Introduction
Amy O’Keefe works extensively in the M&A space, representing both public and private strategic buyers as well as sellers of privately held businesses. In the PE and Family Office space, she advises investors, funds, and family offices in connection with direct/portfolio investments, portfolio companies, and exit transactions.
My focus
I focus my practice on the following key areas.
Mergers and Acquisitions
Through the course of my career, I have advised a wide range of M&A clients, including both acquirers and targets, in connection with transactions valued in the billions of dollars. In a recent transaction, which is representative of my practice, I helped our public-company client to carve-out and sell a business line to a PE-backed acquirer for $900 million. I knowledgeably manage my team to move the acquisition process from beginning to end swiftly and efficiently, while always maintaining my primary focus on my clients’ business objectives.
I routinely advise clients on both the buy-side and the sell-side of these transactions. I’m highly skilled and effective on both sides of the table, understanding the needs, goals, and pain-points of all types of clients from serial acquirers to first-time sellers.
Private Equity/family office
I have advised clients on all sides of Private Equity/Family Office transactions and split my time between helping those clients to deploy capital, manage portfolio company matters, and ultimately, complete successful exits. In the Private Equity/Family Office space, I am particularly excited about the value we bring to clients and friends of the firm with our NP Capital Connector® program—a proprietary referral program that matches companies considering a sale or exit transaction, or in search of debt or equity funding, with potential transaction partners. We love helping to bring transactions together.
General Corporate Work
I act as outside general counsel for clients involved with manufacturing, food and beverage, retail and commercial endeavors, healthcare, software and technology, and medical device businesses. I tap deep knowledge of the issues companies in these industries face when I offer counsel on corporate formation, commercial agreements, executive and incentive compensation, and general corporate matters.
Representative experience
- Represented High Purity New England Inc., a premier provider of single-use solutions for bioprocessing applications, in its sale to Datascope Corp., a U.S. based subsidiary of the Swedish public company, Getinge.
- Represented SAES Getters S.p.A., an Italian public company, in the sale of its Nitinol business and, in particular, of the US subsidiaries Memry Corporation and SAES Smart Materials, Inc., to Resonetics, LLC for $900 million.
- Represented Health Catalyst, Inc., a leading provider of data and analytics technology and services to health organizations, in its acquisitions of Healthfinch, Inc.; VitalWare, LLC; Twistle, Inc.; KPI Ninja, Inc.; Armus Corporation; and Electronic Registry Systems, LLC.
- Advised private equity-backed strategic acquirer in $70M acquisition of cloud-based healthcare business
- Advised private equity fund in platform acquisition of home healthcare and franchise business for $34M
- Represented public company division in $600M+ strategic acquisition of manufacturing and distribution target
- Advised founder in connection with $71M rollover investment in sale of business from one private equity firm to another
- Represented first-time seller (owner/operator) in the sale of her behavioral health business to a private equity-backed acquirer
- Advised Grupo Nutresa (NUTRESA on the BVC exchange) in connection with its acquisition of the Cameron’s Coffee business for $113M
- Represented founder and family office sponsor group in connection with sale of behavior health business to private equity-backed acquirer for $61M
- Advised executive management team in connection with sale of business to private equity buyer (negotiating terms of rollover equity, as well as new employment and incentive stock option arrangements)
- Represented family-owned and -operated defense contracting business to private equity buyer for $70M (first time seller)
- Advised founder-owned elevator servicing business to private equity buyer for $67M (first time seller)
- Represented ARC Technologies in sale of business to Hexcel Corporation (HXL on the NYSE) for $160M
- Advised locum tenens healthcare business in sale of business to private equity-backed acquirer for $300M+
- Represented fund in connection with leveraged buy-out, recapitalization, and subsidiary consolidation of OTC and private label manufacturer
- Advised public company division in $110M+ strategic acquisition of manufacturing target
- Represented PE fund in connection with an exit from its precision fabrication portfolio company
- Advised entrepreneur in connection with $40M+ exit and sale of defense subcontracting business to strategic public company purchaser
- Represented family-owned beverage bottling business in connection with $30M+ sale to strategic purchaser
- Advised family-owned medical device business in connection with $20M+ sale to strategic purchaser
- Represented private wealth management firm in connection with management ownership and partnership negotiations
Looking ahead
After a period of volatility in the M&A deal markets driving by rising interest rates and other economic factors, I expect M&A activity to pick up in the year ahead, as companies adapt to tougher conditions and buyers look to deploy capital.
