Martin Burkett serves as co-chair of Akerman's M&A and Private Equity Practice. Martin represents public and private companies and private equity funds in a variety of corporate transactions, with a particular focus on mergers and acquisitions. Martin's practice includes structuring and negotiating complex business transactions, mergers and acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, recapitalizations, going private transactions, venture and growth capital investments, debt and equity financings, and securities offerings. He regularly represents portfolio companies of private equity clients and other companies with respect to all of their corporate transactions, and effectively serves as their outside general counsel. In addition, Martin represents investors and companies in a broad variety of distressed corporate situations, including distressed acquisitions.
People
Notable Work
Representation of JM Family Enterprises, Inc. in the following acquisitions:
- Home Franchise Concepts, a franchisor of home improvement goods and services and parent of Budget Blinds, Tailored Living, Concrete Craft, and AdvantaClean brands.
- Bryche Corporation, a franchisee of AdvantaClean Systems.
- Home Franchise Concepts, a subsidiary of JM Family Enterprises, Inc. in the acquisition of Kitchen Tune Up Worldwide, Inc., a South Dakota franchise corporation selling kitchen cabinetry restoration and remodeling services.
Representation of a private equity firm and its affiliates in connection with the following transactions:
- Sale of Medical Specialties Distributors, a portfolio company and distributor of durable medical equipment.
- Acquisition of OMNI Home Care, a leading provider of skilled nursing and therapy home healthcare services.
- Acquisition a controlling equity interest in Concordia Healthcare Holdings, Inc., the direct parent of Concordia Care, Inc., a managed behavioral healthcare organization providing benefit administration of mental health and substance abuse services for HMOs, PSNs, commercial employer groups and other managed care organizations.
- Simply Healthcare Plans a health maintenance company then-portfolio company of MBF Healthcare Partners, in its sale to Anthem.
- Simply Healthcare Plans in its acquisitions of Total Health Choice, Inc, a Medicaid health maintenance organization, and Better Health, LLC, a provider service network.
- Acorn Health, LLC, a portfolio company of MBF in the asset acquisition of Behavior Basics, LLC, a provider of applied behavioral analysis services.
- Acorn Health, LLC, in its acquisition of LEAP Behavior Analysis, LLC and JKP Analysts, LLC, a provider of applied behavioral analysis services.
- Acorn Health, LLC, in its acquisition of Sandcastle Centers.
- Acorn Health, LLC, in its acquisition of ABC’s of Applied Behavior Analysis, Inc.
- Acorn Health, LLC, in its acquisition of Crawl, Walk, Jump, Run Therapy Clinic, LLC.
- Acorn Health, LLC in its acquisition of Compass Wellness Center, LLC.
- Acorn Health, LLC in the acquisition of Turning Point Education Services, LLC.
- Acorn Health, LLC in the acquisition of Next Steps Behavioral Centers, LLC.
- Acorn Health, LLC in the acquisition of Foundation for Growing, LLC.
- Acorn Health, LLC in the acquisition of Behavior Therapy Specialists of Illinois and Missouri, LLC.
- Acorn Health, LLC in the acquisition of assets of WeBehave and related entities.
- Acorn Health, LLC in the acquisition of assets of Autism Centers of Michigan, LLC.
- Acorn Health, LLC in the acquisition of Behavioral Momentum, LLC.
- Acorn Health, LLC in the acquisition of American Healthcare Staffing Association, LLC, a healthcare staffing company.
- Acorn Health, LLC in its disposition to Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board.
- Navarro Discount Pharmacy, a retail drug store chain and portfolio company of MBF, in its sale to CVS Caremark.
- Founder of MBF, in sale of Physicians Healthcare Plans and CarePlus Health Plans.
Representation of a private equity firm and its portfolio companies in connection with the following transactions:
- Acquisition of Integrated Emergency Medicine Specialists, Inc., a leading emergency medicine provider, to form Integrated Care Physicians, Inc.
- American Health Staffing Group, Inc., a portfolio company of BelHealth in the acquisition of Advance Med, LLC and its affiliated companies, a provider of travel staffing solutions to hospitals nationwide.
- American Health Staffing Group, Inc. in the acquisition of Expedient Medstaff, LLC, a national provider of travel nurse staffing.
- American Health Staffing Group, Inc. in the acquisition of Thaxton Barabe, a provider of interim healthcare leadership staffing.
- American Health Staffing Group, Inc. in the acquisition of American Healthcare Staffing Association, LLC, a healthcare staffing company.
- NavaDerm, LLC a portfolio of Bel Health Investment Fund II, L.P., in the acquisitions of several dermatology practices.
Representation of Suite Management Franchising LLC in the sale of My Salon Suite and Salon Plaza franchise and a number of corporate stores to Propelled Brands, the corporate umbrella of service-oriented franchises including FASTSIGNS®, SIGNWAVE®, and NerdsToGo®.
Representation of Ondas Holdings Inc, a developer of private licensed wireless data networks, in the acquisition of American Robotics, Inc., a provider of industrial drone solutions.
