Russ Ryba practices in the areas of public offerings and private placements of equity, debt, and hybrid securities, including as company counsel in multiple initial public offerings; mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures; the transactional representation of Special Committees; public company compliance with federal and state securities laws and reporting requirements; corporate governance; going private transactions; and general business counseling. Russ has been with the firm since graduating from Duke law in 1989 and is a partner in the Transactions and Capital Markets Practices. He previously served as co-chair of the firm’s Senior Living Team.

Russ’s practice crosses a broad range of companies and industries, including manufacturing and distribution companies, retailers, insurance companies, service companies, printing and marketing solutions companies, public utilities and public utility holding companies, media companies, newspaper companies, and skilled nursing and assisted living companies. His clients range from large publicly held corporations to mid- and small-cap companies.

In his 30 years of practice, Russ has represented buyers, sellers, and investors in over 175 domestic and international business combination transactions aggregating over US$40 billion in total consideration, including multiple tender offers. Russ also has represented issuers in over 50 public securities offerings or private placements raising more than US$12 billion.

He currently represents three publicly traded companies, which he took public: Mayville Engineering Company, Inc., a leading U.S.-based value-added manufacturing provider; Quad/Graphics, Inc., a worldwide marketing solutions provider of print and related services; and National Research Corporation, a leading provider of performance measurement and improvement services, health care analytics, and governance education to the health care industry.

He also represents several other publicly-traded companies, including Ulta Beauty, Inc., Kontoor Brands, Inc., and The Manitowoc Company, Inc. Russell formerly represented, among other companies, Journal Communications, Inc., which he took public, prior to their merger with The E.W. Scripps Company; Journal Media Group, Inc., which he took public, prior to their sale to Gannett; Integrys Energy Group, Inc., a public utility holding company, and its public utility subsidiaries, Wisconsin Public Service Corp., Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas, prior to their sale to WEC Energy Group; and Extendicare Health Services, Inc., a long-term care provider in the United States.