W. Colby Gifford

W. Colby Gifford is a Principal in the firm's Corporate, Securities & Tax Group. He has extensive experience representing private equity sponsors and public and private companies in a wide range of transactions. He also provides clients with general corporate advice and counseling.

Mr. Gifford is regularly engaged in complex business transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, private financings (such as private equity, venture capital and mezzanine financings), joint ventures, executive compensation, and debt and equity restructurings.

He represents private equity sponsors, their portfolio companies, and other public and private companies in transaction structures across a variety of industries, including manufacturing, digital media, health care, business services, gaming and energy.

Mr. Gifford is active in firm management as a Member of the Management Committee and Chair of the Business Development Committee. He also serves as the firm's Associate Counsel and Assistant Corporate Secretary.

Mr. Gifford earned his J.D. from The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law in 2000. He holds an MBA in Finance from Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College, and a B.A. in Law & Society from the University of California Santa Barbara.

He is admitted to practice law in Illinois.

Representative Matters

Transactions he has completed for highly regarded private equity investment firms and strategic acquirers include:

• Represented private equity sponsor focused on middle-market industrial manufacturing businesses in connection with multiple portfolio company acquisitions, subsequent add-on acquisitions and a divestiture.
• Represented a middle-market private equity sponsor with over $700 million in committed capital under management in connection with multiple portfolio company acquisitions and a divestiture.
• Represented an IT solutions provider in multiple strategic acquisitions.
• Represented a Chicago-based private equity investment firm focused on industrial growth businesses in connection with multiple portfolio company acquisitions.
• Represented a New York-based private equity investment firm in connection with its acquisition of a specialty ground transportation company and subsequent add-on acquisitions.
• Represented a global private equity investment firm in connection with its acquisition and sale of a pet food company.
• Represented a Chicago-based private equity investment firm focused on investments in the healthcare industry in connection with multiple portfolio company acquisitions and divestitures.
• Represented a Chicago-based operationally focused private equity investment firm in connection with multiple portfolio company acquisitions and divestitures.