation of a limited liability equity structure and related acquisition of HCPro, Inc., a provider of informational, educational and advisory products in the areas of compliance, regulation and management to the U.S. healthcare industry
• Represented the owners of a developer of security software systems used by municipal police and fire departments in their sale of the business to a strategic purchaser
• Advised Alta Communications in connection with its acquisition of HMP Communications, which serves as a conduit of information in the healthcare community between researchers, practitioners and manufacturers and provides continuing medical education. Recently, Michael represented HMP in connection with its acquisition of Princeton Media Associates and related new equity investments.
• Counseled Nautic Partners in its leveraged buyout of Respond2 Communications, a provider of full service direct response television advertising agency services
• Negotiated the buyout of a manufacturer and repair service provider of cable set-top boxes with operations in both the United States and Mexico. Also represented private equity fund in its auction sale of such business to a private equity buyer.
• Recently represented two companies and management in sales transactions, in one case to a strategic buyer (shoe manufacturer business), and in the other to a private equity buyer (health benefits management business)
• Advised a private equity fund in the conduct of its auction and eventual sale of a company providing language translation services
• Structured and negotiated on behalf of buyer the acquisition of a jewelry packaging manufacturer/distributor, including with respect to related equity capital raise
• Advised private equity client in its minority investment in a Canadian broadcast television company, as well as in a subsequent restructuring and exit
• Represented venture capital fund in its Series A Preferred Stock investment in an early stage network security software company
• Represented private equity fund in complex simultaneous acquisition of two separate manufacturers of industrial vacuum pumps and compressors, one of which was headquartered in the U.S. and one of which was headquartered in Germany. Representation included the formation and funding of an investment vehicle and the combination and reorganization of numerous foreign operations and entities
• Represented international manufacturing firm based in U.K. in its complex asset purchase of the fabrications operation business of the military aircraft manufacturing division of a major U.S. based defense contractor. Representation involved resolution of complex transition, labor and integration issues
• Drafted and negotiated principal agreements in connection with client’s consolidation of certain segments of the magazine industry