Brian A. Cromer

Brian A. Cromer is the Chair of the firm’s Business & Finance Service Group. He has represented some of the largest companies in the U.S. and the international arena in corporate transactions and legal disputes, including mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance transactions, venture capital and private equity investments, and corporate governance matters. Brian's broad range of experience includes providing and organizing a variety of legal services for companies at all stages, from large public companies to middle market businesses to new ventures. He has represented clients in numerous business transactions where the individual deal value ranged from $25 million to $1 billion or more. He is located in the firm's Louisville, Ky., office.Recent AssignmentsCounsel to major healthcare services provider in multiple acquisitions of physical therapy and related businesses in numerous states, including the negotiation of debtCounsel to industry-leading metallizing business in sale transaction with a Japanese public company's U.S. holding companyCounsel to national provider of outsourced rehabilitation services in private equity-funded change of control transactionCounsel to regional commercial insurance broker in change of control transaction with private equity platform companyBorrower's counsel to public health care company in $450 million syndicated credit facilityU.S. counsel to public company affiliate in connection with £1.5 billion global revolving credit facilityM&A counsel to major insurance broker and financial services company in numerous transactions throughout the United States, including combination transaction with private equity-backed partnerLegal advisor in $10 billion combination transaction resulting in the formation of a new public companyCounsel to public and private company clients in numerous acquisitions and dispositions of long term care facilitiesLead counsel to European public company in the purchase of a major distribution business in Tokyo, Japan from multinational conglomerateSeller's counsel in sale of distillery and related assets to international purchaserNational acquisition counsel to public company in numerous acquisitions of staffing companies throughout the United StatesCounsel to physicians and physician groups in sale of practices to hospital acquirersCounsel to technology company in sale of business to private equity-backed investment groupCounsel to commercial lenders and borrowers in numerous asset-based multi-million dollar loan and financing transactions in a variety of industries, including manufacturing, technology, health care, financial services, consumer goods and basic materialsCounsel to buyer in financing and acquisition transactions involving ESOP-owned company and private equity partnersLead counsel to public company in the construction of a greenfield manufacturing facility in South Korea as part of a $1 billion investmentCounsel to major investment adviser in disposition of large apartment communitiesCounsel to management group in the formation of a hedge fund and offering of limited partnership unitsIssuer's counsel for initial public offering and secondary offering in rent-to-own industryCounsel to Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development in its efforts to secure a foreign automobile manufacturer in a $1 billion transactionRecent News, Articles & Speaking EngagementsEasy Come, Easy Go: Delaware Court Upends Elon Musk’s $56 Billion Equity Incentive Plan, Stites & Harbison Client Alert, February 5, 2024Kentucky Chamber Elects Brian A. Cromer to Executive Committee, by staff writer, Attorney at Law Magazine, October 16, 2023The Corporate Transparency Act: Is Your Business Prepared For Sweeping New Federal Reporting Requirements?, with Edward H. Burrell III , William M. Joseph (Bill) , and Alison M. Zeitlin, Stites & Harbison Client Alert, October 12, 2023High Stakes Issues in Foreign Affairs, Southern Law Network Annual Executive Officer and General Counsel Conference, in conjunction with General James Jones, former National Security Advisor to President Obama, October 7, 2023It's Time to Spread the Word, by Haley Cawthon, Louisville Business First, August 18, 20237th Annual Accounting Risk, Management Seminar, presented by Stites & Harbison's Accounting Defense Team, Atlanta, GA, October 26, 2022, with Matthew A. Gass (Matt), Jeffrey C. Hoffmeyer (Jeff), William M. Joseph (Bill), Johannes S. Kingma (Joe), Shannon M. Sprinkle, and John C. deMoulpiedGuest Comment: The tangled web of Elizabeth Holmes, Louisville