James M. Eardley

Corporate and Finance Attorney

Jim is a member of the firm’s Business and Corporate Services Practice Team, as well as the Finance Practice Team, with an emphasis in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, private offerings, asset based lending, real estate finance, project finance and franchising. He has extensive experience counseling mature and emerging closely held businesses with regard to structure, planning and succession, governance and general commercial matters.

Jim offers substantial expertise in organizing and executing complex transactions across many industries and is recognized as a visible dealmaker in West Michigan. He has held leadership roles in the Association for Corporate Growth and other professional organizations.

Experience

Represented Hammond’s Candies in its sale to Lolli & Pops, a U.S.-based candy brand and portfolio company of TerraMar Capital.

Represented publicly-traded Chinese company in its acquisition of a southeast Michigan-based designer/manufacturer of conveyor and material handling systems.

Represented the selling shareholders of a Tier 1 supplier of intelligent components and assemblies serving the automotive infotainment connectively sector to a worldwide manufacturer of electrical and interconnect systems, specialty cables and sensors.

Represented a provider of professional architectural and engineering services in multiple acquisitions of regional firms.

Represented a manufacturer of recreational marine products in the sale of a division to a publicly-traded manufacturer and distributor of marine products.

Represented a company engaged in the development, manufacture, testing and filling of pharmaceutical products, in its sale to a pharmaceutical-focused private equity group.

Represented a regional wholesaler and distributor of convenience store products in its sale to a privately-held strategic buyer.

Represented a manufacturer of aerospace components in its sale to an industry-focused private equity group.

Represented a company engaged in metalforming in the structuring and formation of a joint venture with a subsidiary of a global diversified metals manufacturing company.

Represented an oil and gas exploration company in the acquisition of a privately-held oil and gas exploration company.

Represented various lenders in complex commercial loan and real estate loan transactions.

Represented numerous clients in a variety of exempt, multistate private offering transactions.

Represented numerous clients in structuring and negotiating complex commercial arrangements, including supply arrangements, financing arrangements, joint ventures and other strategic ventures.

Honors and Recognitions

Martindale-Hubbell^® AV Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated

Grand Rapids Magazine, Top Lawyers, Corporate Law, 2022, 2024

Michigan State Bar Foundation, Fellow

Best Lawyers in America®, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, since 2024

Professional Affiliations

Association for Corporate Growth, West Michigan, past board member

Grand Rapids Bar Association

Illinois Bar Association

Michigan State Bar Foundation, GRBA Justice Foundation, fellow

State Bar of Michigan

Community Involvement

D.A. Blodgett-St. John’s Home, former Capital Campaign cabinet

Gilda’s Club of Grand Rapids, former board member

Precision Metalforming Association, board member

St. Cecilia Music Center, board member

University of Michigan Club of Grand Rapids, past board member; past president