I am thrilled to congratulate Lori Green, my partner in Nixon Peabody’s Corporate group, on her selection as The Deal’s 2021 Dealmaker of the Year in Consumer Retail, Food, and Beverage (Middle Market). The Deal is a prominent voice in the corporate transactional space, and Lori’s recognition is a testament to her transformative, industry-shaping work.
As co-leader of our M&A team, Lori plays an important role in many of our notable deals. She is a problem solver at heart, a characteristic that came to bear in particularly sophisticated projects earlier this year.
Lori led a team of more than 20 Nixon Peabody attorneys advising Constellation Brands, Inc. (CBI)—one of the world’s largest producers of beer and wine—in a series of transactions. The project involved several different sales, including:
- About thirty of CBI’s wine brands, with a retail price of $11 or less, and related assets to E. & J. Gallo Winery
- The Nobilo wine brand and related assets to E. & J. Gallo Winery
- The Paul Masson Grande Amber Brandy brand and related assets to Sazerac
- Certain brands used in its grape juice concentrate business and related assets to Vie-Del Company
Needless to say, the transactions presented numerous unexpected legal challenges that Lori helped the team maneuver with poise and much success. Under Lori’s leadership, our attorneys solved every challenge—taking a proactive, creative, and nimble approach. With each new twist and turn, our transaction team and subject matter experts devised solutions to help our client achieve its strategic goals.
Lori’s leadership on these CBI transactions showcases her exceptional skills as a corporate attorney and as a team leader. We are proud to celebrate her as a 2021 Dealmaker of the Year.