Bryson Cook provides corporate, tax, finance, and transactional advice to private and public companies and their owners and key executives.
In the course of his career, Mr. Cook has been involved in many significant transactions. On the financing side, utilizing his experience as a former investment banker, Mr. Cook structured the first publicly traded bond issue secured by commercial real estate and developed sale/leaseback programs for the City of Baltimore; the State of Maryland; the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission; and Johns Hopkins University. Significant corporate transactions include the representation of Marriott International in connection with Host Marriott's conversion to a REIT; the sale of the Maryland Jockey Club to Magna Entertainment; and numerous transactions involving Guthy-Renker Corporation, the world's largest infomercial company.
His proficient knowledge of corporate governance has been demonstrated in connection with the restructuring of CareFirst, Inc. and the split up of Meritage, Inc., a rollup of large machine tool distributors. In connection with his representation of large, privately-held businesses, Mr. Cook has developed unique tax; wealth transfer; succession; and governance structures, including the creation of a Dutch holding company for a Malaysian billionaire and numerous freeze transactions for wealthy real estate developers and other entrepreneurs.
News
January 30, 2012, Tax Directors Handbook 2012 recognizes Venable's tax and wealth planning group
December 15, 2011, Maryland edition of Super Lawyers 2012 honors 38 Venable attorneys
October 5, 2011, Best Lawyers Names Four Venable Partners "Lawyers of the Year"
October 4, 2011, Four Venable attorneys named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers
September 14, 2011, 75 Venable attorneys listed in The Best Lawyers in America® 2012
June 10, 2011, Chambers Ranks Record Number of Venable Attorneys
June 3, 2011, 29 Venable attorneys featured in Legal 500's 2011 rankings
December 30, 2010, Maryland edition of Super Lawyers 2011 honors 37 Venable attorneys
August 23, 2010, 65 Venable attorneys receive 2011 Best Lawyers honors
July 17, 2010, Venable Makes Big Gains on Chambers USA 2010 Rankings with Forty-Eight Attorneys Listed as Among the Best in Their Fields
July 16, 2009, Thirty-Nine Venable Attorneys Recognized By Clients and Peers as Among Best in Their Practice Areas in 2009 Chambers USA Rankings
February 10, 2009, Maryland edition of Super Lawyers 2009 list honors 40 Venable attorneys
August 25, 2008, Fifty-nine Venable Attorneys Earn Best Lawyers in America Honors
June 16, 2008, Chambers USA Releases 2008 Rankings: 37 Venable Attorneys Identified By Clients and Peers as Among Best in Practice Areas
September 12, 2007, Fifty-five Venable Attorneys Earn Best Lawyers in America Honors
July 18, 2007, 31 Venable Attorneys Recognized By Clients and Peers as Among Best in Field in Latest Chambers U.S. Rankings
October 2, 2006, Forty-Seven Venable Lawyers Cited Among The Best Lawyers in America
October 5, 2005, Forty Venable Lawyers Cited Among "Best Lawyers in America"
June 10, 2005, Venable Makes Impressive Gains on Latest Chambers USA Rankings
December 13, 2004, 23 Venable Partners Cited Among "Best Lawyers in America" in Bi-Annual Peer-Reviewed Survey
April 26, 2004, Venable Lawyers and Practice Groups Score On Latest Chambers USA Rankings
February 21, 2003, Venable Advises CRIIMI MAE on Recapitalization
Honors
· Listed for more than twenty years in The Best Lawyers in America (Woodward and White) for Corporate Law, International Trade and Finance Law, Mergers & Acquisitions Law, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law, and Tax Law
· Recognized in the 2011 edition of Chambers USA (Band 1), Corporate/Mergers & Acquisitions, Maryland
· Recognized in the 2010 edition of Chambers USA (Band 1), Corporate/Mergers & Acquisitions, Maryland
· Recognized in the 2009 edition of Chambers USA (Band 1), Corporate/Mergers & Acquisitions, Maryland
· Recognized in the 2008 edition of Chambers USA (Band 1), Corporate/Mergers & Acquisitions, Maryland
· Recognized in the 2007 edition of Chambers USA (Band 1), Corporate/Mergers & Acquisitions, Maryland
· Recognized in the 2006 edition of Chambers USA (Band 1), Corporate/Mergers & Acquisitions, Maryland
· Recognized in the 2005 edition of Chambers USA (Band 1), Corporate/Mergers & Acquisitions, Maryland
· Recognized in the 2004 edition of Chambers USA (Band 1), Corporate/Mergers & Acquisitions, Maryland
· Recognized in the 2003 edition of Chambers USA (Band 2), Corporate/Mergers & Acquisitions, Maryland
· Named in the top 15 lawyers in a poll of members of the Net-Invest Group, an Internet-based group that links investors and entrepreneurs
· AV® Peer-Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
· Selected for inclusion in Maryland Super Lawyers (2008 - 2012)
· Recognized in the 2011 edition of Legal 500, Domestic Tax: East Coast
(Also at Baltimore, Maryland Office)