Extensive experience providing general counsel representation in a broad spectrum of business and transactional matters makes Howard a go-to ally for publicly traded and privately-held businesses.

Overview

Howard represents entrepreneurs, start-up ventures, closely held businesses, mid-market companies and national companies in a wide range of industries with respect to all facets of business, corporate, real estate and finance transactions (including mergers and acquisitions, joint venture and investment transactions and other business combinations, capital raising and securities law compliance). He also advises manufacturers and distributors in the nationwide distribution of products.

Howard often acts as outside general counsel for those businesses that do not have an internal legal department assisting those clients at all stages of their operations in general business and corporate matters from organization to dissolution, including corporate and business formation, structure and planning; business, shareholder and member control agreements; board and shareholder relations; contract strategy and negotiation; and ongoing day-to-day operational and corporate governance issues. Howard collaborates with his Stinson colleagues in other practice areas to ensure that the legal needs of each client are met.

Experience

Howard has extensive experience representing buyers and sellers in the review, drafting and negotiation of securities transactions as well as advising clients in all aspects of stock and asset acquisitions, strategic alliances, mergers, joint ventures, buyouts, spin-offs, reorganizations, recapitalizations, and other business combinations. Clients include private equity firms, strategic buyers and industry consolidators.

Private equity investors, entrepreneurs, privately owned businesses, early stage companies and startup ventures rely on him for private placement offerings, fundraising transactions and equity investments.

Howard has served as counsel to buyers and sellers of commercial and multi-family residential properties and undeveloped land.

He represents lenders and borrowers in the financing and/or refinancing of multi-family residential and commercial real estate projects as well as term loans, revolving credit facilities and other financing options for privately-held businesses.

As counsel to manufacturers and distributors, Howard has helped structure, form and organize nationwide dealer and distributor programs. He also reviews and drafts dealership, distribution, supply and reseller agreements and coordinates the termination of dealers and distributors. Howard provides ongoing counsel to several national manufacturing and distribution businesses in the management and operation of their distribution network and dual distribution business models.

Howard represented a private equity group in their serial M&A program with respect to veterinary hospitals involving debt and private equity capital.

Howard advises boards of directors and various executive committees on corporate governance matters.

Following a financial dispute, Howard structured a transaction for a real estate investor to resolve complex ownership issues in multiple partnerships securing sole ownership of each entity.

For more than 10 years, Howard served as a director of several Guggenheim Funds NYSE listed closed-end mutual funds, where he also served as a member of the audit committees and nominating and governance committees of those funds.

News & Insights

Professional & Civic Activities

Professional & Civic Activities

Clayton Chamber of Commerce

  • Board of Directors, 2008-2014
  • Legislative Committee, 2007-2015
  • Leadership Clayton

St. Louis Art Museum, Steering Committee, 2011–2013

The Missouri Bar

Illinois Bar Association

Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis

Racquet Club Ladue

  • Board of Directors, 2018-Present
  • Executive Committee, 2018-Present

Boone Center, Inc.

  • Board of Directors, 2018-Present

Admissions

  • Missouri, 1994
  • Illinois, 1995

Education

St. Louis University, J.D., cum laude, 1994

  • American Jurisprudence Award

Indiana University, B.A., 1991

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