Transaction action

Detroit attorney specializes in complex corporate deals

By Sheila Pursglove
Legal News

Attorney Gabriel Edelson relishes the challenges of complex corporate work.

"I find negotiating and structuring transactions, working collaboratively with the counterparty whenever possible, and interacting with sophisticated clients to achieve their business objectives very interesting and rewarding," he says. "No two deals are alike, and unexpected developments always seem to shake things up when you least expect it."

A partner and a member of the Corporate Department at Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn in Detroit, Edelson works with private equity firms and their portfolio companies, as well as privately- and publicly-held companies, on a wide variety of transactional matters, including mergers and acquisitions, restructurings, reorganizations and general corporate representation.

Edelson joined Honigman in July 2014, after almost five years as an associate at Latham & Watkins in Chicago. He enjoyed his time in the Windy City.

"I met many interesting and talented people including my wife, who also happens to be from the Detroit area and loved getting to know the city and its many highlights, especially the food, art, music and sports scenes," he says.

The West Bloomfield native is happy to be back in the Great Lakes State, where he earned his undergrad degree in history, with highest distinction, from the University of Michigan.

"I enjoyed having the opportunity to learn from some of the most respected scholars in the world on such a wide range of topics," he says. "I loved attending events with visiting speakers as well. Combine the resources available to a student in Ann Arbor with the long list of high-quality sporting events and cultural destinations at your fingertips, and you've got a recipe for success and a very enjoyable four years."

He spent three of those years as a writer, columnist and senior sports editor for U-M's The Michigan Daily, where highlights included his sideline view of Mario Manningham's 2005 game-winning touchdown catch against Penn State; road trips with "beatmates" to cover away contests for swimming and diving, baseball, ice hockey, and football; getting to know legendary men's swimming and diving coach Jon Urbanchek; and covering two NBA drafts "my favorite sporting 'event' for over 20 years," he says.

Feeling a law degree would be meaningful no matter his eventual career choice, he earned his Juris Doctor from New York University School of Law.

"I wanted to acquire a skill set that allowed me to think critically and analytically about both legal issues and the issues in the world at large," he says. "I thought it would help to understand business concepts, government and many of the basic structures of our society. The faculty at NYU was so accomplished and impressive, and my fellow students were some of the most thoughtful and intelligent people I've met."

"I had the added benefit of living in such an incredible city. I was constantly walking through distant neighborhoods, eating at as many restaurants as possible, visiting museums and generally exploring as much as I possibly could. You could live in New York for your entire life and barely scratch the surface, so three years went by very quickly."

Edelson, who served as an Executive Articles Editor for the Annual Survey of American Law during law school, spent his 1L summer as a public service extern in the Constitutional and Commercial Litigation Division of the City of Chicago Department of Law.

"It was a rewarding experience that I remember fondly," he says. "Every project was completely different, and nothing was routine."

Edelson and his wife Stephanie make their home in Bloomfield Hills, where his leisure pursuits include traveling, drawing, playing the piano, and trying new and interesting food. An avid sports fan of all four major Detroit pro sports teams, as well as the many U-M teams, he also enjoys visiting museums and attending concerts.

He gives back to the community by serving on the planning committee for ORT Michigan's annual Rub-a-Dub fund-raiser, and is an active member of the Founders Junior Council at The Detroit Institute of Arts.

"It's a very interesting time to live in Detroit as the city changes at such a rapid pace," he says. "The transformation has been extremely dramatic and I look forward to actively participating in that process as it continues."

Published: Wed, Apr 06, 2016

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