Christian A. Atwood, P.C.

Partner Mergers & Acquisitions Private Equity

Boston +1 617 385 7434

Christian A. Atwood, P.C.

Overview

Christian 'is a tactician with years of experience that you'd seek and expect from a firm like Kirkland, but on top of that his bedside manner is phenomenal.' 'He gives advice which is understandable and executable, rather than laying out what the law says.' - Chambers USA, 2021

Christian Atwood is a corporate partner in the Boston office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. His practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions and other strategically important transactions, with a particular emphasis on private equity funds and their portfolio companies. Christian also has considerable experience advising with respect to growth equity and other minority investments, and is a key member of the Kirkland team advising sponsors and founders on minority stake and control sale transactions, structured and preferred equity financings, and management company financings.

Christian is an experienced and versatile counselor, well-known and sought out for his commercial acumen, creativity and bedside manner. Recent work has involved targets in a wide array of industries, throughout the U.S. and internationally, including software, health care, industrials, manufacturing, consumer and retail. Clients include Apollo, General Catalyst, Great Hill Partners, Harvest Partners, Nordic Capital, Palladium Equity, Silversmith Capital, TZP Group, and Windjammer Capital.

In addition to his work for sponsors and sponsor-backed companies, Christian is often asked to represent entrepreneurs and family offices who find themselves across the table from, or co-investing with, private equity funds, to provide counsel as to “market” terms and best practices in private equity–related structures, shareholder agreements, and compensation–related arrangements.

Christian is listed in Chambers USA and The Legal 500 U.S. as a leading M&A lawyer in the field of private equity buyouts.

Recently, Christian has been involved in the following representations:

  • Silversmith Capital Partners in the $140 million Series B financing of Webflow 

  • Clearhaven Partners LP and its portfolio company, TimeTrade Systems in TimeTrade’s acquisition of SilverCloud LLC 

  • Hermetic Solutions Group, a portfolio company of Windjammer Capital, in its acquisition of Cristek Interconnects, Inc. 

  • Silversmith Capital Partners in its minority investment in Microblink

  • L Catterton-led consortium in its acquisition of Truck Hero, Inc.

  • Health Assurance Acquisition Corp. in its initial public offering of SAIL℠ securities 

  • Silversmith Capital Partners in its growth equity investment in Venminder 

  • Windjammer Capital in its sale of Advanced Instruments to Patricia Industries, Inc., a part of Investor AB 

  • Silversmith Capital Partners in its growth equity investment in Within3 

  • Silversmith Capital Partners in its strategic investment in Appfire Technologies 

  • TZP Group in its strategic investment in Evergent Technologies 

  • Clearhaven Partners LP in its acquisition of TimeTrade Systems, Inc. 

  • Nordic Capital in its strategic minority investment by Ottawa Avenue Private Capital 

  • Windjammer Capital in its acquisition of Hilco Vision

  • Le Tote Inc. in its acquisition of Lord + Taylor

  • Silversmith Capital Partners in its investment in Webflow

  • Silversmith Capital Partners in its investment in Unily

  • Innovex Downhole Solutions and its sponsor Intervale Capital in the acquisition of Quick Connectors, Inc. and its exclusive Permian distributor, Enerserv

  • Siris Capital Group in the strategic minority investment by affiliates of Wafra Inc. and Landmark Partners, LLC 

  • Windjammer Capital Investors in its acquisition of Hermetic Solutions Group

  • General Catalyst in its strategic minority investment by Goldman Sachs Asset Management

  • Samumed LLC in its exclusive license agreement with United Therapeutics Corporation for the North American rights to Samumed's SM04646, which is being developed for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF)

  • Harvest Partners, L.P. in its strategic minority investment by Goldman Sachs Asset Management

  • Silversmith Capital Partners in its investment in DistroKid

  • VetCor management in a recapitalization led by Oak Hill Capital Partners, Harvest Partners and Cressey & Company

  • Francisco Partners in its strategic minority investment by Blackstone and
    Goldman Sachs Asset Management

  • Palladium Equity Partners, LLC in its investment in partnership with the owners of
    Spice World, Inc.

