Davis J. Fussell

Davis focuses his practice on advising private and public companies and their leaders on corporate governance matters, domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions and general corporate needs. He is also an experienced advisor in navigating regulatory processes, particularly those related to pending mergers and acquisitions. Davis provides timely, insightful and actionable advice to clients on anticipating, identifying and navigating key decision points and issues.

These matters involve a wide variety of industries, such as life sciences, financial services, manufacturing, distribution, communications and education.

Recognition

• Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch^® in America, Mergers and Acquisitions Law (2025-2027)
• North Carolina Super Lawyers Rising Star (2026-2027)

Education

• University of North Carolina School of Law, J.D., with highest honors, 2019
  • Chancellors’ Scholar
  • Valedictorian
  • Order of the Coif
  • Member, North Carolina Law Review
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, B.A., with highest distinction, American Studies, with minors in Business Administration and History, 2016
  • Phi Beta Kappa
  • Honors Carolina Laureate

Bar & Court Admissions

• North Carolina Bar Association
  • Past Member, Legal Feeding Frenzy Committee
• Wake County Bar Association
• Board of Directors, Friends of WNC Nature Center
• Central United Methodist Church

• Represented a Nasdaq-listed bank holding company in its acquisition of an NYSE-listed bank holding company for shares valued at approximately $5.3 billion.
• Represented a North Carolina mutual insurance holding company in its merger with a Minnesota mutual insurance holding company, combining two of the nation’s leading providers of medical professional liability insurance in the first-ever merger by a North Carolina-domiciled mutual insurance holding company, resulting in a combined company with over $2 billion in consolidated assets.
• Represented a private equity-owned, industry-leading contract development and manufacturing organization in its acquisition via tender offer of a Nasdaq-listed contract development and manufacturing organization, with a deal value of approximately $183 million.
• Represented a family-owned and management-owned national distributor of coatings and related solutions to aftermarket automotive refinish and special industrial customers on its sale to an affiliate of a national distributor, a portfolio company of an investment firm.
• Advised a provider of heavy highway, design-build, and commercial site construction materials and services in its acquisition of a ready-mix concrete business.
• Advised a private equity fund in its acquisition of a contract research organization focused on the ophthalmology industry.
• Advised a global contract research organization and drug development services company in its acquisition of a provider of mobile-connected self-service platform solutions for decentralized clinical trials.
• Advised a mobile solutions provider in selling assets comprising its mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) services business to a wireless network provider.
• Represented a Nasdaq-listed bank holding company in its assumption of all customer deposits and certain other liabilities, and acquisition of substantially all loans and certain other assets, of a bridge bank, as successor to the failed bank subsidiary of a Nasdaq-listed bank holding company, from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, as receiver for the bridge bank.
• Advised a group of family-owned, affiliated companies on the sale of substantially all of the assets of an equipment sales, service, and rentals dealership and associated real estate to a multi-state equipment dealer.
• Advised a family-owned company on multiple acquisitions of training and testing providers for the commercial maritime industry.
• Represented a provider of custom training solutions primarily in the pharmaceutical and medical device industries in its sale to an employee-owned acquisition holding company.
• Advised a national provider of curriculum development, professional learning experiences, and consultative services in a sale of substantially all of its assets to a diversified public sector solutions implementation and operations improvement firm.
• Represented a fourth-generation, family-owned insurance agency in the sale of substantially all of its assets to a national insurance and financial services firm.
• Represented an image sensor technology company in its acquisition by a wholly owned subsidiary of a Nasdaq-listed semiconductor supplier company.
• Represented a Nasdaq-listed bank holding company in public offerings of subordinated notes for aggregate proceeds of $350 million and of depositary shares representing interests in preferred stock for aggregate proceeds of $345 million.
• Represented a private investment firm in the formation of a life sciences-focused venture capital fund and in the private placement of $55,200,000 of limited partnership interests in such fund.
• Represented public companies in connection with initial public offerings, confidentially marketed public offerings, registered direct offerings, equity lines, and at-the-market offerings.
• Advised NYSE- and NASDAQ-listed companies with securities filings under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, NYSE and NASDAQ listing requirements and related public disclosure and corporate governance matters.