Mr. Meriam advises clients, including private equity firms, mezzanine funds, private investors and multinational companies, in all phases of their business, from the initial investment and relations with co-investors, through third-party financings and exit strategies, and, when necessary, the needs of companies in distress. His breadth of experience in representing the different components of buyout transactions and industry sectors has led clients to rely on him in the early stages of deals to assist in structuring and business planning. In addition, he has counseled clients on numerous cross-border deals, both in-bound and out-bound. He counsels a wide range of healthy living and consumer products companies. Mr. Meriam has led teams addressing regulatory review and related issues in the food and supplements space.
Recent Transactions
Mr. Meriam has advised on acquisitions involving consumer goods restaurant chains, defense contractors, food manufacturers and manufacturers and distributors of nutritional supplements (including the acquisition of Herbalife, Inc. by J.H. Whitney) and natural products. He has also led deals for his clients involving companies engaged in providing marketing services and heavy manufacturing. He has recently represented:
- Stone Canyon Industries in its acquisition of, and in its subsequent sale of, Fleischmann’s Vinegar Company
- Stone Canyon Industries in its acquisition of, and in its subsequent sale of, a creative production company
- York Capital Management in its acquisition of Houlihan’s Restaurants and the subsequent acquisition of restaurant units from its largest franchisee
- York Capital Management in its acquisition of franchised health clubs
- An equity sponsor in its acquisition of a nutritional supplements company
- The sale of a nutritional supplements company
- Skip Hop, a creator and retailer of innovative and functional products for children, in its sale of a majority stake to Fireman Capital Partners, a consumer-focused growth equity firm, and representation of its founders on its subsequent sale to Carter’s, Inc.
- Millennium Lighting, Inc. in its sale to Ferguson Enterprises, Inc.
- A government contractor in connection with a debt restructuring and recapitalization
- Twinlab Consolidated Holdings, Inc., a nutritional supplements manufacturer, in its going-public transaction
- Twinlab Consolidated Holdings, Inc. in the acquisition of assets by its subsidiary NutraScience Labs
- AEA Investors in its equity co-investments in several recent deals