News Article

ATLANTA—The year 2009 was a difficult one economically for Atlanta and the U.S. as a whole. But as the new year begins, there are signs of optimism that the city’s economy is taking a turn for the positive.

Case in point: A Womble Carlyle team led by attorney John F. “Sandy” Smith just closed several deals in December, including a major deal for Navigation Capital Partners. The private equity firm has acquired an audio-visual sales and design company for an undisclosed price. The complex transaction was financed through both senior and mezzanine loan facilities, further evidence of less restrictive borrowing markets. The acquisition had a follow-on financing with Peachtree Equity Partners as well.

“This was a complex deal, but all parties were cooperative and committed to making it happen,” Smith said. “Navigation Capital believes this is a smart, strategic acquisition and I am glad Womble Carlyle could help facilitate this deal.”

Womble Carlyle utilized a cross-practice team to close the deal, capitalizing on the firm’s experience in mezzanine and senior debt facilities financings in M&A transactions. In addition to Smith, Atlanta attorneys Lou Barbieri, Lisa Thieler, Laura Seidel, Emily Costarides and Leandre Anthony worked on the deal, as did Jane Jeffries Jones, an attorney in Womble Carlyle’s Charlotte office and Jeff Lawyer, an attorney in Womble Carlyle’s Winston-Salem office.

Navigation Capital Partners (NCP) is an Atlanta-based private equity firm that makes growth and buyout investments in middle market niche manufacturing, distribution and business services. The managers of NCP formerly founded and managed Mellon Ventures, the private equity investment partnership of Mellon Financial Corporation. With the backing of Goldman Sachs Vintage Funds, NCP acquired the private equity portfolio of Mellon Ventures in December 2006. NCP currently manages approximately $375 million of invested and committed capital.

Womble Carlyle - Innovators at Law

Womble Carlyle is a full-service business law firm with a focus on innovative solutions to client needs. The firm supports the Association of Corporate Counsel in the ACC Value Challenge, which seeks to better align legal services with the needs of corporate clients.

The firm is located in the Southeast and mid-Atlantic regions, and serves clients nationally and globally, with more than 500 attorneys in eleven offices: Atlanta, GA; Greenville, SC; Charlotte, Greensboro, Raleigh, Research Triangle Park, and Winston-Salem, NC; Washington, DC; Tysons Corner, VA; Baltimore, MD; and Wilmington, DE. American Lawyer magazine lists Womble Carlyle as one of its 100 leading firms in the country.

In the community, the firm is the first law firm to receive the Thurgood Marshall College Fund Corporate Leadership Award as well as the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Freedom Award.