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HIGHER EDUCATION MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS

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Aaron Lacey: 314 552 6405 314 552 6405 direct | Email
Emily Wang Murphy: 202 585 6939 202 585 6939 direct | Email
Katie Wendel: 202 585 6917 202 585 6917 direct | Email

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Our attorneys are positioned to provide counsel on every aspect of a postsecondary transaction. Collectively, our corporate and higher education attorneys have experience in negotiating, documenting and implementing merger, asset acquisition, membership interest/stock acquisition, joint venture, and religious sponsorship and affiliation transactions for nonprofit and for-profit clients alike.

We have counseled clients through every stage of the transaction process, from the initial analysis of the legal alternatives available for the transaction’s structure and the development of a strategic transaction plan to the negotiation and documentation of the transaction. We assist our clients in seeking and obtaining necessary internal and external approvals, federal and state regulatory approvals, state attorney general approvals, and institutional and programmatic accreditor approvals.

For our nonprofit clients, the attorneys in our Public Finance and Public Law practice regularly act as bond counsel, disclosure counsel, issuer's counsel, borrower's counsel and credit enhancer's counsel in transactions for public and private postsecondary institutions to finance construction, renovation, and other facility improvements.

Assisted in creation of Lindenwood Education System and acquisition of Dorsey College

Thompson Coburn’s higher education practice, assisted by attorneys throughout the firm, supported the transformation of Lindenwood University into Lindenwood Education System, a private, non-profit university system that now includes both Lindenwood University and Dorsey College. Lindenwood University is a 190-year old liberal arts university located in Saint Charles, Missouri. Dorsey is the oldest career college in Michigan, serving more than 1,800 students across eight campuses in the state. The creation of the System and the subsequent acquisition of Dorsey was a complex and multi-faceted process that required a cross-office, cross-practice effort from the Thompson Coburn team.

Forbes characterized the deal as “big and important for several reasons.” In recent years, a number of for-profit colleges and universities have been acquired by traditional, non-profit institutions of higher education. However, in most cases, the buyer was a public institution and the acquisition target predominantly offered degree programs through distance education (e.g., Kaplan University, Ashford University, Grantham University). The “selling” institutions also were typically assimilated into the public university brand and structure post-closing.

In this case, the acquiror is a private, non-profit, and the target is a career school with multiple, physical campus locations. Perhaps more significantly, the transaction heralds the emergence of the private, non-profit postsecondary system, a group of affiliated institutions that operate under their own brands, offer their own programming, and serve their own student populations.

Mariquita Barbieri, LLM	Partner	St. Louis	314 552 6040 314 552 6040 Email Download Vcard	Mariquita is an experienced and results-driven M&A and tax attorney who negotiates and closes complex transactions. Mariquita is an experienced and results-driven M&A and tax attorney who...
Susan Fisher	Partner	Dallas	972 629 7126 972 629 7126 Email Download Vcard	Susan is a versatile corporate attorney who represents public and private companies, portfolio companies, private equity funds, and individual and institutional investors... Susan is a versatile corporate attorney who represents public and private c...
Scott Goldschmidt	Partner	Washington, D.C.	202 585 6963 202 585 6963 Email Download Vcard	A former deputy general counsel for a private university, Scott understands the unique challenges that our higher education clients face and how to best help them achieve... A former deputy general counsel for a private university, Scott understands...
David Kaufman	Partner	Chicago	312 580 2342 312 580 2342 Email Download Vcard	David is Co-Chair of the Firm's Corporate and Securities Practice Group. David is Co-Chair of the Firm's Corporate and Securities Practice Group.
Aaron Lacey	Partner	St. Louis	314 552 6405 314 552 6405 Email Download Vcard	The Chair of Thompson Coburn's Higher Education Practice, Aaron assists institutions to navigate a wide range of complex legal and regulatory matters. The Chair of Thompson Coburn's Higher Education Practice, Aaron assists ins...
Sarah Larson	Partner	St. Louis	314 552 6576 314 552 6576 Email Download Vcard	Sarah advises corporate clients on mergers and acquisitions, securities law compliance, corporate governance and general business counseling. Sarah advises corporate clients on mergers and acquisitions, securities law...
Rick Lawton	Partner	St. Louis	314 552 6070 314 552 6070 Email Download Vcard	Rick advises companies and individuals on a variety of federal (domestic and international), state and local tax matters. Rick advises companies and individuals on a variety of federal (domestic an...
Emily Wang Murphy	Partner	Washington, D.C.	202 585 6939 202 585 6939 Email Download Vcard	Clients have consistently praised Emily for her "practical, common sense solutions" and "natural instincts" for deal flow. Clients have consistently praised Emily for her "practical, common sense so...
Jayna Marie Rust	Partner	Washington, D.C.	202 585 6929 202 585 6929 Email Download Vcard	Jayna advises companies, transportation authorities, educational institutions, and other entities regarding their rights and obligations when doing business with or recei... Jayna advises companies, transportation authorities, educational institutio...
Kayla Siam	Associate	Chicago	312 580 5089 312 580 5089 Email Download Vcard	Kayla brings a keen insight to assess corporate transactions from an analytical and economic perspective. Kayla brings a keen insight to assess corporate transactions from an analyt...
Roger Swartzwelder	Partner	Washington, D.C.	202 585 6918 202 585 6918 Email Download Vcard	Roger represents institutions of higher education in a wide array of regulatory, accreditation, and operational issues. Roger represents institutions of higher education in a wide array of regula...
Nathan Viehl	Partner	Chicago	312 580 5058 312 580 5058 Email Download Vcard	Nathan advises both buyers and sellers in a range of sophisticated M&A transactions, including private equity and strategic acquisitions, divestitures, and leveraged ... Nathan advises both buyers and sellers in a range of sophisticated M&A ...
Hope Watson	Associate	Washington, D.C.	202 585 6980 202 585 6980 Email Download Vcard	Throughout her career, Hope has always found ways to help public institutions achieve their goals. Throughout her career, Hope has always found ways to help public institutio...
Katie Wendel	Counsel	Washington, D.C.	202 585 6917 202 585 6917 Email Download Vcard	Katie handles a wide variety of regulatory and transactional work for the nonprofit and for-profit higher education sector, including online education programs, and has e... Katie handles a wide variety of regulatory and transactional work for the n...