Peter G. Roth

M&A and Corporate Attorney

Pete Roth is a leading corporate attorney with extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions (M&A), private equity, venture capital, family office, and joint venture transactions. He is a trusted advisor to closely held businesses, private equity sponsors, emerging growth companies, and family-owned enterprises, guiding clients through every stage of the deal cycle, from structuring and due diligence to negotiation and execution.

In addition to his transactional practice, Pete counsels clients on day-to-day business matters, including commercial transactions, contract negotiation, corporate structuring, and succession planning. He also has deep experience in areas unique to automotive suppliers and dealerships, cooperative law (including the Capper-Volstead Act), and 1031 exchange transactions.

Pete is widely recognized as a go-to lawyer in the M&A and corporate law space. He has been named to Crain’s Detroit Business Notable M&A Dealmakers list, honored as M&A All Star Advisor of the Year by ACG Detroit, and recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® and Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. Grand Rapids Magazine has also named him a Top Lawyer in both Corporate Law and M&A. Chambers USA notes that Pete “is adept at handling private equity and venture capital transactions. One client depicts him as an ‘expert in acquisitions, divestitures, and contracts. His involvement in all aspects was invaluable, and he secured us an excellent result.’”

Experience

Mergers and Acquisitions

Pete has represented and advised clients (buy-side and sell-side) in negotiating, structuring, and documenting hundreds of M&A transactions. These deals have been of all types and sizes, involving billions of dollars both nationally and internationally. Illustrative transactions include:

Represented MATEtronix GmbH & Co. KG, a Germany-based company, in its acquisition of a distressed supplier, including negotiations with OEM customers.

Represented UFP Industries, a publicly traded company, in numerous acquisitions nationwide.

Represented several large family offices in multiple acquisitions and divestitures, as well as day-to-day operational and transactional matters.

Represented a Tier 1 joint venture between two international partners (one publicly traded) in a sale transaction.

Represented Global Grab Technology, a private equity portfolio company, in its sale to Gladstone Investment Corporation, a publicly traded company.

Represented Paeonia Group, a Singapore-based family office, in its acquisition of Savant Group.

Represented Mill Steel Company in its acquisition of Maryland Metals.

Represented Chesapeake Technologies, an integrator of software for the defense industry, in its sale to Parsons Corporation.

Represented Detroit Pump in its sale to Bessemer Investors, LLC, a New York–based investment firm.

Represented Angstrom Group, a global Tier 1 automotive supplier, in its cross-border acquisition of KSR International.

Represented Extruded Aluminum Corporation, a Michigan-based aluminum extruder, in its sale to Metra S.p.A., a portfolio company of KPS Capital Partners.

Represented Hall Research Technologies, a provider of signal and connectivity solutions, in the acquisition of Atlona Inc.

Represented the West Michigan Whitecaps, a Minor League Baseball franchise, in a significant capital raise.

Represented Above the Treeline, a Plymouth Growth portfolio company, in its sale to Valsoft Corporation.

Represented Anderson Global, a leading toolmaker, in its sale to Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry.

Represented Angstrom Group in its sale of a Brazilian lighting manufacturer to Stanley Electric, a Japan-based automotive conglomerate.

Represented Xtreme Powerline Construction, a leading utility infrastructure construction company, in its majority sale to Aecon Utilities, a portfolio company of a Toronto-based private equity fund.

Represented Zeigler Automotive Group, a privately owned automotive group, in the acquisition of numerous dealerships in multiple states.

Represented TransNav, a privately held plastic injection molding company, in its sale to Groupe Plastivaloire, a family-controlled and publicly traded auto components molder headquartered in France.

Represented Fabco Holdings, Inc., a Michigan-based manufacturer, in the sale of its product portfolio and related technologies to Meritor.

Represented SERVPRO of Saginaw, a leading SERVPRO franchisee, in a recapitalization transaction.

