Morley S. Fortier III
(He/Him/His)
Partner
Morley S. Fortier III
+1.312.715.5754
Overview
Morley S. Fortier III is a corporate attorney in Holland & Knight's Chicago office. Mr. Fortier focuses his practice on domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions (M&A), private equity transactions, equity financing matters, corporate governance issues, and general corporate law matters for private equity funds and independent sponsors, their portfolio companies, and other privately held businesses.
In addition, Mr. Fortier has extensive experience advising clients through all stages of a company's life cycle, including initial capital structure, fundraising, acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures and exit transactions. His experience covers a wide range of industries and deal sizes, and he routinely advises management teams and individual C-suite executives in equity-related matters.
Prior to joining Holland & Knight, Mr. Fortier was an attorney at a global law firm in its Chicago office.
While in law school, Mr. Fortier was lead articles editor for The John Marshall Law Review and a member of The John Marshall Law School Moot Court.
Representative Experience
- Represented Imperial Dade, a leading distributor of foodservice packaging and janitorial supplies, in the following acquisitions:
- San-A-Care Inc., a Wisconsin-based full-line distribution company for cleaning and janitorial supplies
- Economy Products & Solutions Inc., a New York-based wholesale distributor of janitorial supplies and equipment, packaging materials, printing and office paper, green seal products, safety products, food processing, and wide-format paper and printers
- California Janitorial Supply Corp., a California-based leading janitorial supplies distributor in Silicon Valley and the greater San Jose market
- Inland Supply Co., a Nevada-based market-leading distributor of janitorial supplies, food service products and facility maintenance supplies
- Excell Direct LLC, an Arizona-based premier distributor of foodservice and janitorial products
- City Maintenance Supply, a Florida-based premier distributor of janitorial and industrial products
- Regional Distributors Inc., a New York-based leading distributor and supplier of industrial supplies serving Rochester and upstate New York
- 3G Packaging, Inc., a New York-based industrial distributor serving clients in upstate New York from Rochester, Buffalo and Syracuse
- D. McMillen Enterprises Inc., an Illinois-based legacy provider of top-tier janitorial solutions, service and knowledge with coverage across Illinois
- Harbour Food Service Equipment, a Boston-based equipment and supply dealer serving independent restaurants, local chains and a variety of corporate, educational and government institutions for nearly 100 years
- JAD Building Maintenance Supplies, a New York-based leading janitorial and building maintenance supply business
- Brawner Paper Company Inc., a Texas-based leader in the paper and janitorial supply industry
- Allston Supply Company Inc., a Massachusetts-based market-leading provider of top-tier janitorial solutions, service and knowledge throughout New England
- Insight Distributing Inc., a Washington-based premier purveyor of janitorial and foodservice supplies and equipment to customers throughout Idaho and Washington
- Wedge Supply LLC, a Texas-based distributor of cleaning chemicals, janitorial supplies, floor maintenance equipment and foodservice items
- Dalchem Corp., an Ohio-based premier wholesale distributor of janitorial and foodservice machinery, equipment and supplies
- Prime Paper & Packaging, a California-based, family-owned premier distributor of foodservice, industrial and janitorial products throughout Southern California
- Supreme Paper Supplies, a Florida-based premier distributor of foodservice and janitorial products throughout the greater Pensacola market
- The Ohio & Michigan Paper Company, an Ohio-based premier distributor of industrial and janitorial products throughout the Midwest
- Apache Group, a Minnesota-based premier distributor of foodservice packaging products throughout the Midwest
- Atlantis Packaging, a California-based premier distributor of industrial products throughout Southern California and the United States
- Lovan Industries, a Texas-based family-owned leading distributor of industrial and janitorial supplies throughout Dallas
- Triple F Distributing, a Hawaii-based market-leading distributor of foodservice packaging supplies, janitorial supplies and sustainable packaging servicing each Hawaiian island
- Columbus Paper Company Inc., a Georgia-based leading distributor of industrial, foodservice and janitorial supplies throughout Georgia and Alabama
- Green Streets USA Inc., a New Hampshire-based leading distributor of foodservice, industrial and packaging supplies throughout New England and the Boston metro area
- Focus Packaging & Supply Co., a California-based distributor of industrial packaging and supplies
- Country Clean Paper Supplies, based in New Jersey
- Classic Solutions Inc., based in Ohio
- Dees Paper Co. Inc., based in Alabama
- International Sales & Marketing LLC (ISM), a Puerto Rico-based foodservice, disposable cleaning supplies and packaging company
- Palm Paper Supply, based in Florida
- North Alabama Chemical, based in Alabama
- The Russell Hall Co., a Connecticut-based leading supplier of paper goods and cleaning supplies
- Veritiv Canada, based in Ontario, Canada
- P&R Paper Supply, based in California
- Wagner Supply Co., based in Texas
- Area Distributors, based in California
- Philip Rosenau Co., based in Pennsylvania
- The Paper Co., based in California
- Strauss Paper Co. Inc., based in New York
- Mid Continent Paper & Distributing Co. Inc., based in Missouri
- Butler-Dearden Paper Service Inc., based in Massachusetts
- Edmar Cleaning Corp., based in New York
- Joshen Paper & Packaging of New Jersey, based in New Jersey
- American Osment, based in Alabama
- Gulf Coast Paper Co. Inc., based in Texas
- Sikes Paper & Chemical Supply Inc., based in Georgia
- JPC Enterprises d/b/a Jersey Paper Plus, based in New Jersey
- Represented Hub International Limited in its acquisition of the assets of ANCO Insurance Managers Inc.
