About Michael L. Sherlock

Michael Sherlock is a trusted advisor to his clients, maintaining a robust transactional practice that enables him to effectively solve a broad array of corporate challenges. His goal is to identify, prioritize and solve the critically important issues facing a deal or project while simultaneously driving the transaction to a swift conclusion.

Applying practical and efficient solutions to complex business issues

Michael primarily represents family offices, high-net-worth individuals, family businesses and private equity-backed companies in their corporate transactions. His practice encompasses corporate and family office structuring, mergers and acquisitions, and venture and private investments. Michael also serves the role of outside general counsel for his clients, advising on startup and formation matters, employee incentive and co-investment plans, recapitalizations, buyouts and other general corporate matters.

Michael is a leader on the Katten Corporate Transparency Act Task Force and is also a member of Katten's Associates Committee.

Prior to joining Katten, Michael worked at a boutique corporate law firm in Chicago primarily focusing on middle-market mergers and acquisitions. In his role as deal counsel, Michael managed external and internal teams to execute time-sensitive acquisitions and divestitures. His clients included middle-market businesses and their owners, private equity-backed companies, entrepreneurs and family offices.

⇣   Expand to read more

Practice Focus

  • Corporate
  • Mergers and acquisitions
  • Private wealth

Representative Experience

  • Mergers and Acquisitions
  • Represented domestic and international business in potential sale transaction to private equity-backed purchaser.
  • Lead counsel representing private equity-backed Veterinary Support Organizations in add-on strategy.
  • Advised majority owner in sale of car dealerships and post-closing distributions.
  • Advised vertically integrated cannabis company in its sale to a publicly traded MSO. *
  • Advised custom-labeling business in its sale to private equity-backed purchaser. *
  • Represented independent marketing innovation company in sale to private equity firm, which sale established digital marketing platform. *
  • Advised ophthalmic instruments business in sale to private equity-backed purchaser. *
  • Advised majority owner in sale of private label oral care business to internationally headquartered, publicly traded pharmaceutical company. *
  • Family Office
  • Represented international family office in secondary sales of multiple portfolios of private equity investments to third-party private equity funds.
  • Ongoing advice to family offices regarding private equity co-investments, private equity fund investments, venture capital investments, and general corporate matters.
  • Structured annual investment program for international family offices.
  • Designed, drafted, and implemented two-tier equity incentive plan for investment professionals of international family office.
  • Represented family office in corporate separation of former executive, including amending limited partnership agreements, establishing phantom profits interests, and redeeming executive from certain co-investments.
  • Established Illinois family office.
  • Represented Florida-based family office in its structuring, venture capital and other private investments, and day-to-day corporate management. *
  • General Corporate
  • Represented ultra-high-net-worth individual and related investment vehicles in corporate restructuring of commercial real estate assets and related structuring of control and liquidity rights.
  • Advise on Corporate Transparency Act analysis and compliance.
  • Represented high-net-worth individual in buyout of partner in custom electrical connector business.
  • Represented high-net-worth individual in buyout of equity partners in golf course and hospitality management business.
  • Represented investment group in Series A Preferred Stock investment in medical laser startup.
  • Represented investment group in recapitalization.
  • Advised venture capital arm of trading firm on various VC investments. *
* Experience prior to Katten

Presentations and Events

  • October 30, 2024
    Presenter | Tactical Tips for Corporate Transparency Act Compliance
  • October 23, 2024
    STEP Chicago
    Presenter | Tactical Tips for Corporate Transparency Act Compliance
  • February 6, 2024
    Katten and Wells Fargo UHNW Partnership
    Presenter | Understanding the Corporate Transparency Act
  • December 19, 2023
    Katten and Northern Trust Partnership
    Presenter | Corporate Transparency Act: Policies and Procedures
  • October 11, 2023
    Presenter | Exploring the Family Office Regulatory Landscape
    Presenter | Understanding the Corporate Transparency Act
  • September 22, 2022
    Presenter | How to Develop or Expand a Family Office