Six Fredrikson Shareholders Among Minnesota Lawyer’s POWER 30 in Mergers & Acquisitions

Fredrikson attorneys Frank B. Bennett, Ryan C. Brauer, Christopher J. Dolan, Leigh-Erin Irons, Sean P. Kearney and Ryan G. Miest have been selected by Minnesota Lawyer as POWER 30 Top M&A attorneys in 2023. Honorees are recognized by Minnesota Lawyer’s editorial team who conduct interviews with respected professionals around the state.

Bennett has closed hundreds of transactions and has acted as outside general counsel to countless businesses for more than 35 years. He advises private equity sponsors, as well public and private clients on mergers and acquisitions, private equity transactions, corporate finance, venture finance and general corporate law. Bennett represents a variety of U.S. and international private equity groups as well as strategic buyers, sellers, investors, financial advisors, management, and minority shareholders in leveraged and management buyouts, corporate restructurings and related transactions.

Brauer is co-chair of the firm’s Mergers & Acquisitions Department, which was recently ranked in the Top 15 among U.S. law firms in Pitchbook’s 2020 Annual Global League Tables, based on 2020 deal volume. He combines nearly two decades of experience with deep and broad knowledge of corporate transactions and the securities laws to help his clients complete a wide range of corporate finance transactions. Brauer represents large strategic buyers, sellers, private equity funds and ESOP-owned companies across a variety of industries, including life sciences/med-tech, bio-tech, media and advertising, restaurant/hospitality, industrial manufacturing, software/tech and energy. Brauer is the only lawyer in Minnesota rated in Chambers for both corporate/securities and M&A.

Dolan is a results-driven lawyer who strives to find creative ways to resolve issues. He is a certified Real Property Specialist and has been honored by Minnesota Super Lawyers and The Best Lawyers in America. His practice focuses on the leasing, acquisition, development, construction and financing of commercial property. He works extensively with the Mergers & Acquisitions Group on real estate components of corporate transactions, including mergers, dispositions and sale/leaseback transactions. He also has substantial experience in health care real estate transactions and is the past chair of the Real Estate Group.       

Irons provides practical advice as she partners with private equity funds and their portfolio companies, privately held companies and management teams on mergers, acquisitions, sales and other strategic transactions to close deals in the most efficient manner possible. Whether it’s negotiating key deal documents, executing closings, mapping out negotiating strategy or implementing post-transaction transitions, Irons helps her clients manage all aspects of an acquisition, sale or investment with a solutions-oriented approach.

Kearney has served as lead counsel on hundreds of merger and acquisition transactions in a wide variety of industries. His practice primarily focuses on representing private equity funds, strategic buyers, entrepreneurial sellers, and management teams on mergers and acquisitions transactions. Kearney currently serves as co-chair of the firm’s Private Equity Group and is the past co-chair of the Mergers & Acquisitions Group.

Miest represents private equity funds, venture funds and their portfolio companies, as well as other strategic and financial buyers, sellers and investors, in platform and add-on acquisitions, divestitures, recapitalizations and other M&A transactions. He has served as lead counsel on hundreds of merger and acquisition transactions. He also serves as co-chair of the firm’s Mergers & Acquisitions Department, which has been ranked in the Top 20 among U.S. law firms for M&A in Pitchbook’s Annual Global League Tables.

Fredrikson & Byron is a leading Midwest law firm working collaboratively to help businesses achieve their goals regionally, nationally and globally. With a reputation as the firm “where law and business meet,” our attorneys bring business acumen and entrepreneurial thinking to work with clients and operate as business advisors and strategic partners as well as legal counselors. The firm’s 375+ attorneys are based in Minneapolis, with offices in Ames, Bismarck, Des Moines, Fargo, Madison, Mankato, St. Paul, Saltillo, Mexico, and Shanghai, China. Learn more at fredlaw.com, LinkedIn or @FredriksonLaw.