Contact Info
Email:
amello@darroweverett.com
Tel:
(401) 453-1200
Bar Admissions
- New York
Education
- St. John’s University School of Law, J.D.
- St. John’s University Tobin College of Business, B.S. – magna cum laude
Accolades:
- 2020–2023 SuperLawyers – New York Rising Star in Banking
Partner
Overview
Andrew S. Mello is a Partner in DarrowEverett’s Corporate & Business Transactions, Private Equity, Capital Markets & Securities, and Banking & Finance Practice Groups. Andrew’s concentration is on mergers and acquisitions, private equity, and debt finance transactions. He represents companies and private equity firms in cross-border corporate and transactional matters, including mergers and acquisitions, private and public offerings, venture capital financing rounds, and stock acquisitions. Additionally, Andrew advises finance companies, commercial banks, and other private and institutional lenders across a broad range of financing transactions and equity investments, including corporate transactions in alternative energy and oil and gas industries. These transactions include leveraged buyouts, control and non-control investments, stock acquisitions, asset-based credit facilities, syndicated financing, derivative products, mezzanine financing, unitranche loans, and construction loans.
Andrew has significant experience representing companies and private equity firms in corporate and transactional matters, including mergers and acquisitions, private and public offerings, venture capital financings, and general company representation. He has particular experience representing private equity firms in connection with non-control investments and other investment transactions, with substantial experience in structuring and negotiating cross-border transactions as well as stock acquisitions.
Representative Matters
- Advised MGG Investment Group LP, an investment manager headquartered in New York, in connection with its managed vehicles’ equity and debt investment in Shari’s Restaurant Group, an entity owned by Gather Holdings LLC.
- Represented a large private equity firm and one of its portfolio companies, a national wholesale meat supplier, in its add-on acquisition of a regional sausage and hot dog producer. Our representation included preparing and negotiating the purchase documents, reorganization of the brands involved, including drafting and negotiation of all related documents, establishing a revolving credit facility, and working with a high-profile national bank on two loans that financed the transaction.
- Advised one of the leading founders’ capital private equity firms in connection with its non-control investment of one of the largest and fastest growing supplement companies in the world. In addition to advising and negotiating the letter of intent and documentation, including structuring of a management committee that would protect our client’s investment in light of the legal issues faced by the founder of the target company, we led the regulatory, criminal and business due diligence review.
- Represented global boat rental company in an eight-figure Series B preferred stock purchase by the company’s primary international investor. In a separate matter, we represented the company with an eight-figure tender offer transaction.
- Represented a South Florida real estate investment group in connection with a complex sale-leaseback transaction of a commercial real estate property portfolio consisting of 34 properties occupied by a national retail chain. The firm’s work required collaboration across its Commercial Real Estate, Banking & Finance and Corporate & Business Transactions Practice Groups and involved, among other things, properties across 15 states, 10 buyers, 28 1031 exchanges, one reverse 1031 exchange and work with two national lenders.
- We represented a real estate investment group and a family office in Mexico defeasing multiple commercial mortgage-backed securitized loans for a drugstore portfolio and refinance the same portfolio with a nine-figure senior secured loan.
Prior Experience
Prior to joining DarrowEverett, Andrew was an associate at a prestigious New York City-based law firm and had significant experience representing institutional lenders across a broad range of debt financing facilities and private equity firms on merger and acquisition transactions.
Related Practices
Publications and Media Appearances
- UCC Article 2: Because Even Your Toaster Deserves a Fair Contract — via JD Supra, October, 2024
- Actions vs. J.P. Morgan, Monolith Serve as SEC Compliance Check Reminders — via JD Supra, February, 2024
- Mezzanine, Bridge Financing Becoming Key Tools in Uncertain Economy — via JD Supra, July, 2023
- Protection From Panic Starts With These Proactive Banking Strategies — via JD Supra, March, 2023
- SAFE Banking Tweak Would Be Huge ‘Plus’ for Financial, Cannabis Industries — via JD Supra, November, 2022
- Actions vs. J.P. Morgan, Monolith Serve as SEC Compliance Check Reminders — via JD Supra, February, 2024
- Mezzanine, Bridge Financing Becoming Key Tools in Uncertain Economy — via JD Supra, June, 2023
- Protection From Panic Starts With These Proactive Banking Strategies — via JD Supra, March, 2023
- SAFE Banking Tweak Would Be Huge ‘Plus’ for Financial, Cannabis Industries — via JD Supra, November, 2022
- DE Insights Take 2: Andrew S. Mello on Mezzanine & Bridge Financing (Sept. 2023)
- Media Interview: Real Assets M&A Slows after Hot 2022, Ramping Up Pressure for Deals (May 2023)