Joseph Spina is a versatile transactional lawyer who has advised on well over $50 billion in aggregate deal volume. Combining a strong legal foundation with direct private equity experience, Joseph serves as a trusted advisor to private equity funds, independent sponsors, search fund entrepreneurs, and other strategic investors, as well as their portfolio companies. His dual expertise in law and business enables him to deliver sophisticated legal counsel aligned with his clients’ strategic and operational goals.
Leveraging deep connections in the private equity and venture capital space, Joseph also advises start-ups and founder-led companies on capital raises, liquidity events and day-to-day operational matters.
Joseph’s practice spans a wide range of transactions, including buyouts, recapitalizations, mergers, equity financings, and other strategic investments. He also brings significant expertise in restructuring and distressed situations, guiding companies, lenders, and acquirers through complex scenarios both in and out of court.
Throughout his career, Joseph has played an integral role in high-profile matters, representing clients such as the Government of Puerto Rico, Remington Arms Company, Capital One Bank, Franklin Templeton, and the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority.
Before joining Cullen and Dykman, Joseph gained valuable experience at a private equity firm managing $3 billion in assets under management (AUM), specializing in investments in lower middle-market companies across the consumer, services, industrials, and healthcare sectors. Earlier in his career, Joseph worked at a leading international law firm.
Representative Experience
Selected Independent Sponsor/Search Fund Transactions
- Terso Solutions – Represented Ekpyrosis, an independent private equity sponsor, in a joint venture transaction with RFID inventory solutions company.
- Allied Legacy Group – Represented independent private equity sponsor in capital raise and executing build-out of residential and commercial roofing investment platform.
- Endangered Investments – Represented independent private equity sponsor in acquisition of property management company.
- Next Century Self Storage – Represented independent private equity sponsor in capital raise and executing build-out of self-storage facility investment platform.
- Brevoort Capital Partners – Represented independent private equity sponsor in capital raise and executing build-out of professional services investment platform.
- Seekircher Steel Window – Represented Stratford Prospect, a search fund, in acquisition of vintage steel window restoration company.
- VanLife Outfitters – Represented Haggin Family Ventures in acquisition of outdoor lifestyle brand.
- NDS Technologies, Inc. – Represented Allucent Group, a search fund, in acquisition of scientific glassware manufacturer.
Selected Large Cap/Middle Market Transactions
- Remington Arms Company – Represented firearms manufacturer in comprehensive sale process, which resulted in a series of transactions yielding an aggregate purchase price of $157 million.
- Power Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) – Represented Puerto Rico’s power authority in its Title III proceeding to restructure the utility’s debt and restore power to the territory’s residents in the wake of Hurricanes Irma and Maria.
- Commonwealth of Puerto Rico – Represented the Puerto Rico Fiscal Agency and Financial Advisory Authority, as representative of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, in the restructuring of the territory’s debt obligations.
- Fieldwood Energy – Represented secured lender, Franklin Templeton, in the reorganization of oil and gas exploration and development company, which won M&A Advisor’s Turnaround Award for “Restructuring of the Year (Over $1B to $5B)” in 2019.
- Coso Operating Company – Represented geothermal operator in $1 billion power project leveraged lease financing, the largest geothermal project financing completed at the time.
- Castex Energy – Represented Capital One, National Association, as agent bank in prearranged restructuring of oil and gas company.
- Verso Corporation – Represented paper manufacturer in $2.4 billion restructuring transaction.
Selected Start-Up/Outside GC Representations
- StatMuse, Inc. – Outside general counsel and advisor to the artificial intelligence backed sports statistics start-up.
- Stake Networks – Represented venture capital backed fin-tech company in strategic acquisition of Circa Labs, a rental payment company.
- Aquaria Technologies – Outside general counsel and advisor to clean water solutions company.
