Sidley Austin Represents LMP in Strategic Investment with Cohen

Sidley Austin represented Lovell Minnick Partners (LMP) in a strategic growth investment with Cohen, a national firm providing assurance, tax and business advisory services across multiple industries. The investment, anticipated to close on Dec. 31, 2024, aims to fuel Cohen’s growth by expanding its technological capabilities and service offerings, further enabling it to meet the evolving needs of clients in sectors such as mutual funds, private equity, alternative investments and real estate._x000D_
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Sidley Austin’s Chicago-based deal team was led by Chris Abbinante, partner in Private Equity, with Jessica Day, senior managing associate in M&A, and Kelly Dybala, partner in Global Finance from the firm’s Dallas office, providing additional support on the transaction. The deal terms remain undisclosed, and the transaction is subject to standard closing conditions._x000D_
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Lovell Minnick Partners, a private equity firm with more than 25 years of experience, specializes in investing in growth-oriented companies across financial services, business services and financial technology sectors. The firm leverages its extensive network and industry experience to help companies scale rapidly through organic growth and strategic acquisitions._x000D_
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This investment marks Cohen & Company’s first engagement with institutional capital and is part of a multi-year strategic plan focusing on growth, technology, and client service expansion. In conjunction with this transaction, Cohen & Company will implement an alternative practice structure to maintain regulatory compliance. Under this structure, Cohen & Company, Ltd., a licensed CPA firm led by Vince Curttright, will handle attest services, while Cohen & Co Advisory, LLC, led by CEO Chris Bellamy, will oversee business tax, advisory and other non-attest services._x000D_
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“LMP will be a valuable strategic partner, offering a unique perspective on our industry and the clients we serve, along with a dedicated focus on human capital, which is crucial to our growth strategy as an employer of choice,” Bellamy said in a press release issued by Cohen and Company._x000D_
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“Cohen & Company’s vision for the future and its longstanding reputation as a premier accounting, tax, and advisory firm make them an ideal partner,” Jason Barg, partner at LMP, said in the Cohn and Company press release._x000D_
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Hunton Andrews Kurth served as legal counsel for Cohen, with Richard Warren, Charles Brewer, and Matthew Bosher leading the advisory team.