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Lawyer Profile

Image of Jonathan L. Awner

Jonathan L. Awner

Akerman LLP
  • Recognized Since:
    2005
  • Recognized in:
    Corporate Governance Law
    Corporate Law...
  • Law School:
    Boston University School of Law
  • Website:
    http://www.akerman.com
  • Firm's Phone Number:
    (305) 374.5600
  • Location:
    Three Brickell City Centre, Suite 1100
    98 Southeast Seventh Street
    Miami, FL 33131

Jonathan Awner serves as Co-Chair of Akerman’s Corporate Practice Group. Ranked by Best Lawyers in America, Chambers USA, and The Legal 500 as a preeminent corporate lawyer, Jonathan Awner advises clients in automotive retail, aviation, distribution, hospitality, logistics, manufacturing, services, technology, waste management and other industries. Described by a client quoted in Chambers USA as a “top-notch” lawyer who is “smart, hard-working and practical,” Jonathan focuses on middle-market domestic mergers and acquisitions, private equity investments, public and private securities transactions, and corporate governance matters.

Jonathan counsels in mergers, acquisitions, dispositions, spin-offs, recapitalizations, joint ventures, private equity investments, and other business transactions.  He has extensive experience representing strategic and financial buyers and investors, as well as corporate, individual and family sellers.

Jonathan also represents public companies in public offerings of equity and debt securities, and securities law compliance matters.  He has served as lead counsel to issuers in numerous underwritten offerings, including a $1.5 billion IPO. He also advises companies and investor groups in private placements of equity and debt securities, growth equity investments and joint ventures.

Jonathan is a trusted advisor to boards of directors, audit and special board committees, and senior executives of public companies on corporate governance issues, management succession, relations with institutional and activist investors, compensation practices for directors and officers, conflict of interest matters, and change-of-control transactions. His committee representations include leading investigations of alleged management misconduct, whistleblower complaints, stock option backdating, accounting irregularities, auditor resignations, violations of securities laws including insider trading, and responding to shareholder activists alleging poor operating performance or excessive compensation.

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Lawyer Bio

Jonathan Awner serves as Co-Chair of Akerman’s Corporate Practice Group. Ranked by Best Lawyers in America, Chambers USA, and The Legal 500 as a preeminent corporate lawyer, Jonathan Awner advises clients in automotive retail, aviation, distribution, hospitality, logistics, manufacturing, services, technology, waste management and other industries. Described by a client quoted in Chambers USA as a “top-notch” lawyer who is “smart, hard-working and practical,” Jonathan focuses on middle-market domestic mergers and acquisitions, private equity investments, public and private securities transactions, and corporate governance matters.

Jonathan counsels in mergers, acquisitions, dispositions, spin-offs, recapitalizations, joint ventures, private equity investments, and other business transactions.  He has extensive experience representing strategic and financial buyers and investors, as well as corporate, individual and family sellers.

Jonathan also represents public companies in public offerings of equity and debt securities, and securities law compliance matters.  He has served as lead counsel to issuers in numerous underwritten offerings, including a $1.5 billion IPO. He also advises companies and investor groups in private placements of equity and debt securities, growth equity investments and joint ventures.

Jonathan is a trusted advisor to boards of directors, audit and special board committees, and senior executives of public companies on corporate governance issues, management succession, relations with institutional and activist investors, compensation practices for directors and officers, conflict of interest matters, and change-of-control transactions. His committee representations include leading investigations of alleged management misconduct, whistleblower complaints, stock option backdating, accounting irregularities, auditor resignations, violations of securities laws including insider trading, and responding to shareholder activists alleging poor operating performance or excessive compensation.

Read more on firm website
  • Education
  • Bar Admissions
  • Affiliations
  • Award List
  • Additional Information
  • Lawyer of the Year Badge
  • Lawyer of the Year Badge
  • Lawyer of the Year Badge
  • Lawyer of the Year Badge
  • Lawyer of the Year Badge
  • Lawyer of the Year Badge
  • Lawyer of the Year Badge
  • Lawyer of the Year Badge
  • Lawyer of the Year Badge

Education:

  • Boston University School of Law , J.D., graduated 1985
  • Swarthmore College, B.A., graduated 1982

Bar Admissions:

  • Florida, The Florida Bar

Affiliations:

  • Greater Miami Jewish Federation - Board of Directors
  • Ransom Everglades School - Board of Trustees and Chair of Finance and Audit Committee
  • The Florida Bar - Business Law Section

Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers for:

  • Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law, Miami (2020)
  • International Mergers & Acquisitions, Miami (2019)
  • Securities / Capital Markets Law, Miami (2019)
  • Corporate Governance Law, Miami (2018)
  • Securities Regulation, Miami (2017)
  • Corporate Law, Miami (2016)
  • Securities / Capital Markets Law, Miami (2015)
  • Securities Regulation, Miami (2013)
  • Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Miami (2012)
 

Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America for work in:

  • Corporate Governance Law
  • Corporate Law
  • International Mergers & Acquisitions
  • Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law
  • Mergers and Acquisitions Law
  • Securities / Capital Markets Law
  • Securities Regulation
 

Awards:

  • Martindale-Hubbell, AV Rated
  • Daily Business Review 2009, Named "Top Dealmaker: Corporate"
  • South Florida Business Journal 2009, Key Partners Award Winner for Corporate Finance/Mergers & Acquisitions Law
  • Daily Business Review, 2014, Named "Top Dealmaker of the Year: Corporate Domestic"
  • Florida Trend's Legal Elite 2012, 2014, and 2015, Listed for Business Law
  • Super Lawyers Magazine 2006-2018, Listed in Florida for Business/Corporate, Securities & Corporate Finance, and Mergers & Acquisitions
  • South Florida Legal Guide Top Lawyers 2001-2018, Listed for Corporate and Business, Mergers & Acquisitions
  • Chambers USA 2003-2018, Ranked in top tier in Florida for Corporate/M&A & Private Equity
  • The Legal 500 2009-2018, Recommended for Mergers, Acquisitions & Buyouts: M&A National Middle Market

Additional Information:

Representative Experience
  • Ongoing representation of Trivest Partners, the oldest private equity firm in the Southeast, in connection with numerous M&A and finance matters for more than 15 years. Recent acquisitions include NovaTech, Oil Changer, Big Truck Rental, Power Home Solar, and LubeZone. Recent sales include AM Conservation Group Inc. to Kohlberg & Company; North Star Seafood to Sysco Corporation; Take 5 Oil Change to Driven Brands, a Roark Capital Group portfolio company; National Carwash Solutions to AEA Investors, Onepath Systems to MSouth Equity Partners, and Pelican Water Systems to Pentair.
  • Ongoing representation of AutoNation, Inc., America's largest automotive retailer, in connection with securities matters and its acquisitions and dispositions of car dealerships since 1996, including over 40 recent transactions involving Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Chrysler, Audi, Porsche, Jaguar, Land Rover, Honda, Hyundai, Ford, Nissan and other stores in markets nationwide.
  • Ongoing representation of HEICO Corporation in connection with its securities matters and acquisitions for more than 15 years, including its acquisitions of AeroAntenna, Robertson Fuel Systems, and Reinhold Industries.
  • Ongoing representation of XPO Logistics, Inc., one of the largest and fastest growing providers of transportation and logistics services, in connection with securities and financing matters, and acquisitions of heavy goods, last-mile logistics providers in North America.
  • Represented China-based Shandong Heavy Industry Group-Weichai Group in connection with its €374 million acquisition of a controlling interest in Ferretti Group of Italy, owner of Miami-based Bertram Yachts.
  • Represented Republic Services, Inc. in connection with its industry-transforming $12.9 billion merger with Allied Waste Industries, Inc. in 2008.
  • Represented billionaire H. Wayne Huizenga in connection with his investments in Republic Waste Industries, Inc. in 1995; the Miami Dolphins, Florida Marlins, and Florida Panthers in the 1990's; and Blockbuster Entertainment Corporation in 1987, in addition to hundreds of additional transactions for Mr. Huizenga and companies under his control.
Published Work and Lectures
  • Bloomberg BNA Corporate Practice Series, Co-Author, "The Florida Corporation: Legal Aspects of Organization and Operation," 2013
  • KPMG Audit Committee Institute, Panelist for South Florida Audit Committee Roundtable Series
  • KPMG and NYSE Euronext, Panelist, "IPO/Capital Markets Bootcamp," April 2013
  • Grant Thornton LLP Forum, Speaker, "Audit Committee Duties for the Private Company," June 2012
  • Northern Trust Bank, Speaker, "Preparing for the Sale of Your Closely-Held Company," March 2012
  • Regulation, Volume 34, No. 2, Co-Author, "Will There Be Whistleblowers?" Summer 2011
  • Akerman SEC Regulations Seminars, Speaker, January 2011, January 2009, January 2007, April 2003, November 2002, September 2000
  • American Conference Institute's Forum on Executive Compensation, Speaker, "Negotiating Compensation Packages with Private Companies," May 2007
  • Daily Business Review, Co-Author, "Sarbanes-Oxley can benefit small firms," August 30, 2005
  • National Investor Relations Institute 2005 Annual Conference, Panelist, "What Part of Guidance Don't You Understand?," June 2005
  • KPMG General Counsel Forum, Speaker, "Standards of Professional Conduct for Attorneys under Sarbanes-Oxley," June 2003
  • PricewaterhouseCoopers, Speaker, "Overview of Sarbanes-Oxley Act," November 2002
  • Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Panelist, "Audit Committees After Sarbanes-Oxley Act," November 2002
  • Corporation Accountability After Sarbanes-Oxley, Moderator, September 2002

