Ken Ashton advises start-up, emerging growth and mature companies in a variety of business transactions. He also represents private equity funds, strategic buyers, and commercial and private lenders.
Representative Transactions
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Significant Experience
- Representing private equity funds, and public and private companies in merger and acquisition transactions and joint ventures, including transactions involving industrial manufacturing, telecommunications, energy and commercial retail
- Advising various companies in private placement transactions and in federal and state securities laws
- Assisting start-up and mature companies in entity formation and corporate/ organizational governance, including limited liability companies, partnerships, and buy-sell agreements
- Representing various clients in the negotiation and preparation of various types of commercial contracts, including agreements for supply/distribution, technology license, outsourcing service contracts, and other general commercial agreements
- Advising various commercial banks and private lenders in secured lending transactions and corporate financings
- Assisting in preparing and negotiating buy-sell agreements, structuring management buy-outs, and resolving shareholder/management disputes
- Advising in the formation, organization and governance of non-profit organizations and related matters
Selected Recent Transactions
- Transaction counsel to a Utah professional corporation in the sale of its medical services business to a strategic buyer
- Counsel to purchaser in recent $90 million asset acquisition of an industry competitor
- Counsel to a Utah-based agriculture company in the sale of its business to an industry competitor
- Counsel to leading manufacturer and supplier of wheel rims in a variety of joint venture, development agreements and other commercial transactions, including in a recent acquisition of an industry competitor and divesture of its drive-axle business
- Counsel to management group in compensation/equity roll-over in the sale of a Utah-based manufacturing company to private equity buyer
- Counsel to a public company in the recent sale of its farm equipment division to a strategic buyer
- Counsel to manufacturer and supplier of seating components for trucks in the sale of its business to a strategic buyer
- Counsel to commercial retail in the partial divesture of its business to an industry competitor
- Counsel to a private equity investor of its acquisition of a specialty metals company
- Counsel for private equity investor in providing secured and unsecured loans to portfolio companies, including acquisition/development loans
- Counsel to stockholders in their sale of equity interest in a colocation business to an industry competitor
- Represented a Caribbean-based telecommunications operator in its sale to a large international telecommunications provider
- Primary counsel to first aid supply company in the sale of its business to an international conglomerate
- Served as counsel to various private equity groups in providing secured financings of emerging growth companies
- Counsel to a Utah non-profit organization that provides access to musical instruments in high-risk areas of Salt Lake City; advised client in forming, obtaining tax exempt status and non-profit governance
Education
- University of Texas (J.D., 2001)
- Member, Texas International Law Journal
- International Law Society
- University of Utah (B.A., Economics, minor in Business, cum laude, 1998)
- Phi Kappa Beta
- Golden Key National Honor Society
Court Admissions
- Supreme Court of Utah
- Supreme Court of New York
Professional Memberships & Activities
- State Bar of Utah
- Business Section, Secretary
- New York State Bar Association
- American Bar Association
Professional Recognition & Awards
- Utah Legal Elite, Up and Coming: Corporate Law and Transactions (2012) Utah Business magazine
Community Involvement
- Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce
- Capital Club
- Transportation Task Force, Committee Member
- Young Benefactors of the Utah Museum of Fine Arts, Past Executive Committee Member
- Birch Creek Ranch, Executive Committee of the Board
- Young Artist Chamber Group, Board Member
Other Professional Experience
- Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, Associate (2001-2004)
