Justin Breen is head of the Leveraged Finance Group and a member of the Private Credit Group. His principal focus is the representation of leading private credit providers in complex corporate finance transactions, including leveraged sponsor buyouts, acquisition financings and recapitalization transactions. He also has deep experience with non-traditional equity transactions, including debt-like preferred equity as third party financing, equity kickers and co-investments for private credit investors and debt for equity swaps involving troubled companies. Justin’s clients include leading investment banks, institutional investors, direct lenders, private debt funds and business development companies and he advises these clients on a broad range of financing transactions, including syndicated and non-syndicated senior and senior "stretch" loans, unitranche facilities, second lien financings, mezzanine financings, high yield bonds and structured preferred equity.
Justin has closed finance transactions with an aggregate value in excess of $100 billion. His clients consistently include the most active players in the upper middle market, including Ares Capital, Antares Capital, Golub Capital, Jefferies Finance, Morgan Stanley, NXT Capital and Varagon Capital.
Justin’s experience extends across a variety of industries, including energy, retail, media, communications, gaming, pharmaceuticals, biotech, manufacturing, financial services, insurance, technology, healthcare, security and food services.
Education
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Villanova University School of Law, J.D.
cum laude
- University of Vermont, B.A.
Admissions & Qualifications
- New York
Memberships
New York State Bar Association
New York City Bar
Awards & Recognition
Chambers Global: USA: Banking & Finance 2022
Chambers USA: Banking & Finance 2021-2022
Chambers USA: Capital Markets: Debt & Equity 2013-2014
The Legal 500 United States: Capital Markets: Global Offerings: Advice to Underwriters 2017
The Legal 500 United States: Capital Markets: High Yield Debt Offerings: Advice to Underwriters 2017
The Legal 500 United States: Capital Markets: High Yield Debt Offerings: Advice to Issuers 2017-2019
The Legal 500 United States: Finance: Bank Lending 2012, 2014-2016, 2018
The Legal 500 United States: Capital Markets: High-Yield Debt Offerings: Advice to Managers 2011-2014
The Legal 500 United States: Capital Markets: Global Offerings: Advice to Corporates 2012-2013
The Legal 500 United States: Capital Markets: Debt Offerings 2012-2013
The Legal 500 United States: Commercial Lending: Advice to Borrowers 2019-2021
The Legal 500 United States: Commercial Lending: Advice to Lenders 2020-2022
New York Super Lawyers "Rising Stars,” Securities & Corporate Finance 2012-2015
Matters
Justin’s representative transactions and practice include:
- Representation of the initial purchasers in high yield bond offerings by Acadia Healthcare Company Inc., Amsted Industries Incorporated, Baker & Taylor Acquisition Corp, Carolina Beverage Group LLC, CompuCom Systems, Inc., Cornerstone Chemical Company, CNO Financial Corp., DirecTV, DynCorp International, Inc., Harmony Foods Corporation, Interface Security Systems, Inc., Kimball Hill Inc., North Atlantic Trading Company, Inc., Nutro Products, Inc., Quintiles Transnational Holdings, Inc., Soho House Bond Ltd, SquareTwo Financial Corporation, Susser Holdings LLC, Toys R Us Delaware Inc., Vanguard Health Systems Inc. and United Surgical Partners International, Inc.
- Representation of the administrative agent and lenders in bank financings by Anthony, Inc., Charlotte Russe, Inc., Consolidated Precision Products, Inc., Grocery Outlets, Inc., JHP Pharmaceuticals, LLC, Kraft Foods Inc., Medassets, Inc., Merge Healthcare Incorporated, Nixon Inc., Noranco, Inc., Passport Health Communications, Inc., Penn National Gaming, Inc., PetroChoice Holdings, LLC, RegionalCare, Inc., Sbarro Inc., Service King Paint & Body, LLC, Service Repair Solutions, Inc., Strategic Partners, Inc., Toys “R” Us-Delaware, Inc., Universal Services of America, L.P. and WorldStrides, Inc.
- Representation of the underwriters in investment grade bond offerings by DirecTV, The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc. and the Xerox Corporation.
- Representation of public companies, private equity and hedge fund clients in a broad range of transactional and general corporate matters.
Private Credit Summit 2021