Overview

Digital and technological transformation is spurring organic growth and investment in education. Leveraged buyouts of for-profit, vocational and training platforms lead an energetic sector. Investors in this dynamic marketplace look to Katten for pragmatic, creative counsel. The lessons we've learned through decades of experience add a competitive edge in deals from early child care to postsecondary education.

Ahead of the learning curve

Education investors face unique risks: longer exits, globalization, regulation and pressure to align with social impact missions. Katten's legal advice protects private equity investors while promoting competitiveness. We represent funds, their portfolio companies, family offices, independent sponsors, education services providers, educational institutions and their financial lenders.

Practical risk management in buyouts, add-on acquisitions and exit transactions requires mastering an array of factors. Government regulation imposes significant burdens. Our compliance programs provide workable approaches to avoid violations and noncompliant practices. We guide investors in meeting requirements in accreditation, control tests, financial responsibility ratios and other key rules. Effective relationships with state and federal authorities, including the US Department of Education, prevent the specter of corrective measures and move deals to closing.

A world of investment protection

Globalization and edtech are expanding access to education, along with the footprint of related deals. With clients across the United States, Europe and Asia, we readily identify and address issues common to cross-border buyouts and transactions, particularly in immigration and tax.

Our multidisciplinary legal teams help investors in education build scalability, secure new co-investors and tackle challenges in:

  • Commercial finance
  • Employee benefits and executive compensation
  • Government and public finance
  • Intellectual property
  • Tax
  • Technology