David M. Grinberg

DAVID GRINBERG focuses on a broad range of merger and acquisition transactions, equity capital raises, joint ventures, and other strategic transactions in a multitude of industries. David serves a broad range of clients from founder-owned businesses to multi-national corporations, as well as private equity funds, family offices, and investment banks.

David routinely counsels target companies, often founder-owned businesses, in sales to sophisticated buyers, especially in more complicated transactions involving seller rollovers, the use of representation and warranty insurance, restrictive covenant agreements, and earn outs. Counseling founders through the sale of their business (especially for the first time) is a multifaceted process that involves a blend of emotional support, strategic advice, and practical planning. By understanding their mindset and motivations, preparing them for the sale process, and helping them navigate their emotional journey, David provides valuable guidance, leading to a successful transaction that aligns with their goals and aspirations.

David spearheads Sidley’s industry-leading beauty, cosmetic, and personal care practice and has represented clients including Olive & June, Naturium, Hero, Dr. Squatch, Therabreath, Vegamour, Osea, Pacifica Beauty, and Moonjuice. He has been recognized by the Los Angeles Times as a 2025 “Business of Beauty and Fashion Visionary.” David led the team that received The Deal’s “Consumer Deal of the Year” award in 2020 for representing Drunk Elephant in its US$845 million acquisition by Shiseido Americas Corporation.

David has also represented a number of acquirors and sellers in the “human capital”/professional services area, including Houlihan Lokey, J.S. Held, VWM Analytics, BearTooth Advisors, Bel Air Investment Advisors, and Gelfand, Rennert & Feldman.

His other numerous accolades include being recognized as a Noted Practitioner for California Corporate M&A by Chambers USA (2014–2015) and as a “Southern California Rising Star” by Los Angeles magazine (2006–2012). He was named one of California’s 20 top lawyers under 40 by the Daily Journal (2009) and the Los Angeles Business Journal (2011) featured him as one of the “Top 40 M&A Lawyers.” David is also an active member of the community and was recently honored by the Valley Beth Shalom Day School for his commitment to Israel and Jewish education. He earned his J.D. from Emory Law School with high honors, where he was articles editor for the Emory Law Journal. David received his MBA from the NYU Stern School of Business with distinction and graduated magna cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania.

Beauty, Cosmetics, Wellness, and Personal Care

• Olive & June – US$240 million sale to Helen of Troy; US$10 million revolving facility with Bank of America.
• Naturium – US$355 million sale to e.l.f. Beauty.
• Hero Cosmetics – US$630 million sale to Church & Dwight.
• Drunk Elephant – US$845 million sale to Shisheido America Corporation.
• TheraBreath – US$580 million sale to Church & Dwight.
• Tengram Capital Partners –sale of HRB Brands to Sodalis Group.
• Dr. Squatch – sale to Summit Partners.
• Amika and Eva NYC – sale to Bansk Group.
• MoonJuice – sale of minority interest to True Beauty Ventures.
• International Vitamin Corporation – strategic joint venture with GNC Holdings.
• Osea International Inc. – minority equity investments by CAVU Venture Partners.
• Vegamour – US$80 million minority equity investment by General Atlantic.
• Coola Suncare – sale to a global manufacturer of household products.
• Pacifica Beauty – sale of a minority interest to Brentwood Associates; sale of a minority interest to Alliance Consumer Growth.
• Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of Sucampo Pharmaceuticals – US$80 million acquisition of Sucampo AG and Sucampo AG Japan.
• Invagen Pharmaceuticals/Exelan Pharmaceuticals – US$550 million sale to Cipla Limited.
• Lime Crime – sale to Tengram Capital Partners.
• Kate Somerville – sale to Unilever.
• Kjaer Weis – sale of a minority interest to Waldencast.
• Modern Health Laboratories – sale to Guthy-Renker Corporation.
• Tata Harper – equity and debt financings.
• Millie Bobby Brown and the Brown Family – acquisition of Florence by Mills from beauty incubator Beach House Group.
• Sara Happ – sale of a minority ownership interest to BGM Ventures.

