Profile
From our capabilities and resources, to our flexibility and responsiveness, I believe Taylor English represents what a law firm would be if it were built by clients.
J. Matthew Flower is a deal lawyer whose practice focuses on negotiating complex business transactions. Mr. Flower’s clients include colleges and universities, restaurants, hotels, resort and other real estate developers, venture capital investors, private equity funds, film producers and production studios, and a variety of other large and small businesses and business owners.
Mr. Flower assists clients with buying, selling and financing businesses. In this regard, he regularly represents clients on matters such as M & A transactions, private and security offerings, venture capital and private equity investments, debt and equity restructurings, issuances of debt and equity securities, commercial loans, asset-backed credit facilities, hypothecation loans, acquisition and construction loans, term securitizations, warehouse lines of credit and whole loan sale transactions.
In addition, Mr. Flower assists clients with drafting, reviewing and negotiating commercial contracts. He has extensive experience in negotiating services and consulting agreements, event space and film studio rental agreements, equipment lease agreements, nondisclosure and confidentiality agreements and license agreements. He has extensive experience drafting and negotiating contracts used by colleges and universities, restaurants, real estate developers and vacation clubs, marketing companies, and clients in the retail and entertainment industries.
Mr. Flower also advises clients with respect to marketing and promotional matters. He regularly counsels clients in connection with corporate sweepstakes and promotions, including advising such clients with respect to applicable laws and drafting official rules for such sweepstakes and promotions.
Memberships
State Bar of Georgia, Business Law Section, Real Property Law Section, Consumer Law Section, School and College Law Section
National Association of College and University Attorneys (NACUA)
American Resort Development Association
American Bar Association, Business Law Section, Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law
Community Involvement
Working Group Member, Inaugural Deal Points Study on Carve Out Transactions Published by the ABA's M&A Market Trends Subcommittee
Practice Highlights
Experience
Represented a receivables management and purchasing firm in connection with all senior and subordinated financings/credit facilities with combined transaction values in excess of $50 million. An example of a recent representation for this client includes a recapitalization transaction in which we served as lead counsel in all aspects of structuring, negotiating and documenting a senior and mezzanine debt refinance and a concurrent third party equity ...
Served as lead counsel to a national developer (and certain subsidiaries) in connection with the structuring, negotiation and documentation of a private offering of $75 million senior secured notes. The note issuance was a highly significant event in the life of this client providing a part of the financing ultimately necessary for a subsequent merger transaction resulting in this client’s becoming a private company.
Represented a privately-held specialty contracting company in connection with its acquisition by a private equity firm for a total purchase price of more than $50 million.
Extensive experience representing clients in negotiating various types of commercial contracts. Recent transactions include agreements with multiple public relations agencies, rental agreements for event spaces, collection agency agreements.
Extensive experience creating agreements tailored to the needs of higher education clients, including course development agreements, symposium agreements, guest speaker agreements, services agreements and agreements related to student financial obligations.
Representing large non-profit university with respect to domestic and international tax planning, compliance and controversy matters.
Representation of a full service steel center in connection with a steel business plant acquisition and approximately $3 million working line of credit.
Representation of a master distributor of weld fittings, flanges and forged steel in a $23 million ABL credit facility.
Represents two of the largest franchisees (with more than 100 combined locations) of a major national quick serve restaurant company in connection with the financing of the transfer of franchise ownership to new owners.
Represented VueLogic, LLC in sale of the company to strategic purchaser.
Advised Reliance Financial Corporation on its acquisition by merger by Fidelity Information Services (NYSE: FIS). The transaction, which had an aggregate purchase price of $110 million, brought together the world’s largest provider of banking and payments technology and one of the largest independent trust companies in the United States. Assisted with the negotiation and preparation of the Agreement and Plan of Merger and the ancillary documents needed to ...
Newsroom
Speaking Engagements
- May 2019
- Contract Management Effects on the In-house Counsel, 2019 ACC Value ChallengeApril 30, 2019
Publications
- November 14, 2014
- July 2, 2014
- October 14, 2013
News Releases
Services
Education
University of Florida Levin College of Law, JD, with honors, 2008
- Florida Law Review, Member
University of Florida, BA, with honors, 2005
Bar Admissions
Georgia
Accolades
Georgia Super Lawyers, Rising Stars, 2018