The POWER 30: Steven J. Ryan

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There are lawyers who implement mergers for other companies, and then there are law firms that are objects of mergers. We’ve seen a lot of that in the last several years.

Taft Stettinius & Hollister, for one. It merged with Briggs and Morgan three years ago, and recently completed another merger with Jaffe Raitt Heuer & Weiss, now in Detroit.

“We’re very fortunate to be combining with Jaffe firm, said Steven Ryan,  “It is a realization of the goal at Briggs  which was to get a deep market in Midwest. It vastly expands our capacity to staff deals effectively.”

Taft itself is an amalgamation of law firms that were similar to Briggs, and their cultures merge, Ryan said. “We all grew up practicing in Midwestern ways, have a Midwestern sensibility and no coastal presence.” The clients want that, along with talent and Midwestern pricing.

The record thus shows Taft’s and Briggs’ merger is exemplary, Ryan said. “In most mergers, the single market contracts significantly. Taft Minneapolis has grown significantly. We have the best caliber talent I’ve ever seen, including  laterals with significant books of business,” he said.

Ryan regularly represents mezzanine funds and other junior capital providers in connection with their debt and equity investment. During the past two decades, he has represented fund clients on dozens of subordinated debt and equity investments, ranging from $2 million to in excess of $100 million.

Oh, and one other thing: He represented the  Minnesota Vikings in connection with the financing, development and operation of U.S. Bank Stadium, a $1.1 billion, 66,000-seat multi-use facility in downtown Minneapolis, and he and served as counsel to the Minnesota Twins in the issuance of an aggregate $210 million in project revenue bonds used to finance the development and construction of Target Field.