Margaret A. Gibson, P.C.
Overview
Meg Gibson concentrates her practice on mergers and acquisitions, private equity and private fund formations and advises sponsors on general firm-related and portfolio matters. Meg was named one of “The Most Influential Women Lawyers in Chicago” by Crain's Chicago Business.
In IFLR1000 U.S.'s Tier 1 rankings of Kirkland & Ellis LLP's Private Equity and Mergers and Acquisitions practices, Meg is called out as one of the Notable Practitioners from 2019–2022. Meg has been recognized by Legal Media Group in their Expert Guides: The World’s Leading Lawyers Chosen by Their Peers in the Banking, Finance and Transactional: Private Equity category from 2012–2017 and was acknowledged as one of the top Private Equity practitioners in their Women in Business Law Guide. In 2017, Law Bulletin Media recognized Meg as a “Leading Lawyer” in the area of Securities & Venture Finance Law.
She has been named in the various editions of The Legal 500 U.S., where she was singled out for her “combination of tenacity and ability to put clients at ease,” as well her capacity to apply “a consistent but balanced approach to negotiations.” The IFLR1000 cited her for receiving “considerable praise from peers.”
Representative Clients
A&M Capital; Alvarez & Marsal; Citadel; CIVC Partners; Dolan McEniry Capital; Inclusive Capital Partners; Prairie Capital; Resource Land Holdings; and Ridgemont Equity Partners
Experience
Representative Matters
M&A Transactions
- A&M Capital Advisors in its acquisition and sale of Centerra Group (f/k/a G4S Government Solutions)
- Bank of America in connection with the provision of $2.3 billion of bridge equity financing to fund Tishman Speyer’s acquisition of Archstone-Smith Trust and Archstone-Smith Operating Trust for $22.2 billion
- Bank of America as co-sponsor in connection with the $39 billion acquisition of Equity Office Properties Trust
- CIVC Partners in connection with its acquisition of EPIC Technologies
- Convergent Capital Management Inc. in connection with its acquisition of 13 asset management firms and its subsequent sale to City National Bank
- Dolan McEniry Capital Management in its partial sale to iM Square
- GTCR and Capella Healthcare in the $900 million sale of Capella to Medical Properties Trust (and later Capella in its sale to RegionalCare Hospital Partners)
- GTCR and Curo Health Services in connection with the acquisition of multiple home care and hospice businesses and subsequent sale to THL
- GTCR in connection with its acquisition and subsequent sale of APS Healthcare
- GTCR in connection with its acquisition and subsequent sale of Regency Healthcare Holdings
- GTCR in connection with its acquisition and subsequent sale of ATI Physical Therapy
- Metallica in its acquisition of Furnace Record Pressing
- Prairie Capital in its acquisition and subsequent sale of Navman Wireless Holdings
- Prairie Capital in connection with its sale of DRB Systems
- RBS (now Pollen Street Capital) in connection with its acquisition of Erno Laszlo
- RBS (now Pollen Street Capital) in connection with its equity co-investment to fund Babcock & Brown’s going private of Coinmach Corporation
- Ridgemont Equity Partners in connection with its simultaneous acquisition of Worldwide Express, Fusion Logistics and Unishippers Global Logistics to form Worldwide Express Global Logistics and its subsequent sale to CVC and Providence
- Royal Bank of Scotland in connection with its equity investment in the $24.7 billion leveraged buyout of Alltel Corp. by TPG Capital and GS Capital Partners
- Consortium of six investors in connection with their equity investment in $12.3 billion Univision going-private transaction
Fund Formations
- ABN AMRO Private Equity Fund
- A&M Capital Fund I, II and III (sponsor representation)
- A&M Capital Opportunities Fund I (sponsor representation)
- A&M Capital Europe Fund I (sponsor representation)
- Bank of America - numerous affiliated funds and spin-offs
- CIVC Funds I – V
- Frontenac VIII Limited Partnership
- JR Capital
- Prairie Capital Funds I-VII
- Prudential Capital Partners, L.P. (general partner representation)
- RBS Debt Fund
- Resource Land Fund IV
- Spring Fund II and Inclusive Capital
- Seaport Capital Partners Funds III and IV
- Woodbury Strategic Partners Fund, L.P.
