Erin Pawlowski focuses her practice on complex corporate transactions. She has a diverse M&A practice and serves as outside general counsel for businesses in a variety of industries and stages of growth. Erin represents private equity sponsors, portfolio companies, venture capital funds, strategic buyers and sellers, and other privately held businesses.
As a part of her M&A practice, Erin advises both buyers and sellers in complex domestic and cross-border transactions of all types and structures. Her cross-border experience includes transactions in the EU, Canada, and Mexico. Erin works with companies in a variety of industries, including financial and insurance services, transportation and logistics, software/SaaS, technology, retail and apparel, consumer products, infrastructure and IT, manufacturing, automotive, and healthcare, among others.
As a part of her general counsel practice, Erin helps companies solve their legal issues that arise in the course of business in an efficient and cost-conscious manner.
Erin leverages diverse experience on behalf of her clients. She previously litigated complex, high-stakes business cases, including cases related to trade secrets, shareholder matters, non-competition agreements, and M&A transactions, among others. Her litigation experience helps her better counsel clients on strategies to avoid costly litigation whenever possible, and how to best navigate disputes when they cannot be avoided. Erin also served as in-house counsel with a large, international apparel brand where she managed a broad range of legal matters, including corporate transactions and commercial contracts, regulatory and compliance matters, corporate governance, intellectual property portfolio management and anti-counterfeiting initiatives, litigation matters, and legal process innovation. Her in-house experience enables her to truly understand a client’s needs in a fast-paced and ever-changing business world, to work effectively with everyone from C-suite executives to front-line business teams, and to deliver practical advice.
Erin is a results-oriented, efficiency-minded practitioner who is passionate about providing excellent client service, finding creative and nimble solutions for her clients, and delivering advice in a succinct, actionable manner.
Education & Credentials
Education
Wayne State University Law School
J.D.The University of Michigan
B.G.S.Bar Admission
Acknowledgements
- Michigan Lawyers Weekly
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Influential Women of Law, 2024
- Go To Lawyer for Business Transactions, 2024
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- The Legal 500 United States
- Mergers & Acquisitions - Corporate and Commercial, 2023
- Best Lawyers in America®
- Corporate Law, 2024-2025
- Litigation - Intellectual Property, 2025
Prominent Assignments
Representative M&A Engagements
Represented a private-equity backed independent title agency in its acquisition of multiple agencies across the US.
Represented a private-equity backed SaaS provider in connection with multiple add-on acquisitions.
Represented a private-equity backed data aggregator and provider in its acquisition of both US and international targets.
Represented a national, private-equity backed IT service provider in connection with multiple add-on acquisitions.
Represented a large, closely-held electrical contractor and first time seller in the sale of the business to a strategic buyer.
Represented a gaming operator in its strategic acquisition of a regional target for approximately $164 million in total consideration.
Represented a processor and retailer of agricultural products in its acquisition of a strategic target in exchange for consideration of approximately $250 million.
Represented a division of a major manufacturer of consumer lawn, garden, and pest control solutions in its acquisition of multiple strategic targets.
Represented a dental service organization with respect to its acquisition of various dental practices.
Representative Outside General Counsel Engagements and Services
Serve as outside general counsel to a variety of private equity portfolio companies in numerous industries.
Serve as outside US general counsel to a Taiwanese-based manufacturer of electronic automobile parts, including with respect to the expansion of its US-operations and workforce.
Represent a private home health care company in connection with general corporate and shareholder matters.
Served as outside general counsel for a growth-oriented, Michigan-based agricultural business.
Advise clients with regard to corporate structuring and reorganizations.
Advise clients with regard to the formation and operation of joint ventures, partnerships, and joint development relationships.
Advise clients with regard to the formation and operation of foreign subsidiaries, including but not limited to locations in Canada, Asia, the EU, and South America.
Advise clients with respect to corporate compliance matters.
Negotiate commercial contracts, licensing and technology agreements, brand collaboration and sponsorship agreements, and other type of agreements on behalf of clients.
Advise closely-held and family-owned business with regard to business succession planning.
Professional Involvement
- Association of Corporate Growth, Detroit Chapter
- Alliance of Merger & Acquisition Advisors
- American Bar Association, Business Law Section
- Women of M&A Network
- Michigan Chamber of Commerce
- State Bar of Michigan
Publications/Presentations
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Moderator, "Strategies for Financing Business Growth," Smart Business Dealmakers Conference (April 2024)
- Moderator, "Financing Business Growth—Building Complex Capital Stacks to Weather Economic Uncertainties," Smart Business Dealmakers Conference (April 2023).
- Panelist, "Financing your Business to Supercharge Growth," Smart Business Dealmakers Conference (April 2022).