| Biography:
Steven M. Ellis is a partner in the Firm’s Corporate Department, head of the Firm's Boston office, co-head of the Distressed Debt Group and Junior Capital Group, and co-chair of the Firm’s Corporate Finance Group. He concentrates in financing transactions and restructuring matters. He represents a large array of secured lenders, second lien lenders, mezzanine debt funds and private equity funds in all types of transactions from recapitalizations to acquisitions. He specializes in multi-tranche financing transactions. He has represented junior capital lenders investing in private companies throughout the country and Europe. Mr. Ellis spends a substantial amount of time negotiating financing and acquisition transactions and focusing on various debt facilities, including working capital loans, subordinated debt, second lien loans, intercreditor issues and distressed debt facilities. These financings are in connection with IPOs, recapitalizations, mergers and acquisitions, private equity and going-private transactions.
Mr. Ellis actively represents over 50 private equity and debt providers, including a number of junior capital providers, SBIC funds, BDCs, hedge funds, one-stop shops, traditional mezzanine funds, specialty finance companies, insurance companies and bank subsidiaries in transactions that have ranged from $1 to $250 million.
In addition, Mr. Ellis has represented creditors and companies in finance restructurings and out-of-court workouts and has substantial experience in representing creditors and investors in distressed sales of companies and assets. Mr. Ellis has broad experience in insolvency and bankruptcy matters.
Mr. Ellis has represented several companies in large syndicated senior bank transactions. He has closed credit facilities, supervising and coordinating more than 40 attorneys and paralegals in one transaction.
Mr. Ellis has been a director of the Boston Chamber of Commerce and is a member of the Association of Corporate Growth.
Mr. Ellis is a frequent panelist at mezzanine finance, second lien finance secured lending and restructuring seminars. He received his B.A. from Tufts University in 1984 and his J.D. from Boston University Law School in 1987.
Honors, Lectures and Publications
• Recognized as a leading lawyer in US Legal 500 in 2008
• Selected as a Massachusetts Super Lawyer in 2004, 2005 and 2006.
• Selected as a New England Super Lawyer in 2007.
• Selected as Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business - 2007
• Speaker, “Intercreditor Perspectives and Issues in Junior Capital Financing Transactions,” SRI 4th Annual Tranche B & Second Lien Summit, February 2008
• Speaker, “Role of 2nd Lien and Tranche B in Distressed/Turnaround Investing,” iiBig Distressed & Turnaround Investment Forum, September 2007
• Speaker, "Second Lien and Junior Sub Debt Distressed Debt Synergies and Issues," SRI 10th Annual East Distressed Debt Investing Summit, June 2007
• Speaker, "Second-lien Debt," IFLR Americas Capital Markets Forum, May 2007
• Speaker, “Distressed Investing,” MIT Private Equity Forum, April 2007
• Moderator, "Intercreditor Agreements: Are They Written With Disappearing Ink?," DealFlow Media Secured Debt Conference, March 2007
• Quoted in “Fixed-Rate Lenders Strike Back at Second-Lien” in the October 23, 2006 edition of Buyouts
• Co-chair and speaker, “Effectively Structuring Intercreditor Provisions,” IIR’s Second Lien Finance Forum, October 2006
• Quoted in “Mezz Looking Up; It’s Not A Long Way Down” in the May 1, 2006 edition of Buyouts
• Quoted in "Courts May Lose Patience With Creditor Disputes" in the April 7, 2006 edition of Secured Debt Report
• Quoted in "Second Lien Trading Has Evolved, But Threat Of Volatility Looms" and “In Their Own Words: Market Players’ Thoughts On Second Liens” in the February 6, 2006 issue of The Bank Loan Report
• Quoted in "Mezz Taking Market Share From Second Lien Lenders" in the December 7, 2005 edition of Secured Debt Report
• Quoted in "Defaults on the Rise?" in the November 21, 2005 edition of Secured Debt Report
• "Figuring Out How To Structure Foolproof Prepayment Premiums" co-authored with Stephen A. Boyko and published in the November 8, 2005 issue of The Bank Loan Report and The High Yield Report
• Quoted in "Growing Power of Second Lienholders Could Complicate Bankruptcies" in the November 7, 2005 edition of Secured Debt Report
• Co-chair, IIR’s Second Lien Finance Forum, October 2005
• Speaker, Second Lien Lending Update Capital Roundtable MasterClass, June 2005
• “The Dilemma of the Second Lien Lender” –co-authored with Stephen A. Boyko and published in the May 2005 edition of Financier Worldwide
• “What Do You Mean the Per Share Value of My Warrants Is Less Than the Shareholders Receive?!?,” co-authored with Stephen A. Boyko and published in the April 2005 edition of Hub News, a monthly publication of the Association for Corporate Growth
• Quoted in “Mezz Lenders Look For Gems In Lower Middle Mkt” in the April 4, 2005 issue of The Bank Loan Report and The High Yield Report
• Speaker, “Assess The Rise of the Second Lien Market: How Can Mezzanine Providers Protect Their Profits?” – IIR’s 6th Annual Mezzanine Finance Forum, March 2005
• “Shhh! All Mezz Lenders Should Have Junior Liens, Even if Silent” – co-authored with Stephen A. Boyko and published in the March 14, 2005 edition of Buyouts
• Speaker, Second Lien Lending Capital Roundtable MasterClass, January 2005
• Speaker, “Trends in Mezzanine Deals” – IIR’s 5th Annual Mezzanine Finance Forum, March 2004
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