Michael Gnesin

Partner

Michael.Gnesin@lewisbrisbois.com

Michael Gnesin is a partner in the Fort Lauderdale and Chicago offices of Lewis Brisbois and a member of the Corporate and Securities & Corporate Finance Practices. Leveraging strong business acumen in conjunction with several years of advanced legal experience, Michael has represented individual and corporate clients in hundreds of commercial transactions ranging from $1MM to $900MM+ throughout tenure. He is a dedicated leader with a proven track record of analyzing complex deals, identifying relevant policies and precedents, and making personal and professional recommendations to inform merger and acquisition (M&A) strategy in compliance with local, state, and federal mandates. Michael is a dynamic change agent adept at managing and mitigating legal risk through due diligence, safeguarding business continuity, organizational good standing, and bottom-line growth.

Michael concentrates his practice in general counsel services, corporate law, banking/finance, employment law, business representation, and commercial real estate law (including commercial purchase, sale and refinance transactions, title issues, and leasing matters). Michael counsels and advises individuals, domestic and international emerging growth companies and established businesses in various types of corporate, transactional, general business planning and compliance matters.

Michael’s experience includes entity formation, drafting, and reviewing complex commercial agreements, providing advice and counsel to business owners, employees, officers and board of directors, corporate governance, intellectual property protection, and general daily business planning and legal advice on complex business issues.

Primary Area(s) of Practice

  • Corporate
  • Mergers & Acquisitions
  • Securities & Corporate Finance
  • Banking & Finance
  • Financial Restructuring & Loan Workout Practice
  • Business, Finance & Transactions
  • Sustainability and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Practice
  • Entertainment, Media & Sports
  • COVID-19 Response Resource Center
  • COVID-19: Contracts & Force Majeure

Additional Experience

Associations

  • Broward County Bar Association
  • Jewish Federation of Broward County
  • Russian Connections
  • Russian American Chamber of South Florida
  • American Bar Association
  • Illinois State Bar Association
  • Chicago Bar Association
  • Member, Florida Lawyers Network
  • Member, Jewish United Fund – Young Lawyers Group
  • Executive Committee Chair & Member, ProVisors
  • Association for Corporate Growth
  • Chicago Business Connectors

Awards & Honors

CALI Excellence for the Future Award – Equities and Remedies

Professional Presentations

  • Featured Speaker, “Loan Syndications + Club Loans,” Webinar, 2021
  • Guest Speaker, “Paycheck Protection Program & Mortgage Forbearance,” Oak Brook Chamber of Commerce Webinar, 2020
  • Guest Speaker, “Paycheck Protection Program & Addressing Loan Forgiveness Questions,” Porte Brown Webinar, 2020
  • Guest Speaker, “PPP Loan Forgiveness and The Building Industry,” Home Builders Association of Greater Chicago Webinar, 2020
  • Guest Speaker, “Stress Testing Deals in Good Times, Bad Times and Now,” MBBI Webinar, 2020
  • Featured Speaker, “Recovering COVID-19 Business Expenses and Lost Profits,” Webinar, 2020
  • Featured Speaker, “Employment Law Updates to Protect You During the Pandemic and Beyond,” Webinar, 2020

Education

DePaul University College of Law

Juris Doctor, 2008

University of Illinois – Chicago

Bachelor of Science in Economics & Finance, 2004

Representative Matters

  • Represented a national application provider company that powers billing and back-office operations for wireless communications companies in its sale to a large U.S.A./Canadian software investment holdings company
  • Advised a national leader in traffic incident management solutions in its sale to a large U.S.A.-based private equity firm.
  • International and cross-border transactions involving over 20 countries and over 55 alliance partners.
  • Alliances and resale for M&A and post-merger integration of acquired companies both domestically and internationally.
  • Joint Venture and Manufacturing and Supply Transactions involving several distributors.
  • Sale of commercial skylight company to private equity.
  • Negotiating several retail leases and the $59 million acquisition of corporate headquarters.
  • Commercial loan in excess of $160 million for bath parts company and installer.
  • Sale of a cable television company, in complex transaction involving several lenders and mezzanine financing in $250 million.
  • Sale of a hot tub manufacturer worth $33.5 million and a bedding retailer in excess of $60 million.
  • Structuring transactions in order to provide ease of transfer of business through equity sale while maximizing tax benefits and asset protection for clients.
  • $48 million M/A - stock sale, client sold to publicly traded company.
  • $27 million acquisition of lighting business.
  • Sale and purchases of several staffing and recruiting companies, local and national, ranging from $2.5 to $10 million.
  • Sale of an injection molding manufacturing company valued in excess of $6 million, food industry business valued in excess of $5 million, investment advisory company valued in excess of $7 million, environmental recycling company and related real estate valued in excess of $10 million, commercial security company valued in excess of $3.5 million and a specialty commercial construction company valued in excess of $7.5 million.
  • Purchase of a technology installation company and related real estate valued in excess of $2.5 million.
  • Multiple clients in the purchase and sale of tutoring, day care, and educational businesses and related real estate in excess of $3.5 million.
  • Multiple clients in purchase and sale of commercial real estate investment properties (office, retail, multifamily, industrial, mixed use) ranging from $3.3 million to $50 million.
  • Multiple joint venture and partnership transactions involving investors for multi-family residential and commercial properties.

Foreign Language Capabilities

  • Spanish
  • Russian

Certifications

  • Licensed Real Estate Broker (IL)
  • Licensed Illinois Life Insurance Producer

Pro Bono & Philanthropy

  • JUF Young Lawyers Group volunteer
  • Community Legal Services Program and Hillels of Illinois volunteer