Nicholas S. Behrens

Nick has extensive experience in corporate and transactional matters, specializing in counseling buyers and sellers in a variety of mergers and acquisitions. He adeptly helps clients navigate complex strategic transactions, deploying a pragmatic and practical approach to negotiations and deal structuring. Nick’s experience includes advising private equity sponsors, strategics and owners across diverse industries in both buy-side and sell-side transactions of all sizes—with a particular focus on the middle and lower middle market, as well as “acqui-hire”, joint venture and other strategic transactions. Nick also supports clients on corporate governance and similar general corporate legal needs.

Solutions in action

Representative transactions on which Nick has advised include:

• Gleason Corporation in its acquisition of the Intra Group of Companies, a global provider of custom measurement technology, including high-precision gears and components
• Loxo, a leading talent intelligence platform and recruiting software company, in its growth investment transaction with Tritium Partners
• J.S. Held in its acquisition of GLI Advisors, a provider of project and community development support throughout the West Coast and Hawaii
• Agiloft in its acquisition of Screens, a standard-based and community-supported Generative AI contract review and redlining solution
• InformedDNA in its acquisition of Coriell Life Sciences, a provider of pharmacogenomic services and clinical decision support
• Western Microsurgical in its investment transaction with HealthEdge Investment Partners
• OSI Environmental in its sale to GFL Environmental Services
• CTS in its acquisition of SyQwest, a leading designer and manufacturer of a broad set of sonar and acoustic sensing solutions primarily for naval applications
• Eurazeo in its acquisition of a majority stake in Cranial Technologies*
• Apollo Global Management in the acquisition of Credit Suisse’s Securitized Products Group*
• Ryan Specialty Group on multiple acquisitions, including of Griffin Underwriting Services, ACE Benefit Partners and Keystone Risk Partners*
• The National Football League in connection with its investment in New Era Cap*
• Hennessy Capital Acquisition Corp. IV in its de-SPAC business combination with Canoo*

*Experience gained prior to joining Michael Best

Prior to joining Michael Best, Nick was in the Corporate and M&A practice group at a global AmLaw 10 firm. In this role, his practice focused primarily on mergers & acquisitions, corporate governance, capital markets and other federal securities laws matters. Nick received his J.D. from the University of Wisconsin Law School, where he graduated magna cum laude and was elected to the Order of the Coif.