For more information contact:
Peggy Schicantek
(414) 978-5346
pschicantek@whdlaw.com
MILWAUKEE – October 16, 2014 – The law firm of Whyte Hirschboeck Dudek S.C. (WHD) is pleased to announce that Gretchen Cleveland and Eric Lenzen have been named co-leaders of its Agribusiness Team.
Cleveland’s agribusiness practice primarily involves transactional services, including structuring and forming new agribusiness entities, guiding clients with regard to strategic enterprises, assisting with licensing and other intellectual-property related matters, and facilitating mergers and acquisitions. Cleveland has extensive experience in the seed industry, working with nearly 20 independent seed companies spanning over 12 states, five countries and five continents. In addition to her experience in the seed industry, Cleveland has represented clients in several other agribusiness sectors, such as the animal-breeding and dairy industries.
Lenzen, a shareholder who also co-leads the firm’s Corporate & Finance Practice Group, a multidisciplinary team comprised of attorneys specializing in corporate, finance, tax, private equity, securities, emerging company ventures, and other related transactions, regularly represents businesses engaged in agricultural production and agrichemical manufacturing and supply. He also represents domestic and foreign corporations, private equity groups, institutional investors, financial institutions, mezzanine lenders, entrepreneurs, and angel and venture capital funds. Lenzen focuses his practice on a wide range of corporate and financing matters including mergers and acquisitions, cross-border transactions, ownership succession planning, debt and equity capital transactions, credit arrangement documentation and restructuring, early-stage and growth capital transactions, joint ventures, regulatory guidance, and commercial contract matters.
“Gretchen has developed extensive industry knowledge working with many of the leading seed and agriculture companies across the Midwest and beyond. That industry knowledge paired with Eric’s impressive transactional experience will enable WHD to successfully serve the commercial agriculture industry as it positions itself to fulfill increasing demand for agricultural products around the world,” says WHD Chief Executive Paul Eberle. “Our cross-disciplinary approach, designed to meet each client’s specific goals, has enabled us to successfully represent agricultural companies across 13 states, nine countries and five continents, and we plan to build on this momentum under their strong leadership.”
Representing seed companies as well as agribusinesses involved in biodigestion, bioenergy, dairy and crop farming, animal breeding/genetics, food production, and other enterprises regulated by governmental bodies such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), WHD’s Agribusiness Team provides counsel in all areas of a business and its operations. A cross-disciplinary approach, covering financing, corporate structuring, intellectual property, business succession planning, estate planning, taxation, and other practice areas, is designed to meet each client’s specific goals. Co-founder of the annual Chicago Agricultural Summit, www.chicagoagsummit.com, WHD has a particularly well-developed niche in the seed industry. For more information, visit: http://whdlaw.com/PracticeDetail.aspx?ID=148&pgID=12.
