CUC Inc’s Acquisition of Beyond Podiatry
Albaron Partnes LP has announced the completed sale of Albaron Podiatry Holdings LLC, Beyond Podiatry. This is the Midwest’s leading podiatric medicine practice management company, sold to CUC Inc.
Alboron Partners is an operationally middle market healthcare private equity firm.
Beyond Podiatry treats over 250,000 patients every year since being founded in 2018.
This transaction marks the first acquisition for CUC Inc, as well as the first private equity exit in U.S. podiatry.
Cozen O’Connor was the legal advisor to Albaron Partners.
“We partner with clients throughout all phases of a sale transaction with a focus on increasing value and minimizing risk.”
Q&A with Anna McDonough
Can you expand on this transaction and the professional role of yourself and your team for the duration of this project?
Cozen O’Connor represented Albaron Partners the controlling shareholder in the sale of its interests to CUC. The team included M&A attorneys, tax attorneys, employee benefits attorneys and health law attorneys.
During this project were there any challenges that you had to address and what is the typical process to ensure a smooth relationship with the client and companies involved throughout the project?
The buyer was new to the U.S. market. Healthcare is a highly regulated industry. They did an incredible job coming up to speed quickly. The only way to ensure a smooth process is constant communication with the client, the attorneys for the other side and amongst our internal team. It’s very important to set and keep expectations.
Can you walk us through your process of due diligence for projects like this one with Albaron Partners, how is this typically conducted and does this process often have to be adapted?
Albaron’s general counsel is extremely knowledgeable about the business and the M&A process. Having a skilled attorney in house makes the process much smoother.
Being an experienced and skilful firm would be a confidence boost for each client you work with, how do you make sure each project is still personalised to them and centred on the client needs?
I spend significant time with clients to understand their priorities and communication style. I am involved in every step of all transactions. We don’t dump clients or transactions on junior attorneys. I understand a transaction is not about me winning arguments or points, it’s about the client reaching a successful conclusion, as they define it.
With various success and honours placed upon Cozen O’Connor such as being named one of the ‘Top 100 law firms in America’ and more, what else can we expect from the firm, is there anything exciting we should watch out for?
Cozen O’Connor’s Corporate Practice and attorneys have been consistently ranked by Chambers USA, IFLR and The Legal 500. In addition, the firm was named a Cannabis Practice of the Year for 2024 by Law360.
The firm recently launched its Global M&A Practice, comprised of attorneys who are well versed in the legal and regulatory requirements of diverse jurisdictions, as well as in the cultures, customs, and mores that underlie all successful international deal making. As a North American-based firm with more than 30 offices, Cozen O’Connor partners with foreign law firms to assist their international clients in executing M&A deals, as well as guides domestic and foreign clients in trajectory-changing transactions.
Founded in the United States, Cozen O’Connor expanded its corporate presence into Canada in 2023 with the addition leading corporate and securities attorneys in both Toronto and Vancouver. The firm continues to further expand its offerings with the strategic addition of attorneys throughout North America.
