Francesco Salpietro
Partner
Overview
Francesco Salpietro is a corporate and transactional attorney in Holland & Knight's Philadelphia office, where he focuses his practice on mergers and acquisitions (M&A), search funds, private equity and general corporate advisory work.
Clients rely on Mr. Salpietro's knowledge and experience when it comes to M&A, asset sales, roll-up transactions, divestitures, capital raising, equity structuring and exit strategies. His diverse client base includes domestic and international search funds, private equity firms and their portfolio companies, founders and entrepreneurs, family offices, family-owned enterprises and other private and public companies.
Mr. Salpietro also has extensive experience representing search funds and search fund entrepreneurs. He has represented dozens of search funds – led by searchers from some of the top MBA programs in the country – in all phases of their search, including initial formation, acquisition, operation and exit.
Mr. Salpietro's industry experience is far-reaching and includes manufacturing, distribution, financial services, wealth management, life sciences, medical devices, waste management, residential and commercial services, software as a service (SaaS) offerings and event and project management.
In addition to his corporate work, Mr. Salpietro is an active member of the LGBTQ+ legal community, and his pro bono efforts focus on representing LGBTQ+ individuals in name changes and asylum proceedings.
Representative Experience
- Represent dozens of search funds based in the United States, Mexico and Brazil in their initial capital raises and search-phase activities
- Advise on the acquisitions of over 12 search-backed businesses, including the acquisition of a construction and traffic equipment rental company, a tree care services company, a landscape company and related add-on acquisitions, an events management company, a wealth advisory services company and its add-on acquisitions, a property management company, an eldercare management company, a cybersecurity monitoring company and an accounting services company, among others
- Advise on divestitures and recapitalizations of search-backed businesses, including the sale of a utility management platform and recapitalizations of a radiation monitoring company and laboratory information systems company
- Represented Madison River Capital in its $190 million recapitalization and $70 million investment in JDC Power Systems
- Represented FDH Aero, a portfolio company of Audax Private Equity, in various add-on acquisitions, including BJG Electronics Group and Stealth Aerospace
- Represented Alliance Ground International (AGI), which is jointly owned by Audax Management Company LLC and Greenbriar Equity Group, in its acquisition of Airport Termination Services
- Represented Neste Corporation in its acquisitions of Mahoney Environmental and AgriTrading, as well as its minority investment in Alterra Energy
- Represented Codorus Valley Bancorp Inc (NASDAQ: CVLY), the parent company of PeoplesBank, on its merger of equals with Orrstown Financial Services Inc. (NASDAQ: OFFR) and its wholly owned subsidiary, Orrstown Bank, in a "merger of equals" valued at approximately $207 million
- Represented Malvern Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: MLVF), the parent company of Malvern Bank, in its strategic combination with First Bank, in a strategic combination valued at approximately $149.5 million
- Represented a private-equity backed wealth management firm in its acquisition of more than seven investment advisory businesses
- Represented a publicly traded financial services company in its acquisitions of various financial advisory cloud-based software and portfolio intelligence tools
- Represented Teleflex Incorporated (NYSE: TFX) in the following transactions, among others:
- The acquisition of Z-Medica LLC, an industry-leading manufacturer of hemostatic products, for an upfront cash payment of $500 million at closing, and up to $25 million upon the achievement of certain commercial milestones
- The sale of a significant portion of its respiratory business to Medline Industries Inc. for $286 million
- Represented a provider of commercial waste management and recycled materials based in the Southeastern United States in its sale to an international waste management company
- Represented Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) in its partnership with Informa Markets for the management of the HIMSS Global Healthcare Conference & Exhibition
Credentials
- University of Pittsburgh School of Law, J.D., magna cum laude
- University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance, B.M.A., Voice Performance, with highest honors
- Pennsylvania
- National LGBT Bar Association
- Philadelphia Bar Association, LGBT Rights Committee
- University of Pittsburgh Law Review, Lead Executive Editor
- University of Michigan, Alumni Recruiter
- University of Pittsburgh School of Law, Alumni Association
- The Best Lawyers in America, Philadelphia Ones to Watch, Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law, 2025
- Order of the Coif
- Dean's Merit Scholarship, University of Pittsburgh School of Law, 2013-2016
- Benjamin H. Teplitz Award, University of Pittsburgh School of Law, 2016
- Faculty Award of Excellence in Legal Scholarship, University of Pittsburgh School of Law, 2016
- Pro Bono Service Leadership Recognition Award, University of Pittsburgh School of Law, 2016
- CALI Excellence for the Future Award, Contracts, Criminal Law, Torts, Evidence, Estates & Trusts, Federal Courts & Federal Litigation, E-Discovery Seminar, 2013-2016
- International Association of LGBT Judges Writing Competition, First Place, 2016
- School of Law Community Service Award, 2016
- James B. Angell Scholar, University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance, 2009-2013