/Insights
- “How to Align Corporate Governance and Family Governance,” IFG New York 2023 Conference, May 9, 2023
- “For-Profit and Not-for-Profit Boards: Governance Pitfalls You Need to Know,” ALI CLE, November 2, 2022
In the news
- Mergers & Acquisitions
Mergers & Acquisitions names its 10th annual ‘Most Influential Women in Mid-Market M&A’
Jan 6, 2025Corporate partners Amy O’Keefe of Boston and Marissa Wiley of Albany, co-leaders of NP’s Women in Dealmaking initiative, are featured in this article for being named to the publication’s 2025 “Most Influential Women in Mid-Market M&A” list, recognizing outstanding women who play key roles in dealmaking.
- Boston Business Journal
Would Google buy HubSpot? Experts say yes—but see hurdles ahead
July 5, 2024
Boston Corporate partner Amy O’Keefe, co-leader of NP’s Women in Dealmaking initiative, is quoted throughout this article on Google’s potential deal to acquire Boston’s HubSpot and challenges the potential megadeal could face along the way. Amy discusses trends we are seeing in the tech M&A space while noting that an aggressive regulatory environment has not stymied deals. - Behavioral Health Business
Rise of earnouts and seller notes in behavioral health M&A
June 3, 2024This article covers the rise of earnout provisions and seller notes in behavioral health mergers and acquisitions. Boston Corporate partner Amy O’Keefe, co-leader of NP’s Women in Dealmaking initiative, and New York City Healthcare partner Jéna Grady are quoted in this coverage from a recent webinar on the topic, discussing the gap in valuation expectations between buyers and sellers as well as healthcare regulatory risks.
- Boston Business Journal
Analysis of a deal gone wrong: Can iRobot survive?
Jan 31, 2024Boston Corporate partner Amy O’Keefe, co-leader of the firm’s Women in Dealmaking initiative, is quoted in this article analyzing the termination of a merger deal between Amazon and Massachusetts-based company iRobot. Amy explains that a recent trend of longer delays between deal announcements and closings is putting similar deals at significant risk.
- Mergers & Acquisitions
Mergers & Acquisitions names its 2024 Most Influential Women in Mid-Market M&A
Jan 8, 2024This article highlights Boston Corporate partner Amy O’Keefe for being named one of the 16 Most Influential Women in Mid-Market M&A for 2024, a group that is “leading the way in driving change as role models and mentors to other women.” Mergers & Acquisitions also published a Q&A with Amy, which is available upon request.
- The Deal
Top Women in Dealmaking 2023
Boston Corporate partner Amy O’Keefe is featured in this article as one of the publication’s “Top Women in Dealmaking” for 2023, honoring prominent female lawyers who are making an impact in the dealmaking community by advising on some of the past year’s most important transactions and taking a leadership role in promoting change. The Deal recognized Amy specifically in the areas of Mergers and Acquisitions and Private Equity.March 30, 2023 - The Deal
Drinks with The Deal: Nixon Peabody’s Amy O’Keefe on advising founders (podcast)
Feb 16, 2023Boston Corporate partner Amy O’Keefe, of the Private Equity and Investment Funds practice, joined the podcast to discuss the breadth of her practice, her career growth, and her personalized approach to working with founders and clients throughout the deal process.
