Michael J.Delaney
Partner
Corporate
mdelaney@seyfarth.com
With a relationship-centric approach, Mike serves as a strategic advisor, championing his clients’ successes in a variety of business transactions.
More About Michael
Mike provides counsel to companies, investors, and entrepreneurs on a variety of domestic and cross-border legal matters, including mergers and acquisitions, commercial transactions, corporate governance, and securities law. He has significant experience in regulatory and compliance matters, both in the US and internationally, structuring acquisitions, divestitures and mergers, drafting and negotiating complex commercial agreements, public offerings, and private placements of debt and equity securities. Mike has also advised numerous companies in their compliance with SEC regulations and securities laws and is a certified public accountant.
With more than two decades of experience, Mike has held a range of leadership positions for three different multibillion-dollar, multinational corporations, where he oversaw all legal, compliance, contractual, IP, litigation, human resources, and risk management matters. Before serving in-house, Mike was a partner in the Atlanta offices of two international law firms where he focused his practice on corporate law, mergers and acquisitions and securities law.
With more than two decades of experience, Mike has held a range of leadership positions for three different multibillion-dollar, multinational corporations, where he oversaw all legal, compliance, contractual, IP, litigation, human resources, and risk management matters. Before serving in-house, Mike was a partner in the Atlanta offices of two international law firms where he focused his practice on corporate law, mergers and acquisitions and securities law.
- JD, The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law
- MAcc, University of North Carolina
- BA, Franklin & Marshall College
- MBA, Georgia State University
- MS, Georgia State University
Finance
- Georgia
- New York
- Solicitor, England and Wales
Related Services
- Represented a large Korean lithium battery manufacturer in the establishment of its joint venture with a large Japanese automobile manufacturer relating to the development of an electric vehicle battery manufacturing facility in the United States
- Divested the distribution business of a large bakery goods manufacturer to private equity investors, as well as a follow-on asset sale of two additional manufacturing facilities to same buyer.
- Completed the carve-out divestiture to private equity investors of a large multinational corporation’s European bakery ingredients business operations.
- Divested the North American bakery products and ingredients business of a large multinational corporation to strategic buyer backed by private equity
- Implemented the successful, strategic restructuring of business, including divestiture of multiple non-core assets, strategic reduction in force, and streamlined focus on core business and competencies, as well as successfully assigning a long-term corporate headquarters lease to new tenant, saving the company more than $8 million over the remaining term of lease.
- Divested the Greek and Turkish manufacturing, sales, and distribution operations of a large multinational corporation, as well as structuring a follow-on distribution relationship with acquirer.
- Part of an executive team that closed a poor performing manufacturing facility within three months of the decision date, including a subsequent sublease to new subtenant, which saved the company more than $8 million in EBITDA annually.
- As the General Counsel of a large multinational food manufacturer, he was responsible for FDA and EU food regulatory compliance, including state and local level compliance such as California Proposition 65 and California Supply Chain Act, and led large-scale, multimillion-dollar food recalls in US and subsequent insurance claim recovery management resulting in complete recovery of losses.
- While a member of the leadership team of a multinational third-party logistics company focused in the automotive service parts and MRO segments, acquired and integrated the first strategic acquisition following carve-out, lead the negotiation and preparation of joint venture in Turkey for MRO logistics business, and shortly thereafter divested the company to private equity investors.
- As the Chief Legal Officer of a multinational third-party logistics company, led corporate effort to arbitrate and settle a contentious, multimillion-dollar commercial contract dispute in the UK, and served as lead internal attorney in complex FCPA and UK Bribery Act investigation and investigations of whistleblower complaints.
- As a member of the executive team to a multinational REIT, which was focused on temperature-controlled warehouses and logistics, he assisted in the acquisition of its largest competitor in the industry, which was funded through a contemporaneous $600 million CMBS financing and $375 million private placement of preferred equity, and led an in-house effort to refinance a $322 million CMBS mortgage loan on 15 warehouse facilities and increase funds available under Revolving Credit Facility.
- Implemented corporate compliance program and policies for global companies, including the implementation of corporate anti-bribery and corruption prevention program and training, issuance of the UK Gender Gap report, and compliance with OFCCP, among others.
- Responsible for the oversight and management of comprehensive insurance programs for a large, multinational logistics corporation and a large, international manufacturing company and led annual renewal efforts including the syndication of programs within the Lloyds of London Syndicate.