Business First, April 27, 2022M&A: Secrets to Keep Your CEO Happy, 2022 Issues for Corporate House Counsel Seminar, Kentucky Bar Association, April 12, 2022Paycheck Protection Program Loans Guidance, Webinar, Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, January 13, 2021The New Stimulus Package and the Next Round of Paycheck Protection Program Loans, with Luke F. Ervin , William M. Joseph (Bill) , and Alison M. Zeitlin, Stites & Harbison Client Alert, January 12, 2021PPP Update: AGC Lawsuit Hammers Away at the SBA, Alleging Violations of Borrowers’ Constitutional Rights, with Cassandra L. Welch (Casey), Stites & Harbison Client Alert, January 5, 2021Restart Kentucky: Payroll Protection Program Loan Forgiveness, Panelist, Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, September 11, 2020SAFE TO WORK Act Would Provide Liability Protections for Coronavirus-Related Claims, Stites & Harbison Client Alert, July 30, 2020PPP Loan Application Extension Signed Into Law As Congress and White House Debate Repurposing of Funds, Stites & Harbison Client Alert, July 6, 2020U.S. Senate Unexpectedly Passes Bill Extending PPP Application Deadline, Stites & Harbison Client Alert, July 1, 2020New Federal Law Makes Important Changes To Paycheck Protection Program, Stites & Harbison, PLLC, Client Alert, June 5, 2020SBA Extends PPP Loan Safe Harbor Repayment Date to May 18, 2020, Stites & Harbison Client Alert, May 14, 2020New SBA Guidance on PPP Loans and the Necessity Certification: Safe Harbor for Loans Under $2 Million and SBA Remedies for Certain Adverse Determinations, Stites & Harbison Client Alert, May 13, 2020PPP Loan Update: Safe Harbor Repayment Deadline Extended from May 7, 2020 to May 14, 2020, Stites & Harbison Client Alert, May 6, 2020The Los Angeles Lakers and the Paycheck Protection Program: U.S. Treasury Secretary Mnuchin Calls Flagrant Foul and Pledges Full Audits for Larger Loans, Stites & Harbison Client Alert, April 29, 2020Paycheck Protection Program Update: SBA Issues New Guidance Emphasizing Eligibility Requirements, Stites & Harbison Client Alert, April 23, 2020WEBINAR: COVID-19 and Your Business — What You Need to Know, with Shannon Antle Hamilton and William M. Joseph (Bill), presented by Stites & Harbison, PLLC, April 7, 2020Information You Need on the COVID-19 Coronavirus, Stites & Harbison, PLLC, March 2020Silicon Valley, Theranos and Elizabeth Holmes: Life Imitates Art, Lawyers' Club, October 9, 2019Issues & Influencers: How State Tax Reform Impacts Business, Greater Louisville, Inc., June 19, 2018Community InvolvementKentucky Chamber of Commerce, Director; Executive Committee (2023-25)Leadership Louisville Bingham Fellows, Class of 2021Louisville Orchestra, Corporate Support Group21st Century Parks, Steering CommitteeGreater Louisville, Inc., Former Member of the Executive Committee and Board of DirectorsKentucky Wesleyan College, Former Member of Board of TrusteesUniversity of Louisville, Former Member, Secretary and Treasurer of Board of Trustees and Chair of the Finance Committee (2017-18)The Cabbage Patch, Former Board MemberKentuckiana Minority Business Council, Former Board MemberThe Lawyers Club, Former PresidentHarmony Landing Country Club, Former PresidentLeadership Louisville, Class of 2006More Than Stites & HarbisonBefore attending law school, Mr. Cromer worked as a commercial banking officer for a major financial institution. Mr. Cromer has served in a number of civic and professional organizations relating to his practice. Mr. Cromer is a member of the Board of Directors of Greater Louisville, Inc. where he has served on the Executive Committee and held the office of Secretary. He also chairs the Greater Louisville, Inc. Task Force on Tax Reform. Mr. Cromer served on the Board of Trustees of the University of Louisville where he was the Secretary and Treasurer of the board and Chair of the Finance Committee. He is a member and former President of The Lawyers Club. He is a former member of the Board of Trustees of Kentucky Wesleyan College and he served as a member of the Steering Committee of 21st Century Parks, a non-profit organization that acquired and developed Floyds' Fork, which has 4,000 acres of parkland in Metro Louisville. He is a former Chair and Vice-Chair of the Business Law Section of the Louisville Bar Association, and a former board member of the Kentuckiana Minority Business Council and The Cabbage Patch. Mr. Cromer is also a graduate of the 2006 class of Leadership Louisville. Brian enjoys thoroughbred horse racing, golf, college sports and playing the piano.

