Meet Brett
Brett is a shareholder in the firm’s Milwaukee office and a member of the Corporate/M&A practice. He is a go-to advisor for clients due to his ability to deliver practical, real-time guidance that aligns legal analysis with client business objectives and risk considerations.
Brett’s practice focuses primarily on buy-and-sell-side acquisitions, debt and equity financings, joint ventures and other transactional and strategic corporate matters. Transactional work is multidisciplinary by nature, and Brett is skilled in leading cross-functional teams to successfully drive transactions forward. Brett also counsels family and privately-owned businesses on a variety of matters, including succession planning, corporate governance, complex commercial contracting, and risk assessment and mitigation.
Brett’s transactional experience includes representing sellers, acquirers and investors across a wide range of industries, including manufacturing, distribution, healthcare, information technology, insurance, financial services and tribally owned businesses. He has also developed extensive experience representing both sellers and acquirers amid ongoing national consolidation in the wealth management/RIA and independent insurance brokerage markets.
Brett joined the firm in 2002 and was co-chair of the Corporate/M&A practice from 2011 to 2024. He has also served on the firm’s Associate, Marketing and Recruiting Committees.
Brett works closely with clients’ Boards of Directors in roles ranging from director and corporate secretary to trusted advisor. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Potosi Brewing Company, which supports and is wholly owned by the Potosi Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization in his hometown of Potosi, Wisconsin.
Strategic minority investment by an international diversified financial services firm in a Midwest-based registered investment adviser (RIA) (2026)
Acquisition of a national site utilities contractor by national earthwork and site development services company (2025)
Sale of majority control of Midwest-based home services business to management and private equity-backed acquiror (2025)
Acquisition of a commercial and industrial electrical services provider by a tribally-owned acquiror (2025)
Combination of Wisconsin-based orthopedic practice groups (2025)
Sale of a New England-based RIA to private equity-backed acquiror (2025)
Tuck-in acquisition of a dental-related consumer products business by international dental manufacturer (2025)
Acquisition of an Iowa-based independent insurance agency by private equity-backed acquiror (2025)
Sale of a Wisconsin automotive dealership to family-owned Great Lakes dealership platform (2025)
Tuck-in acquisition of a heat solutions manufacturer to the agricultural industry by international thermal management manufacturer and solutions provider (2025)
Sale of a Wisconsin-based RIA to private equity-backed acquiror (2025)
Acquisition of a web-based trust funds solution by family office investment fund (2025)
Sale of a Southeast Wisconsin-based home construction business to private equity-backed acquiror (2025)
Sale of a web-based employee benefits service provider to strategic acquiror (2025)
Acquisition of a Western Pennsylvania-based independent insurance agency by private equity-backed acquiror (2025)
Tuck-in acquisition of a commercial steel and aluminum home railings and assemblies manufacturer by national railing solutions and services manufacturer (2025)
Sale of a New Jersey-based RIA to private equity-backed acquiror (2024)
Acquisition of a Wisconsin-based independent insurance agency by private equity-backed acquiror (2024)
Sale of a management team’s interests in laboratory products manufacturer and executive employment and equity incentive arrangements to a private equity-backed acquiror (2024)
Sale of an SAP and Cloud Managed Services provider to global SAP channel partner (2024)
Sale of a Wisconsin-based industrial fluids and components manufacturer to distributor of metalworking and maintenance, repair, and operations products and services (2024)
Acquisition of a Michigan-based independent insurance agency by private equity-backed acquiror (2023)
Acquisition of a Wisconsin-based independent insurance agency by private equity-backed acquiror (2023)
Majority sale and recapitalization of a national woven and wired mesh manufacturer to private equity-backed acquiror (2023)
Acquisition of a Midwest-based specialty lines independent insurance agency by private equity-backed acquiror (2023)
Acquisition of a Wisconsin-based independent insurance agency by private equity-backed acquiror (2023)