  • Windjammer Capital Investors in its acquisition of Rowmark LLC

  • OmniClaim, a healthcare cost containment and payment integrity solutions provider, in its sale to Equian, a portfolio company of New Mountain Capital

Prior to joining Kirkland, Christian was involved in the following matters:

  • Windjammer Capital Investors in numerous deals, including the acquisition of Component Hardware Group, Heritage Foodservice Group, Engineered Controls International, Protective Industries (acquired by Berwind), McKenzie Sports (acquired by Levine Leichtman Capital Partners), Rotex Global (acquired by Hillenbrand (NYSE: HI)) and ST Specialty Foods (acquired by Treehouse Foods (NYSE: THS))

  • Great Hill Partners in connection with leveraged recapitalization of Evolve IP and growth equity investment in Mission

  • Silversmith Capital Partners in connection with numerous deals, including the leveraged recapitalization of Digital Map Products and subsequent bolt-on acquisitions, and the acquisition of Swift Prepaid Solutions (in partnership with Bain Capital Ventures)

  • Intervale Capital in the vast majority of deals completed in recent years, including the acquisition of Pro Oil & Gas Services, Antelope Oil Tool & Mfg. Co., EPIC Lift Systems, and TorcSill Foundations, and the combination of Energes Oilfield Solutions and Dynacorp Energy Services to create EnerCorp Sand Solutions

  • The Blackstone Group (NYSE: BX) in connection with a number of software and technology-focused transactions, including the spinout and financing of iLevel Solutions LLC and investments in Carbon Black (acquired by Bit9), Coupa, Secure Mentem and
    ThoughtFocus Technologies

  • Bridgepoint Development Capital in connection with carveout of the Consulting Claims Group of Hill International (NYSE: HIL), subsequently rebranded as HKA

  • Spectrum Equity in connection with investments in iPay Technologies (acquired by Jack Henry and Associates (NASDAQ: JKHY)), ITA Software (acquired by Google), Mortgagebot (acquired by Davis + Henderson (TSX: DH)), WeddingWire and Pictometry/ EagleView

  • Bain Capital Ventures in connection with investments in iPay Technologies (acquired by Jack Henry and Associates (NASDAQ: JKHY)) and Booker

Choate Hall & Stewart LLP

More

Thought Leadership

Publications

Quoted, “Choate Hall & Stewart, On The Private Equity Middle-Market: Competition, Fee Pressure And China,” Forbes, November 2017.

Quoted, “PE predictions: fundraising apace, small-business boost, tax changes,” Buyouts Magazine, January 2017.

Quoted, “U.S. LBO volume rises 9 pct while M&A drops 19 pct,” Buyouts Magazine, December 2016.

Quoted, “Investment bank ‘books’ get shorter as M&A evolves,” PE Hub Network, October 2016.

Featured, “Rainmaker Q&A: Choate's Christian Atwood,” Law360, October 2016.

Quoted, “Be your own boss? Read this first,” The Deal, February 2016.

Featured, “Dealmakers Q&A: Choate Hall's Christian Atwood,” Private Equity Law360, August 2014.

Co-author, “Plan Ahead to Avoid Fateful Mishandling of Succession,” Buyouts Magazine, October 2011.

Author, “Dealmaking Outlook for 2011,” The ACG Boston Newsletter, January 2011.

Co-author, “Negotiating Sell-Side Engagement Letters,” Buyouts Magazine, August 2010.

Author, “Creative Approaches to Financing Private Company M&A in a Brave New(unlevered) World,” Dealing with M&A Financing and Risk in a Changing Market: Leading Lawyers on Understanding Client Motivations, Assessing Risk, and Handling Mergers and Acquisitions in a Changing Market (Inside the Minds), January 2010.

Co-author, “Three Indemnification Traps for Buyers to Avoid,” Buyouts Magazine, April 2009.

Seminars

Guest Lecturer, Course: “Transactional Practicum: Deals," University of Maine School of Law, April 2019.

Guest Lecturer, Course: “Transactional Practicum: Deals," University of Maine School of Law, April 2018.

Moderator, “State of Private Equity (PE) Panel,” Harvard Business School's Venture Capital and Private Equity Club Conference, January 2018.

Moderator, “Industry Drill Down: Healthcare, Life Sciences and Technology,” Thomson Reuters' Northeastern M&A/Private Equity Forum, December 2013.

Moderator, “Energy Panel,” MIT Sloan Private Equity Symposium, April 2013.

Recognition

Christian and his wife (a veterinarian) are active supporters of the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and The Angell Animal Medical Center, both located in Boston’s Jamaica Plain neighborhood.

Memberships & Affiliations

Member, Boston Bar Association

Member, American Bar Association

Member, ABA’s Mergers and Acquisitions Committee

Credentials

Admissions & Qualifications

  • 2002Massachusetts

Education

  • University of Virginia School of LawJ.D.2001
  • Dartmouth CollegeA.B.1998