Joel Buckberg is a shareholder in Baker Donelson’s Nashville office and serves as leader of the Commercial Transactions & Business Counseling Group. He is immediate past co-chair of the Firm’s Hospitality Industry Service Team and frequently works with clients in the franchise, distribution and hospitality markets.
Mr. Buckberg counsels clients on business transactions and operations, particularly in hospitality, franchises and distribution, including strategic planning, development, disclosure, equity and debt financing, mergers and acquisitions, system policy and practice development, regulatory compliance and commercial contracts. Prior to joining Baker Donelson, Mr. Buckberg was executive vice president and deputy general counsel of Cendant Corporation.
In his career, he has worked on the acquisition of worldwide hotel chains and their financing, de novo brand start-ups, multi-unit acquisitions, initial public offerings, hotel management agreements for existing and new build hotels, divestitures, master license grants, area development agreements, supply chain sourcing, distribution agreements, sales and marketing arrangements, and technology agreements.
EDUCATION:
- Vanderbilt University School of Law, J.D., 1980; M.B.A., 1980
- Union College, B.A., 1976, cum laude
ADMISSIONS:
- Tennessee, 2006
- New Jersey, 1994
- Georgia, 1981
- Texas, 1980
Representative Matters:
- Represented the lenders as franchise counsel in one of the largest franchise system acquisitions involving a major worldwide hotel chain and a securitization of franchise system receivables to finance the acquisition.
- Represented the lenders as franchise counsel in a multi-billion dollar acquisition of a franchised and company owned hotel chain by a major private equity sponsor, and in its refinancing through securitization.
- Represented the private equity buyer as franchise counsel of a major pizza franchise multi-unit developer.
- Represented the founders and owners selling a bakery franchise system.
- Represented private equity bidder as franchise counsel for auto aftermarket franchise system.
Professional Honors & Activities:
- Member – American Hotel & Lodging Association General Counsel Committee
- Inductee – “Legal Eagles Hall of Fame” by Franchise Times, 2016
- Member – Board of Trustees, Immune Deficiency Foundation
- Member – United States Coast Guard Auxiliary
Cost
Rate : $$$