Amy O'Keefe

My focus

I focus my practice on the following key areas.

Mergers and Acquisitions

Through the course of my career, I have advised a wide range of M&A clients, including both acquirers and targets, in connection with transactions valued in the billions of dollars. In a recent transaction, which is representative of my practice, I helped our public-company client to carve-out and sell a business line to a PE-backed acquirer for $900 million. I knowledgeably manage my team to move the acquisition process from beginning to end swiftly and efficiently, while always maintaining my primary focus on my clients’ business objectives. 

I routinely advise clients on both the buy-side and the sell-side of these transactions. I’m highly skilled and effective on both sides of the table, understanding the needs, goals, and pain-points of all types of clients from serial acquirers to first-time sellers.

Private Equity/family office

I have advised clients on all sides of Private Equity/Family Office transactions and split my time between helping those clients to deploy capital, manage portfolio company matters, and ultimately, complete successful exits. In the Private Equity/Family Office space, I am particularly excited about the value we bring to clients and friends of the firm with our NP Capital Connector® program—a proprietary referral program that matches companies considering a sale or exit transaction, or in search of debt or equity funding, with potential transaction partners. We love helping to bring transactions together.

General Corporate Work

I act as outside general counsel for clients involved with manufacturing, food and beverage, retail and commercial endeavors, healthcare, software and technology, and medical device businesses. I tap deep knowledge of the issues companies in these industries face when I offer counsel on corporate formation, commercial agreements, executive and incentive compensation, and general corporate matters.

Representative experience

• Represented SAES Getters S.p.A. (SG on the BIT exchange) in the carve-out and sale of its medical Nitinol business for $900M to private equity-backed strategic acquirer
• Advised private equity-backed strategic acquirer in $70M acquisition of cloud-based healthcare business
• Represented Health Catalyst (HCAT on the NASDAQ exchange) in numerous strategic acquisitions totaling over $310M+
• Advised private equity fund in platform acquisition of home healthcare and franchise business for $34M
• Represented public company division in $600M+ strategic acquisition of manufacturing and distribution target
• Advised founder in connection with $71M rollover investment in sale of business from one private equity firm to another
• Represented first-time seller (owner/operator) in the sale of her behavioral health business to a private equity-backed acquirer
• Advised Grupo Nutresa (NUTRESA on the BVC exchange) in connection with its acquisition of the Cameron’s Coffee business for $113M
• Represented founder and family office sponsor group in connection with sale of behavior health business to private equity-backed acquirer for $61M
• Advised executive management team in connection with sale of business to private equity buyer (negotiating terms of rollover equity, as well as new employment and incentive stock option arrangements)
• Represented family-owned and -operated defense contracting business to private equity buyer for $70M (first time seller)
• Advised founder-owned elevator servicing business to private equity buyer for $67M (first time seller)
• Represented ARC Technologies in sale of business to Hexcel Corporation (HXL on the NYSE) for $160M
• Advised locum tenens healthcare business in sale of business to private equity-backed acquirer for $300M+
• Represented fund in connection with leveraged buy-out, recapitalization, and subsidiary consolidation of OTC and private label manufacturer
• Advised public company division in $110M+ strategic acquisition of manufacturing target
• Represented PE fund in connection with an exit from its precision fabrication portfolio company
• Advised entrepreneur in connection with $40M+ exit and sale of defense subcontracting business to strategic public company purchaser
• Represented family-owned beverage bottling business in connection with $30M+ sale to strategic purchaser
• Advised family-owned medical device business in connection with $20M+ sale to strategic purchaser
• Represented private wealth management firm in connection with management ownership and partnership negotiations

Looking ahead

After a period of volatility in the M&A deal markets driving by rising interest rates and other economic factors, I expect M&A activity to pick up in the year ahead, as companies adapt to tougher conditions and buyers look to deploy capital.

Insights

• “How to Align Corporate Governance and Family Governance,” IFG New York 2023 Conference, May 9, 2023
• “For-Profit and Not-for-Profit Boards: Governance Pitfalls You Need to Know,” ALI CLE, November 2, 2022