Sakia DeLaney

Sakia is a trusted advisor to public and private companies on a broad range of strategic commercial transactions, including buy- and sell-side M&A, joint ventures, and financings. Drawing on her experience as outside general counsel, she also advises clients on corporate formation, governance, and ongoing corporate matters. Sakia represents clients across a variety of industries, including transportation, technology, energy, construction, manufacturing, and financial services.

Sakia also counsels clients on commercial contracting, guiding them through all stages of their transactions and drafting, negotiating, and revising a wide range of agreements, including supplier contracts and transition services agreements. Her holistic approach helps clients identify and optimize business opportunities while effectively mitigating legal and commercial risks.

Sakia maintains an active pro bono practice focused on serving nonprofit organizations, advising them on corporate structure and governance matters.

Sakia is a strong champion of inclusion within the legal field and plays an active role in recruiting and initiatives designed to cultivate diverse candidates and eliminate obstacles to their success.

• Advise Genuine Parts Company (NYSE: GPC), a leading industrial parts company, on a series of strategic acquisitions of MRO parts distributors, partnering with business teams to support growth and integration objectives.
• Lead legal advisor to a national security solutions business, fulfilling in-house counsel function by providing guidance to executive team — including its CEO and COO — on routine corporate matters (e.g., corporate governance, foreign registrations, conversions, and employment issues).
• Represent one of the largest manufacturers of wire and cable, tools, components, and assembled solutions in the U.S. in various strategic transactions, including the acquisition of a cable rejuvenation solutions provider focused on electric utilities and the acquisition of a leading low-voltage wire and cable manufacturer.
• Lead counsel for an agricultural equipment dealership subsidiary of a NYSE-listed global agricultural machinery corporation in its acquisition of a farm equipment dealership.
• Advised a NYSE-listed global airline company on its commercial transactions, including reviewing and negotiating purchase orders, statements of work, terms and conditions, non-disclosure agreements, and other documents pertaining to the opportunity.
• Counseled a professional construction technology company in its $165 million sale to a private equity portfolio company.
• Represented a leading, data-driven digital and business consulting firm in its $38 million sale to a private equity portfolio company.
• Counseled two manufacturers of high-quality specialty chemicals in their $20 million joint sale into a private equity portfolio.
• Advised a private equity company in its $15 million acquisition of a health information management company.
• Represented a RFID solutions portfolio company of a private equity fund in its add-on transactions (total aggregate transaction amount of approximately $83,831,660 to date).

• “Top 40 Under 40,” The National Black Lawyers, 2019