Overview

Brett has a breadth of experience in mergers and acquisitions and a variety of other transactional matters to help clients navigate complex transactions and corporate legal issues.

Brett’s M&A experience includes advising small-cap to large-cap companies on the buy- and sell-side of transactions of all sizes, from private equity add-on acquisitions to multi-billion dollar public company mergers, across a diverse group of industries. Brett also uses his transactional skills and experience to support the firm’s Venture Best team, advising entrepreneurs, early-stage companies, and investors with their various legal needs.

Prior to joining Michael Best, Brett was a managing associate with a major global law firm.

While pursuing his J.D., Brett worked as a student attorney at the University of Wisconsin Law School’s Law & Entrepreneurship Clinic, where he provided transactional legal services for early-stage entrepreneurs and start-up companies, and served as a Managing Editor for the Wisconsin Law Review. During law school, Brett was also a student fellow for Chicago Ventures, a Chicago-based venture capital firm, and the President of the Sports and Entertainment Law Society.

Prior to law school, Brett was an analyst for a global professional services firm, performing valuation, strategy, and market research services relating to mergers & acquisitions and real estate transactions.

Experience

Brett’s notable transactional experience at Michael Best includes the following:

  • Represented one of the largest insurance brokerages in the US in its sale to a global publicly held professional services firm
  • Represented a supply chain solutions provider in its sale to a global investment manager
  • Represented a publicly held strategic buyer in its acquisition of a naval sensor company
  • Represented a revenue cycle management company in its sale to a nationally recognized healthcare consulting firm
  • Represented a sports learning management company in a combination with a strength and conditioning software company
  • Represented a publicly held strategic buyer in its acquisition of a parking management software company
  • Represented a national credit union association in a merger of equals with another national credit union association
  • Represented a behavioral health technology company in its sale to a strategic buyer
  • Represented a publicly held telecommunications company in sales of FCC licenses
  • Represented an adult family homes business in its sale to a strategic buyer
  • Represented a contract review software company in its sale to a strategic buyer
  • Represented a strategic buyer in certain acquisitions and joint venture transactions involving portfolios of senior and assisted living facilities
  • Represented a human resources and consulting firm in its sale to a financial buyer
  • Represented a sales training software company in its sale to a strategic buyer
  • Represented a strategic buyer in its acquisition of one of the country’s largest spindle repair companies
  • Represented a strategic buyer in its acquisition of a cloud-based bookkeeping division from a global professional services firm
  • Represented an educational technology company in a sale of a controlling interest to a financial buyer
  • Represented a digital drug development company in its sale to a strategic buyer
  • Represented a strategic buyer in a stock-for-stock merger with a marketing technology company

Brett’s notable transactional experience prior to joining Michael Best includes the following:

  • Represented a public containerboard and corrugated packing company in a $4 billion merger with another publicly held packaging company
  • Represented a global real estate professional services firm in its $1.8 billion acquisition of a capital market advisor
  • Represented a publicly held global investment manager in a $1.55 billion share exchange with a leading retirement services company
  • Represented one of the largest asset managers in the world in its $1 billion acquisition of a consumer lending platform
  • Represented a publicly traded REIT in its $1 billion acquisition of its sponsor and external advisor
  • Represented a publicly held large cap conglomerate in its divestiture of a major business unit
  • Represented private equity funds on several transactions, including both platform sales and add-on acquisitions
  • Represented a publicly traded REIT in several acquisitions of medical and senior housing facilities
  • Represented a family-run investment enterprise in various transactions and legal issues, including venture capital investments, entity reorganizations, debt arrangements and contract review
  • Represented various public companies in the drafting, review and/or filing of public disclosures for periodic reporting and in connection with transactions, including proxy statements, Form S-4s, Form 10-Ks, Form 10-Qs, Form 8-Ks, earnings releases and Section 16 filings
  • Completed a three-month secondment with the legal team of a publicly held manufacturer of marine products, assisting with various transactional matters

Honors & Recognitions

  • James J. and Dorothy T. Hanks Memorial Award for excellence in corporate law studies
  • Dean’s Academic Achievement Award, University of Wisconsin Law School
  • Four-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree (University of Wisconsin Men’s Basketball; second four-time honoree in program history)
  • Remington Scholar (University of Wisconsin; highest cumulative GPA of all male student athletes)

Professional Activities

  • Member, American Bar Association
  • Member, State Bar of Wisconsin

Education

Bar Admissions

Community Involvement

  • Emerging Leadership Board member, University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center
  • Team Captain, Cycle for Sight, The McPherson Eye Research Institute

Insights

Education

Bar Admissions

Community Involvement

  • Emerging Leadership Board member, University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center
  • Team Captain, Cycle for Sight, The McPherson Eye Research Institute
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