Nathan Howze

Nathan Howze is a business attorney focusing on venture capital and private equity financings, emerging companies, mergers and acquisitions, and cannabis businesses. He serves as trusted outside counsel to clients in a diverse range of industries, including technology, food and beverage, cannabis, life sciences, airport concessions, and real estate, and he provides practical, strategic advice to help close his clients' most important deals.

Nathan frequently advises venture capital funds, family offices, sponsors, entrepreneurs, and emerging companies on debt and equity financings, capital raises, mergers and acquisitions, recapitalizations, business contracts, and other general corporate matters. He has helped to form, finance, and buy and sell hundreds of established and emerging businesses. Nathan also advises cannabis businesses and investors on regulatory compliance matters and applications for coveted cannabis licenses.

Experience

Representative Engagements

• Represent $500,000,000 venture capital fund in equity and convertible debt financings in domestic and international portfolio companies.
• Represent $70,000,000 venture capital fund in equity and convertible debt financings in Black, Latinx and Women owned companies located in Chicago’s South and West side neighborhoods.
• Represented lead investors in $137,000,000 investment in an innovative and sustainable packaging company.
• Represented major investor in a $60,000,000 Series B financing of a New Zealand-based technology company.
• Represented lead investor in a $45,000,000 Series B financing of an Ireland-based biotechnology company.
• Represented sellers in $16,000,000 sale of international medical device company.
• Represented buyer in $15,000,000 acquisition of cigar bar and liquor distiller.
• Represented applicants in successfully obtaining cannabis dispensary and infuser licenses in the highly competitive Chicagoland area.

Credentials

Education

Loyola University Chicago Quinlan School of Business, M.B.A., 2016

Loyola University Chicago School of Law, J.D., 2015

Utah Valley University, B.S.A. Behavioral Sciences (Social Work emphasis), 2011

Bar Admissions

Illinois

Professional Memberships

American Bar Association

Business Law Section

Cannabis Law & Policy Committee, Vice Chair (2019)

Private Equity & Venture Capital

Chicago Bar Association

Business Law Committee

Honors & Awards

Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch (Corporate Law, 2022-2023), Best Lawyers®

Top 40 Under 40 in Illinois, The National Black Lawyers (2022)

Illinois Emerging Lawyer in Cannabis Law, Closely & Privately Held Business Law, Mergers & Acquisitions Law, and Securities & Finance Law, Law Bulletin Media Leading Lawyers (2021)

PRACTICE AREAS

• Business Transactions
• Risk, Reputation & Crisis Management