Karen G. Sodke

Emphasis on structuring and forming premier private investment funds and their management companies. Transaction size has ranged from less than $100 million to over $1 billion. Types of funds range from buyout funds, venture funds, fund-of-funds, debt funds and other vehicles. She also serves as limited partner counsel for fund-of-funds when they invest in other third party private funds.

In addition, represented clients in significant mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, recapitalizations, restructurings, private equity and venture capital investments, public equity and debt financings and related general corporate matters, including the following:

• Acquisition of brokerage subsidiaries from The Bank of New York and a complimentary software company, EZE Castle Software, Inc., on behalf of GTCR 
• Tender offers for Navistar International Corporation's outstanding senior notes
• Rule 144A high yield debt offering of Triad Financial Corporation's $150 million senior notes in connection with its acquisition by private equity funds
• Equity investment of $345 million by a private equity firm in Triad Financial Corporation
• Various asset sales for a public company valued from $12 million to $50 million
• Stock sale by a private equity firm of a technology company valued at $40 million
• Stock sale of a private disease management company for approximately $100 million
• Initial public offering representing the lead underwriter, William Blair & Company, in its proposed $46 million public offering of Mattress Holding Corp. common stock
• Acquisition by GEO Holdings Corp. of Gundle/SLT Environmental, Inc. in a 13e-3 "going private" transaction
• Acquisition by Biomet, Inc. of Interpore International, Inc. for approximately $280 million in a public merger transaction
• Asset sale in a public bankruptcy auction of Conseco Finance Corp. for approximately $1.2 billion
• Public sale by tender offer and merger of Lands' End, Inc. for approximately $1.6 billion to Sears Roebuck and Co.
• Commercial supply and license agreements for a public company with a business partner
• Represented numerous private equity clients in venture capital investments; mergers/acquisitions of private companies; 144A debt offerings to finance acquisitions; refinancing/restructuring transactions for private companies