Michelle Sliwinski DeMaio
Overview
Michelle Sliwinski DeMaio is a partner in the Firm’s Environmental Transactional Practice Group in the Washington, D.C., office. She counsels clients in all areas of environmental law across a variety of industries, primarily in the context of mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, securities offerings, financing transactions, and bankruptcies. Michelle conducts environmental due diligence, manages environmental consultants, negotiates purchase, lease and credit agreements, and assists in the procurement of environmental insurance policies. She counsels clients on environmental liabilities and the allocation and/or mitigation of environmental risks in the context of corporate and real estate transactions.
Michelle also maintains an active pro bono practice, which includes representing unaccompanied children in immigration proceedings.
Experience
Representative Matters
Alight Solutions, a leading cloud-based provider of integrated digital human capital and business solutions, in several transactions, including:
- its $7.3 billion business combination agreement with Foley Trasimene Acquisition Corp., a SPAC
- its acquisition of Appirio Inc. from Wipro Limited
American Securities LLC in its strategic partnership with SimonMed Imaging, one of the largest independent outpatient medical imaging providers and physician radiology practices in the United States
Apax Partners in its investment in Paycor, a Human Capital Management company
Arbor Investments and its portfolio companies in several transactions, including:
- its acquisition of Steelite International, a manufacturer of tableware and pottery, from PNC RiverArch
- its acquisition of Clearwater Paper Corporation's Ladysmith, Wisconsin facility by its portfolio company, Dunn Paper
Audax Group and its portfolio companies in several transactions, including:
- its acquisition of Protective Industrial Products, a global supplier of hand protection products and other consumable personal protective equipment, and the subsequent add-on acquisition of West Chester Protective Gear
- its sale of Gabriel Performance Products to Huntsman Corporation
Bain Capital, Oaktree Capital Management and International Market Centers Inc. in the sale of International Market Centers Inc. to Blackstone Group LP
- Rocket Software, Inc., a Bain Capital Private Equity portfolio company, on its acquisition of the Application Modernization and Connectivity business of OpenText (NASDAQ: OTEX), for a total purchase price of $2.275 billion
Beecken Petty O'Keefe in its acquisition of Cranial Technologies
Blackstone in several transactions, including:
- its $6.1 billion acquisition of TeamHealth
- its $4.8 billion acquisition of Aon plc’s technology-enabled benefits and HR platform
- its investment in Cloverleaf Cold Storage and its $1.24 billion sale of Cloverleaf to Americold Realty Trust
- its investment in 21Vianet Group, Inc.
Brentwood Associates and its portfolio companies in several transactions, including:
- the $400 million sale of its portfolio company, The Marshall Retail Group, to WH Smith
- its acquisition of Jefferson Dental Care from Black Canyon Capital
Bristow Group Inc., a provider of industrial aviation services, on its all-stock business combination with Era Group Inc.
Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. in its $30 billion joint venture with Intel Corporation to fund Intel’s under-construction semiconductor fabrication facility in Chandler, Arizona
Butterfly Equity and its portfolio companies in several transactions, including:
- its acquisition of QDOBA
- in connection with the construction financing of a recirculating aquaculture system nursery that will be located in Baja California, Mexico, as well as the structuring of the broader transaction by which the nursery will ultimately be sold and leased back following the completion of construction
- its acquisition of Milk Specialties Global, a leader in human and animal nutrition
- the sale of a majority stake in its portfolio company Orgain to Nestle Health Science
- its investment in MaryRuth Organics, a leading health and wellness brand operating in the premium vitamins, minerals, and supplements industry
- its acquisition of a majority stake in Pete and Gerry’s Organics, the nation’s leading producer of organic, free-range and pasture-raised eggs
The Carlyle Group in its $435 million acquisition of Unchained Labs, a rapidly growing life science tools company
Centerbridge Partners in its acquisition of American Bath Group, a leading manufacturer of showers, bathtubs, and related accessories
Clearlake Capital Group in several transactions, including:
- its $2.6 billion acquisition of Intertape Polymer Group Inc., a manufacturer of paper and film based pressure-sensitive and water-activated tapes, stretch and shrink films, protective packaging, woven and non-woven products and packaging machinery for industrial and retail use
- its acquisition of LANDESK Software from Thoma Bravo
Cogeco Communications Inc. and Atlantic Broadband in the $1.4 billion acquisition of MetroCast cable systems
Commercial Metals Company (NYSE: CMC) in its acquisition of Tensar, a leading global provider of engineered solutions for subgrade reinforcement and soil stabilization used in road, infrastructure and commercial construction projects
Conyers Park Acquisition Corp. in its $900 million combination with Atkins Nutritionals Inc. to form The Simply Good Foods Company
Danaher Corporation (NYSE: DHR), a global science and technology innovator, in several transactions, including:
- its $21.4 billion acquisition of the biopharma business of General Electric, and in its $750 million divestment of certain lines of businesses to Sartorius AG
- its $9.6 billion acquisition of Aldevron, a manufacturer of high-quality plasmid DNA, mRNA, and proteins, serving biotechnology and pharmaceutical customers across research, clinical and commercial applications
- its acquisition of a significant minority interest in Andelyn Biosciences
Garnett Station Partners in several transactions, including:
- its take-private acquisition of Fiesta Restaurant Group for $225 million
- its acquisition of Firebirds Wood Fired Grill
- its sale of Twin Peaks to FAT Brands for $300 million
FFL Partners in its acquisition of Bacharach, the subsequent add-on acquisition of Neutronics, and the subsequent sale of Bacharach to MSA Safety
GenOn Energy, Inc. and certain of its affiliates in connection with their Chapter 11 cases and sale of certain power generating facilities
George's Inc. in its acquisition of Ozark Mountain Poultry
Greenbriar Equity in several transactions, including:
- its sale of DART Aerospace to TransDigm Group
- its acquisition of PCX Aerosystems
GTCR in several transactions, including:
- its acquisition of EaglePicher Technologies, LLC, a leading U.S. battery manufacturer
- its acquisition of PPC Flexible Packaging LLC
- its $150 million sale of Avention to Dun & Bradstreet
- its acquisition of Simplifi Holdings, Inc.
The Jordan Company in several transactions, including:
- its acquisition of Odyssey Logistics & Technology Corporation, a leading global logistics provider firm
- its acquisition of Potters Industries, LLC, the performance materials segment of publicly traded PQ Group Holdings, Inc.
Kinderhook Industries, LLC in its acquisition Copperweld Bimetallics
Kingswood Capital Management in its acquisition of Lind Marine
L Catterton in its acquisition of Leslie’s Holdings, Inc., the world’s largest retailer and online marketer of swimming pool and spa supplies and services
Linden Capital Partners and its portfolio companies in several transactions, including:
- the add-on acquisition of Aegis Treatment Centers by its portfolio company, Pinnacle Treatment Centers
- its sale of Young Innovations, a leading global manufacturer and distributor of consumable dental supplies and equipment, to The Jordan Company
Nexstar Broadcasting Group in several transactions, including:
