Christian A. Atwood, P.C.

Partner Mergers & Acquisitions Private Equity

Boston +1 617 385 7434

Christian A. Atwood, P.C.

Overview

He is a creative lawyer who can think his way through to a solution and get a deal done. You know you will get a good result when you work with him … Christian is extremely commercial and has a strong bedside manner. He doesn't just have technical strength and experience, but he can read the room.” - Chambers USA, 2023

Christian Atwood is a corporate partner in the Boston office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. He is an experienced and versatile counselor, well-known and sought out for his commercial acumen, creativity and bedside manner. Christian and his team represent private equity funds, private companies and public companies in a wide variety of complex and strategically important business transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, leveraged buyouts and restructurings. Christian also advises private equity funds in growth equity investments, late-stage venture capital financings and the management of portfolio company investments, including with respect to debt and equity financings, add-on acquisitions, recapitalizations and other liquidity events. In select circumstances, Christian and his team 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 and shareholder arrangements.

Christian has experience across many industries, including technology, software, healthcare, industrials, manufacturing, financial services, consumer and retail. Clients include Apollo, Clearhaven Partners, General Catalyst, Great Hill Partners, GreyLion, Silversmith Capital, Vista Equity Partners and Windjammer Capital.

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:

  • Vista Equity Partners:
    • Growth investment in TRG Screen, a provider of enterprise subscription spend and usage management software
    • $4.6 billion sale of Apptio, a provider of financial and operational IT management and optimization software, to IBM (NYSE: IBM)
    • $1 billion plus growth investment in Securonix, a provider of next-gen security information and event management and extended detection and response
  • Silversmith Capital:
    • Silversmith and AppHub, a provider of an e-commerce enablement platform, in connection with $95 million growth investment from PSG
    • $104 million growth investment in Impel, a provider of digital engagement software for automotive manufacturers, marketplaces and dealers
    • Majority growth investment in Proven Optics, a provider of Financial Management software
    • $50 million growth equity investment in GiveCampus, a fundraising platform for nonprofit educational institutions
    • Acquisition of JETNET, a provider of aviation data and market intelligence
    • $55 million growth investment in Gearset, a DevOps solutions provider for Salesforce
    • $425 million investment, alongside returning investor PSG, in Formstack, a workplace productivity platform
    • Acquisition of PhotoShelter, a provider of digital asset management (DAM) software for organizations and creative professionals
    • $125 million acquisition of TMA Systems, a provider of advanced Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS)
    • Multiple rounds of financing of Webflow, a leading no code website builder
    • Minority investment in Microblink
    • Growth equity investment in Venminder
    • Growth equity investment in Within3
    • Strategic investment in Appfire Technologies
    • Investment in Unily
    • Investment in DistroKid and subsequent s$1.3 billion sale to Insight Partners
    • AppHub in its acquisitions of Boost, a provider of an AI-powered search and discovery tool, and REVIEWS.io, an online review platform
  • Windjammer Capital Investors:
    • Acquisition of Hermetic Solutions Group from ShoreView Industries and subsequent sale to Qnnect, an Arcline portfolio company
    • Acquisition of Bio X Cell, a provider of monoclonal antibodies for use in both in vivo and in vitro pre-clinical research applications
    • Acquisition of Radix Wire & Cable from High Road Capital Partners and The Vitruvian Group
    • Acquisition of Fecon from LFM Capital
    • Acquisition of IPS Group, a developer of parking management software
    • Acquisition of Engineered Controls International and ensuing $631 million sale to Dover Corp. (NYSE: DOV)
    • Acquisition of Advanced Instruments and later sale to Patricia Industries, Inc., a part of Investor AB
    • Acquisition of Paragon Energy Solutions from Argosy Capital
    • Acquisition of Hilco Vision from Blue Point Capital Partners
  • General Catalyst:
    • Combination with La Famiglia, a seed and growth stage venture capital fund
    • As lead investor in a $102 million growth equity financing of Bugcrowd, a provider of AI-powered crowdsourced cybersecurity solutions
    • $412 million growth equity financing of SonarSource, a platform for clean code
  • Clearhaven Partners:
    •  Acquisition of Korbyt, a provider of workplace communications, intelligent content management and digital signage solutions
    • $100 million plus investment in SundaySky, a software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform for video creation and personalization
    • Acquisition of Engageware (formerly known as TimeTrade Systems)
  • Guidepost Growth Equity:
    • As lead investor in the $70 million Series C funding of dscout, an experience research technology platform
    • As lead investor in a $150 million funding round for Atheneum, a B2B Research Technology (ResTech) platform
  • Great Hill Partners in its $55 million strategic investment in eloomi A/S, a cloud-based people development software company, and subsequent sale to Ceridian (NYSE: CDAY)
  • L Catterton-led consortium in its acquisition of Truck Hero, Inc.
  • Nordic Capital in its strategic minority investment by Ottawa Avenue Private Capital
  • Siris Capital Group in the strategic minority investment by affiliates of Wafra Inc. and Landmark Partners, LLC
  • Harvest Partners, L.P. in its strategic minority investment by Goldman Sachs Asset Management
  • 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.
  • 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