Overview

Francesco Salpietro is a corporate and transactional attorney in Holland & Knight's Philadelphia office, where he focuses his practice on mergers and acquisitions (M&A), search funds, private equity and general corporate advisory work.

Clients rely on Mr. Salpietro's knowledge and experience when it comes to M&A, asset sales, roll-up transactions, divestitures, capital raising, equity structuring and exit strategies. His diverse client base includes domestic and international search funds, private equity firms and their portfolio companies, founders and entrepreneurs, family offices, family-owned enterprises and other private and public companies.

Mr. Salpietro also has extensive experience representing search funds and search fund entrepreneurs. He has represented dozens of search funds – led by searchers from some of the top MBA programs in the country – in all phases of their search, including initial formation, acquisition, operation and exit.

Mr. Salpietro's industry experience is far-reaching and includes manufacturing, distribution, financial services, wealth management, life sciences, medical devices, waste management, residential and commercial services, software as a service (SaaS) offerings and event and project management.

In addition to his corporate work, Mr. Salpietro is an active member of the LGBTQ+ legal community, and his pro bono efforts focus on representing LGBTQ+ individuals in name changes and asylum proceedings.

Representative Experience

  • Represent dozens of search funds based in the United States, Mexico and Brazil in their initial capital raises and search-phase activities
  • Advise on the acquisitions of over 12 search-backed businesses, including the acquisition of a construction and traffic equipment rental company, a tree care services company, a landscape company and related add-on acquisitions, an events management company, a wealth advisory services company and its add-on acquisitions, a property management company, an eldercare management company, a cybersecurity monitoring company and an accounting services company, among others
  • Advise on divestitures and recapitalizations of search-backed businesses, including the sale of a utility management platform and recapitalizations of a radiation monitoring company and laboratory information systems company

  • Represented Madison River Capital in its $190 million recapitalization and $70 million investment in JDC Power Systems
  • Represented FDH Aero, a portfolio company of Audax Private Equity, in various add-on acquisitions, including BJG Electronics Group and Stealth Aerospace
  • Represented Alliance Ground International (AGI), which is jointly owned by Audax Management Company LLC and Greenbriar Equity Group, in its acquisition of Airport Termination Services
  • Represented Neste Corporation in its acquisitions of Mahoney Environmental and AgriTrading, as well as its minority investment in Alterra Energy
  • Represented Codorus Valley Bancorp Inc (NASDAQ: CVLY), the parent company of PeoplesBank, on its merger of equals with Orrstown Financial Services Inc. (NASDAQ: OFFR) and its wholly owned subsidiary, Orrstown Bank, in a "merger of equals" valued at approximately $207 million
  • Represented Malvern Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: MLVF), the parent company of Malvern Bank, in its strategic combination with First Bank, in a strategic combination valued at approximately $149.5 million
  • Represented a private-equity backed wealth management firm in its acquisition of more than seven investment advisory businesses
  • Represented a publicly traded financial services company in its acquisitions of various financial advisory cloud-based software and portfolio intelligence tools
  • Represented Teleflex Incorporated (NYSE: TFX) in the following transactions, among others:

    • The acquisition of Z-Medica LLC, an industry-leading manufacturer of hemostatic products, for an upfront cash payment of $500 million at closing, and up to $25 million upon the achievement of certain commercial milestones
    • The sale of a significant portion of its respiratory business to Medline Industries Inc. for $286 million
  • Represented a provider of commercial waste management and recycled materials based in the Southeastern United States in its sale to an international waste management company
  • Represented Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) in its partnership with Informa Markets for the management of the HIMSS Global Healthcare Conference & Exhibition

Credentials

Education
  • University of Pittsburgh School of Law, J.D., magna cum laude
  • University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance, B.M.A., Voice Performance, with highest honors
Bar Admissions/Licenses
  • Pennsylvania
Memberships
  • National LGBT Bar Association
  • Philadelphia Bar Association, LGBT Rights Committee
  • University of Pittsburgh Law Review, Lead Executive Editor
  • University of Michigan, Alumni Recruiter
  • University of Pittsburgh School of Law, Alumni Association
Honors & Awards
  • The Best Lawyers in America, Philadelphia Ones to Watch, Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law, 2025
  • Order of the Coif
  • Dean's Merit Scholarship, University of Pittsburgh School of Law, 2013-2016
  • Benjamin H. Teplitz Award, University of Pittsburgh School of Law, 2016
  • Faculty Award of Excellence in Legal Scholarship, University of Pittsburgh School of Law, 2016
  • Pro Bono Service Leadership Recognition Award, University of Pittsburgh School of Law, 2016
  • CALI Excellence for the Future Award, Contracts, Criminal Law, Torts, Evidence, Estates & Trusts, Federal Courts & Federal Litigation, E-Discovery Seminar, 2013-2016
  • International Association of LGBT Judges Writing Competition, First Place, 2016
  • School of Law Community Service Award, 2016
  • James B. Angell Scholar, University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance, 2009-2013