Robert A. Hudson is Counsel to Butzel, practicing in the firm's Troy office. Mr. Hudson represents domestic and foreign public and private companies and high-technology companies in corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions and general business matters. He has extensive experience in securities matters including numerous public and private equity and debt offerings, venture capital finance, compliance, reporting requirements, going private transactions, investment management, and corporate governance matters.

Overview

Robert A. Hudson is Counsel to Butzel, practicing in the firm's Troy office. He is a graduate of Wayne State University (B.A. with Distinction, 1969; J.D., cum laude, 1972), and was on the editorial board of the Wayne Law Review.

Mr. Hudson represents domestic and foreign public and private companies and high-technology companies in corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions and general business matters. He has extensive experience in securities matters including numerous public and private equity and debt offerings, venture capital finance, compliance, reporting requirements, going private transactions, investment management, and corporate governance matters. He regularly assists foreign-based companies in connection with U.S. and cross-border transactions, joint ventures, distribution and sale arrangements and trade matters. His industry expertise includes manufacturing, high-technology including software, Internet and computer services, financial services, automotive and real estate investment trusts.

Mr. Hudson served as general counsel for a NASDAQ listed company, handling a wide variety of the company's general corporate and regulatory issues. He is a former Chair of the firm’s Corporate Department. He has also appeared before the United States Supreme Court, the Securities and Exchange Commission and numerous other courts and agencies.

Mr. Hudson is the President Emeritus of the Michigan Chapter of the French-American Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. Hudson is listed in The Best Lawyers in America for Corporate Law, Mergers & Acquisitions Law and International Trade and Finance Law and as Lawyer of the Year in International Trade and Finance Law in Detroit for 2014, 2016 and 2020; in Michigan Super Lawyers (Securities and Corporate Finance Law) and in Top Lawyers in Metro Detroit by DBusiness magazine.  He is an AV Preeminent Rated Lawyer by Martindale-Hubbell.

Languages: English, French

Credentials

Education

Wayne State University 1969, B.A.

Wayne State University Law School 1972, J.D.

Admissions

  • Michigan

Memberships

  • President Emeritus of the Michigan Chapter of the French-American Chamber of Commerce

Awards & Recognitions

Awards & Recognitions

Best Lawyers' 2014, 2016 Detroit International Trade and Finance Law "Lawyer of the Year"

The Best Lawyers in America, Corporate Law; International Trade and Finance Law, 1997-2023, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, 2020-2023

Michigan Super Lawyers, Business/Corporate Law, 2006-2022

Super Lawyers Corporate Counsel Edition - International Law

Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rated AV Preeminent

Mr. Hudson has been included in The BTI Consulting Group's coveted Client Services All Star Team. This honor is bestowed upon individual attorneys who deliver outstanding client service according to corporate counsel interviewed at Fortune 1000 companies.

DBusiness Top Lawyers in Metro Detroit, Corporate Law, 2012-2016 & 2019 Mergers and Acquisitions Law, 2012-2014, 2023 Business Law Information Technology Law International Trade and Finance Law Securities Law, 2012-2013, 2016-2023

Experience

  • Acted as counsel in international acquisition of software company. The transaction included multi-jurisdictional asset transfers, export controls issues and special licensing and development agreements.
  • Representation of French company in acquisition of troubled assets of automotive supplier with U.S. and Canadian operations.
  • Representation of Fortune 500 company in disposition of two health care subsidiaries. Issues included structuring for tax and regulatory considerations, state licensing transfer requirements and filings.
  • Representation of French company in joint venture with Japanese company including negotiations and preparation of joint venture agreement, structuring joint venture capital contributions and addressing governance issues.
  • Sale of assets
  • Represented software company in private placement of common stock
  • Organization of hedge funds and private placement of hedge fund LLC interests.
  • Represented manufacturer and supplier to defense industry in sale of stock
  • Organized private equity and venture capital funds
  • Represented recruiting company in private placement of preferred stock
  • Representation of company for purchase of telecommunications business in over 25 countries.
  • Acted as issuer’s counsel for public debt offering for a financial services firm.
  • Represented software development company in sales of shares
  • Representation of broker-dealer firm in SEC receivership proceedings under SIPC resulting from net capital violations.
  • Securitization of mortgage pool for major financial company
  • Assisted with preparation of investment management agreements, solicitor agreements and other agreements relating to investment advisory business
  • Acted as counsel for issuers and for participating broker-dealer firms in many private securities offerings pursuant to SEC Regulation D, Regulation S and various state exemptions.
  • Represented a private equity investor in the lengthy and complicated effort to purchase all of Ford Motor Company's glass manufacturing operations in North America
  • Representation of health services company in reverse merger with a public company as means of going public.
  • Registered equity offering for publicly traded real estate trust
  • Representation of technology company in Series A and Series B venture capital financings, including due diligence, bridge financing, investor documentation, employment agreements, etc.
  • Representation of public company in connection with SEC investigation.
  • Registration of federal only and state investment advisers including assistance with FINRA and state filings, preparation of compliance manuals, privacy policies and compliance procedures
  • Acted as interim general counsel for publicly-held technology company and supervised company’s adoption of Sarbanes-Oxley compliance procedures and insider trading policy.
  • Assisted with purchase and sale of investment advisory businesses
  • Represented real estate development in private placement of LLC interests
  • Private equity offering
  • Representation of engineering services client in acquisition of other engineering services company structured share exchange.
  • Private placement of real estate fund LLC interests.
  • Private equity offering
  • Successfully closed a complex, $50 million private equity financing including a reincorporation merger and a myriad of difficult pre-closing transactions
  • Argued case under the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) before the U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of commodity customer with resulting favorable opinion ruling that implied right of action exists under the CEA.
  • Renewal and expansion of loan to related entity for major mortgage company
  • Assisted Lakeshore Engineering Services Inc. in their acquisition of Toltest Inc., creating Lakeshore Toltest Corp., one of the largest federal and municipal contracting companies in the Midwest.
  • Successfully negotiated dispute with large shareholder including redemption of shares and related tax and financing issues
  • Assisted numerous clients with international transactions involving environmental due diligence and permitting throughout South America, Asia and Europe.
  • Counsel for public companies in manufacturing, bio-medical, technology and real estate industries in going private transactions including all filings with SEC.
  • Asset acquisition for major international manufacturer
  • Organized hedge funds including hedge fund of funds
  • Securitization of mortgage loan pool
  • Venture capital financing for a home health care services corporation.
  • Represented real estate limited partnership in private equity offering
  • Restructuring of European companies and their subsidiaries in numerous countries to achieve optional organizational benefits
  • Asset acquisition for publicly traded foreign-based corporation
  • Representation of investment adviser for formation of hedge fund of funds.
  • Acted as issuer’s counsel for the initial public offering of software company.
  • Acted as issuer’s counsel for initial public offering and follow on offering for real estate investment trust.
  • Preparation of numerous dividend reinvestment and share repurchase plans for public companies including all required filings with SEC.
  • Assisted venture capital firm with Series A Preferred Stock investment in new start-up company together with organizational work
  • Provided regulatory advice for fee structures, advertising activities and other operations matters

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