Jonathan M. Boulahanis is a Partner in the Chicago office of GRSM and a member of the Business Transactions, Banking & Finance, Real Estate, and Food & Beverage Practice Groups. He is recognized as a premiere mergers and acquisitions advisor and he has a wide variety of experience representing companies from inception to exit, making him a trusted advisor to any size business.

Corporate Law

Jonathan regularly advises privately held businesses, in corporate matters, including strategic business planning, corporate structuring, formation of business entities, corporate governance, creation and implementation of employment policies, creation and review of management and operating agreements, service agreements, contractor agreements, and providing guidance for companies raising capital.

Mergers and Acquisitions

Jonathan regularly represents both buyers and sellers in stock purchases, asset purchases, joint ventures, partnerships, strategic alliances, and other mergers and acquisition transactions. Jonathan’s vast business expertise has allowed him to represent clients in a variety of industries, including architecture, landscaping, manufacturing, banking, insurance, logistics, health care, advertising, industrial, retail, franchise, and restaurants. Jonathan efficiently and effectively represents clients in middle market transactions of all sizes.

Banking and Real Estate

Jonathan has represented both commercial lenders and borrowers in lending facilities including real estate financing, asset-based lending, SBA lending, and mezzanine financing. Such representation has included conducting due diligence, preparing all loan documentation and participation agreements, drafting and enforcing security agreements pursuant to Article 9 of the UCC, and assisting with refinancing, work-out programs, and receivership.

He is also experienced in representing both buyers and sellers in commercial real estate transactions, including preparing purchase sale agreements, easements and shared responsibility agreements, and completing 1031 exchanges. Jonathan also regularly represents Landlords and Tenants in complex lease negotiations.

Food and Beverage

Jonathan counsels Food and Beverage clients, including restaurants, bars, liquor suppliers, and liquor distributors on all legal issues related to their industry, including issues related to regulatory and statutory compliance that are enforced by the United States Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), Illinois Liquor Control Commission, and Wisconsin Department of Revenue.

Background

Jonathan received an undergraduate degree from Loyola University Chicago, and attended The John Marshall Law School. While in law school, he served as an extern for the Honorable Virginia M. Kendall in the Northern District of Illinois. Additionally, Jonathan worked for the Office of the Chief Counsel for the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives in Washington, D.C. and the Corporation Counsel’s Office for the City of Chicago. As a young attorney, he served as trial counsel in nine full-length jury trials taken to verdict – experience that he brings to transactions to effectively counsel clients on how to avoid litigation risks.

Jonathan is a Chicagoland native and enjoys giving back to his community. He volunteers for the Settlement Assistance Project through the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, founded and runs an Illinois non-profit called the Go Forth Fund, and is a member of Old St. Patrick’s Catholic Church on Chicago’s near west side.

  • Represented the sellers in the approximately $91 million total enterprise value sale of a commercial lighting distributor in New York.
  • Led the approximately $55 million total enterprise value sale of a commercial landscaping business in California.
  • Led the sale of an Illinois based insurance and risk management brokerage for approximately $42 million in total enterprise value.
  • Represented the sellers of a national semiconductor/chip manufacturing company in an approximately $55 million transaction to foreign buyers.
  • Represented the sellers of a legacy family business that manufactured resin products for approximately $90 million in total enterprise value.
  • Led the sale of a technology based company that provides public safety solutions for the approximate enterprise value of $12 million.
  • Led the approximately $25 million sale of a commercial landscape company in Idaho.
  • Led the $25 million sale of a commercial landscaping business in Oregon and Washington.
  • Led the approximately $10 million sale of an HVAC and refrigeration motor company in Oregon.
  • Led the sale of a landscape services company in Boston for approximately $6 million.
  • Led the sale of a Minnesota and Wisconsin based sleep center and CPAP supplier for approximately $5 million.
  • Led the approximately $10 million sale of a concrete paving company in Washington.
  • Led the approximately $15 million sale of a commercial landscape company in Chicago, Illinois.
  • Represented an advertising agency based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in completing the asset acquisition of a multi-state competitor.
  • Led the stock purchase of a home healthcare company in Raleigh, North Carolina for $8.5 million.
  • Successfully led a 1031 simultaneous exchange for a national firm client in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The client was approached by a developer that was interested in acquiring their property to build a new residential development. The developer offered another parcel of land, and offered to build the firm client a brand new facility to headquarter its Wisconsin operations for its transportation company. The client’s former property was appraised at approximately $1.8 million, and the acquisition cost plus construction expenses of the new site exceeded $8 million.
  • Lead counsel for banking institution that provided first priority financing for a private equity group that completed a stock acquisition and purchased the majority of the shares of a large industrial and equipment in the amount of $8.3 million.
  • Led the sale of a fully leased commercial retail property in Chicago’s West Loop for $5.7 million.
  • Led representation for a borrower in negotiations and documentation of a $16.75 million dollar loan with a national banking institution.
  • Provided lead representation to a banking institution to provide a commercial real estate loan in the amount of $5.75 million for the borrower’s acquisition of a multi-unit building in the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago.
  • Led representation of a craft brewery client, including negotiation of all loan documents and working through issues with multiple creditors, for a $6 million line of credit from a private lending group.
  • Led representation of banking institution in providing a $4.5 million first priority construction loan to a borrower to acquire and develop a warehouse space in Chicago’s West Loop neighborhood.
  • Led representation of banking institution to provide $8 million in United States Small Business Administration 7(a) financing for a borrower to acquire a competitor welding company in Illinois.
  • Led representation of banking institution to provide $3.8 million in United States Small Business Administration 7(a) in financing for a borrower to acquire a retail manufacturer of mattresses and bags.
  • Led representation of a banking institution to provide $2.8 million in first-priority real estate financing allowing a borrower to acquire real property in Durham, North Carolina.
  • Led representation of banking institution to provide $20 million in multiple credit facilities to refinance a borrower’s existing bank loans and various equipment loans.
  • Completed representation of a restaurant group in its receipt of a $550,000 investment for restructuring and remodeling.
  • Completed representation of a corporate wellness technology company in its receipt of $500,000 investment from a venture capital firm to assist the company in continuing to build its technology and build a sales platform.
  • Led representation of banking institution to provide $3.8 million in acquisition financing allowing a New Jersey company to acquire a manufacturing business in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
  • Led representation of banking institution to provide $6.8 million in commercial real estate financing allowing a borrower to acquire multiple properties in Chicago, Illinois.
  • Led representation of a global manufacturing client in the refinance of its $16.5 million refinance of its RLOC with a national banking institution.

Admissions

  • Illinois
  • Wisconsin
  • District of Columbia
  • New York
  • U.S. District Court, Northern and Southern Districts of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court, Western District of Michigan
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit

Membership

  • Chicago Bar Association
  • Hellenic Bar Association
  • Illinois Restaurant Association

Community Involvement

  • Founder of the Go Forth Fund, an Illinois not for profit organization
  • Volunteer Member – Settlement Assistance Project for the United States District Court of the Northern District of Illinois

Education

  • J.D., UIC Law (formerly the John Marshall Law School), 2009
  • B.B.A., cum laude, Loyola University – Chicago, 2006

Honors

  • Super Lawyers® Rising Stars distinction in Business/Corporate, Banking, Mergers & Acquisitions, and Real Estate: Business (2016-2024)

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