Robinson Bradshaw Elects Four New Shareholders

Robinson Bradshaw is pleased to announce four new shareholders: Adam A. Berkland, Kelsey Hendrickson Butler, Matthew D. Kusel and Heather Heath Ryan.

Berkland’s practice covers a broad range of general corporate and transactional matters. He regularly advises emerging growth companies through each stage of the company’s life cycle – including initial company formation and early-stage commercial agreements, equity and convertible debt financings, and mergers and acquisitions – and frequently serves in an outside general counsel role for such companies. Berkland is also a member of the firm’s intellectual property and technology practice, advising clients on many issues including licensing, privacy and cybersecurity.

Berkland holds a law degree summa cum laude from Duke University and a bachelor’s degree summa cum laude from Boston College.

Butler represents clients in a broad range of transactional matters, with a focus on corporate and acquisition finance. She regularly represents banks, private credit funds, including business development companies and small business investment companies, and borrowers in a variety of financing transactions. Butler advises clients in connection with structuring, negotiating, documenting and administering investment grade and leveraged senior credit facilities, unitranche credit structures, second lien and mezzanine debt investments, and related equity co-investments.

Butler earned her law degree with high honors from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her bachelor’s degree magna cum laude from the University of South Carolina’s Honors College.

Kusel’s practice focuses on the representation of private and publicly traded companies in a variety of securities transactions and SEC reporting and compliance matters. He also regularly advises boards of directors regarding corporate governance practices. Kusel’s experience includes representing issuers and underwriters in registered and 144A/Reg S debt offerings, liability management transactions, corporate restructurings and acquisition financings.

Kusel received his law degree from Vanderbilt University and his bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Ryan is a seasoned employee benefits and executive compensation lawyer. She counsels clients on all aspects of employee benefits including 401(k), 403(b), pension, cafeteria, health and welfare plans, as well as Department of Labor and IRS audits and correction submissions. Ryan also has extensive experience in advising clients on executive compensation matters, including executive employment agreements, incentive compensation, deferred compensation and change in control severance and bonus plans. She regularly advises on the numerous benefits and compensation issues involved in corporate transactions. Ryan co-chairs the firm’s Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation Practice Group and has a decade of prior experience as in-house benefits and compensation counsel for several publicly held corporations.

Ryan earned her law degree from Washington University in St. Louis and her bachelor’s degree cum laude from Vanderbilt University.

Butler and Ryan practice out of Robinson Bradshaw’s Charlotte office; Berkland and Kusel are based in the firm’s Research Triangle office.