Summary

Peter’s practice focuses on representing public and private companies in general corporate matters, including private equity and venture capital transactions as well as lenders and borrowers in financing transactions. He has represented multi-national, national and regional commercial banks, investment banks, hedge funds and other financial institutions, as well as borrowers and issuers, in a variety of leveraged finance transactions, including acquisition financings, real estate financings, project financings, mezzanine financings, cross-border financings and asset-based financings.  Peter is also a member of Taft’s Legal Opinion Committee.

Peter also has significant experience with various corporate matters and has worked with numerous public and private companies in connection with a variety of complex mergers and acquisitions, equity and debt offerings, corporate governance matters and numerous other transactional matters. He also serves as outside general counsel to several established and early-stage companies.

He is also a member of Taft’s Distressed Company Task Force that was created to assist lender and borrower clients in every way, including how to navigate discussions regarding their credit facilities and in addressing concerns over suppliers and various stakeholders.

Peter has counseled clients located in Australia, Canada, China, Iceland, France, Germany, Lithuania, Sweden, and elsewhere in connection with the U.S. and cross-border aspects of various transactional matters.  His practice has covered a wide range of industries, including energy, financial services, fintech, retail, gaming, health care, food & beverage, mining, shipping, and manufacturing.

Peter has also served as an expert witness regarding customary practice in the area of leveraged finance in connection a high-profile case adjudicated in the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

Peter received his J.D., cum laude, from the University of Michigan Law School, where he was a member of the Michigan Journal of International Law. He received his B.A., cum laude, from Vanderbilt University.

Prior to joining Taft, Peter was a partner at an AmLaw 150 firm and an associate in the New York office of Latham & Watkins LLP.

Awards

  • Honoree, Best Lawyers in America (2024)

  • Leading Lawyers Honoree, Cincy Magazine, Corporate (2019 – present)

  • Thomson Reuters Stand-out Lawyer – independently rated lawyers

    (2022 – 2023)

All Service Areas

Education

  • University of Michigan Law School (2006)
  • Vanderbilt University (2003)

Admissions

  • State - Ohio
  • State - New York

Notable Matters

  • Representation of a global leader in the consumer packaged goods industry in connection with the refinancing of its $375 million senior secured credit facility and a new $200 million mezzanine credit facility.
  • Representation of a multi-national medical device manufacturer in connection with its $150 million asset-based credit facility and refinancing of its $200 million senior unsecured notes.
  • Representation of a number of top-tier second lien lenders as special intercreditor counsel in connection with numerous acquisition financings with transaction value in excess of $10 billion.
  • Representation of Alterra Power Corp. in connection with its acquisition and development of the Hillcrest 200 megawatt solar-powered electric generating facility, which project at the time of acquisition constituted the largest individual solar project in the State of Ohio.
  • Acting as general outside counsel to Phoenix Paper Wickliffe LLC, a Kentucky-based manufacturer and distributor of paper products and subsidiary of China-based Shanying International.
  • Representation of a German renewable energy developer in connection with an acquisition of a 50 megawatt wind farm located in southern Illinois.
  • Acting as general outside counsel to an agricultural production and distribution company specializing in plant-based medicinal products.
  • Representation of a national insulation manufacturer in connection with a loan provided to a distressed distributor and complex workout matters related thereto.
  • Representation of Halo Communications, a HIPAA-compliant cloud-based clinical communication and collaboration platform in connection with its ABL and term loan facility with Comerica Bank.
  • Representation of National Australia Bank in connection with a complex cross-border refinancing of credit facilities provided to Funtastic Limited, a publicly-traded Australian multi-category family lifestyle company.
  • Representation of Citybase, Inc., a Chicago-based provider of payment solutions to government entities in connection with its asset-based revolving credit facility provided by BMO Harris Bank.
  • Representation of NASDAQ-listed Air Transport Services Group, Inc. in connection with its acquisition of PEMCO World Air Services, Inc., a provider of outsourced heavy maintenance, repair and overhaul aircraft services and passenger-to-freighter aircraft conversions based in Tampa, Fla.
  • Representation of an NYSE-listed mezzanine investment fund in connection with financing provided to a diversified plastics company with multiple product segments and locations throughout North America in connection with its acquisition of two complementary lines of business.
  • Representation of a consortium of private equity investors led by GSO Capital Partners, the credit investment division of the Blackstone Group, in connection with $1.7 billion of equity and debt proceeds provided to a subsidiary of Oklahoma-based American Energy Partners to fund the acquisition of over 100,000 acres of leasehold in the southern portion of the Utica Shale.
  • Acting as general outside counsel to Qapital, Inc., a leading personal finance mobile application for the iOS and Android operating systems with operations in New York and Stockholm.
  • Representation of Investec Bank plc in connection with a $595,000,000 project financing of an approximately 940 megawatt natural gas-fired, combined-cycle electric generating facility to be located in the village of Lordstown, Ohio.
  • Representation of Clean Energy Finance Corporation, a sovereign fund of the Commonwealth of Australia, in connection with senior secured financing provided to global wind energy development company Windlab Limited, with operations in Australia, South Africa, Tanzania and the United States.
  • Representation of durable medical equipment provider Therapy Support, Inc. in connection with a sale of the business to National HME, Inc.
  • Representation of The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company in connection with its Rule 144A/Regulation S offering of $400 million aggregate principal amount of 6.000% senior notes due 2023.
  • Representation of A. Schulman, Inc., a leading international supplier of high-performance plastic compounds, powders and resins in connection with its new $1.0 billion senior secured credit facility being used to fund its US$800 million acquisition of HGGC Citadel Plastics Holdings, Inc., a portfolio company of private equity firms HGGC and Charlesbank Capital Partners.
  • Representation of footwear and accessories manufacturer R.G. Barry Corporation in connection with its sale to an affiliate of Mill Road Capital for approximately $212 million.
  • Representation of clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch Co. in connection with a $650 million credit facility used to refinance the company’s existing credit facility.
  • Representation of Deutsche Bank as administrative agent and lead arranger in connection with the senior secured bank financing provided for Grifols S.A.’s $3.4 billion acquisition of Talecris Biotherapeutics, Inc.
  • Representation of Citigroup as administrative agent and lead arranger of $13.0 billion in senior secured bank financing provided to the Dow Chemical Company in connection with its $18.8 billion acquisition of Rohm & Haas.
  • Representation of a New York-based investment bank as administrative agent and lead arranger of a $1.56 billion credit facility provided in connection with the $3.5 billion acquisition of a popular national restaurant chain.
  • Representation of a NYSE-listed mining company in connection with the refinancing of its approximately $1.0 billion secured credit facilities.
  • Representation of a Finnish investment bank in connection with numerous financing transactions in an aggregate amount of over $1.5 billion involving bulk shipping and drill rig vessel collateral in foreign jurisdictions such as the Marshall Islands, Malta, Vanuatu, Greece, Mexico, Dominica and Australia.
  • Representation of a New York-based investment bank as administrative agent and lead arranger in connection with the $1.075 billion financing for the acquisition by a private equity sponsor of an Ohio-based mineral and mining company.

Professional Affiliations

  • Cincinnati Bar Association

    Member

Community Involvement

  • Melodic Connections Inc.

    Board Member