Calfee’s team of more than 40 dedicated mergers and acquisitions attorneys provides practical legal guidance to clients to assist them in navigating through a purchase, sale, or other business transaction.
With a strong foothold in the regional middle market, our mergers and acquisitions lawyers represent both privately held and publicly traded companies, private equity funds, family owned businesses, and private entrepreneurs, among other types of clients.
Calfee handles transactions of all sizes, and the team typically completes 60-75 M&A transactions annually, ranging in value from $500,000 to more than $3 billion. We know how to staff transactions and use resources in a cost-effective manner and how to add value with our competitive rates. Whether a deal involves a relatively straightforward asset purchase of a single facility business, or a multi-entity, multi-jurisdictional transaction for a publicly held conglomerate, we have the necessary experience to get it done.
We understand that each transaction is unique. We have the resources to staff each deal with appropriate attorneys from other practice groups who have experience in areas such as:
Collaboration with these team members ensures that each transaction is efficiently managed, while adequately covering the myriad issues raised by any transaction.
Our M&A attorneys focus on understanding the business motivations underlying each transaction. We help our clients identify the best transaction structure, devise strategies to mitigate risk and overcome obstacles, and negotiate reasonable protections in light of the size and complexity of the deal.
At Calfee, we understand that successfully navigating a purchase, sale, or other major business transaction requires a team that delivers cost-effective solutions tailored to your specific business goals. Our collaborative, client-focused approach ensures that we not only manage the complexities of your deal efficiently but also work to mitigate risk and maximize value at every stage. This includes:
Our M&A attorneys partner with clients through the process of structuring, documenting, negotiating, and closing acquisitions and sales of assets and stock, mergers, strategic alliances, and joint ventures. After closing, we advise clients on post-transaction integration matters. In the case of acquisitions, after closing, we often function as outside "general counsel" to the acquired business on day-to-day legal matters.
We work with our clients to negotiate a reasonable allocation between the transaction parties of liabilities and risks. We help our clients to make practical decisions that further their business goals.
We also counsel our clients on potential tax savings or deferral opportunities in structuring transactions.
Calfee’s M&A professionals are committed to delivering superior client service and partnering with our clients. We live by these five "golden rules" of client service:
Many of our M&A attorneys have previously served as in-house counsel, corporate board members, or advisory board members for companies. This collective experience has shaped our M&A attorneys’ perspective and provided valuable insight into the mindset of our clients.
Our M&A attorneys approach engagements with a sense of teamwork – working together internally across multiple disciplines and working closely with our clients’ management and other internal and external advisors – to efficiently coordinate transactions and achieve optimal outcomes. Whether guidance is needed in environmental, employment, intellectual property, real estate, employee benefits, data security, tax planning, compliance, or any other legal area, we bring to the table the necessary expertise.
For more than a decade, Calfee has been recognized as a Leading Law Firm for Corporate/M&A by Chambers USA, most recently in Band 1 in Ohio: North and Band 3 in Ohio: South and Central and in Band 2 in Banking & Finance in Ohio (2025).
Chambers USA commentators noted Calfee's Corporate and Finance practice "Draws from an impressive statewide team with a strong track record across a broad range of corporate and transactional matters, acting on behalf of public and private businesses and financial institutions. Areas of excellence include M&A, securities offerings, and private equity and venture capital fund formation. Calfee also offers notable capital markets expertise, with particular strengths in acting for underwriters."
Clients interviewed by Chambers USA said, "Calfee consistently brings strong talent to any situation, operates in a seamless manner, and remains calm even under stressful circumstances. Clients appreciate the team's business-oriented, practical approach."
Calfee was selected for inclusion in the 2025 "Best Law Firms" rankings in the following areas:
Calfee was selected for inclusion in IFLR1000 – Guide to the World's Leading Financial and Corporate Law Firms in 2024 for M&A and ranked in Ohio Tier 2.
Calfee's M&A attorneys have significant experience representing clients in a wide range of sectors, including the following:
Calfee's Corporate and Finance practice "draws from an impressive statewide team with a strong track record across a broad range of corporate and transactional matters. Areas of excellence include M&A, securities offerings, and private equity and venture capital fund formation. They also offer notable capital markets expertise, with particular strengths in acting for underwriters."
Researcher comments, Chambers USA
