Louis M. Rappaport

Louis M. Rappaport
Partner
Corporate

Biography

CO-CHAIR, CORPORATE, M&A, AND SECURITIES PRACTICE GROUP

Louis Rappaport concentrates his practice on business and corporate matters, with specific emphasis on emerging and middle market businesses. Louis 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

In addition to his Corporate M&A practice, Louis chairs the Blank Rome Venture Group, which serves emerging and venture backed companies and their financing sources.

Since 1997, Louis 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 has recognized Louis as a leader in the field of mergers and acquisitions and venture capital who “is adept at guiding clients through the full range of related transactions”. Clients state “he is just superb in all respects – knowledge, experience, professionalism – as well as being a pleasure to work with. He is a tireless advocate for his clients.”

Related Services

Related Industries

Special topics

Experience

Mergers & Acquisition Transactions

  • Acquisition of an outsourced business services company by LLR Equity Partners.
  • Acquisition by ZS Fund of a vanpooling and passenger leasing services companies.
  • Acquisition by ZS Fund of a producer and value-added distributor of pipe, valves, and fittings.
  • Acquisition by a management team of a healthcare consulting firm from parent health system.
  • Sale of a financial technology firm to InterContinental Exchange.
  • Sale of a venture-backed healthcare information technology firm to GE Healthcare.
  • Sale of more than $1.2 billion of energy generation assets to two strategic buyers in a bankruptcy auction.
  • Sale of a private manufacturer of paint finishing systems to 3M Company.
  • Sale of a majority stake in a venture backed project management software company 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.
  • Sale of a multigenerational family owned manufacturing company to an AMEX-listed manufacturing company, valued at approximately $35 million,
  • Sale of a producer and value-added distributor of pipe, valves, and fittings to Blue Point Capital Partners.
  • Sale of an information technology services firm to Artech Information Systems.
  • Sale of a provider of network performance management and service delivery management solutions to CA, Inc., valued at $200 million.
  • Sale of an experiential and strategic marketing agency to MDC Partners.
  • Sale of a financial technology firm to FlexTrade Systems.
  • Sale of a legal document and service provider to CT Corporation.
  • Sale of a residential mortgage originator to Wilmington Savings Fund Society.

 Angel, Venture and Private Equity Matters

  • Company counsel to Rant Media Network, Inc. in an equity investment with an investor group.
  • Company counsel to MobileReactor LLC doing business as OneTwoSee in three convertible note financing transactions.
  • Company counsel to Halfpenny Technologies, Inc. in two equity investment transactions by Vital Financial, Emerald Stage2Ventures, Osage Venture Partners, Milestone Venture Partners, and others.
  • Company counsel to Wash Cycle Laundry in an angel equity investment transaction.
  • Company counsel to BlackGold Biofuels in an equity and project financing commitment from Liberation Capital.
  • Company counsel to Mediflag in an angel equity investment transaction.
  • Company counsel to Wish Upon A Hero in an angel equity investment transaction.
  • Investor counsel to MRC Capital in an equity investment in Frontera, an alternative financial services company that serves the low-cost consumer finance market.
  • Investor counsel to Meakem Becker Venture Capital in an equity investment in Spendview, a financial technology firm.
  • Investor counsel to Metropolitan Equity Partners in an investment in Ballista Securities, LLC, a financial technology firm.
  • Investor counsel to Investors’ Circle in equity investments in Dailyworth.com and United by Blue.
  • Investor counsel to Susquehanna Growth Equity in an equity investment in Paysimple, Inc., a provider of accounts receivable automation solutions for small businesses.
  • Negotiation of employment and compensation matters for management team of venture backed IT company purchased by Oracle.

News & Views

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Recognitions

  • 2020–2021, Corporate/M&A & Private Equity Law, listed in Chambers USA
  • 2013–2020, 2022, “Pennsylvania Super Lawyer” in Mergers & Acquisitions, listed in Super Lawyers
  • 2017–2021, listed in The Legal 500 United States

Affiliations

Memberships

  • Philadelphia Bar Association
  • Ben Franklin Technology Partners
  • Pennsylvania Bar Association
  • Villanova University School of Law
Professional Activities

Louis 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 past company coach and past board member of the Private Investors Forum Angel Venture Fair. Further, Louis is a past member of the planning board of Early Stage East and a past co-chair of its Vision to Value entrepreneur education programming.

Louis 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.”

Credentials

Admissions

  • Pennsylvania
  • New Jersey

Education

  • University of Delaware, BS, magna cum laude
  • Villanova University School of Law, JD, magna cum laude

A description of the standard or methodology on which the accolades are based can be found here.

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