- Represented Hub International in its acquisition of The O&S Insurance Brokerage Group Inc. and OSA Insurance Brokerage Services LLC
- Represented Hub International in its acquisition of Euclid Specialty Managers LLC
- Represented Hub International Midwest Limited (Hub) in its acquisition of the business of James L. Miniter Insurance Agency Inc.
- Represented Hub International in its acquisition of Alexander & Co., an employee benefits and investment brokerage and consultation firm whose clientele includes public school systems and local governments
- Represented Hub International Limited in its acquisition of the assets of Texas-based GBC Benefits Ltd. d/b/a Gus Bates Insurance & Investments
- Represented Hub International Limited in its acquisition of the assets of New York-based The B&G Group Inc.
- Represented Hub International Limited in its acquisition of the assets of Tennessee-based Harris, Madden, Powell, Stallings & Brown Inc.
- Represented Hub International Limited in its acquisition of Nebraska-based SilverStone Group
- Represented Hub International Limited in its acquisition of the assets of Pennsylvania-based Cosaint Insurance Partners LLC
- Represented Hub International Limited in its acquisition of Maryland-based The Insurance Exchange Inc.
- Represented Harrington Process Solutions, a leading distributor of fluid process products and solutions for industrial applications and a portfolio company of Bain Capital Private Equity, in its add-on acquisition of Fluid Gauge Company, a distributor of high-quality engineering and industrial products for fluid process and flow control
- Represented Harrington Process Solutions, a leading distributor of industrial products for corrosive and high-purity applications, in its announced acquisition of PumpMan, a leading provider of onsite maintenance, repair and replacement for all components in water and wastewater pumping systems
- Represented TREND Health Partners, a rapidly growing provider of healthcare credit balance management and payment accuracy solutions and a portfolio company of Lone View Capital, in its acquisition of Advent Health Partners Inc., a leading healthcare technology company dedicated to optimizing the clinical review process
- Represented Delta Southern Railroad Inc. in its sale to Patriot Rail Co. LLC
- Represented Golden Gate Capital in its sale of PetroChoice Lubrication Solutions for $479 million to Moove, a subsidiary of Brazilian-based Cosan S.A.
- Represented Revolos, a full-service finance and insurance solutions provider and portfolio company of Golden Gate Capital, in its sale to Protective Life Corp., a wholly owned U.S. subsidiary of Dai-Ichi Life Holdings Inc.
