Emma Jane Dowell
Partner
Overview
Emma J. Dowell is a corporate attorney in Holland & Knight's Tysons office. Ms. Dowell focuses on mergers and acquisitions (M&A), private equity transactions and corporate governance matters.
Ms. Dowell advises strategic companies, private equity sponsors and portfolio companies on acquisitions, divestitures, investments and other complex corporate transactions. Her experience spans a variety of industries, including government contracting, technology, healthcare services, sports and entertainment.
In addition to her transactional practice, Ms. Dowell counsels clients on corporate governance matters and strategic business initiatives. Drawing on her background in finance and accounting, she provides practical guidance to clients navigating complex business and legal considerations.
Prior to joining Holland & Knight, Ms. Dowell spent her entire legal career with an international law firm, where she advised clients on a wide range of M&A, private equity transactions and corporate governance matters.
While in law school, Ms. Dowell worked as a research assistant dealing with current problems and trends in corporate governance, as well as served as senior financial editor of the Virginia Law and Business Review.
Before law school, Ms. Dowell worked as a legal assistant at a Virginia tax and estate law firm.
Representative Experience
- Represented a leading provider of government services in its acquisition of the federal division of a technology consulting company in a transaction valued at approximately $430 million
- Advised a global coatings manufacturer in the sale of its flat glass operations to an international glass manufacturer
- Advised a nonprofit science, technology and strategy organization in the sale of a business unit to a strategic buyer
- Advised a regional grocery chain in its sale to a national supermarket operator
- Advised a manufacturer on its investment in a software startup
- Represented clients in private equity acquisitions, divestitures and portfolio company transactions across multiple industries
- Advised a leading government services provider on its acquisition of a healthcare assessment company serving U.S. state government agencies
- Counseled clients on transactions involving government contractors and businesses operating in regulated industries
- Advised clients on professional sports franchise acquisitions, minority team and franchise investments, complex league and team collaborations, and joint venture and other sports-related transactions
Sports and Entertainment Matters
- Advised the Walton-Penner group on its acquisition of the Denver Broncos from the Pat Bowlen family trust for $4.65 billion; the transaction included negotiation of a consortium of investors in the acquisition of the team
- Advised the Josh Harris-led investor consortium on the acquisition of the Washington Commanders for $6.05 billion
- Advised Levine Leichtman Capital Partners on its acquisition of the San Diego Wave Fútbol Club, a National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) franchise
- Advised NBA All-Star Russell Westbrook in his minority investment in Leeds United, an English Premier League team
- Advised Michele Kang, controlling owner of the NWSL's Washington Spirit, in a groundbreaking agreement with OL Groupe that will see the creation of the world's first woman-owned multinational, multiteam women's football organization
- Advised Fenway Sports Group (FSG) and a consortium of American sports team owners on a financial and strategic collaboration with PGA TOUR Enterprises valued at $3 billion; the transaction gave the consortium a minority share in a new PGA entity and created the framework for giving PGA Tour players access to ownership stakes; FSG also owns Boston Common Golf, a franchise in the tech-infused, indoor Tomorrow's Golf League (TGL) golf league founded by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy
- Advised GameAbove Sports in 2024 in its ownership stake in the Brisbane Bullets, a premier team in Australia's National Basketball League (NBL), and again in 2025 in its groundbreaking partnership with BIG3, a 3-on-3 basketball league, and the NBL
- Advised Prospector Baseball Group in 2025 and 2026 on its launch and acquisitions of several minor league baseball teams
Government Contracts Matters
- Advised Noblis on the sale of its Risk and Safety Management Alert System (RASMAS) business, along with several buy-side acquisitions
- Advised MAXIMUS on several mergers and acquisitions (M&A) transactions, including its acquisition of the federal division of Attain LLC for US$430 million, its acquisition of Ascend and the sale of its TIENET business to PowerSchool
- Advised Bernhard Capital Partners on its acquisition of Duotech Services, which specializes in the repair, sustainment and engineering of legacy electronics, radar and electronic warfare (EW) systems for the U.S. Department of War and allied militaries
- Advised GP Strategies Corp. on the sale of its ETAPro assets to Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corp.; ETAPro is an asset performance and condition monitoring platform designed to improve the efficiency and reliability of power-generating assets
- Advised GP Strategies Corp. in its merger with Learning Technologies Group plc (LTG), a U.K.-listed company, for an estimated $394 million
- Advised on the acquisition of General Electric's rail signaling business by Alstom for $800 million
- Advised Merck on its 2024 acquisition of Curon Biopharmaceutical's CN201, a clinical-stage bispecific antibody for autoimmune diseases, in a deal valued at up to US$1.3 billion
- Advised PPG Industries on the sale of its flat glass operations to Vitro S.A.V. de C.V.
- Advised Fiesta Mart on its sale to Bodega Latina Corporation
Credentials
- University of Virginia School of Law, J.D.
- Georgetown University, B.S., magna cum laude
- Virginia
- Supreme Court of Virginia
- Beta Gamma Sigma
- Georgetown Accounting Society, Communications Director