Blank Rome welcomed three partners to the firm’s national corporate, M&A and securities group in New York: Leslie Marlow, Hank Gracin and Patrick Egan. Widely known and respected for their work in corporate and securities law, the team also brings two securities paralegals with them and joins Blank Rome from Gracin & Marlow.
“We are delighted to welcome this talented group of attorneys and professionals to our firm as part of our strategic growth plan, which has now added six partners so far in 2022 and nearly 15 attorneys to our nationally recognized corporate, M&A and securities practice in the last two years,” Grant S. Palmer, managing partner and CEO at Blank Rome. “Leslie, Hank and Patrick represent private companies, underwriters and numerous small- to mid-size public companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ. They are a powerhouse group and we are fortunate to add them to our corporate team.”
“Our corporate group and public companies team has known Leslie, Hank and Patrick for many years, and we are excited to have the opportunity to work alongside them at Blank Rome,” Robert J. Mittman, a corporate and securities law partner at Blank Rome, said. “In addition to counseling a large portfolio of NYSE and NASDAQ clients, they also have significant experience advising companies that operate in the pharmaceutical, biotech and life sciences sectors, which will greatly benefit our diverse client base. Leslie, Hank and Patrick are the perfect team to further enhance our corporate, M&A and securities group, both in New York and nationally.”
The team collectively advises clients on a wide range of corporate matters, including corporate and securities transactions, mergers and acquisitions, crowdfunding, reverse mergers and self-filings, initial public offerings (IPOs), alternative public offerings (APOs), registered direct offerings, PIPE transactions, Regulation A+ financings, venture capital and angel investor financings, exchange and market listings, blue sky laws, licensing agreements and other intellectual property acquisitions. Their clients include publicly traded companies, investment banking firms, securities underwriters, entrepreneurs, start-up companies, emerging companies and established companies across a wide range of industries, notably including healthcare and life sciences.
“We decided to move our practices to Blank Rome because it is simply the best fit for our team and for our clients,” Marlow said. “We have known Blank Rome for years through personal connections, and as opposing counsel in significant transactions, and we have always been impressed with the firm’s talented attorneys. We look forward to collaborating with our new colleagues across all the firm’s offices and practices, and to develop and cultivate new and existing opportunities and capabilities to further support our clients and meet their goals.”
“Beyond the great cultural fit, there are existing synergies between our work and Blank Rome’s national platform that will allow us to continue to serve our clients at the high levels they have come to expect as well as offer them additional legal services,” Gracin said. “Notably, the firm’s deep experience advising on PIPEs and SPACs, which are critical areas of focus for our practices, will greatly benefit our clients and our collaboration in this space will help further strengthen the firm’s strong corporate practice and public companies service offerings.”
Marlow has more than 35 years of experience advising her clients on complex securities transactions. She has represented numerous public and private companies as well as investors, underwriters and placement agents, with particular experience representing both issuers and underwriters engaged in public and private securities offerings.
Gracin has more than 40 years of experience in corporate law and has taken more than 120 companies public, both domestic and foreign, through either traditional IPOs on the NYSE and NASDAQ, or direct listings or reverse mergers. He has represented nationally recognized corporations, including public companies, premier high-tech corporations and numerous venture capital firms.
Egan concentrates his practice in the areas of capital markets, securities and corporate law. He has previous experience serving as in-house counsel at a leading global financial services firm where he advised on matters related to investment banking, capital markets transactions, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, private equity investments, secured financing transactions and other general corporate and securities matters.
