Steven R. (Steve) Barth

Steven R. (Steve) Barth

Steven R. Barth is a partner with Foley & Lardner LLP. As a member of the Transactional & Securities Practice, Mr. Barth practices in the areas of mergers, acquisitions, leveraged recapitalizations and buyouts; venture capital and private equity fund formation and portfolio company investment; public and private offerings of equity and debt securities; public corporation securities laws and reporting compliance; corporate governance; and assists in the organization, development and financing of startup and development stage corporations. Mr. Barth also has extensive experience in counseling mid-market and closely held firms, including many family businesses. He has helped many mid-sized companies adopt and implement their strategic plans and transition ownership and management to the next family generation, to employees and to strategic or financial buyers. Mr. Barth is also a member of the Food and Health Care Industry Teams, and the Financial Crisis Response Team.

Mr. Barth has represented buyers, sellers, investors, and intermediaries in over 300 business combination transactions aggregating over $10.0 billion in total consideration. He has worked on deals both domestically and internationally, involving both publicly held and private corporations, over a broad range of industries. Mr. Barth also has represented issuers or underwriters in securities offerings raising over $6 billion and he currently represents a number of publicly traded companies, including The Marcus Corporation (NYSE: MCS), Orion Energy Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: OESX), First Business Financial Services, Inc. (NASDAQ: FBIZ), Cummins, Inc. (NYSE: CMI), and Bucyrus International, Inc. (NASDAQ: BUCY). Mr. Barth also is one of Robert W. Baird & Co. Inc.'s (regional investment banking firm) primary outside counsels.

Mr. Barth is a frequent speaker on acquisition issues, financing transactions, SEC compliance and corporate governance matters. He serves on the board of directors of the Milwaukee Economic Development Corporation (quasi-public agency which provides funding to developing companies), the Business Law Section of the Wisconsin State Bar, and several privately held growth companies. He previously served on the board of Fresh Brands, Inc. (NASDAQ: FRSH) (audit committee and corporate governance committee chairman), Mr. Barth is the program chair for Foley's National Directors Institute, an annual symposium for directors, officers, general counsel and boardroom advisors to both public and private companies focusing on corporate governance issues.

Mr. Barth received his J.D., cum laude, from the University of Michigan in 1984. He earned his B.S., with highest distinction, in finance from Indiana University in 1981. While at Indiana University, he received the Elvis J. Stahr award as one of the University's top five graduating seniors. In 1997, Mr. Barth was selected by the Milwaukee Business Journal as one of Milwaukee's 40 leading professionals under 40 years of age. In 2003, Mr. Barth authored the book, Corporate Ethics - The Business Code of Conduct for Ethical Employees. Mr. Barth has been repeatedly named to the list of Wisconsin Super Lawyers® for merger and acquisition transactions. In addition, he has been selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2008, 2009 and 2010 in the areas of mergers & acquisitions and securities law.