Michael C. Thaler

Partner

Direct: 404.870.5696
Fax: 404.870.5697
Atlanta
171 17th Street NW
Suite 2100
Atlanta, Georgia 30363

Biography

Michael is a partner and co-chair of the Corporate & Finance practice, advising private and public companies on complex transactions and strategic growth initiatives. As a leader at AGG, Michael plays a pivotal role in advancing client service initiatives, ensuring that the firm’s corporate work continues offering innovative and practical legal solutions that help companies achieve their long-term business goals.

Michael works closely with founders, executives, and investors to guide them through mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, securities, and financing matters with a business-focused approach. He represents clients across a broad range of industries, including transportation and logistics, food distribution, restaurants, healthcare, retail, information technology, e-commerce, and construction.

In addition to transactional matters, Michael counsels companies through operational business matters, such as drafting and negotiating employment agreements; non-competition agreements; equity and cash incentive plans; vendor, supplier, and customer contracts; and debt and equity financing arrangements.

Michael has been consistently recognized by Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America® for his work in Banking and Finance, Corporate, and Mergers & Acquisitions Law. He translates this deep knowledge of corporate law into his leadership of the Corporate & Finance practice by deepening specialization within sub-teams and prioritizing attorney professional development to create more responsive teams and efficient deal execution for clients.

Before beginning his legal career, Michael spent a decade working for a federally funded education program in Florida and Georgia, experience that now informs his collaborative and solutions-oriented approach to client service. He earned his Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, from Georgia State University College of Law, and received both a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in exercise and sport science, cum laude, from the University of Florida.

Related Services

Related Industries

Experience

  • Represented Astec Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ: ASTE), a publicly traded manufacturer of infrastructure and materials processing equipment, in its $67.5 million acquisition of CWMF, LLC.
  • Advised a longstanding restaurant franchise client on the sale of 40 units to a major national franchisee.
  • Represented RPC, Inc. (NYSE: RES) in $245 million acquisition of wireline market leader in Permian Basin. Advised on all aspects of the M&A process, including securities work and the Hart Scott Rodino analysis and filing.
  • Represented talent management solutions provider in its pre-closing spinoff and asset sale to HR technology company, including the transfer of its talent management software business and the distribution of its learning content solutions business to an affiliate.
  • Represented a medical communications agency in its acquisition by a healthcare communications platform, creating a full-service communications and commercialization platform supporting global healthcare companies across the entire product and drug development lifecycle.
  • Represented industry leader in the Asian food distribution business, HF Foods Group Inc. (NASDAQ: HFFG), in its domestic mergers and acquisitions and corporate structuring matters.
  • Represented sellers of east-coast based transportation, logistics and customs clearance company in recapitalization transaction with large private equity group, and continued to represent the company in multiple follow up acquisitions.
  • Served as the lead corporate partner in the representation of Augusta University Health System in its approximately $1 billion sale to Wellstar Health System.
  • Represented the company known as “Wickles Pickles” in its sale to a private equity fund.
  • Represented Carlson Construction Services in its sale to a private equity fund.
  • Represented a healthcare credentialing and payroll solutions company in its sale to a private equity fund.
  • Represented RPC, Inc. (NYSE: RES) in its $79.5M acquisition of Spinnaker Oilwell Services, LLC.
  • Represented the management team of a software company in its $500M sale to one of the largest private equity funds in the world.
  • Represented a private equity fund in its acquisition, through a bankruptcy process, of 35 Burger King franchise locations.
  • Represented Horizon Telcom, a leading fiber optics and telecommunications company, in its $220M sale to a Canadian private equity fund, and continued to represent the company in multiple follow up acquisitions.
  • Represented NIIT (USA), Inc. in its $23M acquisition of St. Charles Consulting Group, LLC.
  • Represented numerous European-based companies in their various acquisitions, sales, and due diligence projects.
  • Represented Coastal Home Care and Altrus, leading provider of home care and residential services in Georgia, in connection with their acquisition by Help At Home, LLC.
  • Advised Extremity Healthcare, Inc., the nation’s largest podiatry practice on multiple acquisitions of podiatry practices in Florida, including Ankle and Foot Center of Tampa Bay.
  • Represented multiple franchisees across various industries on both sell and buy side transactions.
  • Represented a landscaping company in its sale to a national leader in landscaping services.
  • Represented a third party administrator of self-funded health benefit plans in its sale to a private equity fund.
  • Assisted multiple clients with the drafting and implementation of agreements to help make the customer onboarding process more efficient.
  • Represented a national food service franchisee in its sale to a private equity fund.
  • Represented a furniture distributor in its sale to a private equity fund.
  • Represented a pharmaceutical distribution company in its acquisition of another pharmaceutical distribution company.
  • Assisted multiple international entities with the implementation of their U.S. market entry plan.
  • Assisted in the representation of a national real estate investment trust (REIT) in its acquisition of a senior living community.
  • Assisted in the representation of a national food distribution company in its U.S. mergers and acquisitions and corporate structuring matters.
    Client Successes

    Credentials

    Education
    • Georgia State University College of Law, Juris Doctor,
      magna cum laude
    • University of Florida, Master of Science – Exercise and Sport Science,
      cum laude
    • University of Florida, Bachelor of Science – Exercise and Sport Science,
      cum laude
    Admissions
    • State of Georgia
    Associations
      • Gwinnett United In Drug Education, Inc. (GUIDE), Board of Directors

    Recognition

    • Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America®, Banking and Finance Law, Corporate Law, 2026
    • Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America®, Mergers & Acquisitions Law, 2024-26

    News & Insights

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