- Led human resources department for three multinational organizations with global employee populations of more than 12,000, 6,000, and 8,000, respectively.
- Led labor relations team, which handled over 70 different collective bargaining agreements with Teamsters, UCFW, and UAW, and negotiated and secured unique neutrality agreement with the company’s largest labor union.
- Represented a NYSE-traded REIT in a series of capital market transactions in excess of $1 billion, including stock and debt offerings, redemptions, and exchanges.
- Represented a health care SPAC in its initial public offering.
- Significant experience preparing SEC filings, including proxy statements, 10-Ks, 10-Qs, 8-Ks, and Section 16 reports.
- Beta Gamma – International Business Honor Society (University of North Carolina)
- Articles Editor, Ohio State Law Journal
- Law School Fellowship – Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship in Latin American Studies (while at Ohio State)
- Donald B. Teller Memorial Award for Outstanding Article for the Law Journal
- Adjunct Professor, Emory University Law School teaching courses on Mergers and Acquisitions and Transactional Deal Skills
- The George Washington University School of Business – Customer Experience Program Certification
- Associate in Risk Management (ARM)
- Certified Public Accountant
- Author, "Protecting Your Company from Troubled Customers and Suppliers," Financial Executive Magazine (2010)
- Author, "PIPE Transactions: Are They an Option in Tough Economic Times?" ICLE Advanced Securities Seminar Course Materials (2009)
- Author, "Stock Option Blues: Surviving the challenges of stock option repricing," Financial Law360, (2009)
- Author, "Step into Liquidity: Can companies surf the PIPEline?" The Deal (2009)
- Author, "Role Reversal: Buyers Gain Leverage Amid Economic Turmoil," The Deal (2008)
- Author, "SPACs: Bright spot in bad economy?" Fulton County Daily Report (June 6, 2008)
- Author, "SPACtacular: The Resurgence of the Blank-Check Company," Association for Corporate Growth –Mergers & Acquisitions Journal (June 2006)
- Author, "The NRA’s Latest Weapon: The Tenth Amendment," 56 OHIO ST. L.J. 1217 (1995)
- Quoted, “Cybersecurity in the Food Industry,” Food Quality and Safety (2023)
- Director, Georgia State Soccer Association (2014 - 2018)
With a relationship-centric approach, Mike serves as a strategic advisor, championing his clients’ successes in a variety of business transactions.
More About Michael
Mike provides counsel to companies, investors, and entrepreneurs on a variety of domestic and cross-border legal matters, including mergers and acquisitions, commercial transactions, corporate governance, and securities law. He has significant experience in regulatory and compliance matters, both in the US and internationally, structuring acquisitions, divestitures and mergers, drafting and negotiating complex commercial agreements, public offerings, and private placements of debt and equity securities. Mike has also advised numerous companies in their compliance with SEC regulations and securities laws and is a certified public accountant.
With more than two decades of experience, Mike has held a range of leadership positions for three different multibillion-dollar, multinational corporations, where he oversaw all legal, compliance, contractual, IP, litigation, human resources, and risk management matters. Before serving in-house, Mike was a partner in the Atlanta offices of two international law firms where he focused his practice on corporate law, mergers and acquisitions and securities law.
With more than two decades of experience, Mike has held a range of leadership positions for three different multibillion-dollar, multinational corporations, where he oversaw all legal, compliance, contractual, IP, litigation, human resources, and risk management matters. Before serving in-house, Mike was a partner in the Atlanta offices of two international law firms where he focused his practice on corporate law, mergers and acquisitions and securities law.
- JD, The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law
- MAcc, University of North Carolina
- BA, Franklin & Marshall College
- MBA, Georgia State University
- MS, Georgia State University
Finance
- Georgia
- New York
- Solicitor, England and Wales
Related Services
- Represented a large Korean lithium battery manufacturer in the establishment of its joint venture with a large Japanese automobile manufacturer relating to the development of an electric vehicle battery manufacturing facility in the United States
- Divested the distribution business of a large bakery goods manufacturer to private equity investors, as well as a follow-on asset sale of two additional manufacturing facilities to same buyer.
- Completed the carve-out divestiture to private equity investors of a large multinational corporation’s European bakery ingredients business operations.
- Divested the North American bakery products and ingredients business of a large multinational corporation to strategic buyer backed by private equity
- Implemented the successful, strategic restructuring of business, including divestiture of multiple non-core assets, strategic reduction in force, and streamlined focus on core business and competencies, as well as successfully assigning a long-term corporate headquarters lease to new tenant, saving the company more than $8 million over the remaining term of lease.
