Calfee Corporate and Finance Attorneys Brent Pietrafese and Conner Judson Co-Author Article, "The increasing utility of AI in M&A transactions," Published in Crain's Cleveland Business

Calfee attorneys Brent M. Pietrafese, Partner and Co-Chair of the Corporate and Finance Practice Group, and Conner H. Judson, Corporate and Finance Associate, authored an article for Crain’s Cleveland Business as part of the 2026 ACG Corporate Growth and M&A Guide.

Their article, “The Increasing Utility of AI in M&A Transactions,” explores how artificial intelligence is transforming the M&A process. From early-stage research and target identification to due diligence and document drafting, AI tools are helping deal teams accelerate processes and focus on higher-value tasks. The authors also address the importance of human oversight and the risks associated with relying solely on AI-generated outputs.

As AI continues to evolve, its integration into the M&A process will make transactions faster and more competitive. Firms that adopt these tools thoughtfully will be well-positioned to stay ahead.

Brent Pietrafese is a Partner and Co-Chair of Calfee’s Corporate and Finance practice group, and a Leader of the firm’s Mergers and Acquisitions and Wealth Management groups. He advises public and privately held companies and private equity firms on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, private equity transactions, and general corporate matters across a wide range of industries.

Conner Judson is an Associate Attorney with Calfee’s Real Estate and Corporate and Finance practice groups.