Jeffrey W. Richards, P.C.
Overview
Jeff Richards is a partner in the Corporate Department of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. Jeff concentrates his practice on representing private investment funds, privately held businesses and publicly traded companies in negotiating and executing complex commercial transactions, such as mergers and acquisitions; divestitures of businesses, divisions and business units; private financings (including venture capital and private equity investments and mezzanine financings); public offerings of equity and debt securities; and private equity and other investment fund formations.
Jeff's broad transactional experience spans a number of business industries, including telecommunications, media, technology, business software services, healthcare, for-profit education, government contracting, manufacturing, consumer retail, real estate management and financial services, among others. He has orchestrated transactions ranging in size and scope from start-up venture equity investments of a few million dollars to leveraged buyouts of multi-national public companies with market capitalization in the billions.
In addition to managing complex transactions, Jeff also provides general corporate counseling to a number of privately held businesses and public companies, advising on matters such as negotiating commercial contractual arrangements with customers, suppliers and service providers; compliance with debt and equity financing; securities law issues; negotiating settlements of commercial and employment litigation; board actions and fiduciary duties; and executive equity and compensation arrangements.
Clients who rely on Jeff's advice single out his "broad knowledge base and business acumen" in The Legal 500 U.S.
Experience
Representative Matters
Over his career, Jeff has worked on hundreds of transactions and corporate matters, involving a wide range of legal and commercial issues, and a variety of transaction sizes and structures. A few select examples include representing clients in connection with the following:
- multi-billion dollar acquisition of tire and automotive parts distributor, and subsequent billion dollar add-on acquisition of auto body repair provider
- equity financing and brand licensing arrangements for multi-billion dollar acquisition of passenger airline
- merger of two retail services providers, and subsequent multi-billion dollar sale to publicly traded special purpose acquisition company
- $160 million acquisition of customer experience management company, and subsequent add-on acquisition
- $520 million acquisition of online diamond and jewelry retailer
- billion dollar acquisition of leading team sport, school spirit, and achievement recognition retailer
- $280 million acquisition of enterprise network services provider
- $400 million acquisition of leading cloud business applications provider
- equity and debt financing for multi-billion dollar venture to build new branded passenger cruise ship business
- minority equity investment and debt recapitalization of $650 million beauty and personal care products manufacturer, and subsequent sale to publicly traded consumer products company
- $80 million acquisition of telematics and mobile workforce technology provider
- multi-billion dollar “reverse Morris trust” transaction, involving spin-off of a division of a publicly traded paper company, and merger with a privately held distribution services business, to form a new publicly traded company
- $100 million carve-out acquisition of government networking and communication solutions business of publicly traded telecommunications equipment manufacturer, and subsequent $750 million sale to publicly traded national security company
- $100 million investment in Latin America wireless telecommunications tower company, and subsequent sale of two divisions to multinational infrastructure company
- $85 million acquisition of electronic payment processing company
- multiple equity investments in business management software provider, and subsequent $675 million sale to publicly traded technology company
- shareholder equity and governance arrangements for multibillion dollar take-private acquisition of IT service management software provider
- $450 million acquisition of leisure tour operator and resort management company, and subsequent sale of the company
- billion dollar acquisition and consolidation of multiple furniture and gift showroom properties, and subsequent sale of the company
- $360 million acquisition of distributed antenna systems provider, and subsequent billion dollar sale to publicly traded telecommunications tower company
- $220 million acquisition of business software services provider, and subsequent sale to publicly traded multinational software company
- billion dollar acquisition of data hosting services provider, and subsequent sale to publicly traded telecommunications company
- $100 million acquisition of electronic media hosting and distribution services provider, and subsequent sale to publicly traded telecommunications company
- multi-billion dollar acquisition of global provider of wireless handset insurance, data back-up, and product warranty and maintenance services
- multi-billion dollar equity recapitalization and renegotiation of shareholder and governance arrangements for privately held financial services company
- multi-billion dollar carve-out acquisition of sensors and controls manufacturing division of publicly traded electronics company, and multiple subsequent carve-out add-on acquisitions
- initial public offering of equity for global auto parts manufacturer, and multiple secondary equity offerings and public issuances of its high-yield notes
- $600 million PIPE investment in publicly traded motorcycle manufacturer
- multi-billion dollar take-private acquisition of global toys and games retailer
- multi-billion dollar carve-out acquisition of semiconductor manufacturing division of publicly traded technology company
- billion dollar acquisition of medical device manufacturing and design services provider
- multi-billion dollar take-private acquisition of global specialty pharmaceutical company
- financing arrangements for multi-billion dollar acquisition of musical equipment retailer
- $487 million carve-out acquisition of the emergency medical response technology division of a publicly traded medical products manufacturer
- proposed multi-billion dollar spin-off of and leveraged investment in pharmaceutical manufacturing division of publicly traded company
- $125 million PIPE investment in publicly traded chemical products manufacturer
- $300 million minority investment in wireless communications services provider
- multi-billion dollar acquisition of paper and packaging manufacturing business from publicly traded office supplies company and, shortly after the initial carve-out acquisition, the sale of over a billion dollars of timberlands and forestry assets
- $630 million acquisition of magazine and book publications company, and subsequent sale to a publicly traded publisher
- $790 million carve-out acquisition of office and building supplies distribution division of publicly traded paper and building products manufacturer
- proposed multi-billion dollar acquisition of global satellite services provider
- start-up acquisition of early-stage telecommunications company, and subsequent $210 million sale of the company
- $150 million PIPE investment as part of restructuring of publicly traded telecommunications company
- debt restructuring of private company, including senior credit agreement amendment and $214 million exchange offer of outstanding high-yield notes
- $200 million PIPE investment in publicly traded cellular telecommunications provider
- $100 million start-up investment in competitive local exchange carrier
- start-up acquisition of French telecommunications and data network services company
- early-stage acquisition of Argentina telecommunications services provider
- initial public offering of equity for telecommunications services company, and multiple public issuances of its high-yield notes
Clerk & Government Experience
Law ClerkHonorable Michael S. KanneUnited States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit1995–1996
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Credentials
Admissions & Qualifications
- 1995Illinois
Courts
- United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
Education
- University of Chicago Law SchoolJ.D.with Honors1995Staff, 1993–1994; Editor, 1994–1995, University of Chicago Law Review
- Bradley UniversityB.S., Financemagna cum laude 1992