“Human Capital”/Professional Services

• Lido Advisors – partnership with Fountainhead Advisors; partnership with BluePointe Capital Management; partnership with Olympus Wealth Management.
• Houlihan Lokey – acquisition of Triago Management Development; acquisition of Milestone Advisors; acquisition of Red Pine Advisors; acquisition of Archpoint Corp.; acquisition of MESA; strategic investment in Bridge Strategy Group.
• J.S. Held – acquisitions of Luttrell Wegis LLP and MorrisAnderson.
• FocalPoint Securities – US$175 million sale to B. Riley Financial.
• VWM Analytics – sale to J.S. Held, a portfolio company of Kelso & Company.
• U.S.-based private equity fund sponsor – US$161.7 million acquisition of MMA Capital Holdings.
• BearTooth Advisors – sale to Houlihan Lokey by Riverstone Capital Services and Riverstone Europe.
• Gelfand, Rennert & Feldman – sale to Focus Financial Partners; strategic partnership with Focus Financial Partners; acquisition of WG&S, LLP; acquisition of Flynn Family Office; acquisition of Skeet Kaye Hopkins LLP.
• Certain Principals of Bel Air Investment Advisors – Hightower’s acquisition of Bel Air Investment Advisors from Fiera Capital Corporation.

Founder-Owned

• Henkels & McCoy Group – US$600 million sale to MasTec.
• EW GROUP – acquisition of Hygiena, a portfolio company of Warburg Pincus.
• RIA Envia – US$510 million cash and stock acquisition by Euronet.
• My Wireless Group – acquisition of Cellshop.
• Audeze LLC – sale to Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC; investment by Warner Music Group; sale of a minority interest to Edifier Technology Company.
• M&M Management Company and its affiliates Community Thrift Store, D & D Partners, and Valley Thrift Store – sale to Endeavour Capital.
• Minka Lighting – sale to Ferguson.
• Rostrum – acquisition of Fat Beats; acquisition Cantora Records; US$30 million senior secured credit facility with Pinnacle Bank.
• Exceleration Music Partners – formation and equity investment from Richmond Hill Investment Co.; US$50 million senior secured revolving facility with City National Bank, a subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada.
• Bauer Media Group (a wholly owned subsidiary of Bauer Media Group) – sale of publishing business to A360 Media; sale of its celebrity group along with its teenage and kids’ group (print and digital properties for 13 brands, including In Touch, Life & Style, J-14 and Teen Boss magazines) to American Media Inc.
• Advanced Bifurcation Systems – Series A equity financing led by Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and Abiomed.
• AAE Aerospace – sale to Karman Missile & Space Systems, a portfolio company of Trive Capital.
• 9to5 – sale to Flokk AS, a portfolio company of Triton Partners.
• Concord Music Group – acquisition of assets and music rights from Rounder Records Corporation and its affiliates; US$90 million acquisition of Fantasy, including equity financing provided by Tailwind Capital Partners and debt financing provided by HSBC; US$15 million acquisition of Telarc International.
• Advantel Networks – sale to ConvergeOne Holdings.
• Adastria Co. – acquisition of Velvet, owner of the Velvet by Graham and Spencer label, from Snow Phipps.
• Blue Box Toys – acquisition of the assets of Infantino, a subsidiary of Step2 Holdings, a portfolio company of Ares Capital.
• Enhanced Vision Systems – sale to Freedom Scientific, a portfolio company of Vector Capital.
• Forwardline – sale to Vistria Partners.
• Advatech Pacific, Inc. – sale of its Electronics and Communications division to General Dynamics Mission Systems.
• Space-Lok – sale to Novaria Group.
• Parcel Pro – sale to UPS.
• Account Control Technology Holdings – US$175 million acquisition of Convergent Resources Holdings from private equity fund Silver Oak Partners.
• Psyop Media Company – equity investment by Astro Overseas; “partnership freeze-out” transaction and restructuring; acquisition of substantially all of the assets of Look Effects.
• Amped Wireless – sale to DPI.
• Bermuda Import-Export – sale to Architectural Granite & Marble, a portfolio company of Trive Capital.
• Valutech Outsourcing – sale to Clover Technologies Group, a portfolio company of Golden Gate Capital.
• Adaptive Media – sale to Mimvi.
• TELSCAPE Communications – acquisition of Sage Telecom.
• Paskal Lighting – sale to Production Resource Group.
• Danmer – sale to MCM Capital; management-leveraged buyout from majority shareholders; acquisition of L&L Custom Shutters.
• Channel M – sale to PlayNetwork.
• Boat International Media Limited – cash acquisition of ShowBoats International.
• Parco – acquisition of Hydr-O-Seal.

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

• Member, Advisory Board, Institute for Corporate Counsel
• Member, American Bar Association, Business Law Section, Committee on Negotiated Acquisitions.
• Member, Los Angeles County Bar Association