About Michael L. Sherlock

Michael is a trusted advisor and corporate attorney who helps clients identify, prioritize and solve the most pressing issues facing a deal or project while simultaneously driving each transaction to a timely conclusion. He advises on a broad array of business, corporate and family office matters, including general corporate counseling, mergers and acquisitions, family office structuring, secondary sales, venture and private investments and divestitures, and joint ventures. Throughout, Michael emphasizes clear communication and practical, efficient solutions to complex business problems.

Turning multifaceted business challenges into clear, actionable solutions

Michael also serves as 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. He is adept at supporting family-owned business owners navigating succession planning strategies, helping them achieve their bespoke goals, including legacy preservation and wealth transfer. He recently co-authored a series for business owners who find themselves in the midst of the Great Wealth Transfer.

Michael serves on Katten's Family Office Committee and was previously a leader on Katten’s Associates Committee, as well as the Katten Corporate Transparency Act Task Force.

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.

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Practice Focus

  • Corporate
  • Mergers and acquisitions
  • Private wealth

Representative Experience

  • Mergers and Acquisitions
  • Lead counsel to sellers and buyers in multiple secondary sales of portfolios of private equity investments.
  • Lead counsel representing multinational business in strategic acquisition of industrial company.
  • Represented a multinational business in potential sale transaction to private equity-backed purchaser.
  • Lead counsel representing private equity-backed Veterinary Support Organizations in add-on strategy, including designing and implementing joint venture strategy.
  • Represented spring water business in potential sale transaction to strategic acquiror.
  • Advised majority owner in sale of car dealerships and post-closing disputes.
  • Family Office
  • Advise high-net-worth individual on structure for family office management company and investment vehicles.
  • Advise family business owners on succession planning and governance issues.
  • 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.
  • General Corporate
  • Represented family office in preferred investment into contract beverage manufacturer.
  • Counsel closely-held manufacturing company with respect to governance and management rights.
  • Counsel family-owned manufacturing business with respect to succession planning and governance.
  • Advise operating business on re-domestication to Delaware and implementation of governance controls.
  • 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.
  • 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.

News

Publications

Quick Reads

Presentations and Events

  • April 21, 2026
    Family Business Through a Legal Lens
    Speaker | Acquisition Playbook: Building a New Portfolio After the Exit
  • October 30, 2025
    2025 Private Wealth Seminar – Chicago
    Presenter | What I Know Now That I Wish I Knew Then — Adventures in Single Family Office Startups
    Presenter | Arc of Estate and Business Planning for Family Business Owners
  • October 30, 2024
    2024 Private Wealth and Fiduciary Seminar Chicago
    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
    Annual Katten Private Wealth & Fiduciary Seminar
    Presenter | Exploring the Family Office Regulatory Landscape
    Presenter | Understanding the Corporate Transparency Act
  • September 22, 2022
    Annual Katten Private Wealth and Fiduciary Seminar
    Presenter | How to Develop or Expand a Family Office
Practices
Industries
Education
  • Boston University School of Law, JD
  • Clemson University, BS, Economics, summa cum laude
Bar Admissions
  • Illinois
Recognitions
Recognized or listed in the following:
  • Super Lawyers Rising Stars
    Illinois, 2021–2027
Award Methodologies