Edward H. Brown

Overview

Ed Brown practices in the firm's Atlanta office, representing clients in a wide variety of industries, including beverage wholesalers, distributors of consumer goods, manufacturers, consulting firms, and real estate investment and development companies.

Ed currently serves as chair of the firm’s Food, Beverage and Hospitality sector, and has previously served on the firm’s Executive Committee and as the Chair of the firm’s Corporate and Tax Practice Group. Ed brings over 40 years of experience in representing both private and public companies throughout the southeast. He often serves as an outside general counsel for many of these businesses, providing guidance for their businesses and often guidance to the owners and their families.

In addition, Ed has spoken before a variety of business and accounting groups, has written on business and tax law issues, appeared as a guest analyst on CNBC, and has spoken on a variety of topics, including mergers and acquisitions, angel tax credits, and the development of proper social media policies.

Experience

Ed has represented beer distributors throughout the south, southeast and mid-atlantic regions in connection with a variety of services, including:
- Representing distributors in the purchase or sale of beer distribution businesses in states including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Maryland, Mississippi, New York and North Carolina totaling close to $1 billion, including assistance with financing and regulatory matters.
- Advising distributors on numerous purchases and sales of brand distribution rights, the purchase and sale of warehouses, negotiations related to supplier distribution agreements, and general corporate and tax planning strategies.
- Advising distributors on regulatory and compliance matters related to state and federal alcohol laws.
Represented the purchaser in the purchase of stock or assets in a series of home health care businesses acquisitions.
Represented a management team in purchasing a division of a publicly held company in the financial services sector, including a private equity raise and related bank facility.
Represented the seller group in the $80 million sale of assets of a project management service firm to a publicly held company.
Represented an issuer in a series of $100+ million offerings of limited partnership interests for the acquisition of multi-family apartment projects.
Represented an acquiror in the purchase of stock of a multi-state project management consulting firm, and related financing package.
Represented a national manufacturing and distribution client in purchasing a series of strategic targets as part of a roll-up of related businesses, and ultimate sale of the business.
Assisted numerous clients in the drafting of partnership agreements, limited liability operating agreements, shareholder agreements, equity incentive plans, and other internal corporate arrangements.

Honors & Recognitions

Chambers USA, Leading Practitioner in Corporate/Commercial/M&A (2012-2017)
American Lawyer Media, "Georgia's Top Rated Lawyers"
Georgia Trend Magazine, "Legal Elite" (2012)
Listed in The Best Lawyers in America®️ Business Organizations since 2023, Corporate Law since 2023, Mergers and Acquisition Law since 2023