Brian A. Cromer is the Chair of the firm’s Business & Finance Service Group. He has represented some of the largest companies in the U.S. and the international arena in corporate transactions and legal disputes, including mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance transactions, venture capital and private equity investments, and corporate governance matters. Brian's broad range of experience includes providing and organizing a variety of legal services for companies at all stages, from large public companies to middle market businesses to new ventures. He has represented clients in numerous business transactions where the individual deal value ranged from $25 million to $1 billion or more. He is located in the firm's Louisville, Ky., office.Recent AssignmentsCounsel to major healthcare services provider in multiple acquisitions of physical therapy and related businesses in numerous states, including the negotiation of debtCounsel to industry-leading metallizing business in sale transaction with a Japanese public company's U.S. holding companyCounsel to national provider of outsourced rehabilitation services in private equity-funded change of control transactionCounsel to regional commercial insurance broker in change of control transaction with private equity platform companyBorrower's counsel to public health care company in $450 million syndicated credit facilityU.S. counsel to public company affiliate in connection with £1.5 billion global revolving credit facilityM&A counsel to major insurance broker and financial services company in numerous transactions throughout the United States, including combination transaction with private equity-backed partnerLegal advisor in $10 billion combination transaction resulting in the formation of a new public companyCounsel to public and private company clients in numerous acquisitions and dispositions of long term care facilitiesLead counsel to European public company in the purchase of a major distribution business in Tokyo, Japan from multinational conglomerateSeller's counsel in sale of distillery and related assets to international purchaserNational acquisition counsel to public company in numerous acquisitions of staffing companies throughout the United StatesCounsel to physicians and physician groups in sale of practices to hospital acquirersCounsel to technology company in sale of business to private equity-backed investment groupCounsel to commercial lenders and borrowers in numerous asset-based multi-million dollar loan and financing transactions in a variety of industries, including manufacturing, technology, health care, financial services, consumer goods and basic materialsCounsel to buyer in financing and acquisition transactions involving ESOP-owned company and private equity partnersLead counsel to public company in the construction of a greenfield manufacturing facility in South Korea as part of a $1 billion investmentCounsel to major investment adviser in disposition of large apartment communitiesCounsel to management group in the formation of a hedge fund and offering of limited partnership unitsIssuer's counsel for initial public offering and secondary offering in rent-to-own industryCounsel to Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development in its efforts to secure a foreign automobile manufacturer in a $1 billion transactionRecent News, Articles & Speaking EngagementsEasy Come, Easy Go: Delaware Court Upends Elon Musk’s $56 Billion Equity Incentive Plan, Stites & Harbison Client Alert, February 5, 2024Kentucky Chamber Elects Brian A. Cromer to Executive Committee, by staff writer, Attorney at Law Magazine, October 16, 2023The Corporate Transparency Act: Is Your Business Prepared For Sweeping New Federal Reporting Requirements?, with Edward H. Burrell III , William M. Joseph (Bill) , and Alison M. Zeitlin, Stites & Harbison Client Alert, October 12, 2023High Stakes Issues in Foreign Affairs, Southern Law Network Annual Executive Officer and General Counsel Conference, in conjunction with General James Jones, former National Security Advisor to President Obama, October 7, 2023It's Time to Spread the Word, by Haley Cawthon, Louisville Business First, August 18, 20237th Annual Accounting Risk, Management Seminar, presented by Stites & Harbison's Accounting Defense Team, Atlanta, GA, October 26, 2022, with Matthew A. Gass (Matt), Jeffrey C. Hoffmeyer (Jeff), William M. Joseph (Bill), Johannes S. Kingma (Joe), Shannon M. Sprinkle, and John C. deMoulpiedGuest Comment: The tangled web of Elizabeth Holmes, Louisville Business First, April 27, 2022M&A: Secrets to Keep Your CEO Happy, 2022 Issues for Corporate House Counsel Seminar, Kentucky Bar Association, April 12, 2022Paycheck Protection Program Loans Guidance, Webinar, Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, January 13, 2021The New Stimulus Package and the Next Round of Paycheck Protection Program Loans, with Luke F. Ervin , William M. Joseph (Bill) , and Alison M. Zeitlin, Stites & Harbison Client Alert, January 12, 2021PPP Update: AGC Lawsuit Hammers Away at the SBA, Alleging Violations of Borrowers’ Constitutional Rights, with Cassandra L. Welch (Casey), Stites & Harbison Client Alert, January 5, 2021Restart Kentucky: Payroll Protection Program Loan Forgiveness, Panelist, Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, September 11, 2020SAFE TO WORK Act Would Provide Liability Protections for Coronavirus-Related Claims, Stites & Harbison Client Alert, July 30, 2020PPP Loan Application Extension Signed Into Law As Congress and White House Debate Repurposing of Funds, Stites & Harbison Client Alert, July 6, 2020U.S. Senate Unexpectedly Passes Bill Extending PPP Application Deadline, Stites & Harbison Client Alert, July 1, 2020New Federal Law Makes Important Changes To Paycheck Protection Program, Stites & Harbison, PLLC, Client Alert, June 5, 2020SBA Extends PPP Loan Safe Harbor Repayment Date to May 18, 2020, Stites & Harbison Client Alert, May 14, 2020New SBA Guidance on PPP Loans and the Necessity Certification: Safe Harbor for Loans Under $2 Million and SBA Remedies for Certain Adverse Determinations, Stites & Harbison Client Alert, May 13, 2020PPP Loan Update: Safe Harbor Repayment Deadline Extended from May 7, 2020 to May 14, 2020, Stites & Harbison Client Alert, May 6, 2020The Los Angeles Lakers and the Paycheck Protection Program: U.S. Treasury Secretary Mnuchin Calls Flagrant Foul and Pledges Full Audits for Larger Loans, Stites & Harbison Client Alert, April 29, 2020Paycheck Protection Program Update: SBA Issues New Guidance Emphasizing Eligibility Requirements, Stites & Harbison Client Alert, April 23, 2020WEBINAR: COVID-19 and Your Business — What You Need to Know, with Shannon Antle Hamilton and William M. Joseph (Bill), presented by Stites & Harbison, PLLC, April 7, 2020Information You Need on the COVID-19 Coronavirus, Stites & Harbison, PLLC, March 2020Silicon Valley, Theranos and Elizabeth Holmes: Life Imitates Art, Lawyers' Club, October 9, 2019Issues & Influencers: How State Tax Reform Impacts Business, Greater Louisville, Inc., June 19, 2018Community InvolvementKentucky Chamber of Commerce, Director; Executive Committee (2023-25)Leadership Louisville Bingham Fellows, Class of 2021Louisville Orchestra, Corporate Support Group21st Century Parks, Steering CommitteeGreater Louisville, Inc., Former Member of the Executive Committee and Board of DirectorsKentucky Wesleyan College, Former Member of Board of TrusteesUniversity of Louisville, Former Member, Secretary and Treasurer of Board of Trustees and Chair of the Finance Committee (2017-18)The Cabbage Patch, Former Board MemberKentuckiana Minority Business Council, Former Board MemberThe Lawyers Club, Former PresidentHarmony Landing Country Club, Former PresidentLeadership Louisville, Class of 2006More Than Stites & HarbisonBefore attending law school, Mr. Cromer worked as a commercial banking officer for a major financial institution. Mr. Cromer has served in a number of civic and professional organizations relating to his practice. Mr. Cromer is a member of the Board of Directors of Greater Louisville, Inc. where he has served on the Executive Committee and held the office of Secretary. He also chairs the Greater Louisville, Inc. Task Force on Tax Reform. Mr. Cromer served on the Board of Trustees of the University of Louisville where he was the Secretary and Treasurer of the board and Chair of the Finance Committee. He is a member and former President of The Lawyers Club. He is a former member of the Board of Trustees of Kentucky Wesleyan College and he served as a member of the Steering Committee of 21st Century Parks, a non-profit organization that acquired and developed Floyds' Fork, which has 4,000 acres of parkland in Metro Louisville. He is a former Chair and Vice-Chair of the Business Law Section of the Louisville Bar Association, and a former board member of the Kentuckiana Minority Business Council and The Cabbage Patch. Mr. Cromer is also a graduate of the 2006 class of Leadership Louisville. Brian enjoys thoroughbred horse racing, golf, college sports and playing the piano.

