Education

Creighton University School of Law, J.D.

Temple University, Beasley School of Law, LL.M., Taxation

Drexel University, MBA, with honors

LaSalle University, B.S., with honors

Bar Admissions

Pennsylvania - Inactive
Florida

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Louis T. M. "Lou" Conti

Partner
Tampa
t: 813-227-6343
Orlando
t: 407-244-5118

Louis T. M. Conti is a transactional lawyer, a member of Holland & Knight's Public Companies and Securities Group, the leader of the firm’s Technology, Venture Capital, and Emerging Companies Team and coordinator of the firm’s Canada Initiative. His practice includes serving as outside general counsel to businesses of all sizes, mergers and acquisitions, cash flow and asset based financings, leveraged buy-outs, mezzanine and subordinated debt transactions, public and private equity placements, venture capital & private equity investments, corporate and partnership recapitalizations, company governance advice, and sophisticated complex LLC, partnership, and cross-border joint ventures and strategic alliances.

Mr. Conti has specific knowledge of business entities laws, and has served as a special master and arbitrator in LLC disputes, and as an expert witness in connection with Florida corporate and LLC law in cases around the state.

Mr. Conti was appointed a uniform laws commissioner for the state of Florida in 2011 for a term of four years, an adjunct law professor at the University of Florida Levin College of Law, and an instructor at the Advanced Judicial College for Florida Circuit Court Judges in 2012.

He has been a speaker at the Florida Annual Federal Securities Institute for the past 13 consecutive years speaking on mergers and acquisitions developments, and has been a speaker at Florida Bar CLE programs every year for the past 15 years. He was the co-chair of the 2009 Florida Venture Capital Conference, and the 2010 Florida Venture Capital Conference, and has served on the Board of Directors of The Florida Venture Forum.

Mr. Conti is a past chair of both the Business Law Section (2009/2010) and the Tax Section (2000/2001) of The Florida Bar.

He has chaired or co-chaired The Florida Bar Drafting Committees for revisions to the Florida LLC, Partnership and Limited Partnership statutes since 1995. He is currently chair of The Florida Bar Drafting Committee for the Florida Revised Uniform Limited Liability Company Act (2008-present); was chair of the Florida Bar Drafting Committee for the Florida Revised Uniform Partnership Act (1994-1995); chair of The Florida Bar Drafting Committee for the Florida Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act (2004-2005); principal author of The Florida Limited Liability Partnership Act (2000); co-chair of The Florida Bar Drafting Committee for the Florida Revised Uniform Limited Liability Company Act (1992-1993); chair of The Florida Bar Drafting Committee for the Florida Revised Uniform Limited Liability Company Act (1998-1999); chair of The Florida Bar Drafting Committee for the Florida Revised Uniform Limited Liability Company Act Glitch Bill (2001-2002); co-vice chair of The Florida Bar Chapter 517 Drafting Committee; and a member of The Florida Bar Drafting Committee to revise the Florida Business Corporation Act (1998/1999, 2005/2006 and 2011-present).

Professional Honors & Awards

  • The Best Lawyers in America guide, Corporate Law, 2006-2012
  • The Best Lawyers in America guide, Tax Law, 1995-2012
  • Gerald T. Hart Outstanding Tax Attorney of the Year, The Florida Bar Tax Section, 2011-2012
  • Who's Who In America
  • Who's Who in American Law
  • Who's Who in Business and Finance
  • Florida Legal Elite, Florida Trend magazine, 2005-2010
  • Florida Super Lawyers magazine, 2006-2009, 2012
  • Corporate Counsel Top Lawyers
  • Martindale-Hubbell AV Rated

Memberships

  • National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws, Appointed by Governor Rick Scott, 2011-2015
  • ABA Business Law Section, Chair, LLC Special Drafting Committee, 2008-2012
  • ABA Business Law Section, LLC, Partnerships and Unincorporated Business Entities Committee & Negotiated Acquisitions Committee, 1995-2012
  • The Florida Bar, Business Law Section, Chair 2009-2010
  • The Florida Bar, Tax Section, Chair 2000-2001
  • The Florida Bar, Business Law Section, Chair-Elect, 2008-2009; Secretary/Treasurer, 2007-2008
  • The Florida Bar, Business Law Section, Chair, Legislation Committee, 2006-2007
  • The Florida Bar, Business Law Section, Chair, Corporations, Securities and Financial Institutions Committee, 2004-2006
  • The Florida Bar, Business Law Section, Chair, FRUPA Legislation Drafting Committee, 1993-1995; Co-Chair, 1995-1996
  • Leadership Orlando, Graduate
  • Leadership Florida, Graduate
  • The Florida Venture Forum, Co-Chair, 2009 Annual VC Conference & Co-Chair 2010 Annual VC Conference

Court Admissions

  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Appeals Court, Third Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Federal Claims
  • U.S. Tax Court
  • U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
  • All State Courts in Pennsylvania
  • All State Courts in Florida

Speaking Engagements

  • "Mergers & Acquisitions: New Approaches to Strategic and Financial Transactions," West LegalEdcenter and The Florida Bar Business Law Section Annual Federal Securities Institute, Miami, FL, February 16-17, 2012
  • "Changes to Florida’s LLC Law in Response to the Olmstead Decision," The Florida Bar Tax Section, Tampa, FL, September 28, 2011
  • Chair, "Proposed New Florida LLC Act," The Florida Bar Business Law Section Annual Retreat, Naples, FL, September 2-5, 2011
  • "Mergers & Acquisitions: Strategic Deals and Financial Transactions – Two Sides of the Coin," Annual Federal Securities Institute, Thomson Reuters & The Florida Bar Business Law Section, Coconut Grove, FL, February 16-17, 2011
  • Panelist, "Hostile Deals and Proxy Fights" and "Negotiated Transactions and Distressed Deals," Annual Federal Securities Institute, Coral Gables, FL, February 11-12, 2011
  • "Exit Strategies, Strategic of Financial Buyers of Public Offerings," The Florida Venture Capital Conference, Florida Venture Forum, Hollywood, FL, February 3-4, 2011
  • "Top 10 Proposed Changes in Florida’s Revised LLC Act, Including Traps for the Unwary," Current LLC and Partnership Tax Strategies, Traps, and Tips, October 1, 2010
  • Chair and Moderator, LLC Act Drafting Committee, The Florida Bar Business Law Section Annual Retreat, September 3, 2010
  • Panelist, "Negotiated Transactions and Distressed Deals," Federal Securities Conference, February 11, 2010
  • "Exit Strategies, Strategic or Financial Buyers or Public Offerings," Florida Venture Capital Conference, ChampionsGate, FL, February 2, 2010
  • Moderator or Speaker, The Florida Bar Annual Federal Securities Institute, Miami, FL, 1998-2010
  • "Multi-Jurisdictional Practice - Major Issues and Trends," ABA Business Bar Leaders Conference, May 2008
  • Speaker, The Annual Florida Bar Mergers & Acquisitions Conference, Miami, FL, 2003-2007

Published Articles & Books