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. He also advises on Section 1202 qualified small business stock (QSBS) issues. 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, 2026
- 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