Karla E. Utset

KARLA UTSET focuses her practice on representing private equity sponsors and private companies in general corporate matters and complex corporate transactions, including platform and add-on acquisitions, divestitures, equity investments, leveraged buyouts and recapitalizations, and other significant transactions.

Prior to joining Sidley, Karla spent over three and a half years as a corporate and transactional associate with a leading global law firm.

Karla received her J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of Miami School of Law, where she served as executive editor of the University of Miami Law Review and as a dean’s fellow for constitutional law.

Karla’s recent matters include:

• Represented AIM Capital, LLC, a Miami-based private equity firm in its acquisition of a Florida portfolio of 46 Popeyes franchise stores.
• Represented Totango, Inc., a portfolio company of Great Hill Partners, in its merger with LOU Web Technologies, Inc., an in-product experience builder and digital adoption platform, and in its merger with Catalyst Software Corporation, a customer growth platform.
• Represented Sixth Street Partners in its investment in Keyfactor.
• Represented Five Points Family Ventures and one of its portfolio companies in the sale of the portfolio company’s vehicle GPS tracking products division to a middle market private equity firm.
• Represented JM Family Enterprises and its portfolio company, Futura Title & Escrow, LLC, the largest independent title and escrow group in the Pacific Northwest, in its acquisition of Momentum Title Agency, LLC which serves counties located in and around the Louisville Metro area in Kentucky and Indiana.
• Represented Martis Capital in its business combination of Credible Behavioral Health, Inc. with Qualifacts Systems, Inc.
• Represented Martis Capital in its sale of Care Hospice, Inc. to Thomas H. Lee Partners, L.P.
• Represented Care Hospice, Inc., a Thomas H. Lee Partners platform, in connection with numerous acquisitions and divestitures.
• Represented H.I.G. Capital in its acquisition of Supply Source Enterprises, Inc., The Safety Zone, LLC, and Impact Products, LLC.
• Represented H.I.G. Capital in its acquisition of Software Management Consultants, LLC.
• Represented Hidden Harbor Capital Partners, LLC in connection with numerous acquisitions by Stella Environmental Services, LLC and the eventual sale of Stella Environmental Services, LLC to Leonard Green & Partners LP.
• Represented Hidden Harbor Capital Partners, LLC in connection with numerous acquisitions by Cloyes Gear and Products and the eventual sale of Cloyes Gear and Products to MidOcean Partners V, L.P.
• Represented Martis Capital in its acquisition of Boston Clinical Trials and Coastal Carolina Research, LLC.
• Represented Comvest Partners in its acquisition of Guardian Technologies, LLC.
• Represented Martis Capital in its investment in MKO, LLC, Genesys Surgery Center, LLC, Synergy Spine and Orthopedic Surgery Center, LLC, Mendelson Orthopedics, PC, Silver Pine Imaging, LLC, Instant Imaging, LLC, Clear Imaging, LLC, Mendelson Founder Orthopedics, PC, Synergy Health Partners MSO, Inc., Synergy Health Partners MSO Partner Corp., Synergy Health Partners MSO, LLC, Mendelson Kornblum Diagnostic, LLC, MKO Real Estate, LLC, Westland Building Project, LLC, and Synergy SC, LLC.
• Represented Festival Fun Parks, LLC (d/b/a Palace Entertainment) in its sale of Miami Seaquarium to MS Leisure Company, Inc.
• Represented Martis Capital in its sale of HLH Capricorn Holdings, LLC (d/b/a Healthy Living Network) to Mission Healthcare.
• Represented Martis Capital in its sale of Altruista Health, Inc. to HealthEdge Software, Inc.
• Represented Blue Sea Capital LLC in connection with numerous acquisitions by its Beacon Oral Specialists platform.
• Represented Gauge Capital LLC in connection with numerous acquisitions by its Comprehensive EyeCare Partners platform.
• Represented Care Hospice, Inc. in its sale of its home health division to Vital Health Care Group.
• Represented Blue Sea Capital LLC in connection with numerous acquisitions by its SignatureMD platform.
• Represented Comvest Partners in its sale of Residential Healthcare Holdings (d/b/a D&S Residential Services, LP) to The MENTOR Network.
• Represented LightBay Capital in its acquisition of Rancho Family Medical Group, Inc. and Primary Medical Group of Ventura County, Inc.
• Represented Gemspring Capital LLC in its acquisition of Skyline Displays, LLC and Buckman & Driscoll Associates, LLC.
• Represented Hidden Harbor Capital Partners, LLC in its acquisition of Monster Transmission, LLC and Thor Converters LLC.
• Represented Hidden Harbor Capital Partners, LLC in its acquisition of Wehner Multifamily, LLC, Building Supply Imports, LLC, and Wehner Construction Management, LLC.
• Represented Ardent Investors, LLC in its acquisition of Solar Light Company, LLC and Optronic Laboratories, LLC.

Some of the above matters were handled prior to joining Sidley.

• Member, SidleyWomen
• Member, Legal Services of Greater Miami Young Professionals Council