Skip to main content

Private Equity

The Private Equity practice provides comprehensive legal counsel to private equity sponsors, portfolio companies, institutional investors, and management teams across the full investment lifecycle. Attorneys in this practice advise on fund formation, leveraged buyouts, growth equity investments, add-on acquisitions, recapitalizations, and exit strategies—delivering sophisticated transactional guidance aligned with commercial objectives.

Combining deep industry knowledge with deal execution strength, the practice supports clients in structuring efficient, compliant, and value-driven investments in a dynamic global marketplace.

Core services include:

  • Fund Formation and Structuring
    • Advising sponsors on the formation and operation of private equity funds, co-investment vehicles, and parallel funds. Drafting limited partnership agreements (LPAs), private placement memoranda (PPMs), subscription agreements, and management company structures.
  • Buyouts and Strategic Investments
    • Representing private equity firms and strategic buyers in leveraged buyouts (LBOs), control acquisitions, growth capital investments, and minority equity deals across industries.
  • Portfolio Company Transactions
    • Counseling portfolio companies on add-on acquisitions, joint ventures, commercial contracts, corporate governance, and day-to-day operational legal needs.
  • Management and Equity Incentive Plans
    • Structuring equity rollover, incentive equity, phantom equity, and profits interest plans for management teams in sponsor-backed transactions.
  • Debt Finance and Capital Structuring
    • Supporting senior and mezzanine financings, unitranche facilities, bridge loans, and high-yield offerings. Negotiating credit agreements and intercreditor arrangements aligned with sponsor goals.
  • Regulatory and Compliance Advisory
    • Assisting with SEC compliance, Investment Advisers Act obligations, marketing rules, and fund-level disclosure requirements. Advising on ERISA, anti-money laundering (AML), and CFIUS issues in fund structuring and transactions.
  • Exit Planning and Execution
    • Guiding clients through strategic exits via IPO, secondary sales, sponsor-to-sponsor transactions, recapitalizations, and trade sales. Preparing portfolio companies for diligence and maximizing exit value.
  • Cross-Border and Industry-Focused Deals
    • Managing international transactions and sector-specific deals in healthcare, technology, manufacturing, financial services, and other key industries.

The following individuals practice in this area:

Alexandra Ong James Waite Mike W. Skarda
Alexandra Ong

Alexandra Ong

Associate Attorney

Ms. Ong is a graduate of the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. A native of Fort Worth, Texas, she earned her Bachelor of Business Administration in Management and a Certificate in International Business Studies from Texas A&M University, graduating magna cum laude. Since joining JWL International in 2023, Ms. Ong has worked on a broad range of complex domestic and international business matters. She brings experience in manufacturer–dealer representation, business transactions, international legal research, regulatory analysis, and dispute resolution. Her work reflects a strong commitment to delivering thoughtful, business-oriented legal solutions. Ms. Ong’s practice focuses on the following: She can be reached via telephone at (866) 582-2586 and via email at alo@jwlinternational.com.
James Waite

James Waite

Founder

James R. Waite, Esq. is a seasoned corporate and transactional attorney with over three decades of experience in the acquisition, sale, and leasing of businesses, equipment, and real estate. Throughout his career, Mr. Waite has held executive leadership roles—including General Counsel, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and Chief Operating Officer—across a diverse range of industries, from aviation to equipment leasing. He is the author of the American Rental Association’s definitive guide on rental contracts and has contributed extensively to national and international publications such as Equipment World, RER Magazine, International Rental News, Rental Magazine, ForConstructionPros, and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Mr. Waite is also a frequent speaker at industry association conferences, where he shares insights on legal and operational best practices. A veteran of the United States Air Force, Mr. Waite holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from the University of Texas at San Antonio, a Juris Doctor from St. Mary’s University School of Law, and a Master of Business Administration from Northwestern University. Mr. Waite’s practice focuses on the following: He can be reached via telephone at (866) 582-2586 and via email at jrw@jwlinternational.com.
Mike W. Skarda

Mike W. Skarda

Senior Attorney

Michael W. Skarda, Esq. is a Senior Attorney at JWL International with extensive experience advising corporations, investment funds, financial institutions, and private investment managers on complex corporate transactions, securities matters, and regulatory compliance. Over the course of his career, Mr. Skarda has represented clients in a wide range of transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, private investments, capital markets transactions, and the purchase and sale of sophisticated financial instruments. Prior to joining JWL International, Mr. Skarda served as General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer for major investment management organizations overseeing billions of dollars in assets under management, including a multi-billion dollar family investment office and its successor investment advisory firm. In these roles, he directed legal and compliance operations across multiple offices in the United States and internationally, advising investment professionals on transaction structuring, regulatory matters, portfolio securities analysis, and complex financing arrangements. Mr. Skarda began his legal career in private practice with leading national law firms, where he represented Fortune 500 companies, private equity funds, and their portfolio companies in domestic and international mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, and capital markets transactions. His experience includes advising on high-yield debt offerings, syndicated bank loans, private investments, and cross-border transactions involving the United Kingdom, Canada, France, and India. In addition to his legal practice, Mr. Skarda has served as an Adjunct Professor of Law at Texas Tech University School of Law, where he taught Securities Regulation. Mr. Skarda’s practice focuses on the following: Mr. Skarda earned his Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, from Texas Tech University School of Law, where he was a member of the Order of the Coif and served as Comment Editor of the Texas Tech Law Review. He also earned a Master of Business Administration from Texas Tech University Graduate School of Business and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Washington and Lee University. Mr. Skarda is admitted to practice law in Texas and New York and is also admitted in New Mexico and California. He can be reached via telephone at (866) 582-2586 and via email at mws@jwlinternational.com.

Meet With Us…

We negotiate, document, and provide follow-on legal services for equipment manufacturers, distributors, dealers, and lessors worldwide.

Over many years, our attorneys have successfully negotiated, documented, and closed a vast array of business transactions, including manufacturer-dealer relationships as well as business purchases, sales, leases, and financing transactions throughout North America and in over 20 countries.

To schedule a consultation with one of our experts, please complete form below.

"*" indicates required fields

Consent*