Holland & Knight Advises Franchise Equity Partners on Minority Investment in SoCal Penske Dealer Group

DENVER (January 7, 2026) – Holland & Knight represented Franchise Equity Partners (FEP), a private equity firm, in its minority investment in SoCal Penske Dealer Group, which includes franchises representing a mix of foreign and domestic brands. The transaction was announced on December 17.

The transaction provides investment capital that positions the dealer group for future growth with a permanent, strategic partner. It also marks FEP's first automotive investment in California, bringing valuable geographic diversification to its existing automotive portfolio.

Headquartered in New York, FEP is a private investment firm specializing in providing capital to franchise businesses and their owners.

Holland & Knight Partners Stephen Dietrich and Brooke Sizer (M&A) led the Firm's representation of FEP. They were assisted by Associates Anna Boyer, Paige Meno and Eric Alborn (M&A); Partner Lawrence Curtin (Regulatory); Partners Ross Tuminello and Mark Melton (Tax); Partner Lindsay Murphy (Executive Compensation & Benefits); Partner Chris Gregores (Real Estate); and Senior Counsel Ashley Thomas (Data Strategy, Security & Privacy).

More information on the transaction can be found here.

Recently recognized as the Private Equity Law Firm of the Year by the Global M&A Network, Holland & Knight regularly ranks among the leading M&A and private equity law firms in reputable, benchmarking league tables published by Bloomberg, LSEG, Mergermarket, PitchBook and The Deal. Through the HK Deal Flow℠ program, Holland & Knight facilitates deal leads for clients and prospective clients by matching acquisition or capital raising opportunities with buyers and investors.