 


 

Lawyer Client Comments

Firm Details

Image for Akerman LLP View Firm Profile
Akerman LLP
http://www.akerman.com
 
23 Office Locations
in 1 Country

United States

United States

California

California

Los Angeles, CA

601 West Fifth Street, Suite 300

Los Angeles, CA 90071

United States

(213) 688.9500

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Colorado

Colorado

Denver, CO

1900 Sixteenth Street, Suite 1700

Denver, CO 80202

United States

(303) 260.7712

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District of Columbia

District of Columbia

Washington, DC

750 Ninth Street, NW, Suite 750

Washington, DC 20001

United States

(202) 393.6222

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Florida

Florida

Boca Raton, FL

1875 Northwest Corporate Boulevard, Suite 275

Boca Raton, FL 33431

United States

(561) 862.4000

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Fort Lauderdale, FL

350 East Las Olas Boulevard, Suite 1600

Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301

United States

(954) 463.2700

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Jacksonville, FL

50 North Laura Street, Suite 3100

Jacksonville, FL 32202

United States

(904) 798.3700

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Miami, FL

Three Brickell City Centre, Suite 1100

98 Southeast Seventh Street

Miami, FL 33131

United States

(305) 374.5600

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Naples, FL

9128 Strada Place, Suite 10205

Naples, FL 34108

United States

(239) 449.5600

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Orlando, FL

420 South Orange Avenue, Suite 1200

Orlando, FL 32801

United States

(407) 423.4000

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Tallahassee, FL

106 East College Avenue, 12th Floor

Tallahassee, FL 32301

United States

(850) 224.9634

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Tampa, FL

401 East Jackson Street, Suite 1700

Tampa, FL 33602

United States

(813) 223.7333

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West Palm Beach, FL

West Tower, Suite 1100

777 South Flager Drive

West Palm Beach, FL 33401

United States

(561) 653.5000

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Georgia

Georgia

Atlanta, GA

999 Peachtree Street, N.E., Suite 540

Atlanta, GA 30309

United States

(404) 733.9800

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Illinois

Illinois

Chicago, IL

71 South Wacker Drive, 47th Floor

Chicago, IL 60606

United States

(312) 634.5700

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Louisiana

Louisiana

New Orleans, LA

909 Poydras Street, Suite 2000

New Orleans, LA 70112

United States

(504) 586.1241

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Nevada

Nevada

Las Vegas, NV

1635 Village Center Circle, Suite 200

Las Vegas, NV 89134

United States

(702) 634.5000

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New York

New York

New York, NY

666 Fifth Avenue, 20th Floor

New York, NY 10103

United States

(212) 880.3800

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Texas

Texas

Austin, TX

500 West Second Street, Suite 1900

Austin, TX 78701

United States

(737) 999.7100

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Dallas, TX

2001 Ross Avenue, Suite 3600

Dallas, TX 75201

United States

(214) 720.4300

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Houston, TX

1300 Post Oak Boulevard, Suite 2500

Houston, TX 77056

United States

(713) 623.0887

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San Antonio, TX

112 East Pecan Street, Suite 2750

San Antonio, TX 78205

United States

(210) 582.0220

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Utah

Utah

Salt Lake City, UT

170 South Main Street, Suite 725

Salt Lake City, UT 84101

United States

(801) 907.6900

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Wisconsin

Wisconsin

Madison, WI

One South Pinckney Street, Suite 700

Madison, WI 53703

United States

(608) 257.5335

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