small-logo
ProfessionalsCapabilitiesInsights & NewsCareersLocations
About UsAlumniOpportunity & InclusionPro BonoCorporate Social Responsibility
Stay Connected:
facebookinstagramlinkedintwitteryoutube
  1. Professionals

Brian Schafer

Partner

Co-Chair, Private Equity Practice

Chicago

+1 312-558-7510

Let's Connect

Email
vCard
  • Full Bio PDFPDF
    • Email
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    Share this page
  • Overview
  • Experience
  • Credentials
  • Insights & News

For more than 25 years, Brian has represented public companies and private equity firms in M&A and capital markets transactions. He serves as co-chair of Winston & Strawn’s global Private Equity Practice.

Brian concentrates his practice in private equity, mergers and acquisitions, and capital markets. He joined Winston & Strawn in 1996 and has been a partner since 2004. He is a member of the firm’s Executive Committee.

His private equity clients include: Wind Point Partners, Merit Capital Partners, Silver Oak Services Partners, Longshore Capital Partners, Excellere Partners, WILsquare Capital, PPC Enterprises, and Charles Thayne Capital.

His public company clients include: Lamb Weston, Kellogg Company, Hayward Holdings, and OPENLANE.

Recent Experience

Winston Represented FreshEdge in its Acquisition of Frontier Produce
Winston Represented FreshEdge in its Acquisition of Western Sky Produce
Winston Represented Hayward Holdings in its Acquisition of ChlorKing
Winston Represented Charles Thayne Capital in its Acquisition of Bluescape
Represented Stout Risius Ross in the Acquisition of HealthCare Appraisers
Stout Acquisition of Torrey Partners
Stout Risius Ross's Acquisition of The Claro Group
Stout Risius Ross's Acquisition of Davis & Hosfield
Stout Risius Ross's Acquisition of Genova Group
Longshore Capital Partners Acquires Stuzo, LLC
View All Related Matters

  • IFLR1000—Recognized as a “Notable Practitioner” in Corporate and M&A (2020–2024)
  • Lawdragon—Listed among the “500 Leading Dealmakers in America” (2022–2025)

Capabilities

Mergers & Acquisitions
Private Equity
Public Companies

Recent Experience

Winston Represented FreshEdge in its Acquisition of Frontier Produce
Winston Represented FreshEdge in its Acquisition of Western Sky Produce
Winston Represented Hayward Holdings in its Acquisition of ChlorKing
Winston Represented Charles Thayne Capital in its Acquisition of Bluescape
Represented Stout Risius Ross in the Acquisition of HealthCare Appraisers
Stout Acquisition of Torrey Partners
Stout Risius Ross's Acquisition of The Claro Group
Stout Risius Ross's Acquisition of Davis & Hosfield
Stout Risius Ross's Acquisition of Genova Group
Longshore Capital Partners Acquires Stuzo, LLC
View All Related Matters

Credentials

Education

Brian received a B.A., summa cum laude, from Georgetown University in 1991, where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, and a J.D., cum laude, from Harvard Law School in 1996.

    Admissions
    • Illinois

    Related Insights & News

    Sponsorship
    Winston & Strawn Sponsors the 23rd Annual IVCA Awards Dinner

    December 9, 2024

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

    October 22, 2024

    Sponsorship
    Winston & Strawn Sponsors the 44th Annual Ray Garrett Jr. Corporate & Securities Law Institute

    September 26, 2024

    Recognitions
    Winston & Strawn Recognized in IFLR1000 2024

    August 6, 2024

    Recognitions
    Winston & Strawn Recognized in IFLR1000 2023

    June 6, 2024

    Sponsorship
    Winston & Strawn Sponsors the 2024 ACG DealMAX Conference

    April 29, 2024

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

    October 20, 2023

    Sponsorship
    Winston & Strawn Sponsors the 2023 ACG DealMAX Conference

    May 8-10, 2023

    Recognitions
    Winston & Strawn Recognized in IFLR1000 2022

    August 25, 2022

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

    May 6, 2022

    Sponsorship
    Winston & Strawn Sponsors the ACG InterGrowth Conference 2022

    April 25-27, 2022

    Press Release
    Winston & Strawn Announces New Executive Committee Members

    September 23, 2021

    View All Insights & News

    Capabilities

    Mergers & Acquisitions
    Private Equity
    Public Companies
    Logo
    facebookinstagramlinkedintwitteryoutube

    Copyright © 2025. Winston & Strawn LLP

    AlumniCorporate Transparency Act Task ForceDEI Compliance Task ForceEqual Rights AmendmentLaw GlossaryThe Oval UpdateWinston MinutePrivacy PolicyCookie PolicyFraud & Scam AlertsNoticesSubscribeAttorney Advertising