Bruce K. Fenton is a partner in the Commercial Department of Pepper Hamilton LLP. He serves as secretary of the Pepper partnership and is a former member of the firm’s Executive Committee.
Mr. Fenton concentrates his practice in private equity transactions. His practice includes mergers and acquisitions and the related financing, as well as securities and general corporate counseling, both domestically and internationally. He also structures and documents limited liability companies, partnerships and joint ventures.
In his mergers and acquisitions practice, Mr. Fenton has worked on the buy and sell sides of transactions, representing both financial and strategic buyers and sellers. His buy-side experience includes representing acquirors on the acquisition itself and on the related senior and sub-debt financings, as well as the requisite equity financing.
In his finance practice, Mr. Fenton has worked on senior, mezzanine and subordinated financings, representing borrowers and lenders.
In his securities practice, Mr. Fenton has worked on debt and equity offerings. He has represented issuers, selling stockholders and underwriters in initial and secondary offerings. He also has advised clients on private placements, including “Regulation D” offerings.
In his international practice, Mr. Fenton has represented U.S. companies and their foreign subsidiaries abroad, as well as foreign companies and their domestic subsidiaries in transactions in the United States.
Representative transactions in which Mr. Fenton has participated include:
Private Equity
- establishment and sale of interests in an investment partnership which was formed in order to invest in medium-risk securities
- acquisition and related financing by a private equity firm of the largest toothpick manufacturer in the United States; represented purchaser
- acquisition and related financing by a private equity firm of a $350+ million international specialist life sciences company; represented purchaser
- acquisition and related financing by a private equity firm of multiple middle-market acquisitions in the impulse-purchase space, and more than ten add-on transactions; and the sale by the same private equity firm of one of the acquired companies for $55 million
- acquisition and related financing of a metal screw and fastener manufacturer by a middle-market private equity firm; represented purchaser.
Mergers and Acquisitions
- disposition of a major U.S. trucking company valued in excess of $230 million; represented seller
- disposition of one of the largest S Corporation manufacturing companies in the United States to a major metal producer; represented seller
- disposition of certain assets of one of the major steel producers in the United States; represented seller
- acquisition of a $100 million gardening tools manufacturer for a NYSE-traded company.
Securities
- initial public offering of a global consulting firm specializing in corporate knowledge services
- initial public offering of a manufacturer of fractional and integral horsepower motors, gear motors and motor part sets
- initial public offering of a leading specialty retailer of upscale maternity clothing
- secondary public offering of one of the largest U.S. producers of sports picture cards and confectionary products
- $7 million debt offering by a municipal authority to fund the acquisition of a nursing home facility
- $1.25 billion debt offering on behalf of one of the largest U.S. freight transportation companies
- subsidiarization of one of the largest U.S. defense computer contractors by one of the largest U.S. computer manufacturers, and the related spin-off of that subsidiary by initial public offering.
International
- acquisition of an environmental consulting company by one of England’s largest multi-national corporations; represented purchaser
- investment by a major Canadian venture capital company and its Irish subsidiaries in a U.S. woolens manufacturer
- restructuring of a joint venture between a major Swedish auto parts manufacturer and the U.S. venture capital parent of a U.S. auto parts manufacturer
- joint venture between a major U.S. brewer and multi-national agro company for the purchase and operation of a U.S. yeast producer.
Aircraft
- structuring of aircraft financings and provision of regulatory analysis for general aviation operators, as well as Part 121 and Part 125 operators.
Mr. Fenton is an adjunct professor at Temple University School of Law, where he teaches a class on U.S.-international business planning. He has written the text for a seminar on the differences between partnerships and joint ventures, and he has lectured on limited liability companies and limited liability partnerships. He also has published on the subject of boundary laws and disputes.
Mr. Fenton was selected for inclusion on the 2012 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers list.
Mr. Fenton serves as executive vice chair of the board of trustees of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, one of the oldest historical societies in America.
