Melissa A. Sharp practices in the area of corporate law, representing financial institutions and private lenders as well as private equity funds and other commercial borrowers, in a wide variety of secured and unsecured financing transactions, including bilateral, club and syndicated fund financings, leveraged financings and receivables financings.
Ms. Sharp is a 2019 graduate, with distinction, of the University of Iowa College of Law and a graduate of Northwestern University. She is certified as an Illinois Property and Casualty Insurance Producer.
Admissions
- Illinois
Education
- The University of Iowa College of Law, J.D., with distinction, 2019
- Northwestern University, B.A., 2016
Experience
- Duane Morris LLP
- Associate, 2021-present - Mayer Brown LLP
- Associate, 2019-2021
Selected Publications
- Author, "Best Practices for Fund Document Diligence in Fund Financing Transactions," Duane Morris Banking and Finance Law Blog, December 2, 2021
Representative Matters
Represented CIBC Bank USA, as administrative agent and lender, on a syndicated financing transaction composed of a term loan facility of $46.8 million, a revolving loan facility of $1.5 million, and a capex facility of $7.8 million—with a real estate investment group with a large portfolio of skilled nursing, assisted living, and long term care facilities—in acquiring 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.