Laura handles matters for clients at all levels of the
capital structure. She regularly represents senior lenders, mezzanine lenders,
institutional investors and subordinated debt funds in all aspects of complex
financial transactions, including alternative investments, financings of
management buyouts, tender offers and other leveraged acquisitions; bridge
financings; financings for growth capital; recapitalizations; workouts; and
portfolio purchases and sales.
“The best thing about my job is my relationships with my
clients,” says Laura. “They are incredibly smart and kind and they are
wonderful advocates and sponsors. I like developing that client relationship
over time and it feels very two-way, where you have an incredible amount of
trust and respect for one another. We
root for each other – it is incredibly rewarding to see careers and companies
achieve their goals and knowing you were a part of the team. ”
One of her favorite transactions so far at Dickinson Wright
has to do with a success story using Dickinson Wright’s cross-border platform.
When one of Laura’s clients made a debt and equity investment in a US company
acquiring a Canadian company, Laura contacted Dickinson Wright’s US/Canada
resource Dan Ujczo. He immediately put
her in touch with the firm’s Toronto “crash team” and they gave smart and
practical guidance on structuring and diligence issues. “It was an immediate value-add
for not only my clients but also the other lenders and investors in the deal,”
says Laura.
In terms of what is on the horizon for banks and other
lenders, Laura says that banks are facing a lot of competition and having a
hard time getting highly leveraged deals approved. In Laura’s opinion, it is a
great time to borrow money and/or the best time to sell your business if you
are interested. She also encourages companies to bank with partners that can
support them in their growth since pricing among the regional and larger banks
remains so competitive.
When Laura is not working, she enjoys spending time with her
family and friends and practicing yoga. She is the current chair of the newly
launched emerging leaders platform for the Association for Corporate Growth in
central Ohio. She is involved and spends
a lot of her time working with organizations to develop and advance women
leaders. She is also a mentor to
Stephanie Green, an associate attorney in the firm’s Columbus office.