Represented one of the largest nurseries of house and garden plants in the U.S., in the restructuring and sale of a majority interest to Markel Ventures.
Representation of Republic Metals Corporation, a metal refining company in a 363 asset sale to Asahi Holdings, Inc., a precious metals refiner.
Represented Del Monte Fresh Produce, N.A., Inc., a global producer, marketer and distributor of fresh and fresh-cut fruit and vegetables, in the following acquisitions:
- Acquisition of Mann Packing Co., Inc. and its subsidiaries.
- Acquisition of a minority interest in Three Limes, Inc. d/b/a Purple Carrot, with an option to acquire a majority stake.
Representation of Dorilton Capital Advisors, and its portfolio company Traditions Health Care Holding Company, LLC, a leading provider of home health and hospice services, in the acquisition of ProCare Hospice LLC, a provider of hospice services based in Oxnard, California.
Representation of Lynn University, a Florida not-for-profit university, in its acquisition of substantially all of the assets of Digital Media Arts College, a Florida for-profit college.
Representation of Omni Direct, Inc., a provider of performance-based marketing and media services targeting the Hispanic audiences, in its sale to MG LLC (dba TRANZACT) (indirect sub of Willis Towers Watson), a provider of direct to consumer insurance services.
Representation of Premier Health Network, LLC, Medhealth Group, LLC and Orlando Family Physicians, LLC in the sale of each company’s equity interests.
Representation of American Force Wheels, Inc. in their sale to Wheel Pros, LLC.
Representation of Kayne Partners Fund III in the disposition by Kayne of its interests in Cryptzone Worldwide, Inc. Kayne held a minority share of Cryptzone Worldwide, Inc. Cyxtera, a joint venture between BC Partners and Medina Capital, was formed upon the simultaneous closing of a number of mergers, valued in the aggregate at $2.8 billion, including the acquisition of Cryptzone Worldwide, Inc.
Represented Pasteur in the combined sale of Pasteur and its health plan partner, HealthSun Health Plans (HealthSun) to Summit Partners, in a complex transaction that involved the combined sale of different entities with varying licenses, legal structures, tax effects, and competing ownership interests.
Represented an in-home healthcare provider in its sale to InTandem Capital Partners.
Representation of Vantage Hospitality Group, Inc., one of the largest private hotel franchisors in the country in sale to Red Lion Hotels Corporation, a publicly-traded growing hospitality company that operates and franchises upscale, midscale, and economy hotels.
Represented a provider of physician services in multiple acquisitions, including the acquisition of a series of sleep clinics, disposition of sleep clinics to Medbridge Capital, and sale of Continucare to Metropolitan Health Networks.
Represented a special purpose acquisition company in its acquisition by ARMOUR Residential REIT Inc.
Represented the purchaser in its acquisition of a majority of the outstanding capital stock of Iowa Northern Railway Company, LLC (INRC), a short line railway located in the Midwest that primarily serves the renewable fuels and renewable energy industries. INRC has multiple facilities in operation for transloading services.
Represented International Rail Partners, LLC in the acquisition of a short-line railroad, Grenada railroad, LLC, which runs between Memphis, TN and Canton, MS.
Published Work and Lectures
- Alliance of Merger & Acquisition Advisors 2018 Winter Conference: Fueling Growth, Redefining Potential, Presenter, “State of the Market Roundtable,” January 17, 2018
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Alliance of Merger & Acquisition Advisors South Florida Chapter, Speaker, “Building the Optimal Deal Team to Drive Success," May 17, 2017
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Akerman Healthcare Briefing, Speaker, “Healthcare M&A from the Seller's Perspective: Market Trends & Best Practices to Maximize Valuation and Net Proceeds,” November 4, 2016
- ACG South Florida, Panelist, "Annual Update: Investing in Health Care Businesses 2013," September 19, 2013
- ACG Florida Capital Connection Conference, Moderator, "M&A, Private Equity and Capital Markets Update," Key Biscayne, November 2011
- Akerman M&A Roundtable Series, Panelist, "M&A, Private Equity, and Capital Markets Update," Boca Raton, Jacksonville, 2012
- Akerman M&A Roundtable Series, Speaker, "Legal Perspective on the State of the M&A Markets," Miami, 2010
Affiliations
- Year Up South Florida, Founding Board of Directors
- Alliance Of M&A Advisors (AM&AA) South Florida Chapter, Board Member
- Williams College, South Florida Alumni Association, President
- Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, Fellow
Honors and Distinctions
- Chambers USA 2021-2023, Ranked in Florida (South Florida) for Corporate/M&A and Private Equity
- The Best Lawyers in America 2009-2024, Listed in Florida for Corporate Law, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, and Venture Capital Law
- The Best Lawyers in America 2022, Listed as "Lawyer of the Year" for Mergers and Acquisitions Law in Fort Lauderdale
- The Legal 500 2013-2018, 2022-2023, Recommended for Mergers, Acquisitions & Buyouts: M&A National Middle Market
- International Financial Law Review (IFLR) 1000, Listed as “Highly Regarded” for M&A in Florida
- Daily Business Review, 2007, Named "Top Dealmaker of the Year"