Eric Pritchard
Partner | Corporate
Co-Chair, Energy
eric.pritchard@pierferd.com
+1.215.514.8754 cell
+1.267.627.1292 office
Philadelphia | Princeton
About
Business owners, entrepreneurs and C-level executives hire Eric to protect what they’ve built so they can focus on growing their business and, ultimately, insuring a successful exit.
Eric regularly represents buyers and sellers in mergers and acquisitions; provides clients day-to-day advice and guidance on a full range of legal and business issues; negotiates and prepares operations-related agreements; represents clients in debt and equity financings; and represents employers and employees in executive employment arrangements.
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Eric spent the first 12 years of his career as a litigator, prosecuting and defending hundreds of lawsuits and ultimately trying dozens of cases to conclusion.
He became a transactional lawyer almost by accident, covering a deal closing for a vacation-bound partner who assured Eric all he needed to do was to get signatures on closing documents. The moment his partner left, however, the client – a savvy acquirer – began pushing buttons to gain an advantage. Eric spent the next two weeks working around the clock to close the deal, while simultaneously becoming hooked on acquisitions.
Eric never looked back and he’s now proud to say he’s a certified deal junkie.
Eric does a deep dive into a client’s business, guiding them in making smart decisions—spotting risks, seizing opportunities, and making sure they’re a step ahead. With a background in litigation, Eric brings a sharp, strategic edge to every deal. His clients know he has their back.
As a transactional lawyer, Eric has participated in hundreds of acquisitions ranging from multi-million dollar stock acquisitions to serial asset acquisitions, serving as counsel to clients ranging from some of the nation’s leading roll-up acquirers to entrepreneurs seeking to exit their ventures.
Eric co-chairs the firm’s Renewables and Sustainability practice, choosing to dedicate his considerable experience and professional energies to further the cause of clean energy. In transitioning his practice to clean energy, Eric is driven by the “fierce urgency of now” for his children, ultimately his grandchildren and his own legacy.
Eric has served (and continues to serve) as legal counsel to a number of industry trade associations. Eric has also played an active role in his local business community, by, among other things, serving as chairman of the Montgomery County Industrial Development Authority for nearly 11 years.
Practices
Mergers and Acquisitions
Commercial Transactions
Energy, Renewables, and Sustainability
Technology
Employment and Labor
Admissions
Pennsylvania
New Jersey
Education
Temple University, JD, 1989
Temple University, BA, 1985
Law Firm Experience
FisherBroyles, LLP
Wolf, Block, Schorr & Solis-Cohen
Corporate Experience
Assistant General Counsel, SunCom Wireless
Representative Transactions
Represented numerous family-held businesses in connection with sale of business to an acquirer.
Represented numerous buyers and sellers of middle market businesses in various industries, including recurring revenue industries such as physical security, life safety, personal emergency response systems, software, IP security and telecommunications.
Represented numerous borrowers in cash-flow lending transactions.
Represented turn-around acquirer of a significant portfolio of electronic security accounts in connection with the secured creditor’s private Article Nine auction; representation ranged from pre-auction business formation to acquisition and continuing through to exit through asset sale, and included ongoing advice on day-to-day legal and business matters.
Represented multiple leading national and super-regional roll-up acquirers in the ongoing acquisition of electronic security companies and their customer account portfolios nationwide.
Represented numerous sellers on exit from electronic security businesses, including transactions in which he obtained significant sales multiples for seller clients.
Represented personal emergency response providers in debt and equity transactions.
Served as in-house counsel to a regional wireless telecommunications provider.
Acted as legal counsel to the dissolution committee of a long-established, leading Philadelphia-based law firm, providing day-to-day advice and guidance on issues including dissolution; compensation of current and former partners; negotiation of significant partnership recourse obligations; and collection of outstanding firm receivables.
Retained as an expert witness in defense of a legal malpractice claim arising from the stock purchase of an electronic security provider.
Negotiated and drafted web-based video storage service agreements with leading international electronic security and data storage providers.
Advised several leading national cable TV providers in connection with their entry into the commercial and residential electronic security market.
Represented governmental agency in acquisition of cutting-edge NexGen 911 services.
Presentations and Teaching Experience
A nationally recognized speaker on legal issues in the electronic security, life safety and personal emergency response industries, Eric is regularly invited to address industry groups, trade associations, and companies around the country.