Corinne N. Sprague
- Partner
My admin
- Lisa Kunecki
My personal and professional mission is to help good people do good work. Whether they are local small businesses, multi-generational family businesses with national or international reach, or community development financial institutions (CDFIs) and other non-profit entities focused on impact investing, my clients all make significant contributions to their communities. Helping them accomplish this allows me to do the same, to make a difference, and that really matters to me.
A seasoned corporate attorney, Corinne Sprague advises companies on mergers and acquisitions, commercial contracts, ownership planning and transfers, and corporate planning and governance. In addition to her general corporate practice, Corinne assists family-owned businesses and family offices in designing governance, ownership and compensation structures to align with their long-term succession planning and business objectives. She also represents nonprofit issuers of securities (primarily in the impact investing space) with their debt offerings.
industries
practices
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- Advises privately held businesses with business organization, succession planning, governance and other corporate matters, including multigenerational succession planning for family-owned businesses.
- Drafts and reviews a variety of commercial contracts, including supply agreements, distribution agreements and consulting agreements, for clients in the retail, manufacturing, information technology and medical device industries.
- Represents nonprofit issuers of debt securities in structuring and completing single-state, multistate and national offerings of debt securities while complying with registration/exemption and disclosure requirements under federal and state securities laws.
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- Advises privately held businesses with business organization, succession planning, governance and other corporate matters, including multigenerational succession planning for family-owned businesses.
- Drafts and reviews a variety of commercial contracts, including supply agreements, distribution agreements and consulting agreements, for clients in the retail, manufacturing, information technology and medical device industries.
- Represents nonprofit issuers of debt securities in structuring and completing single-state, multistate and national offerings of debt securities while complying with registration/exemption and disclosure requirements under federal and state securities laws.
General Corporate Advising
- Assists several multigenerational family businesses, including Louis Padnos Iron and Metal Company, a leading recycler of paper, plastics and metals throughout the United States, and EJ Group, Inc., a world leader in infrastructure access solutions with corporate planning and governance, ownership planning, commercial contracts, general business matters and business acquisitions.
- Represents Skytron, LLC, a leading OEM and supplier of medical equipment, with regard to supply and service contracts.
- Assists Stryker Corporation (NYSE) with respect to corporate structure management, organization and maintenance in connection with domestic and international tax matters.
Impact Investing
- Advises CDFIs and other nonprofit organizations in multistate and national impact investment offerings of over $1 billion in debt securities on an annual basis. Representative clients include Calvert Impact Capital, Inc., Enterprise Community Loan Fund, RSF Social Investment Fund and Homewise.
Representative Mergers and Acquisitions
- ChoiceOne Financial Services, Inc. (Nasdaq), the holding company of ChoiceOne Bank, in its acquisitions of County Bank Corp. (parent of Lakestone Bank & Trust) and Community Shores Bank Corporation (parent of Community Shores Bank).
- Keweenaw Financial Corporation (OTC), the holding company of Superior National Bank, in its acquisition of North Star Financial Holdings, Inc. (parent of Main Street Bank).
- TCSB Bancorp, Inc., the holding company of Traverse City State Bank, in its merger with Independent Bank Corporation (Nasdaq).
- CCL Industries, Inc.(TSX) in its $532 million acquisition of Checkpoint Systems, Inc. (NYSE).
- West Shore Bank, in its acquisitions of West Michigan Bank and Trust and Ellis Capital Management.
- American Grease Stick Company, a multigenerational family business, in its sale of substantially all of its assets to an affiliate of 3 Rivers Capital.
- Birmingham Bloomfield Bancshares, Inc. (parent of the Bank of Birmingham) in its merger with Arbor Bancorp, Inc. (parent of the Bank of Ann Arbor).
- Chemical Financial Corporation (Nasdaq) in its acquisitions of Lake Michigan Financial Corporation, Monarch Community Bancorp, Inc., and Talmer Bancorp, Inc.
- Action Fabricators, Inc. and Laminin Medical Products, Inc. in their sale to a private equity affiliate of River Associates Investments, LLC.
- Mercantile Bank Corporation (Nasdaq) in its acquisition of Firstbank Corporation in an all-stock merger of equals transaction.
- Spartan Stores, Inc. (Nasdaq) in its merger with Nash-Finch Company in an all-stock transaction valued at approximately $1.3 billion.
- Consumers Energy Company (NYSE) in a $155 million acquisition of a gas-fired power plant from AlphaGen Power LLC.
- Dri-Design, LLC, in its 2014 sale of stock to Kingspan Group, a global leader in high performance insulation, building fabric and solar integrated building envelopes.
- Howmedica Osteonics Corp., an affiliate of Stryker Corporation(NYSE), in its acquisition of assets from Marshall Steele & Associates, LLC.
- Perrigo Company(NYSE) in its acquisition of assets from CanAm Care, LLC.
- East Jordan Iron Works, Inc., d/b/a EJ USA, Inc., in its acquisition of Syracuse Castings Sales Corporation and Syracuse Castings West Corp.
- Reid Supply Company in its sale of assets to Filtrona Newton, Inc.
Public Private Partnerships (P3)
- Part of the Warner team serving as P3 procurement, governance and commercial counsel to the Canadian government and Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority in connection with the multi-billion dollar Gordie Howe International Bridge.
