Blank Rome LLP

Louis Rappaport concentrates his practice on business and corporate matters, with specific emphasis on emerging and middle market businesses.  Mr. Rappaport advises clients in a wide range of industries in the following areas:

• mergers and acquisitions
• venture capital and private equity funding transactions
• securities offerings
• corporate finance matters
• strategic alliances and joint ventures
• intellectual property/technology licensing and transfer matters
• executive employment and compensation matters
• business formation and planning

Since 1997, Mr. Rappaport has served as a lecturer for a number of courses at Villanova University School of Law, including "Business Acquisitions" and "Counseling Emerging Businesses."

Chambers USA ranks Mr. Rappaport as a leader in the field of venture capital. Chambers notes that Mr. Rappaport "excels in the emerging growth company area and is adept at guiding clients through the full range of related transactions."

REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS

• Acquisition of outsourced business services company for LLR Equity Partners.
• Sale of a financial technology firm to a strategic buyer.
• Growth equity venture capital raise for a financial services technology client from strategic investors, including a Morgan Stanley affiliate, Knight Capital and SIG Growth Equity.
• Series A venture capital transaction for Meakem Becker Venture Capital into a financial services technology company.
• Growth equity venture capital transaction for Metropolitan Equity Partners into a financial services technology company.
• Angel equity capital transaction for healthcare information technology company.
• Sale of a venture-backed healthcare information technology firm to GE Healthcare.
• Sale of over $1.2 billion of energy generation assets to two strategic buyers in a bankruptcy auction.
• Sale of electric generation assets by east coast based utility company in a transaction valued at $173 million.
• Sale of a private manufacturer of paint finishing systems to 3M Company.
• Private equity investment by ZS Fund into vanpooling and passenger vehicle leasing services company.
• Sale of a majority stake in a venture backed project management software client to two private equity firms, valued at more than $150 million.
• Sale of a private equity backed payment processing company to 3i Infotech Ltd., valued at $80 million.
• Negotiation of employment and compensation matters for a management team of venture-backed IT company purchased by Oracle.
• Private sale of manufacturing company owned by multiple generations of family members to an AMEX-listed manufacturing company, valued at approximately $35 million.

COMMUNITY SERVICE & AFFILIATIONS

Mr. Rappaport is a firm representative of Villanova University School of Law.  In addition, he is a member of the Investment Advisory Committee for Benjamin Franklin Technology Partners in Southeastern Pennsylvania and a co-chair of entrepreneurial education programming, a company coach and board member of the Private Investors Forum Angel Venture Fair.  Further, Mr. Rappaport is a member of the planning board of Early Stage East and co-chair of its Vision to Value entrepreneur education programming.

Mr. Rappaport has been a guest speaker and educator for a variety of venture and emerging business programs, presenting topics including: "Ready...Set...Capitalize! What You Need to Know to Raise Venture Capital" and "Flying with the Angels: How to Negotiate a Term Sheet."