Rees M. Hawkins

Rees Hawkins has extensive experience representing private equity and growth equity funds in a broad range of corporate transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, and cross-border transactions. Additionally, he advises founder-backed and sponsor-backed portfolio companies on financing transactions, equity matters and dispositions. Rees works with companies in a variety of industries, including software, technology and healthcare, and regularly represents growth companies at all stages of the business lifecycle.

Recognition

  • The M&A Advisor 40 Under 40 Award winner
  • Massachusetts Super Lawyers Rising Star (2010-2019)
  • Massachusetts Super Lawyers

Representative Engagements

Private Equity / Growth Equity

  • Represented Copley Equity Partners in its investments in Capital Premium Finance (insurance premium financing) Cartessa Aesthetics (aesthetic technology), LJB Inc. (civil and structural engineering) and Roof Depot (roofing services).
  • Represented Guidepost Growth Equity in its investments in ActiveViam (data analytics), Class Wallet (payment systems), Innovative (cloud consulting and services), Shibumi.com (portfolio management software) and Traction on Demand (Salesforce consulting).
  • Represented Silversmith Capital in its investments in Centauri Health Solutions (healthcare IT), Impact Radius (digital marketing solutions), PDFTron Systems (PDF developer tools), Absorb Software (learning management system), Digital Map Products (location intelligence solutions), ActiveCampaign (marketing automation software) and RedAwning (rental booking technology).
  • Represented Spectrum Equity in its investments in Definitive Healthcare (healthcare IT), Extreme Reach (digital advertising solutions), HealthMEDX (healthcare IT), WeddingWire (wedding planning), Net Health (healthcare IT) and Tenstreet (driver recruitment software).
  • Represented Sunstone Partners in its investments in Stova (conference registration software), vCheck Global (background checks) and Thirdera (ServiceNow consulting services).
  • Represented Symmetric Capital in its investments in BioRx (specialty pharmacy), Complete Innovations (fleet tracking software), Mathnasium (math tutoring services), Preventure (wellness solutions), School Improvement Network (online educator content) and Gryphon Networks (sales performance software).

Technology M&A

  • Represented Apryse Software Corp. in the acquisition of Qoppa Software, LLC.
  • Represented Tenstreet in its majority growth investment from Providence Equity.
  • Represented PDFTron Systems in its strategic growth investment from Thoma Bravo.
  • Represented Absorb Software in its sale to Welsh Carson.
  • Represented Centauri Health Solutions in its majority investment from Abry Partners.
  • Represented NetHealth in its sale to The Carlyle Group.
  • Represented Kapa Biosystems in its $445 million sale to Roche Diagnostics.
  • Represented BioRx in its $350 million sale to Diplomat Pharmacy.
  • Represented Braintree Payment Solutions/Venmo in its $800 million sale to PayPal.
  • Represented iPay Technologies in its $300 million sale to Jack Henry.
  • Represented Vera Whole Health in its majority investment from Clayton, Dubilier & Rice
  • Represented Global Cash Card in its sale to ADP.
  • Represented InfoArmor in its sale to AllState.
  • Represented PR Wireless in its sale to Sprint.

Cross-Border M&A

  • Represented Auction Technology Group (LSE: ATG) in its acquisitions of LiveAuctioneers, Auction Mobility and Vintage Software.
  • Represented Thirdera in its acquisitions of Appoxio (Canada), Service Line Solutions (Australia), Cerna (US) and Silverstorm (Spain)
  • Represented Apryse (fka PDFTron) in its acquisitions in England, Canada, Austria, Germany and New Zealand
  • Represented Syntax Systems (Canada) in its acquisition of Freudenberg IT (Germany, Mexico, China).
  • Represented Greencore (LSE: GNC.L) in its acquisition of On a Roll Sales, Marketfare Foods, H.C Schau, Lettieri’s, and Gretchen’s Shoe Box Express.
  • Represented Guidepost Growth Equity in sale of Traction on Demand (Canada) to Salesforce.
  • Represented Complete Innovations (Canada) in its strategic investment from Madison Dearborn.
  • Represented Mortgagebot in its $232 million sale to D + H (Canada).

Publications and Presentations

Professional and Community Involvement

  • Corporate pro bono work for the Center for Women & Enterprise

Education & Credentials

University of North Carolina School of Law
JD, 2005, with honors
Lehigh University
BA, 2002, cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa

Admissions

Massachusetts

Rees's Insights