Overview
Frank Wardega is an experienced attorney with significant M&A deal experience, as well as a broad-based business practice providing general business counseling to middle market and Fortune 500 corporate clients.
His experience includes entrepreneurs with business formation and equity or debt financing, negotiating agreements with strategic partners or investors, managing clients’ trademarks and copyrights and negotiating complex business transitions.
Prior to practicing law, Frank spent 11 years at Ernst & Young LLP, first as a human resource generalist in New York City, then as an operations team lead and business analyst in Cleveland.
Frank earned his J.D., cum laude, from Cleveland State University College of Law, where he served as the research editor of the Journal of Law and Health. He received a B.A. in English from Ohio University.
Representative Cases & Matters
- Represented a pathology lab with operations in Florida and Georgia in its $44M sale to a private equity backed provider of anatomic, clinical and molecular pathology lab services.
- Represented a closely held chemical distributor with operations in the United States, Mexico and China in its sale to a European buyer.
- Represented a Michigan dermatology practice in its sale to a private equity backed dermatology platform.
- Represented a Midwestern dermatology and clinical trials practice group in the $33 million sale of its business to a private equity buyer.
- Acted as co-counsel to a West Coast dermatology group and counsel to the individual doctors in a $90 million recapitalization of its business.
- Represented a closely-held background screening company in the sale of its business to a strategic buyer.
- Represented a buyer in its acquisition of a complementary medical imaging business.
- Represented a private equity seller in its divestiture of its portfolio company, a manufacturer of powdered metal and metal injection molding components.
- Negotiated an agreement between a provider of analytic personality tests and related services and the National Football League affiliate that hosts the collegiate combine.
- Represented a private equity buyer with its leveraged buyout of a personal care and travel products distributed business.
- Represented a closely-held chemical distributor in its acquisition of a controlling-interest in a complementary distribution business.
- Represented two private equity companies in the $140 million sale of an aviation logistics business with international operations.
- Represented a publicly-held manufacturer in a $413 million private sale of the company.
- Negotiated and drafted all transaction documents for affiliation between two private Northeast Ohio child welfare agencies/nonprofits, including drafting an affiliation agreement, new articles of incorporation and codes of regulations for both entities.
- Drafted and negotiated asset purchase agreement between local non-profit franchise of larger national non-profit.
- Represented a nonprofit religious publishing organization and its founders in a sale of all intellectual property assets to a large national Catholic nonprofit organization.
Honors & Recognition
CALI Excellence for the Future Awards, Mergers & Acquisitions and Law, Literature & Film
Credentials
Education
Cleveland State University College of Law
Ohio University
Admissions – State
- Ohio
Professional & Civic
Professional Activities
Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association
Ohio State Bar Association
American Bar Association
Community Involvement
Kenston Community Education’s Ski Club
Musical Arts Association of Kenston
Applewood Centers Inc, Board Member
RePlay for Kids, Advisor to Board of Directors
First Unitarian Church of Cleveland, Nominating Committee
Junior Achievement of Cleveland
LauchHouse
BadGirl Ventures, Mentor and instructor
Lake Taylor Colony Homeowners; Association, Board Member
News & Insights
External News & Publications
“The Future of Corporate Social Reporting: The Health and Wellness of Human Capital as Indicators of a Company’s Financial Well Being”- Journal of Law and Health (2007)