Steve is primarily a corporate transactional lawyer, advising and assisting
middle market and development stage companies in structuring and executing
acquisitions and divestitures, joint ventures and strategic alliances,
private equity and debt financings (as both issuer and investor counsel),
technology licensing and transfers, employment matters and compensation
issues and leasing transactions. As a result, his practice typically involves
providing general legal, business and strategic counseling for clients
across a broad spectrum of industries and matters.
Steve’s clients include internet content providers, direct to consumer
marketing companies, manufacturers, craft breweries, equipment lessors,
service providers, venture capital investors and entrepreneurs. He often
advises start-up founders and investors on entity formation and structure,
corporate governance, management and financing. In recent years, Steve
has counseled several start-up companies that are at the forefront of
the “new media” revolution on issues concerning organizational
matters, financing and intellectual property protection and exploitation.
Steve attended Binghamton University where he received his B.A. degree
with High Honors in Economics in 1978 and Boston University School of
Law where he received his J.D. degree in 1981 and was a member of the
Boston University Law Review. Upon graduating from law school, Steve worked
as a corporate associate at Breed Abbott & Morgan (1981-1985) and
Berlack Israels & Liberman (1985-1989). In 1989, Steve was a founding
partner of Kreinik Aaron & Gersh where he led the corporate department
for 14 years before joining Berkowitz, Trager & Trager as a Member in 2004.
Primary Practice Areas
General Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions; Private Equity and Venture
Capital Financings; Equipment Leasing; Cable Television; Employment Matters
Education
- Boston University School of Law, J.D., 1981
- Binghamton University, B.A., Economics, 1978
Admissions
- State of Connecticut
- State of New York
Representative Transactions
- Representation of Hatch Holdings in its private placement of Class A Convertible
Preferred Units
-
Representation of The Brooklyn Brewery in its the acquisition of minority
ownership interests in Funkwerks and 21st Amendment Brewery
- Representation of The Second Shift in its private placement of Series A
Preferred Units
- Representation of The Brooklyn Brewery in the sale of a minority ownership
interest to Kirin Holdings Company and the formation of a joint venture
for the production and distribution of Brooklyn Brewery products in Japan
- Representation of Parts Authority in its acquisition of the business and
assets of Metropolitan Automotive Warehouse and Star Auto Parts as Chapter
11 debtors in possession
- Representation of Parts Authority and its founders in the restructuring
of its operating companies and the sale of a majority ownership interest
to The Resolute Fund III. L.P., an investment fund managed by The Jordan
Company, L.P.
- Representation of The Brooklyn Brewery in the grant of international brand
distribution rights to Carlsberg Breweries A/S
- Representation of Nanotronics Imaging in its Series B financing led by
The Founders Fund
- Representation of New York Distilling Company from inception through seven
rounds of equity and debt financings
- Representation of Nerve.com in its sale to This Life
- Representation of Oxygen Media as outside general counsel from formation
through the sale of the cable network to NBC Universal, including work
on affiliate agreements, licensing, executive compensation and real estate matters
- Representation of a proprietary trading firm in the acquisition and divestiture
of related businesses, including the sale of its trade execution subsidiary
to a public company in exchange for equity
- Representation of Babble Media (Babble.com) in its sale to an affiliate
of The Walt Disney Company
- Representation of Babble Media in its Series A and Series B financings
led by Village Ventures Fund
- Representation of M. Shanken Communications in its acquisition of Malt
Advocate Magazine
- Representation of a private equity fund in its $5 million Series A investment
in a development stage technology company in the cargo screening industry
- Representation of an IT staffing firm in its $60 million asset sale and
subsequent reacquisition of the business, including mezzanine financing
- Representation of a health club chain in connection with multiple acquisitions
and divestitures of gyms
- Representation of an online bank in the acquisition and divestiture of
commercial paper, including equipment leases
- Representation of GIANT Magazine in its sale to Radio One
- Representation of an equipment leasing company from formation through $50
million sale to American Express
- Representation of a medical education services company as outside general
counsel through $30 million sale to WPP