Represented Contractors Steel Company, a leading carbon steel service center, in its sale to a private equity fund.

Represented Granger Energy Services division in the sale of 16 landfill gas-to-energy sites across six states to an Australian company.

Represented Entente Spirits (Round Barn Winery, Free Run Cellars, and Round Barn Public House), a Michigan-based beverage company, in the acquisition of Tabor Hill Winery.

Represented a Michigan entrepreneur in the purchase of Schuil Coffee Company, and multiple other “add on” acquisitions.

Represented a private equity firm in the acquisition of a fire safety company.

Represented a private equity firm in the sale of a medical equipment portfolio company.

Represented a private equity firm in the acquisition of a Texas-based industrial automation business.

Represented a private equity firm in the acquisition of a New York-based distributor of hearth and outdoor living products.

Represented a private equity firm in the acquisition of a high-end furniture distributor.

Represented a privately held elevator services provider based in West Michigan in its sale to a Connecticut-based private equity fund.

Private Equity, Venture Capital and Family Offices

Regular representation of private equity funds, venture capital funds, and family offices, handling all aspects of numerous transactions for clients. Services include structuring, negotiating, and implementing the M&A and financing components of transactions, fund formation and capital raise issues, post-transaction governance, and ultimate exit from investments.

Also, significant representation of founders selling to private equity and other buyers. Representation regularly involves all aspects of these deals, including negotiation of “roll-over” and ongoing employment.

Automotive Suppliers

Extensive work with automotive suppliers, including both Tier 1 suppliers and suppliers further down the supply chain. This representation has involved all types of matters, including disputes with OEMs as well as other suppliers; M&A and joint venture transactions; contract negotiation; terms and conditions analysis; price increase ‘hostage’ situations; and securing supply in bankruptcy and distressed situations.

Other Areas of Focus

Significant experience with complex joint ventures, representation of automotive dealerships, cooperative law, and 1031 exchange transactions.

Honors and Recognitions

ACG Detroit, M&A All Star Advisor of the Year, 2023

Best Lawyers in America®, Lawyer of the Year, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, 2026

Best Lawyers in America^®, Mergers and Acquisitions, Corporate Law, since 2015

Chambers USA^©: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business

Crain’s Detroit Business, Notable M&A Dealmaker, 2025

DBusiness, Top Lawyers, Corporate Law, 2026

Grand Rapids Magazine, Top Lawyers, Corporate Law, 2019 – 2022; Mergers & Acquisitions Law, since 2019

Michigan Super Lawyers^® since 2021

Michigan Super Lawyers^®, Rising Star, 2011 – 2014

Professional Affiliations

Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) Western Michigan, Board

Michigan Bar Association

Mid America Cooperative Council, Inc.

State Bar of Michigan: Business Law Section; Taxation Section

Presentations

Panelist, M&A Roundtable Discussion: Due Diligence Goes Deeper, Draws Out Deals as Cost of Capital Increases, MiBiz, February 26, 2023

Panelist, M&A Roundtable Discussion: Inflation, Interest Rates, Global Conflict Complicate M&A Outlook, MiBiz, March 28, 2022

Panelist, Strategic Discussion with M&A and Private Equity Advisors, MiBiz, Jan. 7, 2019

Presenter, Legal Issues for Agricultural Cooperatives, Michigan Executive Cooperative Conference, January 27, 2014

Panelist, M&A Roundtable, Birmingham, MI, October 2, 2013

Panelist, Real Estate and Family Owned Businesses, West Michigan Family Business Alliance, August 7, 2013

Panelist, M&A Roundtable, Grand Rapids, MI, May 16, 2013

Panelist, Transitions in Family Owned Business, West Michigan Family Business Alliance, May 14, 2013

Presenter, Michigan Executive Cooperative Conference, West Michigan Family Business Alliance, January 29-30, 2013

Panelist, M&A Roundtable, Birmingham, MI, November 29, 2012