Bryan P. Bylica Joins as Member and Nova D. Harb as Counsel to Enhance Services for Private Equity Funds and Other Investment Vehicles in the Middle-Market
Nashville, Tenn., (February 22, 2022) – Bass, Berry & Sims is pleased to announce the launch of its Investment Funds Practice with the additions of Bryan P. Bylica, who joins as a member and leads the new practice, and Nova D. Harb as counsel. Both attorneys are based out of the firm’s Nashville office and join from McGuireWoods LLP.
“We are excited to add Bryan and Nova’s extensive fund formation experience to complement our long-established and nationally recognized private equity and M&A work,” said Michael J. Holley, chair of the Corporate & Securities Practice at Bass, Berry & Sims. “Private equity funds have turned to our attorneys for years in a wide range of business transactions and investments, and with the addition of Bryan and Nova, we have expanded our ability to serve these clients through all aspects of their business, including the structuring and formation, capital raising, and operational and regulatory aspects of running an investment firm.”
“Bass, Berry & Sims has a tremendous reputation for providing sophisticated and effective counsel to private equity funds and other investment firms for their transactional matters. This is a great opportunity for our clients to develop long-term partnerships with our attorneys and receive best-in-class service for each phase of their life cycle,” said Bylica. “We have worked with many of the attorneys here through the years and are excited to expand our service offering to our clients with this great fit and shared commitment to excellent client service.”
Investment Funds Practice
The Investment Funds Practice counsels a wide range of national private equity, private credit, growth equity, venture capital funds and other investment vehicles, and its attorneys have an extensive background working with Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) funds, Rural Business Investment Company (RBIC) funds, independent sponsors, and first-time fund managers. The firm represents middle- and lower middle-market sponsors across all aspects of an investment fund’s life cycle – from formation, fundraising and capitalization, through the fund’s investment period and related operations to, ultimately, the fund’s dissolution and wind down. The team works with the fund’s principals to establish the investment vehicles, general partner and investment manager entities and to assist them with the related tax planning, regulatory and governance issues.
Bylica is one of few attorneys in the nation who regularly represents both SBIC and RBIC funds, and the team counsels these funds throughout the licensing process and in post-licensing regulatory and compliance matters. The firm counsels these private investment funds when making investments in qualifying small and rural businesses in compliance with the rules and regulations of the federal agencies that administer these programs: the Small Business Administration (SBA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), respectively. The firm is also an active sponsor for the Small Business Investor Alliance (SBIA), an association of senior investment professionals focused on the lower middle-market and advocacy for policies promoting domestic investment in small businesses.
Additionally, the team regularly counsels family offices, endowments, pension funds, insurance companies and other institutional investors that serve as anchor investors in blind pool funds, provide capital to support independent sponsors or make co-investments along with financial sponsors. The team also has an active secondaries practice, working with institutional investors that provide liquidity, additional capital and a longer investment term for existing investments in a sponsor’s portfolio. Further, the team works with independent sponsors to raise capital and structure the investment documents in support of the independent sponsor’s investments.
The Investment Funds Team is supported by the firm’s Private Equity Team, which counsels investors and portfolio companies in structuring complex private equity acquisitions and financings. Bass, Berry & Sims has been recognized nationally for its private equity and mergers and acquisitions work, most recently being named the 2021 Law Firm of the Year by The M&A Advisor. The practice is a mainstay in rankings published by Chambers USA, which has called the practice a “preeminent group highly recommended for its expertise in big-ticket M&A transactions.” The firm has earned the highest tier ranking in Chambers’ Corporate/M&A in the state of Tennessee for 19 consecutive years. In addition, the firm maintains top rankings in industry leading league tables, including most recently being named #6 Most Active in Healthcare Private Equity Deals (PitchBook League Tables, 2020).
Bryan Bylica and Nova Harb
Bryan P. Bylica is an investment funds lawyer who counsels private equity funds, SBIC funds, RBIC funds, hedge funds, venture capital funds and other similar investment vehicles in all stages of their life cycle including formation, capitalization, SBIC and RBIC licensing, investing and winding up. He regularly works with new and emerging managers to form and structure the general partner and investment manager, and he works with clients to implement appropriate governance and regulatory compliance infrastructure. Bylica also represents funds in their portfolio investments, follow-on investments and divestitures. He also has significant mergers and acquisitions experience in the lower middle-market, representing buyers and sellers across all sectors in transactions with enterprise values ranging from $10 million to $250 million. Bylica earned a law degree from the Loyola University Chicago School of Law (2009), a Master of Business Administration degree from Loyola University (2009) and an undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame (2006).
Bryan Bylica is admitted to practice in Illinois and registered to practice in Tennessee pursuant to Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 7 Sec. 10.07
Nova D. Harb counsels private and public companies on a broad range of corporate and securities law matters, with a focus on federal and state (blue sky) securities law compliance, reporting and disclosure obligations and private equity fund formation. She also advises clients on corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, and other general corporate matters. Harb’s private equity practice includes representing private investment funds, fund sponsors and institutional investors in connection with all aspects of fund formation, alternative investments and regulatory compliance. Harb earned a law degree from the Emory University School of Law (2005), and a B.S. in microbiology and B.A. in criminology from the University of Florida (2002).
Nova Harb is admitted to practice in Florida and registered to practice in Tennessee pursuant to Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 7 Sec. 10.07
About Bass, Berry & Sims PLC
With more than 300 attorneys in offices in Washington, D.C. and Tennessee, Bass, Berry & Sims represents numerous publicly traded companies and Fortune 500 businesses in significant litigation, investigations, international regulatory matters, and business transactions. Our attorneys work seamlessly across substantive practice disciplines, industries and geographies to deliver highly effective service and business-focused solutions. For more information, visit bassberry2022.wpengine.com.
Media Coverage
This announcement was covered in several media outlets, including:
- “Bass, Berry & Sims Hires Two for New Investment Funds Practice,” PE Hub (February 23, 2022)
- “Bass Launches Investment Practice with Ex-McGuireWoods Attorneys,” Nashville Post (February 22, 2022)
- “Bass Berry Starts Investment Funds Group With Nashville Duo,” Law360 (February 22, 2022)