Appleton Papers Inc.—$810 million ESOP buy-out of Arjo Wiggins Appleton P.L.C.; $335 million debt refinancing transaction
Cellular Dynamics International, Inc.—$46 million initial public offering
Kohl's Corporation—$1.35 billion registered senior notes offerings
ManpowerGroup Inc.—Acquisition of COMSYS IT Partners, Inc.; Acquisition of Right Management Consultants, Inc.; Euronote offerings
Marshall & Ilsley Corporation—Acquisitions of Mississippi Valley Bancshares, Inc., Gold Banc Corporation, Inc., and First Indiana Corporation; $1.9 billion registered debt offering
Midwest Air Group, Inc.—Defense of hostile offer by AirTran Holdings, Inc.; Subsequent sale to TP Capital, L.P. This transaction was named the 2008 Mid-Market Deal of the Year by Mergers & Acquisitions magazine.
Renaissance Learning, Inc.—$455 million sale to Permira Funds
NimbleGen Systems Inc.—Initial public offering (withdrawn upon sale of Company to Roche Holdings, Inc.)
Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated—Underwriter's counsel in secondary offering of common stock of Rosetta Stone Inc. and Douglas Dynamics, Inc.
School Specialty, Inc.—Sale to Bain Capital Partners, LLC (terminated); $200 million convertible subordinated debt offering; $517 million convertible subordinated debt exchange; $270 credit facility refinancing
Shopko Stores, Inc.—Sale to Goldner Hawn Johnson & Morrison Inc. (terminated); Subsequent sale to Sun Capital Partners, Inc.