Secondary and Spin-Out Transactions
- Bank of America in connection with the $1.9 billion sale of its private equity funds portfolio to Axa Private Equity
- Bank of America in connection with the spin-out of Ridgemont Equity Partners
- Bank of America in connection with the spin-out of CIVC Partners
- Bank of America in connection with the spin-out of North Cove Partners
- Bank of America in connection with the spin-out of Nexus Partners
- Bank of America Merrill Lynch in connection with the sale of its Asia private equity portfolio to a consortium of four private equity firms, including Paul Capital, HarbourVest Partners Asia, LGT Capital Partners and Axiom Asia
- Corrum Capital in connection with the spin-out from Sterling Stamos Capital
- Inclusive Capital Partners and Jeff Ubben in connection with the spin-out of Spring Fund I from ValueAct Capital
Prior Experience
Sullivan & Cromwell, 1987–1989
More
Thought Leadership
Publications
“Navigating Down Round Financings: A Guide for VCs,” The Venture Capital Review
“The Intractable Debt/Equity Problem: A New Structure for Analyzing Shareholder Advances,” Northwestern Law Review
Editor and contributor to Kirkland Private Equity Newsletter (PEN)
Seminars
University of Michigan’s Ross School of Management Women Who Fund Forum, Keynote Speaker, September 29, 2016
University of Michigan Seminar, Speaker: Economics at Work, October 30, 2015
Kellogg School of Management Private Equity and Venture Capital Conference, Moderator: Founding the Private Equity Firm, February 20, 2013
Kellogg Business School, Guest Lecturer, Private Equity: Wall Street, Hedge Funds and LBO Funds, 2013 and 2009
Kellogg School of Management Private Equity and Venture Capital Conference, Moderator: Fundraising in the New Private Equity Environment, February 15, 2012
Kellogg School of Management Private Equity and Venture Capital Conference: Value Creation in the New Decade, Moderator, February 9, 2011
Private Equity World: Latin America, Speaker: Case study: Maxcom Telecomunicaciones initial public offering, June 5, 2008
5th Annual Global M&A Conference, Panelist, May 8-9, 2008
Kellogg School of Management Private Equity Conference, Moderator: Large-cap vs. Mid-cap Private Equity, February 21, 2007
Kellogg School of Management Private Equity Conference, Moderator: Present Opportunities and Future Challenges, February 1, 2006
Kellogg School of Management Private Equity Conference, Moderator: Why Venture Capital Investing by Corporations Makes Sense, March 9, 2005
PricewaterhouseCoopers General Counsel Forum, Moderator: Post Sarbanes-Oxley Regulated Era, November 18-19, 2004
State Treasurer’s Conference - Alternative Asset Vehicles, September 13, 2004
Kellogg School of Management Private Equity Conference, Moderator: The Future of VC Investment in Technology Companies, March 3, 2004
Continuing Education Institute’s Advanced Strategies for Private Investment Funds, Guest Lecturer: Secondary Interests Issues for Private Equity Funds, November 18, 2003
Recognition
Listed as a “Notable Practitioner” by IFLR1000 in the Private Equity and Mergers and Acquisitions practices, 2019–2022
Listed as a “Leading Lawyer” by Law Bulletin Media in the area of Securities & Venture Finance Law
Listed in Legal Media Group’s Expert Guides: The World’s Leading Lawyers Chosen by Their Peers in Banking, Finance and Transactional: Private Equity, 2012–2017
Listed in The Legal 500 U.S., 2007, 2012–2014
Listed in the Illinois Super Lawyers list for Mergers and Acquisitions, 2005-2006, 2008–2013
“very talented and bright corporate transactional attorney”, The Legal 500 U.S. 2014
“combination of tenacity and ability to put clients at ease”, The Legal 500 U.S. 2013
“applies a consistent but balanced approach to negotiations”, The Legal 500 U.S. 2012
“experienced, smart and hardworking”, The Legal 500 U.S. 2007
“received considerable praise”, IFLR1000 2007
Memberships & Affiliations
The Gift of Adoption Fund, National Board Past President
Kenilworth Union Church, Immediate Past President of Board of Trustees, Member of Executive Committee
Northwestern Law Board, Member
Shirley Ryan AbilityLab (Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago), Keystone Board Member
University of Michigan, Dean’s Advisory Council
Credentials
Admissions & Qualifications
- Illinois
- New York
Education
- Northwestern Pritzker School of LawJ.D.cum laude1987Note and Comment Editor, Northwestern University Law Review
- University of MichiganB.A.with Class Honors1984