For the second year in a row, Koley Jessen has been named “Law Firm of the Year” by the M&A Advisor. Finalists in the category included AmLaw 100 firms, Alston & Bird LLP, Davis Polk & Wardell, Linklaters LLP, Ropes & Gray LLP, and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati PC.
“We are thrilled to be recognized again in 2018 by the M&A Advisor for the transaction work we are doing for our clients,” says Mike Hupp, President of Koley Jessen and Chair of the Mergers & Acquisitions Practice. “The continued growth of our M&A practice is a testament to our focus on client service and continuous improvement.”
“Our team has closed nearly 70 deals so far in 2018, with an aggregate deal value over $2.3 billion” says Eric Oxley, Vice-Chair of the Mergers and Acquisitions Practice. “Middle-market M&A activity, along with valuations, continue to remain strong and we are experiencing a 30% increase in our closed deal volume, compared to 5 year averages. We are very appreciative of the great opportunities our clients provide us to handle transactions locally and across the country.”
“Since 2002, we have been honoring the leading M&A transactions, companies and dealmakers. Koley Jessen was chosen from over 600 participating companies to receive the award. It gives us great pleasure to recognize Koley Jessen and bestow upon them our highest honor for M&A firms and professionals,” said Roger Aguinaldo, Founder, The M&A Advisor. Koley Jessen represents the best of the M&A industry in 2018 and earned these honors by standing out in a group of very impressive candidates.”
Transactions in which the firm was involved were also finalists in their categories. The sale of Nebraska-based Tecumseh Poultry dba Smart Chicken to Tyson Foods, Inc. was a finalist in “Consumer Staples Deal of the Year (Over $100MM)” and “Corporate/Strategic Deal of the Year ($250MM–$500MM)” categories. The sale of WESTliving's nine senior living communities to MBK Senior Living was a finalist in the “Healthcare and Life Sciences Deal of the Year $100MM-1B)” category. Both the West Living deal and the Smart Chicken transactions were also finalists for “M&A Deal of the Year ($250MM-$500MM).”
