Sara Garcia Duran

SARA DURAN counsels public and private companies and private equity sponsors on complex, high-stakes transactions, including leveraged buyouts, mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, and strategic investments. She counsels clients across the full deal lifecycle—from structuring and negotiation through signing, regulatory clearance, and post-closing—and advises on corporate governance, fiduciary duties, and SEC reporting as those matters arise both in transactions and in the ordinary course of business. Praised by clients and peers in Chambers USA as a “great partner” with “outstanding commercial judgement” (2026), Sara has built enduring client relationships, making her the first call when consequential matters arise — clients trust her to deliver.

Her deal experience spans industrials and manufacturing, healthcare and life sciences, technology and software, financial services, business services, and consumer retail. Sara’s representation of both strategic acquirers and private equity sponsors gives her fluency in the distinct priorities that each side of a transaction demands. She brings steady leadership and a collaborative approach to each engagement, anticipating friction points before they become problems and delivering the practical solutions that get deals done.

Sara’s results have earned consistent market recognition. She has been recognized by Chambers USA in Texas for Corporate/M&A (2026), with clients noting that she “is organized, focused, and brings great energy to every transaction.” The Deal named her to its “Women in Dealmaking” list for M&A in 2022 and 2023. She has been recognized in Best Lawyers in America® for Corporate Law (2018–2022, 2026), named a “Top Latino Lawyer” by Latino Leaders Magazine (2020–2022), and selected by D Magazine among the “Best Lawyers in Dallas” (2017, 2019–2025).

Sara serves as a member of the investment committee of the Texas Women’s Foundation and is a former member of the board of directors of the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum, the Vogel Alcove and the Concilio. She was named a 2016 Leadership Council on Legal Diversity Fellow, and received an Executive Leadership Program Certification from the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management (2025).

Sara holds a J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law, where she graduated with honors and a B.A. from Southwestern University, where she graduated magna cum laude.

Industrials & Manufacturing

• IDEX Corporation — Acquisition of Micro-LAM, Inc., an advanced optics manufacturer of laser-assisted machining, ultra-precision diamond tools, and custom optics solutions.
• IDEX Corporation — Acquisition of Mott Corporation, a leading designer and manufacturer of sintered porous material structures and flow control solutions.
• IDEX Corporation — Acquisition of STC Material Solutions, an integrated provider of advanced material science solutions, from Artemis.
• IDEX Corporation — Acquisition of Iridian Spectral Technologies, a global leader in designing and manufacturing thin-film, multi-layer optical filters.
• IDEX Corporation — Acquisition of Muon B.V. and its subsidiaries, micro-precision technology manufacturing company, from Rivean Capital.
• IDEX Corporation — Acquisition of Nexsight, LLC and its market leading businesses, Envirosight, WinCan, MyTana, and Pipeline Renewal Technologies.
• IDEX Corporation — Acquisition of Airtech Group, Inc., U.S. Value Corporation and related entities from investment funds managed by EagleTree Capital.
• Rexel USA, Inc. — Acquisition of Talley, Inc., a distributer of wireless infrastructure products, services, and solutions in the U.S.
• Rexel USA, Inc. — Acquisition of Horizon Solutions, an industrial automation distributor in the Northeast Region.
• Rexel USA — Acquisition of Mayer Electric, a top distributor of electrical products and services.
• Rexel USA — Divestiture of its Gexpro Services business unit to LKCM Headwater Investments.
• Wilsonart — Acquisition of Laminate Works Dallas, a manufacturer of decorative high pressure laminate panels.
• Wilsonart — Acquisition of KML, a Tacoma-based manufacturer of decorative surfaces and panels.
• Schweitzer-Mauduit International, Inc. — Acquisition of Conwed Plastics, LLC, a leading producer of engineered resin-based netting solutions.
• ALFA, S.A.B. de C.V. — Strategic acquisition by Tenedoras Nemak S.A., a subsidiary of Alfa (one of Mexico’s leading industrial companies), to acquire J.L. French Automotive Castings, Inc.
• Darling Ingredients — General M&A, corporate governance, and securities compliance advice.
• OMERS — Divestiture of Nordco, a portfolio company of OMERS.
• Key Plastics L.L.C. — Financial restructuring under Chapter 11 of Title 11 of the United States Code.
• Ewing Management Group — Sale of Key Safety Systems to Crestview Partners.

Financial, Business, & Professional Services

• Concora Credit — M&A, corporate governance and commercial transactions.
• Onyx CenterSource — Corporate governance, commercial transactions, and payments structuring and advice.
• Apollo Global Management (AGM) — Acquisition, through a consortium, of Fortress Investment Group’s ownership in OneMain Financial.
• Apollo Global Management (AGM) — Acquisition, through a consortium, of Voya Insurance and Annuity Company, including Voya’s closed block variable annuity business.
• Private Equity Buyer Group — Acquisition, through a consortium, of Wells Fargo’s approximately US$10 billion student loan portfolio.
• PRA Group — Divestiture of PRA’s Government Services fee-for-service business.
• PRA Group — Investment in RCB Investimentos S.A., a São Paulo-based company involved in the acquisition and servicing of nonperforming consumer loans throughout Brazil.
• GE Capital — Sale of GE Capital’s equipment rental services franchise, with the largest trailer fleet in Mexico, to Linzor Capital Partners.
• GE Capital — Sale of GE Capital’s consumer mortgage business in Mexico to Grupo Financiero Santander Mexico.
• BancTec, Inc. — Initial private offering of common stock for a leader in financial transaction automation and business process outsourcing.
• Environmental Resources Management (ERM) — Sale, under a scheme of arrangement including a management buyout, of a majority stake in UK-based environmental consultancy
• ERM by private equity firm Bridgepoint to Charterhouse Capital Partners.

