Michael K. French

Mike is well-versed across many facets of corporate law including mergers, acquisitions, dispositions, and other commercial transactions. He advises closely held and publicly traded companies across multiple industries including financial services, energy, chemicals, manufacturing and industrial, and consumer products.

In addition, Mike represents state funds in their investments in private equity funds.

Mike joined Calfee in 2022 from the Cleveland office of a global law firm, where he gained experience as Principal with their corporate, mergers and acquisitions, and private equity practices.

He earned his J.D., magna cum laude, from Cleveland State University College of Law in 2001, where he served as the Managing Editor of the Cleveland State Law Review. He earned his B.S. in International Politics from Georgetown University.

Honors & Recognitions

• The Best Lawyers in America^®, Corporate Law (2025)

Education

J.D., magna cum laude, Cleveland State University College of Law, Managing Editor, Cleveland State Law Review, 2001

B.S., International Politics, Georgetown University, 1996

Experience

• Led a 2023 transaction for an Ohio manufacturer and distributor whose parent company is a publicly traded Asia-based company in its disposition of the equity of a subsidiary to a strategic buyer.
• Served as sole corporate counsel to a biotechnology company and its equity holders. Calfee advised the client with reorganizing the company in connection with the 2023 sale of all of the company’s outstanding equity to a California-based biotechnology platform company sponsored by a Midwestern private equity firm with multi-billions of dollars in AUM. The transaction represented a successful exit for the founders and provided the opportunity to further develop and utilize the company's technology in various drug treatments.
• Assisted a founder-controlled private company, which has a significant number of shareholders, with a 2023 sophisticated private equity, leveraged purchase, and recapitalization transaction resulting in the selling shareholders receiving significant cash and New Co. securities representing the combined businesses of the private equity buyer’s platform company and the target company. The project entailed very complex negotiations, documentation, and protections regarding the significant ownership stake that the founder and other selling shareholders retained, including redemption rights, governance rights, and protections, put rights, pre-emptive rights, and a sophisticated, multi-step tax efficient structure for the original transaction as well as any subsequent transaction.
• Led a transaction involving the follow-on disposition of a business line for a leading electronics supplier. The client exited the business in 2022, but certain assets were excluded from that exit. The client desired a complete exit and wanted to sell the assets excluded from the prior deal. The transaction was valued at several million dollars plus ongoing royalty for a set period of time based on sales by the buyer.
• Represented state funds and other institutional investors in connection with the negotiation and structuring of more than 60 limited partnership investments in private equity funds and real estate opportunity funds.
• Represented a publicly held company in its $525 million acquisition of a pump transfer business.
• Represented a publicly-held company in its disposition of an amusement park property.
• Represented a publicly-held company in its acquisition of a resort property.
• Represented a publicly-held company in various acquisitions of quick lube stores.
• Represented a privately-held service firm in its sale to Salesforce.
• Represented a publicly-held company in its disposition of an electronic security business.
• Represented a foreign publicly traded media company in its acquisition of five U.S.-based television production companies.
• Represented a privately held company in its $105 million divestiture of a media character.
• Represented a publicly held company in its $108 million divestiture of its specialty chemicals business.
• Represented the seller in its $130 million divestiture of its farm tire businesses in Latin America and Europe.
• Represented a private equity firm in its acquisition of a packaging business in Mexico valued at more than $80 million.
• Represented a publicly held bank holding company in its $12 million divestiture of its trust company business.
• Represented a seller in the disposition of a $70 million amusement park.
• Represented a privately held manufacturing business in the disposition of its coatings and metalware businesses.
• Represented a UK-based publicly traded company in its acquisition of a performance adhesives chemicals business.
• Represented the seller in the sale of its metal injection molding business.
• Represented the seller in the sale of its specialty tools and fasteners business.
• Providing broad support and counsel to a multinational professional services firm with $100+ billion in AUM in relationship to the firm’s global investment advisory services. As a new matter, Calfee was retained to support the client's ongoing marketing and advertising efforts in relationship to the new SEC Marketing Rule finalized in November 2022. The client engaged Calfee to further support its private fund complex, including a new private credit fund. As part of its services, Calfee works with the lead portfolio managers to identify and review potential fund investments, assist with due diligence, and review the terms of potential investment in the funds.

Professional & Community

• American Cancer Society Northern Ohio, Volunteer Leadership Council