- The Deal
Resonetics to acquire two SAES units
Dec 9, 2022The following article covers Resonetics LLC’s $900 million agreement to acquire Memry Corp. and SAES Smart Materials Inc. from NP client SAES Getters SpA. The article mentions Manchester partner and Private Equity & Family Offices team leader Phil Taub and Boston partner Amy O’Keefe, both of the Corporate group, for leading the NP team representing SAES Getters on U.S. legal matters. The team also includes Chicago partner and Global Finance co-leader Rob Drobnak; Corporate partners Alexandra Lopez-Casero and Thomas McCord from Boston, Andrew Share from Manchester, and Sean Clancy from Washington, DC; Affordable Housing & Real Estate partners Mark Beaudoin from Manchester and Alison Torbitt from San Francisco; Boston Labor & Employment partner Jeff Gilbreth; Rochester Intellectual Property partner Kristen Walsh; Washington, DC Complex Disputes partner and Antitrust leader Gordon Lang; Manchester Government Investigations & White-Collar Defense partner Mark Knights; Rochester counsel and Cybersecurity & Privacy deputy leader Jenny Holmes; Boston Corporate counsel David Crosby; Washington, DC Complex Disputes counsel Brian Whittaker; Albany Affordable Housing & Finance counsel Dana Stanton; Corporate associates Shaziah Singh from New York, Anthony Bova from Boston, Corey Habib from Manchester, and Hrishikesh Shah from Chicago; and Manchester Corporate department attorney Dave Zimmermann.
- PLANSPONSOR
Retirement industry moves
The following roundup of retirement industry news mentions NP as legal counsel for direct-indexing asset technology company Veriti Management in its pending sale to First Trust Capital Partners. The deal team includes Boston partners Greg O’Shaughnessy and Amy O’Keefe, and Manchester partner and Private Equity practice leader Phil Taub, all of the Corporate group.July 8, 2022 - InvestmentNews
First Trust acquires direct-indexing fintech Veriti
The following article mentions NP for representing direct-indexing asset technology company Veriti Management in its pending sale to First Trust Capital Partners. The deal team includes Boston partners Greg O’Shaughnessy and Amy O’Keefe, and Manchester partner and Private Equity practice leader Phil Taub, all of the Corporate group.July 6, 2022 - Bloomberg Law
First Trust acquires direct-indexing provider Veriti Management
The following article mentions NP for representing direct-indexing asset technology company Veriti Management in its pending sale to First Trust Capital Partners. The deal team includes Boston partners Greg O’Shaughnessy and Amy O’Keefe, and Manchester partner and Private Equity practice leader Phil Taub, all of the Corporate group.July 6, 2022 - SupplyChainBrain
Watch-Reassessing boilerplate clauses in a post-COVID world
Corporate partner Amy O’Keefe and Complex Commercial Disputes associate Tarae Howell, both in the Boston office, are featured in this video, sharing their insights on boilerplate clauses and best practices to avoid pitfalls in a post-COVID world.June 24, 2021 - Mergers & Acquisitions
M&A wrap: Grupo Nutresa, Cameron's Coffee, Stripe, Gamut, Riverside
This roundup of major deals in the M&A space includes Grupo Nutresa SA’s acquisition of Cameron’s Coffee. The Nixon Peabody team advising Grupo Nutresa included Boston Corporate partners Greg O’Shaughnessy and Amy O’Keefe, and Rochester Corporate associates Kat Murphy and Aya Hoffman.Sep 19, 2019
Admitted to practice
Massachusetts
District of Columbia
Education
American University, Washington College of Law, J.D., cum laude
Villanova University, B.A., Political Science, magna cum laude
Professional activities
- ACG Boston Women of Leadership Committee Member
- Greater Boston Chamber’s “Boston’s Future Leaders”
- Greater Boston Chamber’s Women’s Network, Advisory Board.
Recognition
- Mergers & Aquisitions “Most Influential Women in Mid-Market M&A” for 2024 and 2025
- Women in Business Law — Mergers and Acquisitions Lawyer of the Year for 2024
- Recommended in The Legal 500 United States 2024 editorial for M&A/corporate and commercial > M&A: middle-market (sub-$500m)
- The Deal “Top Women in Dealmaking,” 2023
- Boston Magazine “Rising Star,” Mergers & Acquisitions
Insights And Happenings
View AllProfessionals in the Practice Area
View AllJohn P. Beals
Partner/Co-leader, Investment Funds Practice- Boston
- Office:+1 617.345.1060
- jbeals@nixonpeabody.com
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Benedict Kwon
Partner / Co-leader, Investment Funds Practice- Los Angeles
- Office:+1 213.629.6164
- bkwon@nixonpeabody.com
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Ed Winters
Partner / Co-leader, ESG Practice- New York City
- Office:+1 212.940.3009
- ewinters@nixonpeabody.com
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