Overview
Curt Creely, a partner and corporate lawyer with Foley & Lardner LLP, focuses his practice on counseling companies, investors, investment banking firms, and entrepreneurs in connection with public and private securities offerings, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, strategic transactions, securities law compliance and reporting, corporate governance matters, loan transactions and company formation. He is a member of the firm’s Transactional & Securities and Private Equity & Venture Capital Practices. He is also a member of the firm's Cannabis, Hospitality & Leisure, Life Sciences and Technology Industry Teams.
Curt has served as principal issuer’s counsel in initial public offerings by technology and life sciences companies, and he regularly advises public companies in various industries on SEC compliance, reporting and governance matters. He also represents issuers and investors in venture capital, private equity, and private placement transactions. He regularly serves as counsel in merger and acquisition transactions involving private and public companies in various industries, including healthcare, software, financial services and life sciences. He also represents businesses in technology-driven strategic transactions, including joint ventures, technology licensing transactions, and product development and collaboration programs.
Curt previously served as in-house general counsel for a Nasdaq-listed company, where he was responsible for managing the Company’s broad range of legal needs, including securities law compliance, strategic transactions, technology development and protection, foreign legal matters and general corporate needs.
Thought Leadership
Curt frequently speaks and writes on corporate finance, securities law, SEC and M&A matters. His writing and speaking engagements include the following:
- Presentations to the Association of Corporate Counsel on the topics of initial public offerings and M&A transactions.
- Co-authored "Bridging the Purchase Price Gap in Business Acquisitions" in the September 28, 2009 issue of Bloomberg’s Mergers & Acquisitions Law Report.
- Authored an article entitled "Granting Equity Incentives to Employees" in the September 14, 2009 edition of Workforce Management.
- Authored "Merger and Acquisition Activity Continues Despite Credit Crunch" in the October 17, 2008 issue of Tampa Bay Business Journal.
- Periodically lectures at the University of South Florida Center for Entrepreneurship on business entities and related topics.
- Co-taught a course, entitled "Creating and Building Value in a High Tech Start-Up Company," with other Foley attorneys at George Mason University (Spring 2007 semester).
- Teaches a session entitled "Top Legal Mistakes Made by Growing Companies" at entrepreneur boot camps and other business events.
- Regular panel moderator and presenter on topics relating to corporate finance, SEC M&A, and private equity for various programs and events, including Florida Venture Capital Conference, Florida Capital Connection, Association for Corporate Growth, Foley & Lardner Emerging Technologies Conferences in Boston and Tampa, and Foley Innovation Conference in Orlando, Foley & Lardner’s M&A webinars, and Foley’s National Directors’ Institute.
- Serves as a board member on the Association for Corporate Growth (Tampa Bay Chapter) and as member of the executive committee of the Emerging Companies Network of the Tampa Bay Technology Forum.
Recognition
Curt has been named a 2023 "Securities/Capital Markets Law Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers.
He has been selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© in the fields of Corporate Law (2014-2024), Mergers and Acquisitions Law (2007-2024) and Securities/Capital Markets Law (2007-2024).
In 2015 and 2016, The Legal 500 recommended Curt for his work in the area of mergers and acquisitions.
In 2013, International Law Office and Lexology recognized him with a Client Choice award for his work in capital markets.
Education
- University of Florida College of Law (J.D., 1995)
- Graduated with high honors
- Member, Florida Law Review
- Order of the Coif
- Geneva College (B.S., summa cum laude, 1992)
- Co-Valedictorian
Affiliations and Professional Memberships
Curt serves as a board member on the Association for Corporate Growth (Tampa Bay Chapter) and served as chapter president from 2013-2015. He is a member of the Florida State Bar.