Brian A. Cromer is the Chair of the firm’s Business & Finance Service Group. He has represented some of the largest companies in the U.S. and the international arena in corporate transactions and legal disputes, including mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance transactions, venture capital and private equity investments, and corporate governance matters. Brian's broad range of experience includes providing and organizing a variety of legal services for companies at all stages, from large public companies to middle market businesses to new ventures. He has represented clients in numerous business transactions where the individual deal value ranged from $25 million to $1 billion or more. He is located in the firm's Louisville, Ky., office.

Recent Assignments

Recent News, Articles & Speaking Engagements

Community Involvement

More Than Stites & Harbison

Before attending law school, Mr. Cromer worked as a commercial banking officer for a major financial institution. Mr. Cromer has served in a number of civic and professional organizations relating to his practice. Mr. Cromer is a member of the Board of Directors of Greater Louisville, Inc. where he has served on the Executive Committee and held the office of Secretary. He also chairs the Greater Louisville, Inc. Task Force on Tax Reform. Mr. Cromer served on the Board of Trustees of the University of Louisville where he was the Secretary and Treasurer of the board and Chair of the Finance Committee. He is a member and former President of The Lawyers Club. He is a former member of the Board of Trustees of Kentucky Wesleyan College and he served as a member of the Steering Committee of 21st Century Parks, a non-profit organization that acquired and developed Floyds' Fork, which has 4,000 acres of parkland in Metro Louisville. He is a former Chair and Vice-Chair of the Business Law Section of the Louisville Bar Association, and a former board member of the Kentuckiana Minority Business Council and The Cabbage Patch. Mr. Cromer is also a graduate of the 2006 class of Leadership Louisville. Brian enjoys thoroughbred horse racing, golf, college sports and playing the piano.