Mr. Koeppel is a Partner and the Team Leader of the firm’s Private Equity and Independent Sponsor Practices. He is a corporate lawyer who has successfully structured, negotiated, and closed over 250 transactions in the past 25+ years, which typically involve mergers and acquisitions, fund formations and investments, and various private equity transactions (including co-investments, venture financings and cross-border deals). He also works with clients on reviewing/ structuring their Qualified Opportunity Zone and Qualified Small Business Stock investments. 

Mr. Koeppel acts as counsel to a number of leading funds, independent sponsors, middle market companies, institutional investors, family offices, and high net worth investors focused on buy-out, growth, venture, real estate, intellectual property, energy, debt, fund-of-funds, co-investments, secondaries, and other strategies. He also often acts as US counsel to non-US clients on their US acquisition and private investment transactions. He also serves as a director for several private equity-backed companies. 

On the M&A/ private equity transactions side, Mr. Koeppel has advised on deals from $5 million to $250 million+ in a wide range of industries, including manufacturing, technology, consumer goods, food, distribution, business services, cleantech, and medical/ health care.

He is a frequent speaker at a number of leading private equity and M&A events. Mr. Koeppel and his team take a pro-active and practical approach to helping clients make connections and successfully navigating the various legal challenges in any private equity transaction. Prior to joining Lippes, he was a partner in the private equity and investment funds group of an AmLaw 100 firm.



ADMITTED TO PRACTICE
  • New York

Education
  • University at Buffalo School of Law, J.D., magna cum laude
  • University at Buffalo, B.S. / M.B.A., with distinction 

Honors & Awards
  • Upstate Capital, Dealmaker of the Year
  • The Best Lawyers in America©, 2022-2025
  • Chambers USA, Leading Corporate/M&A Lawyer
  • Chambers USA, Leading Private Equity Lawyer (Investment Funds)
  • Upstate New York Super Lawyers®, 2013-2016

Professional Associations
  • Association for Corporate Growth (New York, Ohio and Florida) 
  • Vistage - Trusted Advisor
  • Independent Sponsors Council 
  • Independent Sponsor Forum (ISF) 
  • Independent Sponsor Capital Providers (ISCP) Club 
  • Upstate Capital Association of New York
  • American Bar Association - Mergers and Acquisitions, Private Equity, and Middle Market Business Committees 
  • NYS Bar Association - Business Law 

Speaking Engagements
  • "Independent Sponsors - Winning and Financing Deals," Speaker, Expert Webcast, November 14, 2024
  • "Navigating Pitfalls in LOI & Seller Dynamics," Speaker, Post ISF Boot Camp Technical Session, Small Business Investor Alliance, October 21, 2024
  • “Strategies to Navigate Exclusivity,” Speaker, Small Business Investor Alliance's (SIBA), Chicago Independent Sponsor Forum Deal Series, September 12, 2024
  • “Best Practice in Deferred Consideration," Speaker, 17th Independent Sponsor Summit, iGlobal Forum, September 2024
  • "Independent Sponsor Success Strategies," Panelist, Expert Webcast, August 2024 
  • "Independent Sponsors vs. Traditional PE: Why This Model is Booming," Guest Speaker, iGlobal Forum Video, March 2024
  • "Latest Trends in Deal Structuring," Speaker, 16th Independent Sponsors Summit, iGlobal Forum, February 2024
  • "Outlook for Independent Sponsors 2024," Panelist, Expert Webcast, February 2024
  • "Structuring M&A Deals with Independent Sponsors," Panelist, Expert Webcast, October 2023
  • "Why Pay Now, When You Can Pay Later: Earnouts, Seller Notes, and Rollover Equity," Speaker, 15th Independent Sponsors Summit, iGlobal Forum, September 2023
  • 14th Independent Sponsors Summit, Moderator, iGlobal Forum, February 2023
  • "The Basics of Independent Sponsors," Guest Speaker, Morgan & Westfield’s M&A Talk Podcast, May 2022
  • "Deal Lawyers Download: Current Trends in Private Equity Deals," Guest Speaker, Deal Lawyers Podcast, April 2022
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