Sale of a Minnesota-based RIA to private equity-backed acquiror (2023)
Sale of a Wisconsin-based excavation business and aggregates provider to Midwest-based construction and engineering services firm (2023)
Divestiture by national financial services firm and insurance carrier of its web-based specialty lines insurance platform to private equity-backed acquiror (2023)
Sale of a robotics-enabled dairy provider to strategic acquiror (2023)
Sale of a real estate title closing business by family-backed fund to strategic acquiror (2023)
Strategic minority investment by international diversified financial services firm in Midwest-based RIA (2023)
Divestiture of online news site to private equity-backed acquiror (2023)
Sale of a Wisconsin-based landscaping business to private equity-backed acquiror (2022)
Acquisition of a Wisconsin-based independent insurance agency by private equity-backed acquiror (2022)
Acquisition of a Wisconsin-based employee benefits insurance broker by private equity-backed acquiror (2022)
Sale of the controlling interest of a Midwest-based concrete products manufacturer to an ESOP (2022)
Acquisition of a Wisconsin-based independent insurance agency by private equity-backed acquiror (2022)
Sale of a Wisconsin-based architectural design firm by Midwest-based strategic acquiror (2022)
Acquisition of an Illinois-based independent insurance agency by private equity-backed acquiror (2022)
Sale of the controlling interest of an international specialty optics manufacturer to an ESOP (2022)
Sale of a dental procedures services provider to strategic acquiror (2022)
Acquisition of a Wisconsin-based independent insurance agency by private equity-backed acquiror (2022)
Combination of a national environmental engineering firm with national architectural, engineering, planning, and construction services firm (2022)
Acquisition of an after-market industrial equipment parts manufacturer by strategic acquiror (2022)
Acquisition of a Wisconsin-based independent insurance agency by private equity-backed acquiror (2022)
Acquisition of a Wisconsin-based employee benefits insurance broker by strategic acquiror (2022)
Acquisition of a Wisconsin-based independent insurance agency by private equity-backed acquiror (2022)
Strategic minority investment in early-stage dental technology manufacturer by international dental manufacturer (2021)
Acquisition of a national specialty lines independent insurance agency by national specialty lines insurance carrier (2021)
Acquisition of a national medical malpractice insurance administrator by national financial services firm (2021)
Tuck-in acquisition of a dental-related consumer products business by international dental manufacturer (2021)
Acquisition of a European-based landscaping equipment manufacturer by international landscaping equipment manufacturer (2021)
Sale of a private equity-owned in-home aesthetic appliance manufacturer to strategic acquiror (2021)
Acquisition of a family-owned laboratory products manufacturer and distributor by “fundless sponsor” acquiror (2021)
Sale of equity and recapitalization of a Midwest-based independent insurance agency to private equity investor (2021)
Sale of a road construction equipment manufacturer to private equity-backed acquiror (2021)
Sale of a minority strategic investment in regional distributor by international construction, landscaping and agricultural equipment manufacturer (2021)
Acquisition of a Minnesota-based specialty lines independent insurance agency by strategic acquiror (2020)
Sale of a technology-enabled treasury management company to private equity-backed acquiror (2020)
Minority investment in a Germany-based medical device manufacturer by “fundless sponsor” investor group (2020)
Sale of a Midwest-based RIA and trust company to private equity-backed acquiror (2020)
Sale of an Iowa-based RIA to private equity-backed acquiror (2020)
Acquisition of an alternative medicine manufacturer by a tribally-owned acquiror (2020)
Tuck-in acquisition of an electrical junction box manufacturer by national railing solutions and assemblies manufacturer (2020)
Sale of a commercial and industrial lighting manufacturer to strategic acquiror (2020)
Sale of a Midwest-based industrial battery products distributor to brand manufacturer (2020)
Acquisition of controlling ownership of national construction and general contractor business by management team (2020)
Minority strategic investment by international dental manufacturer in dental service/support organization (DSO) (2020)
Sale of a data analytics consultancy to international accounting, audit and consulting services provider (2020)
Acquisition of a regional beer wholesaler by strategic acquiror (2020)
