
Margaret (“Peggy”) Andrews Davenport is a retired partner. Ms. Davenport is the former Co-Chair of the firm’s Corporate Department and former Co-Chair of the Private Equity Group and is one of the leading private equity lawyers in the United States. Ms. Davenport has a broad-based transactional practice advising private equity firms, portfolio companies and other corporate clients in structuring and negotiating mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, recapitalizations, financings and other transactions.
Ms. Davenport has been ranked in the top tier for private equity buyouts and investments by Chambers Global (2017) and Chambers USA (2012-2017). Her clients describe her as “extremely business-minded” and “excellent, with dexterity and an appreciation of all the subtleties.” Clients also note that “she knows what’s important to us, and is an effective lawyer and negotiator.” The Legal 500 US (2012-2017) commends her “great ability to get to the heart of the commercial issues” and IFLR1000 (2015) recognizes Ms. Davenport as a leading M&A practitioner. Private Equity Manager ranks her as one of the top 10 U.S. private equity lawyers in its “Legal Power 30,” describing Ms. Davenport as “very efficient, with fantastic judgment and people skills.” She has published articles in Buyouts, The Dealand The M&A Lawyer and is a contributing author of The Private Equity Primer: The Best of the Debevoise & Plimpton Private Equity Report and the Debevoise & Plimpton Private Equity Report. In 2016, Ms. Davenport was named “Best in Private Equity” at the fifth annual Americas Women in Business Law Awards presented by Euromoney Legal Media Group.
Ms. Davenport joined Debevoise as an associate in 1987 and became a partner in 1995. She received her B.A. magna cum laude from Amherst College in 1983 and her J.D. from the University of Chicago in 1987.
Experience:
- Clayton, Dubilier & Rice in its $415 million acquisition of High Ridge Brands, the largest North American consolidation platform focused on acquiring orphaned personal care brands, from Brynwood Partners.
- Kelso & Company in its acquisition of Risk Strategies Company, a national insurance and benefits brokerage and risk management firm, from Kohlberg & Company.
- Providence Equity Partners and SRA in the merger of SRA with the government services unit of CSC, creating the largest pure-play IT services provider serving the U.S. government sector.
- Alliance Laundry Systems, an Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan portfolio company, in the sale of majority interest to BDT Capital Partners.
- Roofing Supply Group, a Clayton, Dubilier & Rice portfolio company, in its $1.1 billion sale to Beacon Roofing Supply.
- Stone Point Capital in its significant equity investment in specialty insurance broker Alliant Insurance Services, with KKR retaining a significant equity investment in the business.
- Canada Pension Plan Investment Board in its $12 billion acquisition of GE Capital’s sponsor lending business, including Antares Capital, the leading lender to middle market private equity sponsors in the U.S.
- Healogics, a Clayton, Dubilier & Rice portfolio company, in its acquisition of Accelecare Wound Centers.
- Kelso & Company in its acquisition with Estancia Capital Management of American Beacon.
- Clayton, Dubilier & Rice in its $910 million acquisition of Healogics, the largest advanced wound care services provider in the U.S.
- PSAV, a Kelso & Company portfolio company, in its acquisition by affiliates of Goldman Sachs.
- Clayton, Dubilier & Rice in its acquisition of a 60% stake in John Deere Landscapes, a unit of Deere & Company’s Agriculture & Turf segment, in a transaction valued at $465 million.
- Kelso & Company, as a member of an investor group, in the $3.3 billion acquisition of energy pipeline and infrastructure assets from Kinder Morgan Energy Partners.
- Clayton, Dubilier & Rice in its acquisition of Roofing Supply Group, a distributor of residential and non-residential roofing materials.
- Providence Equity Partners in its $1.9 billion going private acquisition of SRA International, a provider of technology and strategic consulting services.
- Kelso & Company in its acquisition of Nivel Holdings, a distributor of golf car aftermarket parts and accessories.
- Kelso & Company in its investment in Sandler O’Neill + Partners, a full-service investment banking firm specializing in financial services companies.
- Kelso & Company in its majority investment in Cronos Ltd. and related transactions resulting in a company with owned assets of $1 billion.
- Teachers’ Private Capital, the private equity arm of the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, in its $717 million going-private acquisition of SonicWALL, an internet security solutions company, with Thoma Bravo.
- Kelso & Company in its acquisition of Logan’s Roadhouse, a casual dining restaurant chain, from an investor group led by Bruckmann, Rosser, Sherrill & Co.
- Teachers’ Private Capital, the private equity arm of the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, in its acquisition of Exal Group, the world’s largest specialty maker of aluminum containers.
- Kelso & Company in its investment in Wilton Re, a Bermuda-based life reinsurance company.
- Providence Equity Partners in its $1.5 billion acquisition of US Investigations Services, a leading provider of information, security and risk management services.
- The Carlyle Group in its $1 billion acquisition of Oriental Trading Company from Brentwood Associates.
- Providence Equity Partners, as a member of an investor group, in the group’s $3.8 billion going private acquisition of Kerzner International Limited.
Education:
- University of Chicago Law School, 1987, J.D.
- Amherst College, 1983, B.A.
Bar Admissions:
- New York
Cost
Rate : $$$