Technology & Software

• Blackbaud, Inc. — Acquisition of EVERFI, Inc., an international technology company driving social impact through education to address challenging issues affecting society, ranging from financial wellness to mental health to workplace conduct and other critical topics.
• Blackbaud, Inc. — Sale of EVERFI, a digital learning platform that offers education and workplace solutions.
• Dell — Sale of the Dell EMC Service Assurance Suite, software spanning network health, performance monitoring, and root cause analysis for communications service providers, to VMware, Inc.
• Dell Boomi — Acquisition of ManyWho, a unified cloud and low-code development platform.
• Dell Inc. — Acquisition of StatSoft, Inc., a developer of analytics software products and solutions.
• Dell Inc. — Confidential divestiture of multinational business unit.
• Thomas H. Lee (THL) — Acquisition of CompuCom Holding Corp., a leading IT outsourcing company.
• Archipelago Learning, Inc. — Take-private transaction involving the acquisition of Archipelago by Plato Learning, Inc., a portfolio company of Thoma Bravo, LLC.
• GE — Strategic alliance with AT&T related to intelligent cities solutions.

Healthcare & Life Sciences

• Omnicell, Inc. — Acquisition of ReCept Holdings, Inc., a leading provider of specialty pharmacy management services for health systems, clinics, and physicians’ groups.
• Omnicell, Inc. — Acquisition of MarkeTouch Media, a pharmacy software solutions provider.
• Omnicell, Inc. — Acquisition of FDS Amplicare, a provider of industry-leading financial management, analytics, and Medicare plan selection solutions.
• Omnicell, Inc. — Acquisition of Pharmaceutical Strategies Group’s 340B Link business, which enables pharmacy inventory management capabilities for efficient, compliant management of 340B programs.
• Tepha Inc. — Sale to Becton, Dickinson and Company of Tepha, a leading developer and manufacturer of a proprietary resorbable polymer technology (P4HB).
• Vertera Spine — Sale of NuVasive, Inc. of Vertera Spine, a privately held medical device company developing interbody implants for spinal fusion.
• TPG Capital LP — Acquisition of a noncontrolling stake in Kelsey-Seybold Management Services, the management services organization serving multi-specialty group practice Kelsey-Seybold Medical Group.
• OMERS — Investment in, and subsequent acquisition of a minority stake in, National Veterinary Associates, an independent owner and operator of veterinary hospitals, pet boarding, and day care centers in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
• Harvest Partners and Dental Care Alliance (DCA) — Strategic acquisition by DCA, one of the country’s largest dental support organizations, of Konikoff Dental Associates, a leading Virginia provider of dental services.

Consumer & Retail

• Tractor Supply Company — Acquisition of VIP Petcare (operating as VIP Petcare and PetVet), the largest provider of mobile veterinary care in the United States, from PetIQ, a Bansk Group company.
• Tractor Supply — Corporate governance, securities compliance, and litigation advice.
• Grove Collaborative — Business combination with Virgin Group Acquisition Corp. II, a special purpose acquisition company, with an implied pro forma enterprise value of US$1.5 billion.
• Summit Partners — Sale of Casino Miami, a state-of-the-art Vegas-style casino, to affiliates of the Treasure Island Hotel and Casino.
• Summit Partners — Sale of portfolio company Tippman Sports, a manufacturer of high-performance paintball markers and accessories.
• Sigma Alimentos, S.A. de C.V. — Investment-grade offering of US$250 million aggregate principal amount of senior notes.
• REAL ESTATE & OPERATING ASSETS
• GVS Portfolio I, LLC (Great Value Storage) – $588 million Chapter 11 auction that resulted in all creditors being paid in full and over $80 million returned to equity in the Northern District of Texas.
• Welltower — Joint Venture structuring for the acquisition, development, and management of senior housing facilities.
• Berkshire Partners — Acquisition of majority interest in a joint venture for building, purchasing, and operating cell towers and related infrastructure in Perú, Chile, Colombia, and Ecuador.
• Crescent Resources, LLC — Pre-arranged plan of reorganization under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code, including the restructuring of a US$1.525 billion credit facility.
• Lindsay Goldberg, LLC — Acquisition of majority interest, through a REIT, in Aviv Healthcare Properties Limited Partnership, one of the largest owners of skilled nursing facilities in the United States.
• ENERGY
• General Electric Company (GE) — Sale of GE’s direct and indirect interests in GE-Hitachi Global Laser Enrichment LLC to Silex Systems Limited and Cameco Corporation.
• GE — Sale of GE’s Current division to American Industrial Partners.
• GE — Acquisition of Alstom, SA’s power and grid businesses, formation of GE’s “Grid” joint venture with Alstom, and the restructuring of related joint ventures and commercial alliances.

Aviation & Transportation

• The Arnold Companies — Sale of its TAC Air division to Signature Aviation, the world’s largest network of fixed-base operators (FBOs).
• BH Global Aviation LP (an affiliate of Britton Hill Partners) — Sale of its interest in Hawker Pacific Airservices Limited to Eagle Enterprise, Inc. (an affiliate of General Dynamics Corporation).
  

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

• Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management, Executive Leadership Program Certification, 2025.