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BALTIMORE—Investment and strategic advisory firm Brown Advisory has made its second major M&A deal of 2018 by acquiring Meritage Capital, LLC, a registered investment advisor (RIA) on May 3, 2018. In February, Brown Advisory acquired venture capital firm NextGen Venture Partners.
The Womble Bond Dickinson team of Dean Rutley, Raj Singh, and Jeff Lawyer guided Brown Advisory in both transactions. Brown Advisory is a long-time client of David Hamilton, Managing Partner of Womble Bond Dickinson’s Baltimore office. Corporate paralegal Debbie McCutcheon assisted the team on the transaction.
The Austin, Texas-based Meritage serves family offices, high-net-worth individuals and institutions, and specializes in hedge fund investment solutions. Today, Meritage manages over $1 billion for clients via custom portfolios, proprietary commingled strategies, and liquid alternatives.
Brown Advisory opened its Austin office in September 2016. Upon completion of the merger, the Austin office will consist of 18 team members responsible for more than $1.5 billion in client assets.
Rutley said, “These two firms are a good fit in terms of their client-focused values and corporate cultures. We are pleased we could help Brown Advisory meet its business goals, and we are honored that they continue to turn to Womble Bond Dickinson for guidance in mission-critical transactions.”
About Brown Advisory
Brown Advisory is an independent investment and strategic advisory firm committed to providing its clients with a combination of first‐class investment performance, strategic advice and the highest level of service. Founded in 1993 as an affiliate of Alex. Brown & Sons, a leading U.S. investment bank, Brown Advisory became independent in 1998.
Today, the firm serves private clients and institutions in 36 countries from eight offices globally and is responsible for approximately $62 billion in client assets. The firm's colleague equity ownership, experienced investment professionals, collaborative investment process and client‐first culture help to make a material difference in the lives of its clients. For more information, please visit http://www.brownadvisory.com.
About the Womble Bond Dickinson Team
Dean Rutley is a veteran transactions lawyer who has overseen deals in the US, UK, Europe, the Pacific Rim and beyond for companies in aerospace and defense, information technology, government services, cybersecurity, telecommunications, biotechnology, e-commerce, banking, and finance, among other sectors. He has significant experience in the rapidly emerging global field of Financial Technology (“FinTech”) and is a co-leader of the firm’s FinTech sector team.
Raj Singh has a diverse transactional practice that focuses on the representation of public and private companies in strategic mergers and acquisitions, private equity transactions, business restructurings, and general corporate matters. Raj has substantial experience representing emerging and middle market companies in the banking, technology, and government contracting sectors.
Jeff Lawyer is a veteran tax attorney with a background in accounting. Jeff’s tax practice includes state and federal tax planning, tax strategies for corporate and real estate transactions, and tax planning for exempt and non-profit organizations.
