Nixon Peabody LLP

With middle market M&A at a critical juncture, Nixon Peabody attorneys Amy (Pugliano) O'Keefe, Shaziah Singh, and Anthony V. Bova II share insights and predictions for deal activity for the rest of 2025: ?? Market Trends: A modest resurgence in deal activity was seen at the end of 2024. With $2 trillion in private equity funds waiting to be deployed globally, there's potential for increased activity despite market headwinds. ?? Seller Strategies: Sellers are being driven by strategic realignment, favorable market conditions, and technological disruptions. Many are divesting non-core assets, and narrowing valuation gaps could boost deal flow. ?? Buyer Approaches: Strategic buyers are aiming to expand core competencies using internal capital, while private equity sponsors manage record capital and assets and look to acquire new assets and offload aging ones. With significant capital ready to be deployed and a narrowing gap between buyer and seller valuations, this could be a pivotal year for M&A activity.

In an interview with Rochester Business Journal, partner and Cybersecurity & Privacy Deputy Practice Leader Jenny Lewis Holmes shared best practices and considerations for businesses establishing policies and procedures around the use of generative AI. Our attorneys can help guide organizations throughout the creation of AI policies to ensure proper compliance and mitigate any potential data privacy risks.

Welcome to Nixon Peabody, Michael Melzer! Mike joins our Project Finance & Public Finance practice as partner based in our Chicago office. https://lnkd.in/gVrSafA8 Mike’s practice focuses on helping clients navigate complex and novel financial structures for public finance matters. He paves the way for his clients to secure the financing they need to build for the future, while blending deep Illinois statutory knowledge with broad national experience, including several of the largest and more high profile public-private partnerships (P3s) undertaken in recent years. Mike draws on his varied and expansive background to solve complex challenges and deliver practical, impactful solutions to clients. He has extensive experience in project and public finance, including in public power and utilities, transportation, convention and tourism, education, healthcare, seniors living, and economic development.

A unanimous US Supreme Court decision found that party affiliates who are not named defendants are not liable to pay damages award in trademark dispute. SCOTUS ruled that the Fourth Circuit ignored important distinctions under the Lanham act and vacated nearly $47 million in damages. Erica Van Loon and Diler Cavdar analyze the ruling and explain why there are still a lot of unanswered questions. https://lnkd.in/gxDKBCAC

We asked the leaders of our Women in Dealmaking team to share insights on the M&A trends they're watching and predictions for the dealmaking landscape ahead. Swipe through to discover their perspectives! ?? "With the new Trump administration taking office, dealmakers are closely monitoring potential regulatory shifts, tax policies, and trade dynamics that could reshape corporate strategies. Expected changes to antitrust enforcement, foreign investment scrutiny, and capital markets regulation may impact deal structures and valuations. While some industries may see a more business-friendly environment, others may need to navigate evolving compliance landscapes, making proactive risk assessment and regulatory due diligence more critical than ever." – Rachel Pugliese ?? "Macroeconomic factors will continue to influence dealmaking in 2025, particularly inflation, interest rates, and access to capital. While inflationary pressures may ease, companies remain focused on cost efficiencies and strategic acquisitions to drive growth. Private equity firms and strategic buyers alike are adapting to a higher-for-longer interest rate environment, emphasizing creative financing solutions and disciplined valuations. As capital markets adjust, expect to see increased activity in distressed assets, carve-outs, and strategic partnerships as companies optimize their portfolios for long-term resilience." – Marissa Wiley ?? "The Trump Administration's stated policies related to a less restrictive regulatory landscape, immigration, and tariffs are expected to create an uneven impact on the market. While some sectors stand to benefit – driving the announcement of several mega deals early in the year – others are likely to face challenges due to these policy shifts, particularly sectors impacted by labor markets and supply chain costs." – Amy (Pugliano) O'Keefe ? "Private equity investment in sports will accelerate, fueled by rising franchise valuations, expanded media rights, and growing investor appetite. As leagues embrace institutional capital and deal structures evolve, new opportunities will emerge to shape the industry's future." – Shaziah Singh

The M&A market is beginning to feel the impact of the new administration's tariff war. Greg O'Shaughnessy shares expectations and insights for companies scrambling to adjust to the new, rapidly shifting, and unpredictable environment.

What are the benefits of the SAFETY Act for companies, venues, and other establishments? In this interview, Jeanne Benincasa Thorpe, National Security and Resiliency Director at Nixon Peabody, and Joe Maher, former principal deputy counsel for the Department of Homeland Security and now a National Security & Resilience Partner at Nixon Peabody, provide an overview of the SAFETY Act. They discuss the program’s advantages, the application process, and how Nixon Peabody can assist companies in navigating this process to ensure they are well-prepared and secure. Learn more ?? https://lnkd.in/gTf7s7Ns

Welcome to Nixon Peabody, Molly Sharbaugh Unterseher! Molly joins our Nonprofit Organizations practice as partner, representing tax-exempt nonprofit organizations, philanthropic high-net-worth individuals, and charitable affiliates of for-profit companies. https://lnkd.in/g5zUSJAY Based in the firm’s New York City office, Molly advises clients in various organizational, compliance, and operational matters. Her clients include corporate, independent, and family private foundations; public charities; and donor-advised funds across multiple sectors. She guides clients through the process of establishing charitable organizations, including applying for and maintaining federal and state tax-exempt status, and helps them navigate ongoing compliance requirements. Molly often serves in an outside general counsel role for her clients, providing organizations and individuals with practical and strategic advice with respect to governance structures, board composition, domestic and foreign grant making, charitable activities and investments, charitable donations, and philanthropic giving vehicles.

We're excited to share that Community Development Finance partner Greg Doran has been selected to lead the firm's Project Finance, Infrastructure & Real Estate (PFIRE) Department. Greg is one of the nation’s leading authorities on community development finance. He helps investors, lenders (including CDFIs), and borrowers employ federal and state incentives to promote development in underserved markets. A current member of the Management Committee, Greg has held a variety of leadership positions during his more than 20 years at NP. As head of the PFIRE department, he will focus on empowering our attorneys and professional staff colleagues to achieve their full potential, blending high performance with professional and personal development.

Our firmwide strategic plan is rooted in a deep understanding of the industries our attorneys serve as well as an emphasis on continued growth through targeted lateral hiring and development of existing talent. Following these priorities, we're excited to share two new leadership roles on the firm’s Management Committee, which oversees business affairs, day-to-day operations, and high-impact initiatives. Colette Dafoe, an Affordable Housing & Real Estate partner and Managing Partner of our Washington, DC office, joins the firm’s Management Committee as Industry Strategy Partner. In this newly created role, she will help to implement our firmwide industry-focused strategy, ensuring seamless client service through deep, detailed knowledge of their industries and a steadfast commitment to helping them achieve their goals and make a positive impact. Julie Seymour, a Chicago-based Project Finance & Public Finance partner who joined the Management Committee in 2023, will serve in the new role of Lateral Recruiting Partner. Julie has a proven commitment to developing talent inside and outside the firm and will help create strategies to continue our growth trajectory.