Holland & Knight was recognized as the Private Equity Law Firm of the Year at this year's USA M&A Atlas Awards, hosted by the Global M&A Network. In addition, a transaction completed by the firm’s attorneys was recognized as Private Equity Deal of the Year (Mid-Market). The M&A Atlas Awards recognize the achievements of influential dealmakers and leaders, outstanding firms and the best growth-delivering transactions of the year. The awards ceremony was held on June 24 in New York.
In 2023, Holland & Knight’s private equity attorneys helped more than 245 clients close a total of 435 private equity transactions, and the HK Deal Flow℠ program successfully sourced more than 465 deals by actively working with Holland & Knight's lawyers and more than 650 deal intermediaries. The firm also ranks among the most active law firms advising on private equity transactions and earned top recognitions from market-leading publications during the past year. In 2023, the firm ranked among the top 5 most active law firms in the U.S. and top 10 globally for its work in the space in reputable, benchmarking league tables published by Bloomberg, LSEG (formerly Refinitiv), Mergermarket, PitchBook and The Deal. Holland & Knight received Tier 1 recommendations for M&A: Middle Market by Legal 500 and was ranked Highly Regarded for Corporate/M&A by Chambers USA.
The firm was also honored for its role in Heartwood Partners’ sale of High Bar Brands, the Private Equity Deal of the Year. Holland & Knight's representation of Heartwood Partners in the transaction was led by Senior Counsel Marybeth O'Keefe, Partner Evan Seideman and Associate Joseph Speight. Ms. O’Keefe and Mr. Seideman accepted both awards on behalf of the firm at the ceremony.
Three additional deals that Holland & Knight advised on also received honors, including NSM Insurance Group's add-on acquisition of Envisage International, which was named Financial Deal of the Year, Colonial Wholesale Distributing Inc.'s sale to National Convenience Distributors, which was named Corporate/Strategic Deal of the Year (Small Mid-Market), and the State of Franklin Healthcare Associates acquisition by SOFHA Employee Stock Ownership, which was named ESOP Deal of the Year (Middle Markets). Holland & Knight represented NSM Insurance Group, Colonial Wholesale Distributing Inc. and SOFHA Management Services in the transactions.
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