Melissa A. Sharp

Senior Associate

  • Melissa A. Sharp
  • Phone: +1 312 499 6746

    Import to Address Book

  • Duane Morris LLP
    190 South LaSalle Street, Suite 3700
    Chicago, IL 60603-3433
    USA

Melissa A. Sharp practices in the area of corporate law, representing financial institutions,  private lenders and private equity and investment funds in a wide variety of secured and unsecured financing transactions, including syndicated and bilateral facilities to private equity funds, various companies, healthcare operators and high net worth individual and trust borrowers. Ms. Sharp’s practice focuses heavily on fund finance transactions (subscription-backed credit facilities, NAV facilities and hybrids), as well as sponsor finance, acquisition financings and working capital loans, especially within the healthcare industry.

Ms. Sharp is a 2019 graduate, with distinction, of the University of Iowa College of Law and a graduate of Northwestern University.

Admissions

  • Illinois

Education

  • The University of Iowa College of Law, J.D., with distinction, 2019
  • Northwestern University, B.A., 2016

Experience

  • Duane Morris LLP
    - Senior Associate, 2025-present
    - Associate, 2021-2024
  • Mayer Brown LLP
    - Associate, 2019-2021

Selected Publications

Selected Speaking Engagements

  • Panelist, "Fund Finance - New Frontiers," Webinar, National Association of Women Lawyers' Financial Services Affinity Group, June 4, 2025

Representative Matters

  • Represented Byline Bank as Agent and lender to private equity sponsor Lometa Capital Partners in its acquisition of Preferred Mortgage Services LLC, a leading independent provider of mortgage servicing solutions for the financial industry.

  • Represented regional sponsor finance institutional lender as Agent and lender in a financing to support a private equity sponsor’s recapitalization of an existing portfolio company investment.

  • Represented Byline Bank as Agent and lender to private equity sponsor Prospect Partners in its acquisition of Warren Roofing & Insulating, a leading regional commercial roofing services platform, and various affiliates.

  • Represented Byline Bank as Agent and lender to private equity sponsor Benford Capital Partners in its recapitalization of acquisition of RP Foods, LLC, a food and beverage products company.

  • Represented Byline Bank as Agent and lender to private equity sponsor Taglich Private Equity in its add-on acquisition of AirPower Group, Inc. and other affiliates.

  • Represented a regional sponsor finance lending bank as Agent and lender to private equity sponsor in its acquisition of a paint, body and equipment distributor.

  • Represented Byline Bank as Agent and lender to private equity sponsor Eden Capital in its acquisition of Phlebotomy Training Specialists, a healthcare training provider with dozens of locations, as well as a subsequent acquisition of an international arm for training and related materials.

  • Represented a regional sponsor finance lender as Agent and lender to a private equity sponsor in its acquisition of a plastics and film manufacturer.

  • Represented Byline Bank as Agent and lender to private equity sponsor, Benford Capital, in its acquisition of BSC Industries, a distribution company for bearings, power transmission components and motion control products.

  • Represented Old National Bank as administrative agent and lender with respect to a refinancing of (i) a secured term loan facility in the amount of $69 million to various owners of healthcare facility related real estate, which was subsequently increased to $78.2 million, and increased again to $93.2 million, and (ii) a secured revolving credit facility in the amount of $3 million to seven skill nursing facility operators.

  • Represented CIBC Bank as lender with respect to a $1 million working capital line to a skilled nursing facility.

  • Represented a regional banking institution as lender in a management fee-backed revolving loan in the amount of $12 million to a private equity fund investment manager.

  • Represented a regional banking institution as agent in a subscription-backed fund financing revolving loan in the amount of $75 million to a real-estate based private investment fund and its various subsidiaries.

  • Represented CIBC Bank USA, as administrative agent and lender, in a $56.1 million syndicated financing transaction, including term loan, revolving loan and capex facilities, with a real estate investment group with a large portfolio of skilled nursing, assisted living and long term care facilities, to acquire a facility with skilled nursing, memory care and independent living components.

  • Represented CIBC Bank USA, as lender, on a bilateral financing transaction composed of a term loan facility of $14.2 million, a revolving loan facility of $2 million, and a capex facility of $3.6 million, with a real estate investment group with a large portfolio of various skilled nursing, assisted living, and long term care facilities.

  • Represented a U.S.-based private equity firm with over $500 million of assets under management in obtaining a $30 million subscription-backed revolving credit facility for two of its U.S.-based real estate investment funds from a major bank.

  • Represented CIBC Bank USA as agent and lead lender in a $100 million subscription backed credit facility to a lower middle-market private equity firm.

  • Represented a US global asset management firm with $13 billion in assets under management in obtaining a $175 million subscription backed credit facility furnished by Goldman Sachs.

  • Represented an investment fund client in the closing of a $50 million credit facility, enabling the client to significantly grow its business nationwide.

  • Represented CIBC Bank USA as administrative agent and lead lender in a $40 million syndicated refinancing to a group of specialty manufacturing companies, which consisted of (i) a term loan secured by mortgages in California and Montana and (ii) a term loan, a capital expenditures loan and a revolving credit facility for the operation of the facilities located on the properties.