Kevin Sweeney is Chair of Polsinelli's multidisciplinary Life Sciences practice and a senior member of its Corporate Finance practice. He has more than 25 years experience in handling mergers and acquisitions, public and private securities offerings, venture capital financing, technology transfer, and other complex financial and strategic transactions for clients in a wide variety of industries, with a special emphasis in serving as a strategic advisor to the top management of life science companies of all types and stages of development. He is a strategic partner to many emerging and growth companies, assisting in the development and implementation of their business, financial and legal goals.
Kevin uses his broad contacts in the national scientific, academic, business and financial communities to assist companies, universities, and other scientific organizations in achieving their business and financial goals. His understanding and appreciation of the scientific and humanitarian mission of these entities was fostered by early work for entities such as Marion Laboratories, BioTechnica International, and AVAX Technologies and continues with numerous emerging, growth, and established entities that advance human health, animal health, plant science, "green" and industrial technologies, and biosafety and homeland security sciences, as well as computer and software technologies. One of most exciting endeavors of Kevin’s career was the opportunity to work with Nobel Laureate Dr. Sydney Brenner to co-found the Molecular Sciences Institute in Berkeley, California, as one of the leading multidisciplinary basic scientific institutes focused on predictive biology.
In leading complex securities, venture capital, private equity and M&A transactions, Kevin coordinates and integrates the efforts of investment and commercial bankers, accountants and other experts. For example:
- Kevin leads IPO’s and secondary public offerings of debt and equity securities, private securities placements, “PIPE” securities placement transactions, venture capital investments, and merchant banking transactions, as well as senior secured bank debt facilities and subordinated debt instruments.
- He has implemented complex cross-border, tax-enhanced financial transactions.
- He handles leveraged buyouts, hostile takeovers and defenses, restructurings, strategic and financially driven transactions, “platform” and “add-on” private equity investments and acquisitions and divestitures of both public and private companies and divisions and business units.
- He has formed and unwound complex joint ventures and other strategic business relationships and has assisted clients in executing industry roll-up and consolidation strategies.
- He has run auctions of public companies and other structured acquisitions.
He often lectures on various aspects of corporate finance and merger and acquisition transactional matters and has served as an Adjunct Professor of Law, teaching courses in “Mergers and Acquisitions.”
With extensive experience in the boardroom, Kevin has served as a key advisor to the Board of Directors of numerous public and private companies, advising them on corporate, finance, fiduciary and SEC issues. He has represented Independent Committees in related-party transactions and investigations of alleged management improprieties and he advises Audit Committees, Compensation Committees, and Finance Committees of Boards of Directors.
Kevin also represents a number of collegiate sports organizations, handling the negotiation of their television and sponsorship contracts and other financial arrangements, and assisting them in corporate and other business matters.
Chambers USA, the world's leading guide to the legal profession, has included Kevin in its rankings for the past several years, most recently in 2011. In interviews with clients during research for the rankings, the following remarks were made regarding Kevin's work at the firm:
-
"Sources say he is 'bright, intelligent and leaves no stone unturned when dealing with large, complex transactions.'"
-
"Sources praise 'the ease and speed in which he identifies core issues.'"
-
"An impressive negotiator who is said to 'always strive to get the best outcome for his clients.'"
-
"Clients have been effusive in their praise of Kevin Sweeney, lauding him as 'superior on strategy' and a formidable force around the negotiating table."
-
"His work is described as 'very focused and detail-oriented,' yet retaining 'an uncanny creativity.'"