Philippa J. Balestrieri

Philippa "Pippa" J. Balestrieri is a corporate and mergers and acquisitions (M&A) attorney in Holland & Knight's San Francisco office. Having lived and worked on three continents, Ms. Balestrieri brings her international experience to national and multinational business matters, advising clients on M&A, divestitures, joint ventures and other strategic transactions, with a particular focus on M&A in highly regulated industries, including legal services, higher education and automotive. Her practice includes work for private equity firms, institutional investors, startup, emerging growth and Fortune 500 companies across these and other sectors.

Legal Services. Ms. Balestrieri counsels private equity firms, investors and legal service providers on structuring and executing investments in law firms and other legal services businesses. With deep experience in the ownership, regulatory and compliance considerations unique to the legal industry, she helps clients develop strategic structures that align with evolving market dynamics and ethical rules. She advises on the formation and structuring of law firm management services organizations (MSOs), navigating complex ownership and professional responsibility rules and deploying capital to support firm growth. Ms. Balestrieri's practice spans the full transaction life cycle, from initial structuring and regulatory diligence through negotiation, documentation and closing, enabling her to serve as a single point of continuity for investors, from term sheet through post-closing integration.

Education. Ms. Balestrieri advises colleges, universities and institutional investors on M&A and other strategic transactions in the higher education sector. She brings a nuanced understanding of the regulatory frameworks governing educational institutions, including accreditation, state authorization and federal compliance requirements, to help clients navigate complex transactions in this evolving landscape.

Automotive. Ms. Balestrieri regularly counsels automotive dealers, investors and technology companies with respect to their M&A and ongoing business relationships with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), negotiations of loan facilities, state motor vehicle dealer laws and state licensing, including with respect to autonomous transportation.

Prior to receiving her law degree, Ms. Balestrieri served as a judicial intern for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Neil M. Gorsuch while he was a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. In addition, she was an associate editor at the University of Colorado Law Review and achieved membership to the international Order of the Coif, graduating in the top 10 percent of her class.

Within Holland & Knight, Ms. Balestrieri serves as co-leader of the Holland & Knight Women's Engagement Network for the San Francisco office, as well as an active member of the firm's Innovation Committee.

Ms. Balestrieri is a citizen of multiple countries and enjoys serving as a legal and cultural ambassador for her clients.