Joseph F. Kadlec

Joe is a corporate and securities attorney who focuses his practice on helping clients navigate acquisitions, investments, and sales. He advises private equity firms and their portfolio companies, as well as strategic and family business buyers and sellers on all aspects of their transactions. Senior stakeholders also rely on Joe for day-to-day advice on a wide range of corporate issues, and to coordinate the delivery of services from additional firm practice areas, including executive compensation, labor and employment, intellectual property, risk management, and corporate governance, often in anticipation of their acquisitions or investments.

Drawing upon more than 15 years of experience, Joe negotiates his clients’ legal and business terms with a focus on achieving objectives while properly allocating risk. He works with clients in a variety of industry verticals, including health care services and technology, manufacturing, software, insurance, and food and beverage. His health sciences clients include digital health innovators, medical and diagnostic labs, physician practices, and medical spas.

Joe has an active pro bono practice and represents several notable boards and nonprofit entities in governance and strategic transaction matters.

Private Equity

• Represented a full-service health care marketing agency in its sale transaction to a private equity-backed strategic acquirer.
• Represented a private equity sponsor in its acquisition of an arts-focused software and website technology system.
• Represented a dining and retail technology platform in its sale to a private equity-backed strategic buyer.
• Represented a government contracting aerospace and defense software firm in its sale to a private equity-backed strategic buyer.
• Represented a UK private equity-backed marketing and advertising business in multiple U.S.-focused add-on acquisitions.
• Represented a private equity firm in its acquisition of a health care engagement agency providing meeting, events, training, and marketing services to pharmaceutical manufacturers and biotech companies.
• Represented a private equity firm in its acquisition of a coach training and certification solutions business.
• Represented a private equity firm in its acquisition of an essential, recurring facility services business.
• Represented a private equity firm in its acquisition of a branded aftermarket accessories business used to outfit and rig kayaks.
• Represented a private equity firm in its acquisition of an emergency preparedness and response software solutions business.
• Represented a performance cooling company in the sale of all of the issued and outstanding shares to a leading private equity investment firm with deep experience partnering with high-growth enthusiast brands.
• Advised in the sale to a private equity buyer of a medical education simulation business.
• Represented a private equity firm in the acquisition of a drug testing services business.
• Represented a private equity firm in the acquisition of a dental services business and similar add-on acquisitions.
• Represented a private equity-backed industrial cleaning portfolio company in acquiring an industrial cleaning business.
• Advised in the acquisition and then subsequent sale transaction by a private equity client of a SaaS human capital management solutions business.
• Led investment by a private equity client in a financial health ratings business.
• Led investment by a private equity client in a recruiting and outplacement solutions business.
• Represented a private equity client in the acquisition of a building, field services, and construction management technology business.
• Advised in the sale of a health care services company to a private equity sponsor.
• Advised in the sale of a urology practice to a private equity sponsor.
• Represented two private equity co-investors in the acquisition of majority interest in an imaging equipment company.
• Advised in the sale of a display products company by a private equity seller to a financial buyer.
• Advised in the sale of a public financial services company to a private equity buyer.

Strategic Transactions

• Represented a leading public international independent service center and materials supplier serving automotive and industrial end markets in its acquisition of a U.S. and Mexico-based aluminum operations carve-out.
• Represented one of the largest U.S. egg producers in its acquisitions of egg producing farm businesses.
• Represented a public technology client in the acquisition of a medical imaging business.
• Represented a subsidiary of a public insurance brokerage business in the acquisition of various insurance broker or investment advisory firms.
• Represented one of the leading insurance brokerages in its acquisition of business assets from a majority ESOP seller and numerous insurance brokerage acquisitions.
• Advised in the sale transaction of an investment advisory firm to a strategic firm.
• Advised in the sale transaction by a public food and beverage client of a business unit and supported an acquisition of a health foods business.
• Represented a public food and beverage client in the asset acquisition of a lifestyle diet brand.
• Advised in the joint venture between public food and beverage client and farming provider.
• Represented a public life sciences client in the asset acquisition of a developing laboratory equipment provider.
• Advised in the sale of a public human resources management company to a strategic public buyer for more than $1 billion.
• Advised in the acquisition by a division of a public science and technology corporation of two separate testing and calibration companies.
• Advised in the internal reorganization of a tools division of a public science and technology corporation in preparation for a two-party joint venture.
• Advised in the sale of a non-wovens fabric company in an asset sale to a strategic buyer.
• Advised in the sale of a display products company by a private equity seller to a financial buyer.
• Advised in the sale of a U.S./German products division of a defense and security products corporation.
• Represented a financial services corporation in their equity and debt offerings.
• Represented a science and technology corporation in their equity and debt offerings.