- Represented Specialty Program Group in its acquisition of Tennessee-based Avant LLC
- Represented Clover Wireless, a global leader in aftermarket life-cycle management services for mobile, computing and other consumer electronics devices, in its acquisition of Teleplan, a global electronics supply chain services and solutions provider
- Represented LiveVox Inc. in its acquisition of substantially all of the assets of Teckst Inc., a New York-based software company, and its acquisition of SpeechIQ LLC, an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven speech analytics and quality assurance platform
- Represented a private equity fund in the sale of a gasket manufacturing business to a public company
- Represented a leader in the wireless, internet and satellite communication industry in its sale to a global communications company
- Represented a publicly traded marketer and distributor of brand name over-the-counter healthcare and household cleaning products in its acquisition of certain brand name over-the-counter healthcare products from a private equity firm
- Represented a private equity fund in the acquisition of a leading online retailer of men's apparel
- Represented multiple subsidiaries (domestic and foreign) of a New York Stock Exchange (NYSE)-listed company in the sale of its European vendor finance business to a former public company
- Represented a private equity fund in two proposed acquisitions of the gambling and gaming operations of two privately owned companies
- Represented a NYSE-listed company in the proposed acquisition of the business of a leading privately owned equipment leasing company
- Represented a private equity fund in the formation of a new platform and the simultaneous acquisition of the assets of one company and the stock of another, both in the steel tube exhaust industry, with a total deal value in excess of $60 million
- Represented a privately owned client in the acquisition of the assets of a modeling education franchise
- Represented a privately owned client in the environmental solutions industry in the acquisition of the equity of a used print cartridge and mobile phone reseller
- Represented a privately owned client in the environmental solutions industry in the acquisition of the assets of an electronics trade-in and recycling solutions company
- Represented a privately owned client in the thermoplastic and thermoset resins industry in the acquisition of the assets of a thermoplastics company
- Represented a privately owned client (private equity portfolio company) in the audio/visual solutions industry in its auction sale to a financial buyer
- Represented a NYSE-listed company in a Bankruptcy Code Section 363 transaction involving the purchase of assets of a privately owned company in the cat litter and cat products industry
- Represented a secured lender in an assignment for the benefit of creditors transaction
- Represented a privately owned client (private equity portfolio company) in the industrial coatings industry in its sale to a strategic buyer
- Represented a family-owned investment fund in various equity investments in the oil and gas industry
- Represented a privately owned client (private equity portfolio company) in the education marketing industry in its auction sale to a financial buyer
- Represented a privately owned client (private equity portfolio company) in the building products industry in its sale to a strategic buyer
- Represented a subsidiary of a NYSE-listed company in two transactions (one asset and one stock) in the water solutions field of the oil and gas industry
- Represented a privately owned client in the sale and transfer of equity in an oil-and-gas exploration company
- Represented a private equity fund in connection with a senior secured credit facility and a subordinated secured credit facility for the funding of a new platform in the pet products industry
- Represented a privately owned client (private equity portfolio company) in the pet products industry in connection with an amendment to its senior secured and subordinated secured credit facilities to provide for an increase in the amount borrowed under the senior credit facility and the consent of the senior and subordinated agents and lenders to a new strategic acquisition
- Represented a private equity fund in connection with an amendment to an existing credit facility
- Represented a privately owned client (private equity portfolio company) in the thermoplastic and thermoset resins industry in connection with the refinancing and consolidation of its first-, second- and third-lien credit facilities into a senior secured and subordinated secured credit facility
- Represented a private equity fund in connection with a senior secured credit facility for the funding of a new platform in the steel tube exhaust industry
- Represented an institutional lender in a series of three loan transactions to assisted care and senior living facilities
- Represented a New York Stock Exchange (NYSE)-listed company in an internal reorganization and the negotiation of guarantees for rail-car leases
- Represented a publicly traded company in a secondary offering of common stock and the exercise of a subsequent over-allotment option
- Advised a developer of e-discovery software in connection a minority equity investment in the company
- Represented different management teams in equity and employment matters as part of a sale transaction
- Represented a privately owned client (private equity portfolio company) in the audio/visual solutions industry in an internal reorganization
- Represented a former CEO of a Nasdaq-listed company in various initial public offering (IPO), investment and personal stock ownership-related matters
- Represented a privately owned, family business in connection with shareholder requests for information, other shareholder-related issues under the Illinois Business Corporation Act and the negotiation of supply and co-packing agreements
Credentials
Education
- University of Illinois Chicago School of Law, J.D., summa cum laude
- University of Notre Dame, B.A.
- University of Notre Dame, B.B.A.
Bar Admissions/Licenses
- Illinois
Court Admissions
- All State Courts in Illinois
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
Honors & Awards
- Stand-out Lawyer, Thomson Reuters, 2024
- Rising Star, Illinois Super Lawyers magazine, Mergers & Acquisitions, 2015-2018
- Semifinalist, Fred F. Herzog Moot Court Competition, 2007
- Fred F. Herzog Scholar, University of Illinois Chicago School of Law
- CALI Excellence for the Future Award, Federal Courts, University of Illinois Chicago School of Law, 2008
- CALI Excellence for the Future Award, Contracts, University of Illinois Chicago School of Law, 2006
- CALI Excellence for the Future Award, Civil Procedure, University of Illinois Chicago School of Law, 2006
- CALI Excellence for the Future Award, Corporations, University of Illinois Chicago School of Law, 2006
- The Order of John Marshall