Michael A. Woronoff

In a deal completed in May 2014, Woronoff served as lead counsel to Ares Management LP in its $216 million initial public offering.

Based in California, Ares is a leading alternative asset manager with approximately $79 billion of assets under management, and approximately 730 employees throughout the United States, Europe and Asia.

"Only a handful of alternative asset managers have gone public," Woronoff said. "It's unusual."

Those who did make the move, he added, realize that accessing public markets can be beneficial to their businesses.

But the structuring is quite complex, he added.

"As a result, only a limited number of major alternative asset managers have been willing to go through all of the hoops that are needed to become a public company," Woronoff said.

In another significant transaction, Woronoff served as lead counsel to Ares and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board in their $6 billion acquisition of Neiman Marcus Group Ltd. Inc.

As lead counsel, Woronoff also represented Ares in its acquisition of National Veterinary Associates.

The California-based NVA is billed as the largest private owner of freestanding veterinary hospitals in the United States.

In another deal, Woronoff represented Ares in a $1.5 billion financial restructuring and acquisition of Guitar Center Holdings Inc. and its operating subsidiary, Guitar Center Inc.

When crafting these deals, Woronoff said that he taps into a variety of skill sets, covering private equity, mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, restructurings, and other disciplines.

"As a result, I am able to look at issues more broadly, Woronoff added."

<< PAT BRODERICK