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Howard J. Davis

Howard J. Davis is the Chair of the Firm’s Business and Finance Department.  He represents clients in a broad range of transactions and acts as outside general counsel to numerous middle market and start-up companies.

Howard has an extensive background in representing buyers/sellers, investors, and issuers in mergers and acquisitions; joint ventures and strategic alliances; and corporate finance transactions.  During his more than 35 years of experience, he has been involved in more than 400 such transactions ranging from small seed capital investments to billion dollar dispositions.

Howard also is a trusted advisor to numerous middle market companies across a broad range of industries in his capacity as outside general counsel.  In addition to handling their transactional needs, Howard advises these clients in connection with business divorce, business organization, corporate governance, commercial contracts, executive compensation, legal strategy, and succession planning.

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Howard J. Davis

Chair
Business and Finance Department
215.496.7240
[email protected]

Education

University of Chicago Law School (J.D. 1980)

Princeton University (B.A. 1977)

Practice Areas

Admissions

Pennsylvania

Professional Highlights

Recognition & Accomplishments

Howard has been recognized in Best Lawyers in America in the 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 editions in the area of Corporate Law. In addition, he has been named by Pennsylvania Super Lawyers as one of Pennsylvania’s top attorneys in Mergers and Acquisitions for numerous years.

He is a past recipient of the “Young Leadership Award” from the Federation of Jewish Agencies.

Prior Experience

Prior to joining the firm, Howard was an associate in the Business Department of the Philadelphia office of Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis LLP.

Representative Matters

  • Provided mergers and acquisitions counsel to a long-standing client in connection with an auction led by Goldman Sachs for $2.4 billion.
  • Represented an entrepreneur in connection with a cross-border technology joint venture.
  • Represented a 50% shareholder/CEO in a family-owned business in restructuring shareholders agreements and resolving disputes with non-management shareholders.
  • Represented a privately-owned company in the sale of a division for $50 million and a related joint venture with the acquiring company.
  • Represented the conflicts committee of a private equity backed company in evaluating various related party transactions.
  • Managed the general counsel function during an 18-month period for a publicly-held client.
  • Represented management in a management buyout involving senior debt, mezzanine debt and an equity investment from an institutional investor.
  • Represented the owners of a local company in the sale of the business involving substantial international operations and a structured earn-out to conform to domestic and international regulatory regimes.
  • Represented a long-standing client in redeeming the equity of a 50% owner to resolve a family business dispute involving numerous lawsuits.
  • Served on the Advisory Board of several middle market companies.

Community Activities

Howard serves in the following roles in the community:

  • Board of Directors, Executive Committee, and Co-Chair of the Policy Committee, Committee of Seventy
  • Chair, Board of Trustees and Member of Executive Committee of Abramson Senior Care
  • Board of Trustees of the Federation of Jewish Agencies of Philadelphia
  • Big Brother through Big Brothers Big Sisters, Southeastern Pennsylvania

Howard J. Davis

Chair
Business and Finance Department
215.496.7240
[email protected]

Howard J. Davis is the Chair of the Firm’s Business and Finance Department.  He represents clients in a broad range of transactions and acts as outside general counsel to numerous middle market and start-up companies.

Howard has an extensive background in representing buyers/sellers, investors, and issuers in mergers and acquisitions; joint ventures and strategic alliances; and corporate finance transactions.  During his more than 35 years of experience, he has been involved in more than 400 such transactions ranging from small seed capital investments to billion dollar dispositions.

Howard also is a trusted advisor to numerous middle market companies across a broad range of industries in his capacity as outside general counsel.  In addition to handling their transactional needs, Howard advises these clients in connection with business divorce, business organization, corporate governance, commercial contracts, executive compensation, legal strategy, and succession planning.

Representative Matters

  • Provided mergers and acquisitions counsel to a long-standing client in connection with an auction led by Goldman Sachs for $2.4 billion.
  • Represented an entrepreneur in connection with a cross-border technology joint venture.
  • Represented a 50% shareholder/CEO in a family-owned business in restructuring shareholders agreements and resolving disputes with non-management shareholders.
  • Represented a privately-owned company in the sale of a division for $50 million and a related joint venture with the acquiring company.
  • Represented the conflicts committee of a private equity backed company in evaluating various related party transactions.
  • Managed the general counsel function during an 18-month period for a publicly-held client.
  • Represented management in a management buyout involving senior debt, mezzanine debt and an equity investment from an institutional investor.
  • Represented the owners of a local company in the sale of the business involving substantial international operations and a structured earn-out to conform to domestic and international regulatory regimes.
  • Represented a long-standing client in redeeming the equity of a 50% owner to resolve a family business dispute involving numerous lawsuits.
  • Served on the Advisory Board of several middle market companies.

Education

University of Chicago Law School (J.D. 1980)

Princeton University (B.A. 1977)

Admissions

Pennsylvania

Professional Highlights

Recognition & Accomplishments

Howard has been recognized in Best Lawyers in America in the 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 editions in the area of Corporate Law. In addition, he has been named by Pennsylvania Super Lawyers as one of Pennsylvania’s top attorneys in Mergers and Acquisitions for numerous years.

He is a past recipient of the “Young Leadership Award” from the Federation of Jewish Agencies.

Prior Experience

Prior to joining the firm, Howard was an associate in the Business Department of the Philadelphia office of Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis LLP.

Community Activities

Howard serves in the following roles in the community:

  • Board of Directors, Executive Committee, and Co-Chair of the Policy Committee, Committee of Seventy
  • Chair, Board of Trustees and Member of Executive Committee of Abramson Senior Care
  • Board of Trustees of the Federation of Jewish Agencies of Philadelphia
  • Big Brother through Big Brothers Big Sisters, Southeastern Pennsylvania