Health Care – Services and Technology

• Represented provider practice groups in potential strategic transactions.
• Represented full-service health care marketing agency in its sale transaction to a private equity-backed strategic acquirer.
• Represented health care services in emerging fields, including diabetes education and care management, and medspa and IV treatment businesses.
• Advised in the acquisition of a dental services business and similar add-on acquisitions.
• Advised in the sale to a private equity buyer of a medical education simulation business.
• Advised in the sale of a health care services company to a private equity sponsor.
• Advised in the pharmacy sale transactions to strategic acquirers.
• Advised in the acquisitions by a private equity-backed client of a family of pharmacies, skilled nursing and hospice facilities.
• Advised in the sale of a health care marketing solutions company to a public strategic buyer.
• Represented a public technology client in the acquisition of a medical imaging business.
• Advised in the asset acquisition by a public life sciences client of a developing laboratory equipment provider.
• Advised in the acquisition of majority interest in an imaging equipment company by two private equity co-investors.
• Advised in the simultaneous asset acquisitions by a division of a public science and technology corporation of two related medical devices companies.
• Advised in the acquisition by a public laboratory equipment company of a diagnostics company.
• Advised in the sale of a laboratory services division of a public company to a financial buyer.
• Advises in initial stage and early round financing for a variety of health care and service startups.

Food + Beverage

• Represent one of the largest U.S. egg producers in its acquisitions of egg producing farm businesses.
• Advised in the sale transaction by a public food and beverage client of a business unit.
• Advised in an acquisition transaction by a public food and beverage client of a large health foods business.
• Represented a public food and beverage client in the asset acquisition of a lifestyle diet brand.
• Advised in the joint venture between public food and beverage client and farming provider.

Software and Technology

• Represented a private equity sponsor in its acquisition of an arts-focused software and website technology system.
• Represented a dining and retail technology platform in its sale to a private equity-backed strategic buyer.
• Represented a government contracting aerospace and defense software firm in its sale to a private equity-backed strategic buyer.
• Advises in initial stage and early round financing for a variety of technology and service startups.
• Advised in the acquisition and then subsequent sale transaction by a private equity client of a SaaS human capital management solutions business.
• Lead investment by a private equity client in a financial health ratings business.
• Lead investment by a private equity client in a recruiting and outplacement solutions business.
• Represented a private equity client in the acquisition of a building, field services and construction management technology business.
• Advised in the sale of an information services subsidiary of a public company to a public strategic buyer.
• Advised in the sale of a private information services company to a public company strategic buyer.
• Advised in the launch of two patent pool structures and related formation of a dozen international subsidiaries for multiple electronics technology companies.
• Advised in the recapitalization of and dividend from a private information services company.

Nonprofit Transactions

• Advised in the merger of two notable Philadelphia youth outreach and support organizations, creating Heights Philadelphia.
• Advised in the merger of two notable Philadelphia Fairmount Park nonprofit organizations.
• Advised in the asset transfer of historical Civil War artifacts among three notable Pennsylvania nonprofit organizations.

• Legal 500 United States: M&A/Corporate and Commercial: M&A: Middle-Market (sub-$500m) (2025) and M&A/Corporate and Commercial: Private Equity Buyouts: Middle-Market (up to $500m) (2025)
• “40 Under 40,” Philadelphia Business Journal, April 2019