Mr. Williams advises clients on a variety of transactional and general corporate matters, including advising private equity sponsors (including various portfolio companies), family offices, closely-held companies, senior management, independent sponsors, private companies and public companies.

Mergers and Acquisitions

Mr. Williams regularly advises a variety of clients across multiple industries in the structuring and negotiation of mergers, stock acquisitions, asset acquisitions (in each case representing both buyers and sellers in domestic and cross-border transactions), auctions, carve-outs, divestitures, bolt-on acquisitions, tuck-in acquisitions, 363 transactions, restructurings, leveraged and management buyouts, recapitalizations, venture capital transactions, private equity fund formations, joint ventures (including real estate, aviation and rail asset joint ventures), co-investments and minority investments.

Fund Formation

Mr. Williams advises clients on all aspects of private fund formation, including structuring, marketing and side letter negotiations, and top-level structuring of investment advisers and general partners, including governing documents, employment matters and restrictive covenants, incentive awards and ongoing compliance.  He has launched private funds that invest in a variety of asset classes, from traditional investment securities to real estate. Mr. Williams also routinely represents investors and limited partners, including large family offices and institutional clients, in structuring, making and monitoring their investments in private investment vehicles.

General Corporate

Mr. Williams serves as the outside general counsel to various middle-market and closely held companies. He counsels corporations, limited liability companies and partnerships on formation and governance issues, business and corporate laws, securities rules and regulations, employee contracts and compensation arrangements and bankruptcy matters, in addition to negotiating commercial, vendor and customer contracts for clients including licensing agreements, distribution agreements and supply, manufacturing and development agreements.

Healthcare

Mr. Williams regularly advises physicians, medical practices, multispecialty practices, dental practices and other healthcare business lines, as well as private equity firms and Management Services Organizations in healthcare transactions and on contractual matters. 

Corporate Finance

Mr. Williams advises clients on venture capital financings, public and private debt and equity offerings (including Rule 144A and Regulation S offerings) and structured financings.

Since 2019, The Legal 500 United States guide has recommended Mr. Williams as a Rising Star in the United States: M&A/corporate and commercial category. In 2023, The Legal 500 recognized him as a Leading Lawyer in the M&A Middle Market (Corporate and Commercial (Sub-$500M)) category.

Firm Activities

Mr. Williams currently serves on the firm’s Hiring Committee and as the Chair of the firm’s Summer Associate Program.

After receiving his undergraduate degree, Mr. Williams served as a management consultant for Deloitte Consulting LLP, where he led teams that worked with a variety of Fortune 500 and other clients in consumer packaged goods, manufacturing, health care (health care providers and health plans), government and other industries. 

Prior to entering private practice, he worked in private equity in the investments business unit of Capri Capital Partners, LLC. Prior to joining Vedder Price, Mr. Williams was an associate at an Am Law 100 firm in Chicago. He is also a past member of the Auxiliary Board of the John G. Shedd Aquarium.

In 2024, Mr. Williams was recognized by Legal 500 USA as a Leading Lawyer in the M&A: Middle Market (sub-$500m) category.