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  1. Professionals

Steven J. Gavin

Partner

Chicago

+1 312-558-5979

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  • Overview
  • Experience
  • Credentials
  • Insights & News

Routinely honored as one of the country’s top lawyers in M&A and private equity work, Steven advises clients on the full range of corporate finance transactions, counseling boards of directors and other key leaders on matters of governance, oversight and structure.

Steve advises clients in a wide variety of corporate finance and merger and acquisition transactions, and regularly counsels boards of directors and special committees of both public and private companies on corporate governance and oversight issues.

Steve’s clients include Loews, Inc.; SPX Flow, Inc.; Morningstar, Inc.; Nuveen Investments, Inc.; Groupon, Inc.; Skillz Inc.; Fathom Digital Manufacturing Corporation; Echo Global Logistics, Inc.; The Vistria Group; Water Street Healthcare Partners and CORE Industrial Partners.

Recent Experience

Winston Represented Sertifi Inc. in its Sale to Flywire Corporation
Winston Represents KeHE Distributors, LLC in a $250.0 Million Senior Secured Notes Tack-On Offering
Winston Represented Chartis in a Majority Investment from Blackstone
Winston Represents KeHE Distributors, LLC in a $750.0 Million Senior Secured Notes Offering
Groupon, Inc. $80.0 Million Fully Backstopped Rights Offering for Common Stock
KeHE Distributors' Acquisition of DPI Specialty Foods
Echo Global Logistics, Inc. Announces Acquisition by The Jordan Company, L.P.
RLH Equity Partners and the Equityholders of ClearView Healthcare Partners Sale to GHO Capital Partners
Healthwell Acquisition Corp. I Announces Closing of US$250M IPO
Fathom Digital Manufacturing Corp. Business Combination with Altimar Acquisition Corp. II
View All Related Matters

Steve was ranked by Chambers USA in Corporate/M&A from 2014–2024. He has been recognized since 2006 by The Best Lawyers in America® where he was also named “Lawyer of the Year” in 2020 and 2025 in the areas of Mergers & Acquisitions and Securities/Capital Markets Law in Chicago. Steve has been listed in The Legal 500 US as a top attorney in Mergers, Acquisitions, and Buyouts since 2009 and was recognized as a “Key Lawyer” from 2023–2024. He was also named to Lawdragon’s 500 Leading Dealmakers in America from 2020–2025 and to the 2021 Lawdragon 500: The Legends.

 

Steve served as the chair of Winston & Strawn’s Corporate & Finance Department from 2006 to 2012.  Steve is a former Chairman of the Board of Link Unlimited and currently serves as Chairman of the Nominating & Governance Committee of the Chicago Botanic Garden.

Capabilities

Transactions
Corporate Governance
Private Equity
Mergers & Acquisitions
Capital Markets
Public Companies
Financial Services
Life Sciences
Health Care

Recent Experience

Winston Represented Sertifi Inc. in its Sale to Flywire Corporation
Winston Represents KeHE Distributors, LLC in a $250.0 Million Senior Secured Notes Tack-On Offering
Winston Represented Chartis in a Majority Investment from Blackstone
Winston Represents KeHE Distributors, LLC in a $750.0 Million Senior Secured Notes Offering
Groupon, Inc. $80.0 Million Fully Backstopped Rights Offering for Common Stock
KeHE Distributors' Acquisition of DPI Specialty Foods
Echo Global Logistics, Inc. Announces Acquisition by The Jordan Company, L.P.
RLH Equity Partners and the Equityholders of ClearView Healthcare Partners Sale to GHO Capital Partners
Healthwell Acquisition Corp. I Announces Closing of US$250M IPO
Fathom Digital Manufacturing Corp. Business Combination with Altimar Acquisition Corp. II
View All Related Matters

Credentials

Education

Steve received a B.A., Phi Beta Kappa, from Yale College in 1982, and a J.D. from Stanford Law School in 1985.

    Admissions
    • Illinois

    Related Insights & News

    Recognitions
    Winston Partners Recognized on the 2025 Lawdragon 500 Leading Dealmakers in America List

    October 22, 2024

    Recognitions

    Winston Attorneys Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2025

    August 15, 2024

    Recognitions
    Winston & Strawn Recognized in The Legal 500 U.S. 2024

    June 12, 2024

    Recognitions
    Winston & Strawn Recognized in Chambers USA 2024

    June 6, 2024

    Recognitions
    Winston Partners Recognized on the 2024 Lawdragon 500 Leading Dealmakers in America

    October 20, 2023

    Recognitions
    Winston Attorneys Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2024

    August 17, 2023

    Recognitions
    Winston & Strawn Recognized in The Legal 500 U.S. 2023

    June 7, 2023

    Recognitions
    Winston & Strawn Recognized in Chambers USA 2023

    June 6, 2023

    Recognitions
    Winston & Strawn Attorneys Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America© 2023

    August 18, 2022

    Recognitions
    Winston & Strawn Recognized in Chambers USA 2022

    June 3, 2022

    Recognitions
    Winston Partners Recognized on the 2022 Lawdragon 500 Leading Dealmakers in America

    May 6, 2022

    Recognitions
    Winston & Strawn Attorneys Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America© 2022

    August 19, 2021

    View All Insights & News

    Capabilities

    Transactions
    Corporate Governance
    Private Equity
    Mergers & Acquisitions
    Capital Markets
    Public Companies
    Financial Services
    Life Sciences
    Health Care
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