Charles J Downey III

Practice Areas

• Private Equity & Venture Capital

• Mergers & Acquisitions

• Corporate Governance

• Securities & Equity Financing Transactions

• Independent Sponsors & Co-Investments

Career

The co-chair of the Finn Dixon and Herling's Corporate group, Chuck Downey advises a broad roster of clients ranging from private equity firms and their portfolio companies to multi-national corporations. Leveraging his years of experience and breadth of practice, he brings a measured, practical approach to serving his clients.

He also represents hedge funds and other entities in connection with securities law issues, PIPE transactions and other matters.

Chuck has significant experience representing private equity, venture capital, mezzanine capital, and other institutional investors in all aspects of their activities.

Recent transactions include:

• Numerous platform acquisitions for private equity funds

• Add-on acquisitions of all sizes

• Section 363 acquisitions by strategic and private equity buyers

• Sale processes on behalf of a variety of companies

• Complex spinoff transactions

• Balance sheet and capitalization table recapitalizations

• PIPE transactions including multi-layered PIPE transactions involving convertible notes, preferred stock and warrants

Chuck also acts as a counselor to a variety of companies regarding their ongoing legal needs, providing advice regarding joint venture agreements, capital raising, employee matters, strategic agreements, and debt and equity arrangements and restructurings. His experience in this area covers a variety of industries ranging from business services to food and other consumer products to pharmaceuticals.

Before joining the firm, Chuck practiced in the corporate law group at Schulte Roth & Zabel in New York. He was a finance major while obtaining his undergraduate degree from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.

Chuck has served on a variety of committees at the firm over time (ranging from the Management Committee to the Hiring Committee), and presently chairs the Strategic Planning Committee.

Professional Memberships

• Admitted States of Connecticut and New York.

• Business Law Section of the ABA

• Business Law Section of the Connecticut Bar Association.

• Past Member, Board of Directors, Connecticut Venture Group.

Publications

• Articles and lectures in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, private equity and venture capital.

• “Federalism in the Michigan v. Long Era – Delaware v. Van Arsdall and the Continued Need for Coherent State Adjudication,” Annual Survey of American Law (1989)

Personal

• Past Member, Board of Directors and Steering Committee, Greenwich Alliance for Education.

Education

Awards