Ryan Thomas is the chair of the firm’s Private Equity Team and co-chair of the Healthcare Private Equity Team. As mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and securities counsel to numerous national companies and private equity firms, Ryan Thomas has closed over $60 billion in M&A transactions, and approximately $80 billion in overall transactions, including both the largest domestic LBO, and the largest private equity-backed IPO at the time. Ryan’s practice focuses on public and private companies within the healthcare, media, retail, government services, life sciences and technology industries, among others. Ryan also advises management, boards and special committees on shareholder activism, corporate governance and public company disclosure matters.
Ryan has been recognized by The M&A Advisor on multiple occasions, including receiving the “M&A Deal of the Year” award in the $50 million to $100 million category as part of his work on behalf of Luminex Corporation (Nasdaq: LMNX) and being named an “M&A Deal of the Year” finalist in the over $1 billion category as a part of his work on behalf of Engility, Inc. (NYSE: EGL) in connection with its merger with TASC, Inc., a KKR and General Atlantic portfolio company. Ryan is active in the leadership of the ABA’s M&A and Business Law Committees, serving as editor of the Deal Points publication and the executive editor for M&A content of Business Law Today. He served as a primary contributing author for the chapter titled “Exploring Strategic Alternatives and Responding to Unsolicited Approaches—Starting the Process” in the ABA’s The Role of Directors in M&A Transactions: A Governance Handbook for Directors, Management and Advisors (2019 edition). Ryan has been extensively quoted and published on M&A matters and high profile deals in leading national media such as The Wall Street Journal Pro Private Equity, The Business Lawyer, The Corporate Board, Executive Counsel, Marketwatch.com, Los Angeles Times, TheStreet.com, GlobeSt.com, Associated Press, Bloomberg News and others.
Ryan’s practice involves:
Association for Corporate Growth, Tennessee Chapter — Board Member
American Health Law Association (AHLA)
American Bar Association — Business Law and M&A Committees
Representation of Complete Health Partners, a Pharos Capital Group primary care platform based in Jacksonville, Florida, in its acquisitions of two Birmingham, AL primary care practices, Northside Medical Associates and Adamsville Family Medicine
Representation of Triage Consulting Group, a healthcare revenue integrity company in its acquisition by Revint Solutions, a leader in technology-enabled revenue integrity solutions for healthcare providers
We served as lead counsel to Triple Tree Capital Partners, Noro Moseley Partners and SSM Partners in the formation of its holding company, Riva Health Holdings, Inc., a newly formed holding company that facilitated the merger of Revel and NovuHealth.
Representation of Southern Ear, Nose, and Throat and Allergy (SENTA) Partners, an ENT and allergy management services organization backed by Shore Capital Partners, in its affiliation with Atlanta Allergy & Asthma, the largest allergy practice in Georgia
Representation of Southern Ear, Nose, and Throat and Allergy (SENTA) Partners, an ENT and allergy management services organization, in its affiliation with Piedmont Ear, Nose, Throat & Related Allergy, a medical and surgical ear, nose and throat practice based in Atlanta, Georgia
Representation of Lineagen, Inc., a provider of molecular diagnostics services for individuals showing clinical presentations consistent with neurodevelopmental disorders, in its sale to Bionano Genomics, Inc. (Nasdaq: BNGO), a genome analysis company providing tools and services to scientists and clinicians conducting genetic research and patient testing, for $9.6 million
Representation of axialHealthcare, a care optimization platform navigating substance use issues for patients, providers, and health plans, in a $15 million Series C round of financing to accelerate its expansion into the substance use disorder (SUD) treatment, and recovery sector. Previous institutional investors Oak HC/FT, .406 Ventures, BlueCross BlueShield Venture Partners (BCBSVP), and Sandbox Advantage Fund led the round.
Representation of Netalytics, a software development company with a focus on creating solutions for the behavioral health care industry, in its recapitalization by Prairie Capital, a Chicago-based private equity firm
Representation of TT Capital Partners (TTCP), NovaQuest Capital Management (NovaQuest) and Frist Cressey Ventures in its recapitalization and growth equity investment in InformedDNA, the nation’s largest provider of genetic services
Chambers USA — Corporate/M&A (2019-2020), Recognized Practitioner (2017-2018)
Who’s Who Legal — Corporate: Corporate Governance (2018-2020); Corporate: Mergers & Acquisitions (2018-2020)
Acritas Stars — Independently Rated Lawyer (2019-2020)
IFLR1000 — Notable Practitioner
M&A Advisor “Industrials Deal of the Year (Over $1B)” (2019)
M&A Advisor “Healthcare/Life Sciences Deal of the Year ($50 MM to $100MM)” (2019)
M&A Advisor “Turnaround Healthcare & Life Sciences Deal of the Year” (2019)
M&A Advisor “Corporate/Strategic Deal of the Year ($1B-$5B)” Finalist (2019)
M&A Advisor “Consumer Discretionary Deal of the Year ($50MM-$100MM)” Finalist (2019)
M&A Advisor “Corporate/Strategic Deal of the Year ($75MM-$100MM)” Finalist (2019)
M&A Advisor “40 Under 40” Finalist (2012)
M&A Advisor “M&A Deal of the Year” Finalist (2015)
M&A Advisor “M&A Deal of the Year” (2012)
Mid-South Super Lawyers “Rising Star” (2011-2014)
Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law — Editor
Phi Beta Kappa