Michael J. Moeddel

Mike is a partner at Taft Cincinnati, where he focuses his practice on Mergers and Acquisitions, Private Equity, and Lending and Finance.

Mike is a trusted advisor to a wide variety of clients, ranging from early stage privately held entities to Fortune 100 companies. With a practice spanning many industries, he counsels public and private companies, private equity funds and their portfolio companies, and financial investors on the structuring and negotiation of complex transactions. Mike’s expertise also includes international transactions, having advised clients throughout Europe, Africa, Australia, China, and Southeast Asia.

Mike’s experience and commitment to his clients have been recognized by leading legal publications. Since 2012, he has been honored among the Best Lawyers in America. The 2022 edition of Best Lawyers identified him as “Lawyer of the Year” for Mergers & Acquisitions in Cincinnati. In 2014, Mike was named to The M&A Advisor 40 Under 40.

In addition to his legal work, Mike is active in the legal profession and Greater Cincinnati community. He serves on the board of the Pro Bono Partnership of Ohio and maintains active committee roles within the Ohio State Bar Association and Cincinnati Bar Foundation. During Mike’s two years as Chair of the Ohio State Bar Association’s Corporation Law Committee, he led the organization’s drafting of the Revised Ohio Limited Liability Company Act which went into effect in February 2022. He is a past board member of the Cincinnati USA Convention and Visitors Bureau, Greater Cincinnati Sports Corporation, and Southwest Ohio Council on Child Abuse.

Mike earned his J.D. from the University of Cincinnati College of Law and his B.A. from The Ohio State University.

Served as lead counsel to American Financial Group, Inc. in their $3.5 billion sale of Great American Life Insurance Company to Mass Mutual Life Insurance Company.

Served as lead transaction counsel to Multi-Color Corporation in its $1.4 billion acquisition of the Labels Division of Constantia Flexibles, comprised of 23 manufacturing facilities in 14 countries.

Represented LSI Industries Inc. in its acquisition of all of the stock of Atlas Lighting Products Inc. for a cash payment of $96.5 million plus warrants to purchase 200,000 shares of LSI Common Stock.

Represented Multi-Color Corporation in its public tender offer for 100% of a publicly traded Malaysian company.

Represented Multi-Color Corporation in its $80 million acquisition of the decorative label business of Graphic Packaging International, Inc.

Represented Jacobs Automation, Inc. in its various rounds of fund-raising and ultimate sale to Rockwell Automation for undisclosed consideration.

Represented manufacturer of whole home audio systems, Nuvo Technologies, LLC, in its sale to Legrand Home Systems.

Represented Blue Ash Therapeutics, LLC in its initial fundraising and ultimate sale to Forest Laboratories for undisclosed consideration.

Represented Multi-Color Corporation in its $356 million acquisition of York Label.

Represented Jewelry Television in its acquisition of the U.S. assets of Gems TV.

Represented owners of a closely-held business in the turbine engine component repair business in a sale to a private equity purchaser owned by The Carlyle Group, for undisclosed consideration.

Negotiated $60 million investment of cash and assets in complex cross-border industry consolidation transaction.

Lead transaction counsel representing publicly held company in $43 million cross-border acquisition of Canadian manufacturer of LED lighting displays.

Representation of bank in divestiture of 13 branches, including approximately $750 million in deposits and $350 million in loans.

Negotiated licensing of technology and related intellectual property from Fortune 100 company in sophisticated outsourcing transaction.

Represented client in $10 million investment in ethanol production facility in exchange for subordinated debt and warrants.

Served various roles in representation of Fortune 500 client in acquisitions ranging from $100,000 to $50 million.

Representation of borrower in negotiation of $225 million senior secured acquisition financing.

Negotiated joint venture agreement on behalf of diversified information technology company and Fortune 100 retailer.

Served various roles representing institutional lenders in financing of acquisitions, accounts receivable, inventory, real estate, and auto lease portfolios.

Speeches:

“Annual Survey of Judicial Developments Pertaining to Venture Capital,” American Bar Association PEVC Committee Webinar, Oct. 2015

Publications:

“The Ohio Revised LLC Act: What You Need to Know,” Taft Law Bulletin, March 29, 2022

Senate Bill 21 – Benefit Corporations, Dec. 2020

Kentucky “Healthy at Work,” April 2020

“Annual Survey of Judicial Developments Pertaining to Venture Capital,” Business Lawyer, Sept. 2015