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        Chad J. Richter

        Contact
        Tel | 414.276.5000
        chad.richter@wilaw.com

                     
          V-card  Bio
          

          Education

            * Marquette University Law School (cum laude)
            * Marquette University (B.S., cum laude)

            Getting Deals Done

            Chad is a shareholder and member of the firm’s Business Law Practice Group. His practice focuses on working with privately held businesses and their owners, acting as corporate counsel to help them with the various legal issues they face in operating and expanding their businesses.

            As part of his practice, Chad has considerable experience in Mergers and Acquisitions and frequently works with businesses on ownership transition events. He prides himself on providing efficient, practical legal advice, and consistently finding ways to “get deals done” amid all the various challenges that deals demand.

            Over the years, Chad has assisted numerous corporate clients that are involved in dealership/distribution and franchise systems, and has counseled them on the unique contractual and business issues they face as dealers/franchisees.

            Chad Assists Clients With

              * Mergers and Acquisitions
              * Shareholder transitions and disputes
              * Commercial contract negotiation and drafting
              * General business organization and structuring
              * Franchise and dealership legal matters
              * Commercial Real Estate transactions
              * Litigation and dispute resolution involving businesses and franchises

                  Experience/Representative Client Work
                    * Represented numerous local and regionally based businesses in acquisition and sale transactions ranging from $1,000,000–$220,000,000
                    * Represented a manufacturer of custom-designed industrial cooling solutions in its sale to a publicly held multinational corporation
                    * Represented a design and engineering firm in its sale to a publicly held global business
                    * Represented a custom automation manufacturer in its sale to a German based global business
                    * Represented one of Wisconsin’s largest regional independent dental service providers in its sale to a Top 10 Dental Service Organization
                    * Represented US interests for a Canadian large equipment manufacturer in its sale to a European business
                    * Represented a premier provider of fire alarm and detection systems in its sale to one of the largest fire protection companies in the Midwest
                    * Represented a cloud-based software company in its sale to a nationally recognized leading provider of government software and integrated payment solutions
                    * Represented a custom product and tool online retailer in its sale to a regional private equity group
                    * Represented a local capital group in its acquisition of multiple US-based business
                    * Represented a Master Franchisee in an Arbitration action against its Franchisor for violations of franchise disclosure laws resulting in a $1MM+ settlement
                    * Worked with well over 400 different franchise and dealership models across the U.S. and internationally in varying product and service based industries for both business-to-business and consumer based businesses, including startups, sales, transitions, roll-ups, shut-downs and various franchisor dispute matters


                  Professional Associations and Affiliations
                    * Wisconsin Bar Association
                    * American Bar Association, Forum on Franchising
                    * Midwest Business Brokers and Intermediaries, Board Member–Past President
                    * International Franchise Association, Former Member/Supplier


                  Awards/Distinctions
                    * Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America®, Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), 2019–present
                    * Selected for inclusion in Wisconsin Super Lawyers, Law and Politics and Milwaukee Magazine, 2014–present
                    * Selected for inclusion in 2008–2013 Wisconsin Super Lawyer Rising Stars, Law and Politics and Milwaukee Magazine
                    * Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Rating™–AV, reflecting an attorney who has reached the height of professional excellence and is recognized for the highest levels of skill and integrity
                    * Midwest Business Brokers and Intermediaries, Outstanding Leadership Award, 2012




                  In The News
                  * Super Lawyers Recognizes 28 O’Neil Cannon Attorneys
                  * 18 O’Neil Cannon Lawyers Selected as 2026 Best Lawyers; Another 5 Named Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch
                  * Chad Richter Named 2026 “Lawyer of the Year” for Business Organizations in Milwaukee
                  * Chambers and Partners Recognizes Faust and O’Neil Cannon for M&A Excellence
                  * Super Lawyers Recognizes 30 O’Neil Cannon Attorneys
                  * 20 O’Neil Cannon Lawyers Selected as 2025 Best Lawyers; Another 5 Named Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch
                  * O’Neil Cannon Serves as Legal Advisor to Engendren Corporation in its Sale to Cummins Inc.
                  * O’Neil Cannon Serves as Legal Advisor to Guetzke and Associates in its Sale to Ryan Fireprotection, Inc.
                  * Super Lawyers Recognizes 28 O’Neil Cannon Attorneys
                  * 19 O’Neil Cannon Lawyers Selected as 2024 Best Lawyers; Another 4 Named Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch
                  * Chambers and Partners Recognizes Faust and O’Neil Cannon for M&A Excellence
                  * O’Neil Cannon Serves as Legal Advisor to i3 Product Development in Its Sale to Helios Technologies
                  * Employee Retention Credit (ERC): Maximizing COVID Relief by Supplementing PPP
                  * Super Lawyers Recognizes 25 O’Neil Cannon Attorneys
                  * 19 OCHDL Lawyers Selected as 2023 Best Lawyers®; Another 4 Named Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch
                  * 19 OCHDL Lawyers Selected as 2022 Best Lawyers®; Another 5 Named Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch
                  * 21 Firm Attorneys Recognized by Super Lawyers
                  * 20 OCHDL Lawyers Selected as 2021 Best Lawyers®; Another 5 Named Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch
                  * 18 OCHDL Attorneys Recognized by Super Lawyers
                  * Eighteen OCHDL Attorneys Named 2020 Best Lawyers in America®
                  * 20 OCHDL Attorneys Named 2019 Best Lawyers in America
                  * Seventeen Attorneys Named Super Lawyers
                  * Nineteen Attorneys Named Super Lawyers
                  * Recognized as One of the Top Law Firms in Wisconsin by Super Lawyers
                  * Twenty Attorneys Elected to the Wisconsin Super Lawyers Lists
                  * Super Lawyers Recognizes OCHD&L Among the Top Wisconsin Law Firms
                  * More Honors for Our Attorneys
                  * Attorney Richter Receives Outstanding Leadership Award
                  * More Honors for our Attorneys
                  * Over 50% of O’Neil, Cannon, Hollman, DeJong and Laing Attorneys Recognized on Super Lawyers 2010 List
                  * Attorney Chad Richter Presents at Lee Hecht Harrison Seminar
                  * OCHD Elects Chad J. Richter as Shareholder
                  * Sixteen OCHD Attorneys Awarded with Super Lawyers Designation
                  * Super Lawyers Recognizes OCHD Attorneys Among Wisconsin’s Top 5%
                  * Chad Richter to Present “How to Begin the Business Acquisition/Sale Process”
                  * OCHD Attorneys to Present “Legal Entities and Intellectual Property” at UW Milwaukee
                  * Chad Richter to Present “The Basics of Franchising”
                  * Chad Richter to Present “The Basics of Franchising”

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