Overview
David Dabbs practices in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, private equity investments, securities regulation, corporate governance and commercial law. He has significant experience representing public and private companies in connection with the purchase and sale of businesses in auction and non-auction settings, negotiating definitive transaction documentation, counseling boards of directors and special committees with respect to their fiduciary duties, and negotiating key employment and equity agreements with management and key employees.
David has also represented companies in public and private securities offerings, including initial and follow-on public offerings of debt and equity securities, as well as private equity, venture capital and joint venture transactions. In addition, he has been involved in contested shareholder matters involving both public and private companies.
Serving as general corporate counsel to many business clients, David has assisted in a wide range of business and commercial matters, including serving as counsel to boards of directors and their committees and negotiating shareholder agreements, operating agreements, employee compensatory plans, and employment and noncompetition agreements.
Experience
- Represented a private insurance brokerage firm in more than 60 acquisitions of other businesses.
- Represented a private insurance brokerage firm in several debt and equity recapitalization transactions with values ranging from $1.3 billion to $2.3 billion.
- Represented a private company in multiple Rule 144A offerings of senior notes.
- Represented a public company in the sale of a division to a strategic buyer.
- Represented an insurance brokerage firm in the sale to an international brokerage firm in the U.K.
- Represented an insurance broker firm in the sale to a national insurance brokerage firm.
- Represented a private equity firm in multiple platform acquisitions.
- Represented a national accounting firm in several acquisitions.
- Represented a provider of wireline telephone services in an auction sale of the company to a strategic publicly traded buyer.
- Represented a special committee of a publicly traded trucking company in connection with the auction sale of the company to a financial buyer.
- Represented a public company in a $2.4 billion shelf registration and subsequent $200 million common stock offering and $800 million investment-grade debt offering.
- Represented the special committee of the board of directors of two public companies in connection with "going private" transactions with their majority shareholders.
- Represented several public and private companies in connection with general corporate matters, including capital raising activities, designing equity-related incentive plans and minority investments in other businesses.
- Represented private equity and venture capital investors and individuals in connection with private debt and equity investments.
Accolades
Honors & Recognitions
- The Best Lawyers in America, corporate, mergers and acquisitions, 2007-26
- IFLR1000 United States, highly regarded - North Carolina, mergers & acquisitions, 2020-24
- Business North Carolina, Legal Elite, business law, 2009
- Martindale-Hubbell, AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated
Affiliations
Professional Affiliations
- Certified Public Accountant
Community Affiliations
- Friendship Trays Inc., Board of Directors, 2009-20; Treasurer, 2011-20
- Myers Park Baptist Church, Major Gifts Committee
News & Events
News
Practice Areas
Education
Duke University, J.D., with highest honors, 1990, Order of the Coif; Editorial Staff, Law and Contemporary Problems, 1989-90
Wake Forest University, B.S., magna cum laude, 1984, Phi Beta Kappa
Bar Admissions
- North Carolina
