Mark X. Ryan

Mark X. Ryan

Stockholder
Mark X. Ryan

Mark X. Ryan

Stockholder

With more than 30 years and many hundreds of transactions of experience, there is little Mark has not seen, but the crux of this work is in understanding that every transaction is different and of unique importance to the parties involved.

Mark is a business advisor who concentrates on transactional work, particularly representing clients who are regular purchasers of businesses, or those who are engaging in the once in a lifetime sale of a business. With more than 30 years and many hundreds of transactions of experience, there is little he has not seen, but the crux of this work is in understanding that every transaction is different and of unique importance to the parties involved.  To obtain successful outcomes, Mark focuses on understanding clients’ goals and needs, and the pressure points most likely to arise.  Mark brings intelligence and good humor to his interactions with clients, their advisors, and the rest of the team.


Mark serves as the primary legal counsel to manufacturers, distributors, professional and other service providers, investors and nonprofits.  He believes in the importance of knowing clients well – ownership, management, mission, business and culture.  No legal solution is optimal without that grounding.

Mark advises on structuring, negotiating and closing business mergers, acquisitions and sales; joint ventures; financings; new business formations; ownership and management succession planning; buy-sell arrangements; ownership disputes; corporate governance; executive employment arrangements; contract negotiation; employment issues; and other matters related to owning, investing in, and operating for-profit and nonprofit businesses.

Representative Experience

  • Served as lead counsel to the owners of a multi-national specialty chemical distributor in a successful sale to a global business based in the Netherlands and controlled by a Goldman Sachs led private equity group.
  • Advised one of Connecticut’s best-known manufacturers, a third generation family-owned business, through a successful auction process and ultimate sale to a multi-national corporation.  This included assistance in identifying and selecting a financial advisor, working with the company and that financial advisor to identify the winning bidder, successfully structuring the form of transaction, and then negotiating and closing the transaction.
  • Represented two specialty insurance agencies in jointly selling their businesses to a private equity sponsored strategic acquirer.
  • Serves as lead corporate, acquisitions and financing counsel to Connecticut’s largest solid-waste management business.
  • Serves as lead acquisitions counsel to one of the region’s largest construction and industrial supply businesses, including recently successfully negotiating and closing several acquisitions to expand the client’s geographic reach.
  • Regularly assists manufacturers, distributors, and professional and other service providers in connection with ownership structuring, buy-sell arrangements, and ownership disputes.

Practice Areas

Admissions

  • State of Connecticut

Education

  • University of Notre Dame Law School, J.D. (cum laude)
  • Georgetown University, B.A. (magna cum laude)

Professional & Community Involvement

  • Hartford County Bar Association, Corporations Committee, Co-Chair
  • Connecticut Bar Association, Corporations and Antitrust Sections
  • American Bar Association, Business Law and Antitrust Sections
  • Connecticut Cancer Foundation, Inc., Advisory Board (2003 – Present)

Honors & Awards

    Publications & Speaking Engagements

    Mark has been a panelist for state and national merger and acquisition seminars.

    News