Public Companies

Jones Walker represents more than half of the largest publicly traded companies based in the New Orleans metropolitan area, and we represent most of those companies as primary corporate and securities counsel. We also represent public companies headquartered elsewhere in Louisiana, in Texas, and in other states. Our attorneys handle public and private offerings of equity and debt securities, mergers and acquisitions, venture capital financing, takeover defense planning, corporate governance matters, proxy contests, executive compensation, general corporate matters, and compliance with the federal and state securities laws and the rules of the national securities exchanges and markets.

Private Companies and Private Equity

Our corporate attorneys serve as general counsel to many private companies, providing advice in a variety of areas. We represent both majority and minority positions in shareholder disputes, and both buyers and sellers of privately held companies of all sizes. We regularly advise our clients regarding organizational options, we have structured countless business enterprises, and we have assisted many companies and investors in venture capital and mezzanine financings.

Industry Experience

Our attorneys represent clients in a host of industries, including highly regulated industries. We serve as principal securities law counsel to a number of regional investment banking firms and have represented national investment banking firms in their securities underwriting activities. Our attorneys serve as principal corporate and securities counsel to companies in such diverse industries as telecommunications, retailing, banking, oil and gas exploration, development and production, oil field services, mining, shipbuilding, marine transportation, construction, chemical production, manufacturing, real estate development, pharmaceuticals, and death care. Several of our clients have international operations, and our attorneys have substantial international business law experience, including forming joint ventures and handling licensing arrangements.

Public Finance

Our reputation for innovative strategies in the dynamic environment of public and project finance makes us a leader in the area. We represent clients in numerous public finance transactions and in state and local government tax-secured and revenue bond issues as bond counsel, underwriters’ counsel, special real estate counsel and/or special counsel to the issuer. We are proficient in securing revenue bonds, tax exempt bond transactions, and related matters.

Our attorneys serve as bond counsel, underwriters’ counsel, or special counsel for many transactions undertaken for the purpose of constructing, improving, refinancing, or equipping various public projects and facilities, including publicly owned infrastructure, tax-secured borrowings, colleges and universities, manufacturing facilities, single and multi-family housing projects, hospitals and nursing homes, solid waste and wastewater facilities, and student loan programs. Additionally, we provide specialized opinions and draft legislation related to public finance.

When we are selected as counsel, clients count on us for various services, including assistance in legal proceedings leading to the formation of issues, tax election matters, drafting of ordinances, resolutions and notices for publication and supporting documentation, and the review of transcripts of legal proceedings leading to the issuance, sale, and delivery of obligations.

Private Equity

We handle the full range of transactional work for certain private equity funds (venture, LBO funds, accelerator, distressed debt and mezzanine and industry-specific funds) involving public and private companies, including “going private” transactions, acquisitions and dispositions of subsidiaries, various acquisitions of businesses from entrepreneurs, roll-ups of fragmented industries, sales of portfolio companies, and transactions effected in bankruptcy proceedings.

In addition to our core corporate law experience, we draw on our expertise in our other practice groups, including tax, intellectual property, securities, real estate, antitrust, business and finance, labor and employment, environmental, litigation, and health care, among others. We also have substantial experience in all aspects of senior, mezzanine, high yield, and structured debt financings.

In addition to control investments, we are adept at advising clients in transactions involving preferred equity, subordinated debt and other types of securities as well as formulating structures and provisions designed to protect the interest of minority investors.

Our private equity experience also includes representation of sponsors and institutional investors (including trusts, foundations, universities, financial institutions, pension plans, and other entities) in the formation of and their primary and secondary investments in private equity funds.

Debt Financing

Jones Walker has extensive experience in the area of debt financing, representing lenders, borrowers, and funds. Our Debt Financing practice includes secured and unsecured lending transactions; senior secured lending; mezzanine financing; structured, asset-based, and cash flow loans; subordinated financings; cross-border transactions; foreign debt restructurings; public and 144A debt financings; and collateralized obligations, securitizations, and swaps.

News

• Jones Walker Announces Thirteen New Associates
• Hope M. Spencer Joins Corporate & Securities Practice
• Jones Walker Joins with Miller Hamilton
• Kaynor Joins Jones Walker’s Corporate and Securities Practice

Events

• SEC Hot Topics Institute
• "SEC Update: Overview of New Rules & Proposals"
• "Sarbanes-Oxley Act in Louisiana"
• "The End of the Sarbanes-Oxley Storm and What Lies Ahead: Overview of Recent SEC and Stock Market Rules"

Publications

• Jones Walker Overview of 2008 Louisiana State Legislature Regular and Extraordinary Sessions
  July 3, 2008
• "Thoughts on Corporate Indemnification"
  Curtis R. Hearn
  Health Care E*Lert, May 10, 2007
• "Trimming the Hedges is a Difficult Task: The SEC's Attempt to Regulate Hedge Funds Falls Short of Expectations"
  Jessica Natali
  15 University of Miami Business Law Review 113, Winter 2007
• "Global Liberalization of Financial Services Through the Evolution of Trade Agreements"
  Thomas F. Morante & Gita A. Timmerman
  The Banking Law Journal, August 15, 2006