Steven K. Sims
Overview
Steven K. Sims provides comprehensive counsel to businesses and individuals navigating a wide variety of transactions, including complex mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures; financing and capital-raising transactions; reorganizations and outsourcing transactions; ownership agreements and strategic alliances; and long-term wind and solar leases and easements.
Guided by more than three decades of legal experience, Steve’s highly communicative client service, practical decision-making, and instinctual negotiation skills have solidified his role as a trusted advisor for both short- and long-term client needs. He serves as outside general counsel or commercial counsel to several middle market manufacturing and industrial companies.
Steve’s vast legal portfolio includes corporate governance and securities law compliance, secured lending transactions, international business and cross-border transactions, intellectual property licensing and acquisition, and private equity and venture capital transactions. In addition to his transactional work, he has experience drafting and managing all aspects of commercial and other business contracts and agreements. He also diligently assesses risk and advises clients on when to pursue further legal action. Steve has managed and settled many commercial claims and disputes.
Steve notably spent seven years as in-house general counsel for an international container manufacturer, a role which now contributes to his deep insights when working with clients in manufacturing, packaging, and industrial markets. His diverse clientele also spans companies of all sizes specializing in fabrication, printing, freight and logistics, metal services, factory automation, machinery and equipment, wholesale distribution, and investment banking and M&A brokerage.
Credentials
Education
- Washington University in St. Louis School of Law, 1989 (J.D.), Order of the Coif
- Eastern Illinois University, 1986 (B.A.), magna cum laude
- Represented a leading investor in the sale of a controlling interest in the steel processing division of an integrated steel processing and framing products manufacturing business.
- Represented a family-owned distributor of water meters to Chicagoland municipalities in the sale of their company to a strategic buyer.
- Guided an engineering firm in divesting its precast division to a strategic buyer.
- Represented the shareholders of a risk management information system provider for health care organizations in the sale of their business to a strategic buyer.
- Represented an electronic discovery and digital forensics company in its sale to a private equity-backed platform.
- Served as chief legal advisor to an integrated steel processor and framing products manufacturer.
- Represented an e-business in restructuring and a $10 million venture capital investment.
- Served as lead M&A lawyer for a large Japanese manufacturing client who acquired a public manufacturer.
- Defended a trust in a breach of fiduciary duty and breach of confidentiality agreement involving a closely held LLC.
- Represented the shareholders of one of the largest independent U.S. distributors of refined fuels in the sale of their business.
- Served as a key member of a legal team that completed the $275 million leveraged buyout of a container manufacturer.
- Represented a direct marketing company in a $50 million cash-out merger and sale to a private-equity backed competitor.
- Represented the acquirer in the acquisition of a majority interest in a web-based seller of camping equipment.
- Facilitated a $12.7 million stock sale and client portfolio diversification.
- Sidwell, Crook, Steward Alumni Association, Board Member
- American Bar Association, Business Law Section, Mergers and Acquisitions Subcommittee; Private Equity Subcommittee
- “Recent Legal Trends and Issues,” Midwest Business Brokers and Intermediaries, Oak Brook, Illinois, November 2024
- “Critical Legalese for Start-ups: Organization, Agreements and IP,” Irontek Webcast, April 2020
- “Alternative Energy Easements and Lease Agreements,” Chicago Bar Association, Business Law, Drafting and Negotiating Subcommittee, February 2018