Michael L. (Mike) McCann

Partner
Corporate and Business Transactions Practice Group Leader / Mergers & Acquisitions Practice Group Leader
Contact
P 816.292.8110 | F 816.474.3216

Overview

As Chair of the firm’s Corporate and Business Transactions Practice group, Mike McCann has represented several of the region’s largest and most well-regarded companies through business decisions, and mergers and acquisitions that pave the way for their continued growth and success. He was recently recognized for his representation of Boulevard Brewing Company, one of the region’s largest breweries, in its sale to Duvel Moortgat, an independent craft brewer based in Belgium.

Since that transaction, Mike has represented a number of craft brewers, including 10 Barrel Brewing Company (Bend, Oregon), Firestone Walker Brewing Company (Paso Robles, California), Four Peaks Brewing Company (Tempe, Arizona), Hop Valley Brewing Company (Eugene, Oregon), Terrapin Beer Company (Athens, Georgia), Revolver Brewing (Granbury, Texas), and Spiked Seltzer (Norwalk, Connecticut), in key transactions with Anheuser-Busch, MillerCoors, and Duvel Moortgat.

Mike’s personal knowledge of his clients and their businesses allows him to provide services customized to meet their unique and particular needs. He has extensive experience guiding clients through mergers and acquisitions as well as a wide range of financings including private placements, venture capital / private equity investments and traditional debt financings. Mike also represents a large number of trade associations and other nonprofit entities, and regularly deals with the tax, antitrust, and other issues that those entities face.

Additionally, Mike advises on corporate structure and family succession planning, compliance with federal and state securities laws, corporate governance, executive compensation arrangements, licensing and other business agreements, and negotiated resolutions of business disputes.

Mike also serves as outside general counsel to a number of mid-market companies, helping them with their day-to-day matters, including drafting and reviewing contracts, risk avoidance, resolving disputes, and other general business advice.

Credentials

Education

  • University of Kansas School of Law, 1990 (J.D.)
  • University of Kansas

Bar Admissions

  • Kansas, 1991
  • Missouri, 1990

Court Admissions

  • U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas

  • Represented buyers and sellers in numerous acquisitions, dispositions and mergers ranging in size from less than $5 million to over $1 billion. His experience includes representing purchasers and sellers in the broadcast and cable television, brewing, technology and software, telecommunications, manufacturing, financial services, insurance, franchising and distribution, and construction industries.
  • Advises clients with respect to employment and executive compensation agreements, confidentiality and noncompete agreements, licensing and distribution agreements, joint venture agreements and the like. Mike also assists clients in tax planning, corporate governance, succession planning, and other similar legal issues. Mike co-authors the chapter on fiduciary duties in the Missouri Business Organizations desk book published by The Missouri Bar and is a frequent lecturer with respect to mergers and acquisitions and business structures.
  • Represented many clients with respect to capital raising activities, whether through private or public sales of equity or debt, convertible or hybrid securities, and conventional bank debt.
  • Represents a wide variety of trade associations and other nonprofit entities and routinely advises such clients with respect to the formation and governance of these entities, tax exemptions and other tax issues such as unrelated business income, antitrust and trade regulation issues, hotel and convention center agreements, membership issues including member discipline and codes of ethics, and certification programs. Mike is a frequent lecturer and author on trade association issues and has served as a director of the Kansas City Society of Association Executives. In 1998, Mike received the Allied Member Award of Excellence from the Kansas City Society of Association Executives in recognition of his service to the trade association community.

  • Best Lawyers in America, 2024
  • Missouri Lawyers Media, POWER List, Mergers & Acquisitions, 2023
  • Chambers USA, Corporate / Mergers and Acquisitions, 2020-2023
  • Business Today, Top 10 Most Influential Corporate & M&A Lawyers in Kansas City, Missouri, 2023
  • Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers, 2005, 2011-2017
  • IFLR1000, Mergers & Acquisitions, 2022
  • Kansas City Business Journal, Best of the Bar

 

  • American Bar Association
  • Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association
  • American Society of Association Executives
  • Kansas City Society of Association Executives