When it comes to complex mergers and acquisitions, financing, corporate structuring, executive compensation, succession planning, and more, Bruce Andelson’s clients appreciate his extensive experience as a business attorney. “I have handled virtually all situations a client would be facing in my field,” says Bruce. “Typically, when I am representing a privately held company that is being sold, it is probably the only time the owners have done it, whereas I have done it many times.”

That means he knows how to avoid pitfalls, work efficiently, and get a deal done that makes everyone happy.

That was the case in the recent sale of a leading Southern California waste-disposal company to Republic Services, Inc., one the nation’s top two companies in that industry. “It was a very desirable company and a very complicated transaction. First, we had a number of bidders. We had a lot of written contracts to deal with, some fairly heavy government regulation and potential violations, ongoing litigation, financing issues, and a complicated ownership structure,” he says.  Nonetheless, he got the deal done, to everyone’s satisfaction.

Helping clients make smart business decisions.

Bruce, who typically works with middle market, privately owned companies across a range of industries, helps his clients meet their business objectives by communicating openly and frequently with them, as well as sharing with them the wisdom he has gained over the years to help his clients make smart business decisions.

“As I have matured as a lawyer I’ve gained experience that I like to share with a client. I say, ‘You make this decision, but here’s how I think you ought to look at it, here’s how I think you ought to approach it, and, frankly, here’s what I would do if I were in your place.’ I have found that clients like this direct approach and interest in their business.”

Delivering on the benefits of long term relationships.

While know-how and forthright communication form the foundation of Bruce’s client relations, he also says it takes “chemistry” to make it work.

“Your lawyer doesn’t have to be your best friend, but there definitely has to be a chemistry. When you pick the lawyer, you have to figure who is the person that you really feel comfortable with, the person you can trust,” says Bruce, “the person you can call at 10:00 at night and get an honest viewpoint. A lot of clients have been with me a long time. I think they all would speak very favorably of me, not just for the results I get, but also that I am good to work with and easy to deal with.”

Over the years Bruce has represented companies in major debt restructurings, auction sales, long-term lease arrangements, joint ventures, licensing agreements, significant acquisitions, and more.

“One of my more interesting projects was representing the first person to pay to go into space,” says Bruce, who negotiated a multimillion dollar contract with the Russian government on behalf of his client, Dennis Tito, to fly to the International Space Station. “It was a once-in-a-lifetime kind of contract.”

Professional Affiliations

  • Los Angeles County Bar Association (LACBA)
  • Business Law Section, State Bar of California
  • Joint Advisory Committee on Continuing Education, State Bar of California
  • Treasurer and Member of the Board of Directors, Aviva Family and Children's Services, which was named a Top 100 Regional Philanthropies You Should Know by CSQ Magazine (C-Suite Quarterly)
  • ProVisors professional networking group

Awards

  • Best Lawyers in America (2013 - 2020)

Bar Admissions

  • California

Education

  • Stanford University School of Law  (J.D., 1974)
    • California State Fellow
  • Brown University  (B.A., magna cum laude, 1971)

Representative Matters

  • Represented a specialty real estate fund in connection with a capital raise of over $100 mil. to fund nationwide acquisitions
  • Represented a privately owned distribution company in connection with a $50 mil financing to fund an acquisition of a competitor.
  • Represented a privately owned consumer products company in connection with its sale to a large international company for in excess of $20 mil.
  • Represented a privately owned financial services company in connection with its sale to a private equity firm for in excess of $20 mil.
  • Represented Rainbow Disposal Company, a leading waste disposal company in Southern California, in connection with its sale to Republic Services, Inc., one of the two major waste disposal companies in the country
  • Represented the owner of a medical office building in connection with its refinancing and long term lease to Cedars Sinai Medical Center
  • Represented a privately held company in connection with the restructuring of its $40M credit facticity and the sale of its interested in several joint ventures
  • Represented the majority owner of an independent public relations company in connection with its sale to a global media company
  • Represented the 50% owner of a privately held consumer products company in connection with a dispute with the other 50% shareholder and the subsequent court ordered sale of the company to a private equity company
  • Represented the owners of a privately held company that manufactures and distributes commercial irrigation systems in a $20 million + auction sale to a public company
  • Represented a privately held consumer products company in connection with the refinancing of a $100 million credit facility, a spinoff of one of its divisions and the subsequent sale of a half interest of that division to a private equity company for $200 million+
  • Represented the major owner of a consumer products company in connection with its sale to a public company in a $750 million + cash transaction
  • Represented a private equity company in connection with the merger of one of its portfolio companies, a manufacturer of ladies’ sportswear, with another sportswear company
  • Represented an investment group in connection with its acquisition of a professional football team in the Arena Football League
  • Represented a privately held manufacturer in connection with the refinancing of its approximately $35 million credit facility
  • Represented a manufacturing company in connection with its joint venture and cross licensing agreement with a Chinese supplier
  • Represented Dennis Tito in negotiations with the Russian government and various quasi-private Russian companies in connection with Mr. Tito’s flight to the International Space Station as the world’s first “Space Tourist”
  • Represented a receiver appointed at the request of the SEC to oversee and help unwind a $500 million + ponzi scheme.  The representation involved investigation into and the restructuring of dozens of companies and investments purchased in connection with the scheme
  • Represented a large privately held hair products company in connection with its celebrity licensing agreements, licensing agreement with another entity to form a new division and the sale of a majority interest in the company to a private equity company for in excess of $80 million
  • Represented the CEO of a major public media company in connection with his employment agreement and successive extensions of his agreement
  • Represented an entertainment executive in connection with his employment as the head of the film making division of a major entertainment company
  • Represented an investment group in connection with the sale of a company to Real Networks
  • Represented many real estate developers and investors in connection with financing, refinancing, acquisition, and sale of real properties, ranging from single properties to portfolios of properties
  • Represented a closely held aerospace company in connection with its acquisition of an engineering services company
  • Represented the owners of a metal heat treating business in connection with a recapitalization of the company to allow another person to acquire an interest in the company
  • Represented the majority owner of an independent public relations company in connection with its sale to a global media company
  • Represented a private investor group in its acquisition of a Southern California restaurant chain