- its $6.4 billion acquisition of Tribune Media Co., creating the largest local television broadcaster and local media company
- its $1.3 billion sale of nineteen stations in fifteen markets to TEGNA and The E.W. Scripps Company and in its purchase and sale agreements with Fox Television Stations, LLC
Oaktree Capital Management and its portfolio companies in several transactions, including:
- its acquisition of Interblock, a leading developer and supplier of luxury electronic table games
- the add-on acquisition of Illinois Gaming Systems, a video gaming terminal operator, by its portfolio company, J&J Ventures Gaming
Patient Square Capital in its pending consortium acquisition of Syneos Health for approximately $7.1 billion
Pritzker Private Capital, a leader in family direct investing, and its portfolio companies in several transactions, including:
- its acquisition of Vycom, a manufacturer and supplier of plastic sheet products, from The AZEK Company (NYSE: AZEK)
- its acquisition of Bardstown Bourbon Company, a distiller, producer and bottler of premium Kentucky bourbon and rye whiskey, and the subsequent add-on acquisition of Green River Spirits Company
- its acquisition of a significant stake in Monogram Foods
- its sale of a controlling stake of Technimark, a manufacturing solutions provider for the healthcare, consumer packaging and specialty industrial markets, to Oak Hill Capital
- the add-on acquisition of DermLab by its portfolio company, PathGroup, and PathGroup’s subsequent majority investment from GTCR
- the add-on acquisition of Champion Brands, a manufacturer of specialty lubricants for the automotive and industrial markets, by its portfolio company, PLZ Aeroscience
- the add-on acquisition of Belle-Pak Packaging Inc., a manufacturer of flexible packaging products, by its portfolio company, ProAmpac
Resonetics, which is owned by GTCR portfolio company Regatta Medical, in several transactions, including:
- its acquisition of Memry Corporation and SAES Smart Materials, Inc. from SAES Getters S.p.A, for $900 million
- its acquisition of the medical business of Hutchinson Technology Inc.
Sapporo Holdings Limited in its acquisition of Anchor Brewing Co.
Sentinel Capital Partners in its sale of Sonny’s Enterprises
Starwood Capital Group and Mammoth Resorts in the sale of Mammoth Resorts to Aspen Skiing Company, LLC and KSL Capital Partners, LLC
Summit Partners and its portfolio companies in several transactions, including:
- its acquisition of Ascentis and the subsequent add-on acquisition of NOVAtime Technology
- its acquisition of PrismHR
Transom Capital Group in several transactions, including:
- its acquisition of Wolters Kluwer’s Legal & Regulatory U.S. Legal Education business
- its sale of SemiTorr to FloWorks
Vestar Capital Partners and its portfolio company, Healthgrades, in its divestiture of Healthgrades Marketplace, its Healthgrades.com business to Red Ventures
WellCare Health Plans in several transactions, including:
- its $17.3 billion acquisition by Centene Corporation
- its $2.5 billion acquisition of Meridian Health Plans
- its $800 million acquisition of Universal American Corp.
Clerk & Government Experience
Law ClerkUnited States Department of Justice, Environment and Natural Resources Division, Law and Policy Section
Law ClerkUnited States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, Air Enforcement Division, Mobile Sources Branch
Law ClerkNational Association of the Deaf, Law and Advocacy Center
Prior Experience
Summer Associate, Kirkland & Ellis LLP
Research Assistant, Barbara J. Goldsmith & Company LLC
More
Thought Leadership
Publications
Sliwinski, M., Note, Addressing the Fissures in Causation Claims: A Case Against the Use of Lone Pine Orders as Procedural Hurdles in Hydraulic Fracturing Litigation, 7 GEO. WASH. J. ENERGY & ENVTL. L. 77 (2016).
Sliwinski, M., Agricultural Pollution in the Chesapeake Bay: Flawed CAFO Regulation and Strategies for Effective State Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, 1 THE PUBLIC INTEREST LAW FORUM AT THE GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL (2015).
Credentials
Admissions & Qualifications
- 2016District of Columbia
Education
- The George Washington University Law SchoolJ.D.with High Honors2016
Order of the Coif
Senior Notes Editor, The George Washington University Journal of Energy & Environmental Law
GW Pro Bono Recognition Award
The President’s Volunteer Service Award
George Washington Scholar
- The George Washington UniversityB.S., Biological Sciencesmagna cum laude2013
Departmental Honors in Biology
David Atkins Prize for Undergraduate Research in Biological Sciences
Luther Rice Research Fellow
Harlan Trust Research Fellow