Gunster works with law firms across the country that require Florida counsel on mergers & acquisitions (M&A) and other complex business transactions. We are experienced in handling local counsel engagements and dedicated to getting these deals over the finish line in a timely and resourceful manner. We are focused on making life easy for lead counsel by leveraging our deep bench of experience in connection with these transactions. We have served as Florida counsel for numerous nine and ten figure M&A transactions.
Gunster has 13 offices across Florida. We have deep roots and broad experience connecting lead counsel to our attorneys in the practice areas that matter to dealmakers working to get complex business transactions done, including corporate law, real estate and land use law, labor & employment law, construction law, healthcare regulatory and licensure issues, and environmental law.
We strive to provide capabilities that go beyond what is typically found in most full-service law firms. Our healthcare lawyers navigate Florida’s unique and challenging regulatory environment. Among our environmental and land use attorneys are the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s former deputy secretary for water policy and ecosystem restoration, a general counsel and former top attorneys at Florida water management districts. Our energy attorneys include a Florida Public Service Commission attorney with over a decade of service.
Because we frequently engage local counsel outside of Florida, we know what lead counsel is looking for when selecting local counsel. We are committed to being loyal co-counsel who provide strategic advice on local issues. We believe in respecting lead counsel’s clients by referring them back on other matters as needed. We tend not to compete with most firms that we co-counsel with due to our Florida-only business model.
Many times, local counsel—while highly skilled from a technical standpoint—are not deal lawyers and do not understand the importance of being on “deal time”. They deliver highly technical treatises when succinct language that can be dropped into due diligence memoranda is needed. We know this because we, as lead counsel ourselves, have experienced these and many other challenges in working with local counsel. As a result, our approach to problem solving is about making lead counsel’s life easier by listening carefully, responding promptly, and understanding the need to move quickly—regardless of the time of day or the day of the week.
Gunster is skilled in providing written work product that provides the clear, focused, and succinct guidance that dealmakers need, whether in the form of inserts for master due diligence memoranda or as stand-alone due diligence memoranda. We efficiently review and comment on due diligence requests and prepare follow-up in a manner that reflects what matters and avoids untailored (and less helpful) “kitchen sink” requests.
As local counsel, we designate a corporate lawyer with relevant experience to lead our team in a coordinated effort. We have developed robust processes and resources that facilitate best-in-class service. Our objective is to remain flexible and assimilate lead counsel’s preferred protocols and forms.
Experience:
Matters for which we have served as local counsel include the following:
- Florida counsel to seller in connection with an approximately $12 billion sale of utility assets where we assisted with developing a communications plan for the transaction.
- Florida counsel and governmental affairs consultant in connection with $10+ billion acquisition of a telecom utility for which we led due diligence, state filings and government affairs relationships with Florida’s governor and cabinet and the Florida Legislature.
- Florida counsel and governmental affairs consultant to the buyer in connection with a $10+ billion acquisition of electric and gas utilities (at the time, the largest in Florida utility history) for which we led due diligence, state filings and government affairs relationships with Florida’s governor and cabinet, and the Florida Legislature.
- Florida counsel in connection with a $450 million leveraged acquisition of petroleum pipeline and terminal assets.
- Florida counsel in connection with a $325 million leveraged acquisition of a transportation services company.
- Florida counsel in connection with a $150 million leveraged acquisition of a building materials company.
- Florida counsel in connection with $85 million leveraged acquisition of an HVAC contractor.
- Florida counsel in connection with an $80 million acquisition of an entity owning multiple marinas.
- Florida counsel in connection with the acquisition of a solar facility in Florida.
- Florida regulatory counsel for a private equity client in connection with the acquisition of a fiber optic broadband and video services provider.
- Florida counsel in connection with the acquisition of a recycling facility in central Florida.
- Florida counsel in connection with a multi-billion-dollar acquisition of a public utilities holding company.
- Florida counsel to an electric company in connection with the nearly one-billion-dollar acquisition of a power plant in central Florida for which we assisted with permitting and transactional matters.
- Preparation of numerous legal opinions in connection with financing transactions.
- Assisted New York counsel with Florida healthcare regulatory and licensure issues in connection with the sale of senior living community entities.
