Overview
Ben Baldwin's practice covers a broad range of corporate finance and commercial transactions with an emphasis on lending, joint ventures and acquisitions. He has extensive experience representing banks in senior loan transactions and mezzanine and private equity funds in subordinated debt and equity investments, as well as representing public and private companies as borrowers in a broad array of finance transactions, including investment funds with respect to their subscription lines of credit.
Ben has handled joint venture transactions for many clients (in real estate, product supply and technology contexts). He has also handled acquisitions and dispositions for many clients, including the owner of a portfolio of cemeteries and funeral homes in the Southeast, the owner of a foundry business and multiple contract product manufacturers. He advises businesses in a variety of commercial and corporate matters, including shareholder and operating agreements; capital and debt structures; corporate governance issues, including with respect to minority ownerships disputes and buyouts; and various types of commercial contracts. Ben has served as outside general counsel to several of these clients.
Experience
- Represented a real estate developer in the formation of a joint venture to acquire land and operate a multifamily and retail construction project.
- Represented a real estate developer in a buyout of a minority member in a joint venture that owns and operates restaurant properties.
- Represented a real estate developer in the formation of a joint venture to acquire land and operate automobile dealerships.
- Represented a contract product manufacturer in a “divisive merger” transaction designed to manage litigation risk and market the company for sale.
- Represented a privately owned owner of a plastic pipe product manufacturer in the sale of its business.
- Represented a privately owned foundry company in connection with various merger and acquisition transactions.
- Represented a privately owned operator of a chain of cemeteries and funeral homes in its acquisition of properties from national cemetery and funeral home consolidators, the financing of such acquisitions and various related dispositions.
- Represented the founders of a startup media and advertising business in their fundraising efforts.
- Represented a real estate investor in connection with various controlling and minority joint venture investments.
- Represented a private equity investor in connection with various minority joint venture investments.
- Represented a private equity firm in the financing of its investment in a specialty pharmaceutical company.
- Represented a mezzanine fund in its preferred equity investment in an operator-franchisee of several national fast-food restaurants.
- Represented various private equity and mezzanine funds in obtaining short-term liquidity lines of credit.
- Represented a minority shareholder of a closely held corporation in its negotiated exit from the investment.
Accolades
Honors & Recognitions
- North Carolina Bar Association, Business Law Section, Distinguished Service Award, 2016
- The Best Lawyers in America, banking and finance, corporate, 2007-26
- North Carolina Super Lawyers, banking, 2023; business/corporate, 2024-25
- Business North Carolina, Legal Elite, business law, 2021
- North Carolina Pro Bono Honor Society, 2016
- Martindale-Hubbell, AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated
Affiliations
Professional Affiliations
- North Carolina Bar Association, Board of Governors, 2022-25
- North Carolina Bar Association, Business Law Section, Chair, 2019-21; Vice Chair, 2017-19; Annual Meeting Planning Committee, 2015; Business Law Institute Planning Committee, 2015; Business Section Council, 2008-10, 2015-16; Delaware-North Carolina Corporate Comparison Committee, Co-chair
- American Bar Association, Business Law Section, Member
- "Robinson on North Carolina Corporation Law" (published by LexisNexis), General Editor
Community Affiliations
- NC LEAP, Steering Committee, 2011-14
- Council for Children's Rights, Custody Advocacy Program
- Ben has served as a member of the North Carolina Bar Association's Military Veterans Affairs Committee and has represented military veterans in disability benefits matters on a pro bono basis.
News & Events
News
Events
Insights
Publications
Practice Areas
Education
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, J.D., with honors, 1988, Order of the Coif; Note and Comment Editor, North Carolina Law Review, 1987-88
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, B.A., 1984, Phi Beta Kappa
Bar Admissions
- North Carolina