Clients engage Derek to provide creative and practical advice to help navigate their legal needs while simultaneously advancing their business objectives.
Overview
Derek represents publicly-traded and privately-held companies, as well as private equity funds, venture capital funds and family offices, across a wide range of industries including consumer products, real estate investments, technology, media & entertainment, financial services, waste management and biotechnology. He advises clients on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, emerging company investments, capital markets transactions and general corporate governance matters.
In Nebraska, Stinson LLP is doing business as Stinson Leonard Street LLP.
Experience
Mergers, Acquisitions and Joint Ventures:
Archer-Daniels-Midland Company (NYSE: ADM) in connection with its GrainBridge joint venture with Cargill, Incorporated
A public waste management and environmental services corporation in connection with its $182 million acquisition of a solid waste and recycling services company
A Midwest-based private company in multiple real estate joint ventures
A private television and radio broadcasting corporation in various acquisitions, including an $88 million purchase of eight Florida radio stations and a $45 million acquisition of two radio stations in the Midwest
A private industrial manufacturer of glass, automotive and building products in its $58 million sale of a distributor of specialty building products and related real estate assets
A public company’s healthcare staffing subsidiary in its acquisition of a therapist staffing company
A multi-location ophthalmology and optometry practice in its asset sale to a private equity firm
A private equity firm in its acquisitions of multiple landscaping, lawncare and snow removal companies
Venture Capital:
A venture capital group in its seed investment in a science-based intelligence training company
A family office in its pre-IPO investment in a cookware manufacturer
A Midwest-based VC firm in its:
- Series B and Series C investments in a foreign software and autonomous drone company
- Series D investment in a domestic software company
- Series A and Series B investments in a domestic SaaS data security company
- Series D investment in a domestic drone manufacturing entity
- Series A investment in a foreign biotechnology company
- Series B investment in a domestic pharmaceutical discovery and development entity
- Series Seed and Series A investments in a foreign computational storage development company
A Midwest-based family office in its:
- Series D investment in a health and life sciences company
- Series E investment in an autonomous drone manufacturer
- Various film, media and publishing investments
Capital Markets:
CrossFirst Bankshares, Inc. (NASDAQ: CFB) in its $114 million initial public offering of common stock
A large private company in its Rule 144A offering of $500 million of senior notes, its simultaneous $400 million tender offer, and its subsequent $100 million add-on
A large private company in its placement of $800 million of preferred shares, and its simultaneous $435 million redemption of shares
Midland Loan Services, a division of PNC Bank, National Association, in connection with over $16 billion of transactions involving new issuances of commercial mortgage-backed securities
News & Insights
Speaking Engagements
"Environmental, Social & Governance Update," Directors’ Institute and 2023 Proxy Season Workshop, Webinar, November 2022
"Audit Committee Update," Directors’ Institute and 2022 Proxy Season Workshop, Webinar, January 2022
"Shareholder Proposal Update, " Directors’ Institute and 2021 Proxy Season Workshop, Webinar, November 2020
"Mergers and Acquisitions Update," Business Law Update, Omaha, NE, October 2019
"Crowdfunding: Is It For You?" Weibling Entrepreneurship Clinic Outreach Presentation, Omaha Startup Collaborative, Omaha, NE, April 2017
Professional & Civic Activities
Professional & Civic Activities
Go Beyond Nebraska, Board Member
Nebraska State Bar Association
Omaha Bar Association
Practices & Industries
Admissions
- Nebraska
- Missouri
Education
University of Nebraska College of Law, J.D., with distinction
- Moot Court Board Member
University of Nebraska College of Business Administration, M.B.A.
- Academic Analytics Graduate Assistant
University of Nebraska at Lincoln, B.A.
- Law and Policy Research Assistant
