Lauren Barrett has experience primarily in transactions related to mergers and acquisitions, venture capital financings, and general capital markets. She provides strategic counsel to public and private companies on complex mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, strategic investments, SEC reporting and disclosure, and general corporate matters.
Before Lauren became an attorney, her family sold their company to a large entity and the experience influenced the type of lawyer she has since become. Her motivation to provide exemplary service to her clients stems from seeking balanced representation in transactions. Her clients know that she is in this with them and that she has achieving their best interest as her goal. Often, clients have worked incredibly hard to build their business and prepare for a major transaction. Lauren wants them to feel fully supported during this process and know that they have attentive legal representation who can relate on a personal level.
The combination of personal understanding and legal experience gives her a valuable combination of emotional and analytical skills. She understands the stress of running a successful business while trying to juggle what seems like an additional full-time job just to buy or sell a business. She also understands that the transaction does not end with a dollar amount and a closing date. Adequate protections need to be in place for both buyers and sellers. Having exposure to working in-house on the company side has given Lauren a well-rounded perspective.
Early in her career, Lauren was a legal associate at a large asset-management company where she negotiated and drafted umbrella agreements, ISDAs, CDEAs, nondisclosure agreements, and other documents necessary to execute capital markets and derivatives transactions. Lauren assisted in the preparation and review of pre-IPO documentation, questionnaires, and disclosures, and conducted material nonpublic information reviews.
Lauren holds a Master of Laws (LL.M) as well as a J.D. and has completed two international business and leadership certification programs in Spain and Sweden. She is part of a mentor program for first-year law students at her alma mater (University of Illinois-Chicago, John Marshall Law School), helping students prepare for the challenges of law school and preparing for life after graduation.