Brad Helms is a partner in the Los Angeles office of Latham & Watkins. He is the former Co-Chair of the firm’s Los Angeles Corporate Department. Mr. Helms advises clients on:

  • Mergers and acquisitions
  • REIT transactions
  • Corporate finance
  • Emerging and public company representation

Mr. Helms represents private equity and strategic buyers and sellers in public and private transactions, as well as issuers, institutional investors, and investment banks in public and private debt and equity offerings, restructurings, and other financing transactions. He also regularly advises public and private clients on corporate governance and structure, securities law compliance, and strategic transactions.

Mr. Helms’ experience spans a broad range of industries, including internet and digital media, REITs and real estate, retail, investment banking, and sports and entertainment. A list of Mr. Helms’ select representations includes the following:

M&A Experience Representations

  • Genstar Capital in its sale of a majority interest in BBB Industries and related rollover investment terms
  • Hudson Pacific Properties in its acquisitions of Star Waggons, Zio Studio Services, and Quixote Studios
  • Beautycounter in the sale of a majority interest to The Carlyle Group
  • AST SpaceMobile, a provider of a space-based cellular broadband network accessible directly by standard mobile phones, in its merger with New Providence Acquisition Corp. and related PIPE financing
  • Genstar Capital Partners in its acquisition of Sonny’s Enterprises
  • Sonny’s Enterprises in its acquisition of Harrell’s Car Wash Systems
  • Genstar Capital Partners in its acquisition of BBB Industries
  • BBB Industries in its acquisition of Remy Power Products
  • BBB Industries in its cross-border acquisition of Industrial Metalcaucho, Servicio y Technologia del Caucho, and Grupo Cautex
  • Genstar Capital in the sale of portfolio company MW Industries, Inc. to affiliates of American Securities LLC
  • Stone Canyon Industries Holdings in its acquisition of Reddy Ice Holdings
  • The Walt Disney Company in the acquisition of online multi-channel network Maker Studios and in its acquisition of social game developer Playdom Inc.
  • Farmer Bros. Co. in its successful proxy contest and ongoing corporate governance matters
  • Farmer Bros. Co in its acquisition of Boyd Coffee Company
  • McLarens in connection with a strategic investment by Lee Equity Partners
  • Cerner Corporation in its acquisition of Siemens Health Services
  • ReachLocal, Inc. in its sale to Gannet, and in its acquisitions of Kickserve, DealOn, SMB:Live, and its Australian joint venture partner
  • Jack Nicklaus and Golden Bear International, Inc. in the negotiation of a strategic relationship with New York Private Bank and Trust
  • Beautycounter in its acquisition of NUDE from LVMH
  • Los Angeles Football Club in stadium debt and equity financings
  • Shamrock Holdings in connection with its bid to acquire the Los Angeles Dodgers
  • The Carlyle Group in its acquisition of Park Water Company
  • Knowledge Universe in the sale of its US education business to Partners Group, the sale of KC Distance Learning, Inc. to K12, Inc., and the sale of Global Scholar to Harland Clarke Holdings
  • Stone Canyon Industries in its acquisition of A. Stucki Company
  • A. Stucki Company in a series of tack-on acquisition transactions
  • Genstar Capital Partners in the sale of portfolio company Harlan Laboratories to Huntingdon Life Sciences
  • Genstar Capital Partners in the sale of portfolio company Confie Seguros to affiliates of Abry Partners
  • Ares Management as lead investor in a preferred stock financing by Exco Resources, Inc.
  • California Pizza Kitchen in its sale to Golden Gate Capital
  • Co-founder in the sale of electronic trading company Madison Tyler Holdings to Silver Lake Technology Management and Virtu Financial
  • Moelis & Company in connection with its formation, launch of operations, and various advisory and fairness opinion engagements
  • Bradken Ltd. in its acquisition of specialty steel company AmeriCast Technologies Inc.
  • Controlling stockholders in the sale of Vistage International to TowerBrook Capital Partners

REIT and Real Estate Private Equity Transaction Representations

  • Realty Income in its pending merger with Spirit Realty Capital, a REIT that invests in single tenant and commercial real estate facilities
  • Hersha Hospitality Trust in its US$1.4 billion acquisition by KSL Capital Partners
  • Digital Realty on its acquisition of a majority stake in Teraco, Africa's leading carrier-neutral colocation provider, and associated joint venture arrangements
  • Highgate Capital Investments and Cerberus Capital Management in a joint venture to acquire CorePoint Lodging in a take-private transaction 
  • Highgate Hospitality in its preferred equity PIPE and warrants in American Hotel Income Properties
  • Ascendant Capital in its preferred equity PIPE and warrants in Watermark Lodging Trust
  • Rexford Industrial Realty, Inc. in its formation, initial public offering, follow-on offerings, and ongoing SEC reporting
  • Rexford Industrial Realty, Inc. in various property portfolio acquisition transactions
  • Cole Office & Industrial REIT II in its US$4.9 billion merger with Griffin Capital Essential Asset REIT
  • Cole Office & Industrial REIT II in its terminated US$5.9 billion merger with CIM Real Estate Finance Trust, Inc.
  • Ascendant Capital Partners and funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management in a US$200 million preferred stock PIPE
  • Phillips Edison in its US$6.3 billion merger with Phillips Edison Grocery REIT II
  • Phillips Edison in its US$1 billion sale of its real estate assets to Phillips Edison Grocery Center Operating Partnership
  • Hudson Pacific in its acquisition of a property portfolio from The Blackstone Group
  • MPG Office Trust in its formation, initial public offering, follow-on offerings and ultimate sale to an affiliate of Brookfield Office Properties
  • Special Committee of Griffin-American Healthcare REIT II in its sale to NorthStar Realty Finance Corp.
  • Spirit Realty Capital, Inc. in its merger with Cole Credit Property Trust II
  • Westwood Financial in a private roll-up, financings, and reorganization
  • Hudson Pacific Properties, Inc. in its formation, initial public offering, follow-on offerings, and ongoing SEC reporting
  • The underwriters in Douglas Emmett, Inc.’s initial public offering
  • Arden Realty, Inc. in its sale to General Electric Capital Corporation and in general SEC reporting
  • The Parking REIT in the sale of a controlling interest to Bombe Asset Management

Emerging Companies Representations

  • Media Res Productions in its formation and in equity and debt financing transactions
  • Beautycounter in venture financings and acquisition transactions
  • ZT Systems in strategic investment and commercial transactions
  • Media Res Studios in its formation and early stage financings
  • ReachLocal, Inc. in early stage financings, its initial public offering, and ongoing SEC reporting

Bar Qualification

  • California

Education

  • JD, Stanford Law School, 1999
  • AB, Princeton University, 1993