- “Succession Planning Throughout a Closely Held Business’s Life Cycle,” ICLE 36th Annual Tax Conference, May 23, 2024
- “Corporate Transparency Act: Who’s Impacted and What Does it Mean,” Midland Venture Capital Association, May 15, 2024
- “What You Need to Know About the Corporate Transparency Act,” Midlan
- “Succession Planning Throughout a Closely Held Business’s Life Cycle,” ICLE 36th Annual Tax Conference, May 23, 2024
- “Corporate Transparency Act: Who’s Impacted and What Does it Mean,” Midland Venture Capital Association, May 15, 2024
- “What You Need to Know About the Corporate Transparency Act,” Midland Business Alliance, March 20, 2024
- “2024 Corporate Transparency Act – Who’s Impacted and What Does It Mean?,” Warner Webinar, March 6, 2024
- “The Small Business Briefing,” Small Business Association of Michigan, January 15, 2024
- “Family Business Alliance 2023: Exploring Family Ownership Structures: Slicing the Pie,” September 19, 2023
- “Contracting for Privacy and Security,” MBA Bankers Education Summit and Trade Show 2023, April 13, 2023
- Did You Form New Entities this Year? You Still Need to Complete CTA ReportingLegacy Matters
- New Corporate Transparency Act Reporting Requirement Begins in 2024Legacy Matters
- Financial Housekeeping Tips for Cannabis EntrepreneursWarner’s Legal News For the Cannabis Industry
- ICLE 36th Annual Tax Conference
- Midland Venture Capital Association’s Corporate Transparency Act Webinar
- Midland Business Alliance: What You Need to Know About the Corporate Transparency Act
- 2024 Corporate Transparency Act – Who’s Impacted and What Does It Mean?
- Family Business Alliance 2023: Exploring Family Ownership Structures: Slicing the Pie
- Warner Partner Corinne Sprague Discusses Corporate Transparency Act with Crain’s Grand Rapids Business
- 66 Warner Attorneys Named Top Lawyers by Grand Rapids Magazine
- Corinne Sprague Elected to the Grand Rapids Art Museum Foundation Board of Trustees
- Warner Attorneys Selected for Multiple Honors by Best Lawyers in America®
- Warner Attorneys Selected for Multiple Honors by Michigan Super Lawyers Magazine
- Corinne Sprague Appointed to the Grand Rapids Symphony Board of Directors
- 18 Warner Attorneys Named to Rising Stars List by Michigan Super Lawyers Magazine
- Warner Represents US Subsidiary in Connection With Chervon Holdings’ Initial Public Offering
- Michigan State Bar Recognizes Warner for Pro Bono Contributions
- Corinne N. Sprague Selected for Leadership Grand Rapids
- 19 Warner Attorneys Named to Rising Stars List by Michigan Super Lawyers Magazine
- Warner Represents Horizon Bank in Acquisition of 14 TCF Branches
- 20 Warner Attorneys Named to Rising Stars List by Michigan Super Lawyers Magazine
- 25 Warner Attorneys Named to Rising Stars List by Michigan Super Lawyers Magazine
- Warner Represents Vilex and Orthex in Acquisition by OrthoPediatrics
- IJGlobal Names Gordie Howe International Bridge 2018 Deal of the Year
- Gordie Howe International Bridge Named Canadian Deal of the Year by Lexpert® in its Top 10 Deals of 2018
- Gordie Howe International Bridge Named PFI’s 2018 Transport Deal of the Year
- Warner Represents SpartanNash in its Acquisition of Martin’s Super Markets
- Warner Partner Corinne Sprague Named as Up & Coming Lawyer by Michigan Lawyers Weekly
- Warner Represents Structural Concepts Corporation in Its Sale to Mason Wells
- 27 Warner Attorneys Named to Rising Stars List by Michigan Super Lawyers Magazine
- 24 Warner Attorneys Recognized as Top Women Lawyers by Michigan Super Lawyers Magazine
- Warner Represents TCSB Bancorp, Inc. in Its Merger With Independent Bank Corporation
- Warner Names Four Attorneys as Partners
- 25 Warner Attorneys Recognized as Rising Stars
- Warner Represented West Shore Bank in the Acquisition of Ellis Capital Management
- Warner Advises in the Sale of American Grease Stick Company
- Warner Represented CCL Industries Inc. in US$500 Million Offering of 3.25% Senior Notes Due 2026
- 26 Warner Attorneys Recognized as Rising Stars
- Chemical Financial Corporation Completes Merger with Talmer Bancorp, Inc.
- Warner Representing Birmingham Bloomfield Bancshares, Inc. (Bank of Birmingham) in Merger with Arbor Bancorp, Inc. (Bank of Ann Arbor)
- Warner Representing West Shore Bank in $8.3 Million Acquisition of West Michigan Bank & Trust
- Warner is advising Perrigo Company in the sale of its U.S. Vitamins, Minerals and Supplements Business
- CCL Industries Inc. Acquires Checkpoint Systems, Inc. in an Approximate $500 Million Transaction
- Warner advises Consumers Energy Company in its $155 Million Power Plant Acquisition
- Did You Form New Entities this Year? You Still Need to Complete CTA Reporting
- Federal Court Found Corporate Transparency Act Unconstitutional. What Does this Mean for Entities Preparing to Comply?
- New Corporate Transparency Act Reporting Requirement Begins in 2024
- The Corporate Transparency Act Becomes Effective January 1, 2024: Here’s How You Can Prepare
- Corporate Transparency Act: FinCEN Issues Final Rule for Beneficial Ownership Reporting
- “Confidential Supervisory Information: What Business Attorneys Should Know,” Michigan Business Law Journal, Fall 2019
- “Confidential Supervisory Information: What Business Attorneys Should Know,” Michigan Business Law Journal, Fall 2019