Mike is a principal at Gray Plant Mooty and concentrates his practice on business/corporate law, with an emphasis on representing privately held and emerging growth companies. He is currently the chair of the firm’s Family Business Advisory Team.
Mike advises businesses on a broad range of business and legal issues. He acts as the outside general counsel for several of the firm’s clients. Mike concentrates most of his time on mergers and acquisitions, venture capital financings, and private equity and debt offerings. He also spends time counseling clients with respect to control contests, ownership disputes and relationships, governance issues, and fiduciary duties.
Mike has written and spoken on various corporate topics throughout his career. He has also been active in Minnesota’s business law legislative reform.
Experience
- Representing buyers and sellers in mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures
- Assisting startup companies with venture financings and private placement offerings
- Forming private equity funds and assisting with offering materials
- Advising boards of directors on governance issues and take-overs
- Negotiating various types of contracts and agreements for companies and their owners
- Resolving disputes between shareholders
- Assisting new businesses with entity selection and obtaining financing
- Managing the delivery of other legal services to firm clients, including litigation, tax, intellectual property, real estate, and employee benefits services
Publications
- “Avoiding Family Problems—Keeping it Simple,” coauthor, MinnesotaBusiness online, August 2010
- “Do You Need an Investment Banker?” Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, August 29, 2008
- “Inside the Minds,” Aspatore Books (authored chapter on corporate governance and compliance strategies), 2007
- “Law Puts Names of 18,000 LLCs at Risk,” The Business Journal, March 25, 2005
- “How to Protect Directors of Privately Held Companies,” Upsize Minnesota, March 2004
- “Incorporate Changes, But Don’t Abandon Minnesota,” Minneapolis StarTribune, June 3, 2002
Presentations
- “Buy-Sell Agreements,” copresenter, University of St. Thomas Family Business Center, November 4, 2011
- “Pro-Buyer Asset Purchase Agreement & Pro-Buyer Stock Purchase Agreement,” copresenter, Minnesota State Bar Association CLE, April 2011
- “Counseling to Family/Closely Held Business: Can't We All Just Get Along,” Minnesota Family Business Awards Seminar, May 7, 2009
- “Delaware Update,” Minnesota State Bar Association Continuing Legal Education, May 5, 2009
- “Delaware Update,” Minnesota State Bar Association Continuing Legal Education, April 29, 2008
- “Delaware Update,” Minnesota State Bar Association Continuing Legal Education, May 17, 2007
- “Asset & Stock Purchase Agreements,” Minnesota State Bar Association Continuing Legal Education, March 30, 2007
- “Delaware Update,” Minnesota State Bar Association Continuing Legal Education, May 2, 2006
- “Asset & Stock Purchase Agreements,” Minnesota State Bar Association Continuing Legal Education, May 3, 2005
- “Delaware Update,” Minnesota State Bar Association Continuing Legal Education, April 19, 2005
- “Keep Your Board from Becoming Tomorrow’s Headline,” Corporate Counsel Breakfast Group, September 15, 2004
- “Protecting Corporate Board of Directors,” Corporate Counsel Breakfast Group, February 19, 2003
Education
- University of Minnesota Law School, J.D., 1996
- The Catholic University of America, B.A., 1989
Bar Admissions
Professional Activities
- American Bar Association
- Minnesota State Bar Association
- Minnesota Business Corporation Act Revision Committee
- Hennepin County Bar Association
Honors and Distinctions
- “Super Lawyer®,” Thomson/Reuters
- “Rising Star,” Minnesota Law & Politics
Community Involvement
- Association for Corporate Growth Minnesota, president and director
- Better Business Bureau of Minnesota and North Dakota, ex-officio director
- University of Minnesota, Minnesota Multi-Profession Law Clinic, volunteer attorney
- University of St. Thomas Family Business Advisory Board, director
- WorldTeach, interviewer of applicants