- Divested the Greek and Turkish manufacturing, sales, and distribution operations of a large multinational corporation, as well as structuring a follow-on distribution relationship with acquirer.
- Part of an executive team that closed a poor performing manufacturing facility within three months of the decision date, including a subsequent sublease to new subtenant, which saved the company more than $8 million in EBITDA annually.
- As the General Counsel of a large multinational food manufacturer, he was responsible for FDA and EU food regulatory compliance, including state and local level compliance such as California Proposition 65 and California Supply Chain Act, and led large-scale, multimillion-dollar food recalls in US and subsequent insurance claim recovery management resulting in complete recovery of losses.
- While a member of the leadership team of a multinational third-party logistics company focused in the automotive service parts and MRO segments, acquired and integrated the first strategic acquisition following carve-out, lead the negotiation and preparation of joint venture in Turkey for MRO logistics business, and shortly thereafter divested the company to private equity investors.
- As the Chief Legal Officer of a multinational third-party logistics company, led corporate effort to arbitrate and settle a contentious, multimillion-dollar commercial contract dispute in the UK, and served as lead internal attorney in complex FCPA and UK Bribery Act investigation and investigations of whistleblower complaints.
- As a member of the executive team to a multinational REIT, which was focused on temperature-controlled warehouses and logistics, he assisted in the acquisition of its largest competitor in the industry, which was funded through a contemporaneous $600 million CMBS financing and $375 million private placement of preferred equity, and led an in-house effort to refinance a $322 million CMBS mortgage loan on 15 warehouse facilities and increase funds available under Revolving Credit Facility.
- Implemented corporate compliance program and policies for global companies, including the implementation of corporate anti-bribery and corruption prevention program and training, issuance of the UK Gender Gap report, and compliance with OFCCP, among others.
- Responsible for the oversight and management of comprehensive insurance programs for a large, multinational logistics corporation and a large, international manufacturing company and led annual renewal efforts including the syndication of programs within the Lloyds of London Syndicate.
- Led human resources department for three multinational organizations with global employee populations of more than 12,000, 6,000, and 8,000, respectively.
- Led labor relations team, which handled over 70 different collective bargaining agreements with Teamsters, UCFW, and UAW, and negotiated and secured unique neutrality agreement with the company’s largest labor union.
- Represented a NYSE-traded REIT in a series of capital market transactions in excess of $1 billion, including stock and debt offerings, redemptions, and exchanges.
- Represented a health care SPAC in its initial public offering.
- Significant experience preparing SEC filings, including proxy statements, 10-Ks, 10-Qs, 8-Ks, and Section 16 reports.
- Beta Gamma – International Business Honor Society (University of North Carolina)
- Articles Editor, Ohio State Law Journal
- Law School Fellowship – Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship in Latin American Studies (while at Ohio State)
- Donald B. Teller Memorial Award for Outstanding Article for the Law Journal
- Adjunct Professor, Emory University Law School teaching courses on Mergers and Acquisitions and Transactional Deal Skills
- The George Washington University School of Business – Customer Experience Program Certification
- Associate in Risk Management (ARM)
- Certified Public Accountant
- Author, "Protecting Your Company from Troubled Customers and Suppliers," Financial Executive Magazine (2010)
- Author, "PIPE Transactions: Are They an Option in Tough Economic Times?" ICLE Advanced Securities Seminar Course Materials (2009)
- Author, "Stock Option Blues: Surviving the challenges of stock option repricing," Financial Law360, (2009)
- Author, "Step into Liquidity: Can companies surf the PIPEline?" The Deal (2009)
- Author, "Role Reversal: Buyers Gain Leverage Amid Economic Turmoil," The Deal (2008)
- Author, "SPACs: Bright spot in bad economy?" Fulton County Daily Report (June 6, 2008)
- Author, "SPACtacular: The Resurgence of the Blank-Check Company," Association for Corporate Growth –Mergers & Acquisitions Journal (June 2006)
- Author, "The NRA’s Latest Weapon: The Tenth Amendment," 56 OHIO ST. L.J. 1217 (1995)
- Quoted, “Cybersecurity in the Food Industry,” Food Quality and Safety (2023)
- Director, Georgia State Soccer Association (2014 - 2018)