Richard A. Bruner Jr.

Overview

Richard Bruner is a Shareholder in the firm’s Business Transaction Group where his practice focuses on a variety of corporate, securities and transactional matters. His principal focus is on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and partnerships, private placements of securities, corporate financing transactions, including angel, venture capital and private equity investments and commercial lending transactions, intellectual property matters, and equity-based compensation arrangements. He also engages in general business matters, including drafting and negotiating commercial agreements. Richard frequently represents businesses, private funds, investors, startups, entrepreneurs, high net worth individuals and registered investment advisers.  In representing clients, Richard is involved in all aspects of negotiating and documenting transactions, including conducting due diligence and managing the overall transaction from term sheet to closing.

Passionate about technology and entrepreneurship, Richard devotes his professional time outside of the office to being involved in the Tampa Bay area’s startup and investing community, including the Florida Venture Forum, the Association of Corporate Growth and the Tampa Bay Wave.

Representative Matters

Mergers & Acquisitions

• Represented a legal support firm with an enterprise value of $90 million in connection with a sale to a middle-market private equity firm.
• Represented technology services firm in its sale to a public company for a purchase price in excess of $100 million, including preparation of Hart-Scott-Rodino Act filing.
• Represented an avionics company with an enterprise value of $50 million in connection with the sale of a controlling interest in the company to the General Electric Company, including negotiating and drafting acquisition agreements and post-closing corporate governance agreements.
• Represented one of the nation’s largest legal support firms in its acquisition of one of the largest service of process firms in the South East.
• Represented factoring company in the sale of substantially all of its assets to a strategic buyer for a purchase price in excess of $20 million.
• Represented a large medical device manufacturer in connection with the sale of assets to a strategic buyer.
• Represented a title insurance company in connection with its sale of assets to First American Title Insurance Company.
• Represented a pet food and supply company with an enterprise value in excess of $50 million in connection with the sale of the company to a strategic buyer.
• Represented SEC-registered investment adviser in the sale of the company.

Corporate Financing Transactions

• Represented a refuse truck rental business in the closing of a $150 million U.S. and Canadian secured revolving credit facility.
• Represent an institutional second-lien lender in connection with a loan to a borrower to finance an acquisition.
• Represented a cybersecurity and compliance firm in connection with a $54.5 million preferred equity investment from a private equity fund focused on growth equity investments.
• Represented a commercial unmanned aerial system’s company in connection with a venture capital investment from SoftBank Corp.
• Represented an insurance startup in connection with a corporate venture capital investment from Nationwide Ventures, LLC.
• Represented a hotel operating company with over 21 hotels in connection with several private offerings of debt and equity securities, as well as a $26 million loan facility.
• Represented go-kart racing company in connection with $12 million loan facility.
• Represented a luxury boat manufacturer in connection with the Series A preferred equity investment by a group of investors.
• Represented an omni-channel marketing services firm providing data-driven, local marketing solutions in connection with a preferred equity investment by an early-stage private fund.
• Represented an investor group in connection with a series seed preferred equity investment in an insurance company startup.
• Represented a technology startup in connection with a convertible note offering.

Joint Ventures

• Drafted and negotiated a joint venture agreement between two competitors to develop and construct a unique self-storage facility.
• Drafted and negotiated a joint venture agreement and related documents between two development and construction companies to pursue the development and construction of a 1,584-unit affordable housing complex in Jamaica.

Equity-Based Compensation Arrangements

• Designed and implemented an equity compensation plan for a technology company which included the ability to grant restricted stock, incentive stock options, non-qualified stock options, and restricted stock units.
• Designed and implemented limited liability company profits interest plan for a technology company organized as a limited liability company.
• Designed and implemented two equity ownership plans for a private, rapidly growing insurance agency valued in excess of $55 million.

Honors and Distinctions

• Best Lawyers in America
  • Business Organizations (including LLCs & Partnerships), 2024-2025
  • Commercial Transactions / UCC Law, 2024-2025
  • Corporate Law, 2024-2025
  • Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, 2021-2025
  • Mergers & Acquisitions, 2023-2025

Professional Involvement

• American Bar Association
• Florida Venture Forum
• Association of Corporate Growth
• Leadership Seminole, Class 23
• Leadership Stetson, Class 7
• Rollins Alumni Club
• The Florida Bar
  • Business Law Section
  • Tax Law Section