Brenda Dieck
Biography
Overview
With a Band 1 ranking in Chambers USA for Banking and Finance, Brenda has been a trailblazer in the world of complex financings for the last 25 years. Her expertise spans leveraged finance, private credit, private placements, preferred and hybrid equity products and innovative restructuring and opportunistic debt strategies. Her clients include commercial and investment banks, private equity and credit funds and corporates including Deutsche Bank, Apollo and Hertz. Brenda's knack for navigating cross-border financings and cutting-edge debt structures sets her apart in the legal structuring landscape. She was also selected by her peers for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America from 2016-2024 in the field of Banking and Finance law.
Brenda represents major commercial and investment banks, private equity sponsors and corporate borrowers in secured and unsecured syndicated financings, private placements of debt, leveraged acquisition financings, restructuring and work-out transactions and distressed debt investments. Her clients include agent banks, senior lenders, subordinated lenders, placement agents, private equity funds, borrower/issuers and other investors.
She has extensive experience with second-lien financings, cross-border financings, cash flow and asset-based lending, mezzanine debt financings, tech lending, debtor-in-possession financings, complex subordination and intercreditor arrangements and debt-for-control transactions.
Brenda's experience also includes securitization and other structured finance products, preferred equity issuances and traditional capital markets transactions, as well as mergers and acquisitions. Her representative clients include Apollo Global Management, Inc., Deutsche Bank, Harvest Partners, Roark Capital and American AgCredit.
Experience
Brenda has represented some the world's leading financial institutions and multinational corporations in connection with significant financings, including:
Representation of Hertz Global Holdings Inc. on its successful financial restructuring after the rental car company filed for chapter 11 protection in May 2020 in response to the disastrous impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on its business. Brenda led Hertz Corporation in securing both its US$1.65 billion debtor-in-possession ("DIP") financing and its US$2.8 billion exit financing, comprised of US$1.3 billion in term B loans, US$2.45 million in term C loans, and a US$1.25 billion revolver as well as a third party investment of US$1.5 billion of preferred stock. The facility was provided by a syndicate of banks led by Barclays PLC, as Administrative and Collateral Agent.
Representation of Harvest Partners, L.P., as Sponsor and Dental Care Alliance, in connection with a senior secured credit facilities agented by KKR Capital Markets LLC.
Representation of Roark Capital and its portfolio company, Inspire Brands, a multi-branded restaurant company whose portfolio includes Arby's, Buffalo Wild Wings, Sonic, Rusty Taco and Jimmy John's restaurants, in financing of US$3,600 million in the aggregate, comprised of a US$1,575 million senior secured term loan B facility and a US$150.0 million senior secured revolving credit facility incurred in connection with Inspire Brand's acquisition of Buffalo Wild Wings, an incremental US$1,025 million senior secured term loan B facility and an incremental US$100 million senior secured revolving credit facility incurred in connection with Inspire Brand's acquisition of Sonic and US$750 million First Lien Senior Secured Notes.
Representation of JP Morgan Chase Bank N.A. as Left Lead Arranger, Agent and a Lender in connection with a US$1.25 billion senior secured term loan facility and a US$150 million senior secured revolving credit facility, in each case, to finance, in part, the acquisition of Veeam Software (a cloud data management company) by Insight Partners (a software company-focused investment fund).
Representation of Harvest Partners in an investment in MRI Software, a leading provider of real estate management software solutions globally. The financing involved a US$100 million revolving credit facility; a US$1.205 billion first-lien term loan; and a US$275 million delayed-draw term loan.
Representation of Deutsche Bank and Credit Suisse as lead arrangers in connection with the US$2.8 billion leveraged acquisition of a leading auto dealership computer systems company, which included first-lien, second-lien and third-lien secured credit facilities.
Representation of Barclays Capital and American AgCredit in connection with a US$2.5 billion leveraged acquisition of multi-state timberland holdings by a timberland investment advisory firm through a bridge facility and private placement of senior secured notes.
Representation of Major League Baseball in connection with the provision of a debtor-in-possession (DIP) financing to the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team.
Representation of Harvest Partners, L.P. in connection with a senior secured credit facility, mezzanine facility and related equity issuance to finance its acquisition of Driven Brands, Inc. a leading car care company that operates the MAACO, Meineke and Econo Lube brand franchises.
Representation of Deutsche Bank in connection with a US$175 million asset based credit facility provided to the TPC Group LLC and Texas Butylene Chemical Corporation, providers of highly specialized lines of chemical products to chemical and petroleum-based companies around the world.
Representation of Deutsche Bank and the other lead arrangers for a syndicate of lenders providing a US$1.9 billion multi-currency senior secured credit facility to a Fortune 500 glass manufacturing company.
Representation of Deutsche Bank in a US$275 million senior secured term loan facility provided to Pierre Foods, Inc. (majority owned by funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management, L.P.).
Representation of Harvest Partners, L.P. in connection with a senior secured facility, a mezzanine facility and related equity issuance to finance its acquisition of Packers Holdings, LLC, a leading nationwide provider of mission-critical outsourced cleaning and sanitation services to the food processing industry.
Representation of Deutsche Bank AG, as agent and Deutsche Bank Securities, Macquarie Capital and UBS Securities as lead arrangers to provide a US$260 million first lien term facility and a US$45 million first lien revolving credit facility as financing for Reverence Capital Partners on its acquisition of Transact Holdings, a provider of integrated payment and software solutions, principally to US higher education institutions.
Navigating the European M&A Landscape – Strategies for Success in 2023 - Debt Strategy for US Acquirers - New York, NY, 2023
Co-author, "Incremental Debt Holds Steady in Uneven Loan Market"
Co-author, "Resilient US leveraged finance markets navigate volatile backdrop"
Co-author, "Buyout issuance leads the way despite a choppy M&A market"
Co-author, "President Biden and leveraged finance: Short-term stability, long-term change?"
Band 1, Banking & Finance - California
Chambers USA, 2024
Ranked by Chambers USA for Banking & Finance - California from 2015-2024
The Lawdragon 500 Leading Bankruptcy & Restructuring Lawyers for 2023
Mega Company Turnaround Transaction -Hertz Global Holdings
TMA Transaction of the Year Award, 2022
"She is one of the best negotiators we have worked with."
"Brenda Dieck boasts a substantial knowledge of the banking and finance space and is highlighted for her ability to act for both traditional banks and private equity clients. One client says she is "always on top of the subject matter, extremely thoughtful and diligent in her work."
Brenda Dieck is particularly highlighted for her negotiation skills, with one client stating: "I think she was phenomenal in benchmarking what the ask and recommendation should be; that's what your finance counsel should do."
Chambers USA
Best Lawyers in America, 2016 – 2024 Banking and Finance Law
Rising Star
Super Lawyers, 2012
Brenda Dieck "is thoughtful, responsive, and commercial; she does an excellent job at explaining credit nuances and distilling down documents to the major points."
The Legal 500 US, 2019
"Highly commended" citation for the structuring of a first-of-its-kind issuance of secured notes, in connection with a whole business timber securitization
Financial Times' US Innovative Lawyer awards, 2011