Accounting Firm Mergers and Acquisitions 

Levenfeld Pearlstein represents leading accounting firms in sophisticated mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, recapitalizations, and reorganizations. Led by industry leader Russell Shapiro, our team focuses on advising accounting firms on unique issues involved in M&A transactions. We also help firms draft partnership agreements and advise managing partners and HR directors on managing employees and professionals, including preparing and enforcing employment agreements and restrictive covenants.

Recent relevant experience includes:

• Representing accounting firms in platform transactions with private equity firms and other financial buyers, such as:
  • A top-30 firm in connection with a sale of a majority stake to two institutional investors.
  • Various firms inside and outside of the top-100 in transactions with private equity firms.
• Representing financial buyers in connection with strategic investments in accounting and advisory firms.
• Representing accounting firms in sale transactions, such as:
  • A top-50 firm in a transaction that resulted in the combination of two historic NYC powerhouse accounting firms. The transaction was one of the accounting industry’s largest private equity-backed add-on acquisitions and possibly the first to involve representations and warranties insurance.
  • A major Southwest-based accounting firm in its merger with a top-10 accounting firm.  The transaction involved complex 409A issues and negotiating separation agreements with former partners.
  • A top-100 firm in a strategic transaction with another major accounting firm. The transaction involved unique issues related to deferred compensation, and employee benefits.
• Representing certain private equity-backed accounting firms in connection with their acquisitions of other accounting firms.
• Advising accounting firms in transactions involving nuanced tax structures, including the use of personal goodwill and other corporate and partnership tax issues.