Thomas E. Zahn
Partner, Attorney at McGuireWoods LLP
About
Thomas E. Zahn chairs the Corporate and Private Equity Department at McGuireWoods LLP in Pittsburgh. He represents independent sponsors, private equity funds, and privately held companies. Family offices, mezzanine finance funds, and institutional co-investors also retain him. He documents platform acquisitions, add-on acquisitions, and leveraged buyouts. He earned his J.D. from the Thomas R. Kline School of Law of Duquesne University in 2007. He earned a B.S. in Managerial Economics from Carnegie Mellon University in 1999. Before law practice, he consulted on sourcing for a supply-chain company. He serves as outside general counsel to portfolio companies with little in-house counsel. He leads independent sponsor roundtables for the firm in New York and Pennsylvania. He handles cross-border transactions in healthcare, manufacturing, and food and beverage.
Who is a good fit for Thomas E. Zahn
- Independent sponsors assembling a platform company through an add-on acquisition.
- Institutional co-investors joining a healthcare buyout alongside a fund.
- Mezzanine finance funds entering a structured equity investment in an operating company.
- Owners of a distribution company preparing a divestiture to a new buyer.
Education and admissions
- Education
- Thomas R. Kline School of Law of Duquesne University, J.D., 2007
- Carnegie Mellon University, B.S. in Managerial Economics, 1999
- Bar admissions
- Pennsylvania
Recognition
- Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America, Corporate Law, 2022-2027; Mergers and Acquisitions, 2025, 2026, 2027
- Selected for inclusion in Leading Lawyers, Corporate/M&A & Private Equity, Pennsylvania, Chambers USA, 2024, 2025, 2026
- Selected for inclusion as a “Leading Lawyer,” Private Equity Buyouts, 2018; “Recognized Individual,” M&A/Corporate Commercial - Private Equity Buyouts, 2021-2025, “Recognized Individual,” M&A: Middle-Market 2022-2025, “Recognized Individual,” Private equity buyouts: middle-market (up to $500m), 2026, Legal 500 US
- Recipient, “ Professional Excellence Award: Distinguished Leader,” The Legal Intelligencer, 2022
Specialties
Representative matters
As described on the firm’s website.
- Representation of a family investment firm in its acquisition of a home healthcare services company.
- Representation of one of the world’s largest independent alternative asset management firms in its $55 million debt and equity investment in two healthcare providers. ($55,000,000)
- Represented a dental supply company in its sale of a majority equity interest to a private equity firm.
- Represented an oil and gas operator in its acquisition of upstream and midstream oil and gas assets from a publicly-traded oil and gas company.
- Represented an oil and gas operator in its sale of midstream assets to a supplier and marketer of natural gas, liquid fuels and electricity.
- Represented a middle market private equity firm in its acquisition of all of the equity interests of an educational services company.
- Represented a private equity firm in its acquisition of a company that delivers professional in-home nursing care to qualified beneficiaries. (buyer side)
- Represented a Chicago-based lower middle-market private equity firm in multiple transactions over the last year including investments in the largest orthodontic dental support organization and a dermatology practice management company and its partner practice.
- Represented a private equity backed portfolio company in an add-on acquisition for a provider of medical dermatology and Mohs surgery.
Deal profile
- Typical deal size
- Any deal size
- Remote work
- In-person / regional