Howard Blum, a partner in the firm's Corporate and Securities Practice Group and a former managing partner, has more than 25 years' experience in general corporate representation, with an emphasis on transactional work - acquisitions, venture capital investments and debt financings.
Securities and General Corporate. Howard serves as corporate counsel to public and private companies in connection with their general corporate and securities compliance matters. In these engagements, he provides ongoing advice to corporations in connection with operational matters, including venture capital finance, employment contracts and incentive compensation, transitional planning, shareholder or partnership arrangements, banking and investor relationships and general business planning. In his capacity as counsel to a public company, Howard guides the company through the process of going private, advising as to corporate and securities issues. He has also represented venture capital financed companies in equity and mezzanine debt recapitalizations involving complex, multi-party negotiations.
Mergers and Acquisitions. Howard has represented purchasers and sellers of businesses in many different industries, including both public and private companies. The transactions have involved the use of secured and unsecured debt instruments as well as public stock with the attendant tax, corporate and securities considerations.
Venture Capital Investments. Howard has represented venture capital funds in a substantial number of acquisitive and dispositive transactions. Though a number of the transactions have involved the acquisition of all or substantially all of the assets of a target, most have involved the acquisition of a minority equity position. As a result, Howard has developed experience in a variety of mechanisms designed to protect a minority investor in a private or public company, including provisions tailored to assure appropriate controls over key actions and to provide for a practical and effective exit strategy. Many of the transactions have involved relationships with prior round investors and complex income tax issues, including avoidance of unrelated business taxable income problems.
Telecommunications. Howard began his work in telecommunications in the mid-1970s by representing banks in loans to cable television companies. His work in communications expanded to include cellular telephone and broadcast and print media. As an outgrowth of Howard's activities on behalf of banks, he has been selected to serve as counsel for borrowers involved in large, complex financings in the telecommunications industry. Howard's clients have been active in the ownership and operation of cable television and cellular telephone systems and in funding companies engaged in Internet-related businesses.
In General. Howard has been an active lecturer in continuing education programs for the Philadelphia and Pennsylvania Bar Associations, has served as chairman of the Philadelphia Securities Regulation Committee and has been a member of the Executive Committee of the Business Section of the Philadelphia Bar Association.