Stephen R. LaSala

Mr. LaSala is a partner in the Corporate Practice Group in the firm's Del Mar Heights office and is the former chair of the firm's Mergers & Acquisitions team.

Areas of Practice

Mr. LaSala specializes in general corporate law, securities and corporate finance, with an emphasis on mergers and acquisitions and capital raising transactions. His practice includes venture capital and private equity financings, mergers and acquisition transactions, corporate governance, equity and executive compensation, general business transactions and matters relating to the formation and structure of business entities. He represents both small and large companies ranging from start-ups to well established public companies in a variety of industries including life sciences, health care, software, clean technology, consumer goods, construction, aerospace and defense, media and e-commerce. He also represents institutional and individual investors in connection with public and private company investments.

Education

• J.D., Fordham University, 1997
• B.A., Boston College, 1994

Admissions

• California
• New York

Professional Experience

• Public and private mergers, acquisitions and divestitures representing buyers, sellers, investment advisors and special committees
• Numerous private equity financings representing operating companies and institutional investors
• Advice to senior executives of public and private companies regarding employment compensation matters
• Advice and negotiation of joint venture(s), strategic alliances licensing and other commercial business transactions

Representative Transactions

• Represented Universal Building Maintenance, a division of Universal Services America, in its acquisition of substantially all of the assets of Service Link Commercial.
• Represented Vericare Management, Inc. in its acquisition of Symed, LLC and related entities.
• Represented Kelcourt Plastics in its sale to PPC Industries.
• Represented Consolidated Precision Products Corp. in its acquisition of Magparts.
• Represented PlantSense, Inc. in a venture debt transaction with Western Technology Investment.
• Represented Evolution Fresh in the sale of its preferred stock to Fireman Capital Partners.
• Represented Advanced Sleep Medicine Services, Inc. in its sale to a subsidiary of High Road Capital Partners.
• Represented Universal Protection Service, a division of Universal Services of America, in its acquisition of Shield Security, Inc. and Bower Security, Inc.
• Represented PlantSense, Inc. in a Series A-1 venture round led by Gabriel Venture Partners.
• Represented Universal Protection Service, a division of Universal Services of America, in its acquisition of D.N. Security Services, Inc.
• Represented Venbrook Group, LLC in the sale of a minority interest to an affiliate of Creo Capital Partners.
• Represented Vericare Management, Inc. in its collaboration with Rossi Psychological Group.
• Represented Lenovo Group Limited in its acquisition of Switchbox Labs.
• Represented Etilize, Inc., a provider of high quality eCommerce-ready data, in its sale of a majority interest to Encodex International GmbH, a wholly owned subsidiary of GfK AG.
• Represented Pacific Corporate Group in its acquisition of membership interests in CMS Investment Holdings, LLC.
• Represented PlantSense, Inc. in a Series A venture round led by Gabriel Venture Partners.
•  Represented Alcatel Lucent (NYSE:  ALU) and its subsidiary, Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories, in the acquisition by Genesys of the equity interests of Informiam, LLC.
• Represented Transpac Imports in its sale to an affiliate of Linsalata Capital Partners.
• Represented ImpediMed Limited, a company listed on the Australian Stock Exchange, in its acquisition of Xitron Technologies, Inc.
• Represented California Wholesale Material Supply, Inc. (CalPly) in its sale to L&W Supply, the distribution subsidiary of USG Corporation.
• Represented Longs Drug Stores (NYSE:  LDG) in the sale of stores located in California and Colorado to Walgreen Co.
• Represented Ultra Pro LP in the sale of its assets to an affiliate of Marlin Equity Partners, LLC.
• Represented Vantage Media in its equity recapitalization with Montgomery & Co., Scale Venture Partners, Tudor Ventures and Integral Capital Partners
• Represented Smith-Cooper International, Inc. in its equity recapitalization with ZS Fund L.P.
• Represented Overland Storage, Inc. (NasdaqGS:  OVRL) in its acquisition of Zetta Systems, Inc.
• Represented Vericare Management, Inc. in its Series B Preferred Stock venture financing
• Represented Digital Orchid, Inc. in its acquisition of Blue Tech, S.L.
• Represented Music Reports, Inc. in its sale to ABRY Group
• Represented Adir International, LLC (dba La Curacao) in the sale of a minority interest to an affiliate of Citigroup Venture Capital
• Represented Professional Appearances, Inc. dba AllHeart, in its sale to Friend Skoler & Co., Inc.
• Represented Omni Life Science, Inc. in its acquisition of Apex Surgical, LLC
• Represented MicroIslet, Inc. (Amex: MII) in connection with multiple private investment in public equity (PIPE) transactions
• Represented SpaceDev, Inc. in a PIPE transaction with Laurus Master Fund, Ltd.
• Represented Evergreen Energy Inc. (f/k/a KFx Inc.) (NYSE: EEE) in a $48 PIPE transaction
• Represented Axesstel, Inc. (Amex: AFT) in a secondary public offering
• Represented Sport Brands in its acquisition of Cloudveil Mountain Works, LLC
• Represented Verari Systems, Inc. in its Series B Preferred Stock venture financing
• Represented Verari Systems, Inc. in its acquisition of MPI Software Technology, Inc.
• Represented Loudeye Corp. in its acquisition of Overpeer, Inc.
• Represented Ledcor SD Holdings in its acquisition of R.G. Petty Construction
• Represented Miramedica, Inc. in its sale to Eastman Kodak Company
• Represented numerous life science, technology and e-commerce companies and venture capitalists in preferred stock financings

Memberships

• Board of Directors, San Diego Chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth
• Board of Directors, San Diego County Bar Foundation
• Mergers & Acquisitions Subcommittee, Business Law Section, American Bar Association
• Member, State Bar of California
• Member, San Diego County Bar Association

Articles

• Advising Clients in Mergers & Acquisitions:  Risk Management Techniques for Today's M&A Transactions, Aspatore Books from West (Thomson Reuters), 2011

Events

• Planning and Executing a Successful Sale of Your Company, November 18, 2010, Third Thursday Emerging Company Webinars