Brian P. Ferrell

As a member of Smith Anderson’s Mergers and Acquisitions, Mezzanine Finance and Private Equity practice groups, Brian Ferrell advises publicly traded and privately held companies, investment funds and investors on complex corporate transactions and strategic matters across the fund and deal lifecycles. His practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions, restructurings, recapitalizations, fund formations and GP led transactions, and he has extensive experience supporting private equity funds and sponsor-backed companies with respect to deal M&A, corporate governance and capital raising matters. Over the course of his professional career, Brian has advised on over $40 billion of M&A and other capital raising transactions, including fund formations and GP-led secondaries deals.

Brian joined Smith Anderson from an international law firm in San Francisco, CA, where he focused on private equity-related matters. He also advised leadership on firm strategy and LegalTech initiatives.

Prior to returning to the law, Brian was an investment banking senior associate at Piper Sandler & Co., where he ran LegalTech coverage and sourced and executed mergers and acquisitions and other capital-raising transactions. As an investment banker, Brian held various securities industry credentials, including the Series 63, Series 65 and Series 79. Prior to attending law school, Brian was a financial analyst at General Electric, where he completed the company’s two-year Financial Management Program.

Outside of work, Brian is an alto saxophonist with a love for jazz, reggae, R&B and hip-hop. He was raised in Seattle, Wash. and Wilmington, NC, and he and his wife, Anne, are avid snowboarders. Brian is a military history enthusiast and a lifelong athlete, having played both baseball and ice hockey at the NCAA level.

Admitted in California, NOT ADMITTED TO PRACTICE IN NORTH CAROLINA

Education

• The University of Chicago Law School, J.D., with honors, 2021
  • Highest Honors: M&A, Bankruptcy, Advanced Contracts—Contract Governance and Business Strategy
• Hamilton College, B.A., Economics, 2016

Bar & Court Admissions

Private M&A, Minority/Growth Investments and Related Transactions

• Legal counsel to a North American private equity sponsor on its sale of a homecare solutions software company to a sponsor-backed buyer.
• Legal counsel to a North American private equity sponsor on its acquisition of an automation software company.
• Legal counsel to a North American private equity sponsor on its multibillion-dollar sale of a workforce management software company to a strategic buyer.
• Legal counsel to a North American alternative investment advisor on the sale of a substantial minority stake in its business to two leading private equity sponsors.
• Legal counsel to a private equity sponsor on its strategic investment in an education software company.
• Legal counsel to a North American private equity sponsor on its acquisition of a controlling stake in a technology protection and support company.
• Legal counsel to a North American private equity sponsor on its strategic investment in an education software company.
• Legal counsel to a founder owned construction management company on its sale to a North American sponsor-backed buyer.
• Legal counsel to a North American private equity sponsor on its continuation vehicle transaction involving a water treatment equipment company.
• Legal counsel to a North American private equity sponsor on its growth investment in a real estate-focused, risk management software company.
• Legal counsel to a North American private equity sponsor on its $146 million sale of a digital media company to a strategic buyer.
• Legal counsel to an Asian private equity sponsor on its lead investment in a blockchain company focused on the video game industry.
• Legal counsel to a North American private equity sponsor on its take-private acquisition of a database software company.
• Financial advisor to a tax automation software company on its $50 million acquisition by a publicly traded company.

Public Company Representation and Related Transactions

• Legal counsel to a North American airline on its proposed $6.6 billion merger of equals with another North American airline.
• Legal counsel to a North American biopharmaceutical company on its $300 million credit financing from a leading investment manager.
• Financial advisor to a North American SPAC on its acquisition of a European transportation manufacturer and related de-SPAC transaction.
• Financial advisor to a European private equity sponsor in its attempted hostile takeover of an Israeli public company.

Investment Funds/General Partner Representation

• Legal counsel to a North American private equity sponsor on the formation of its continuation vehicle for a $1.1 billion single-asset GP-led transaction.
• Legal counsel to a North American private equity sponsor on the formation of its continuation vehicle for a $195 million multi-asset GP-led transaction.
• Legal counsel to a North American private equity sponsor on the formation of its continuation vehicle for a $450 million single-asset GP-led transaction.
• Legal counsel to various North American private equity sponsors on their respective formations of main buyout and real estate funds, with collective commitments of over $10 billion in the aggregate.
• Legal counsel to a North American private equity sponsor on its GP stakes investment from a leading international asset manager.
• Financial advisor to a North American private equity sponsor in respect of exchange valuations for a multibillion-dollar combination involving two portfolio companies.
• Financial advisor to a North American private equity sponsor on its Section 363 bankruptcy sale to a publicly traded North American strategic buyer.

Pro Bono

• Central Legal De La Raza
• Florida Rights Restoration Coalition
• The Support Network
• Texas Civil Rights Project
• Start Small Think Big