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Overview

Tom has a wealth of experience in complicated financial transactions, and he enjoys working across industries to help lenders, investors and borrowers.

Tom understands the need to protect lenders and strives to close their loans smoothly and on time. He works with banks, private equity funds, insurance companies, non-traditional lenders, investors and other businesses to structure, draft, negotiate and close commercial lending transactions. His diverse commercial lending practice has included transactions with credit facilities ranging from less than $1 million to more than $1 billion and has spanned all industries, including manufacturing, real estate, agriculture, transportation, healthcare and technology.

Tom regularly handles commercial and industrial loans, loans involving real estate (including acquisition, construction and refinancing), loans in connection with mergers and acquisitions, and loans providing financing for stock dividends, stock acquisition and/or corporate recapitalizations. His transactions often involve multiple loans and lenders, such as agented/co-lending credit arrangements, or structured senior and subordinated loan facilities with subordination and inter-creditor agreements.

Tom also has experience in a broad range of real estate and corporate transactional matters, including real estate leasing, sales and acquisitions, venture capital transactions, business mergers and acquisitions, and general business contracts. He serves as a key member of the firm’s Ag Finance practice group, which represents lenders and borrowers at all phases of ag finance transactions.

Industry

Services

Recognition

  • The Best Lawyers in America®
    • Banking and Finance Law, 2024 and 2025

Education

  • J.D., Washington University in St. Louis School of Law
    • Washington University Journal of Urban and Contemporary Law, Associate Editor, 1998-1999
  • B.A., Duke University
    • History
    • cum laude

Admissions

  • Missouri
  • Illinois
Featured Experience

Financing Supports Acquisition of Automotive Business

Tom represented a financial institution providing senior secured acquisition financing of $10.7 million for the purchase of an automotive service business, in addition to ongoing working capital financing after completion of the acquisition. The capital for the transaction came from multiple debt and equity capital sources, with the debt portion of the transaction consisting of both senior loans and multiple levels of subordinate financing.


Additional Experience
  • Represented financial institution in hundreds of real estate and commercial and industrial loans.
  • Counseled private capital firm in financing, real estate and corporate aspects of investment and acquisition transactions.
  • Worked with financial institution to structure, document and close more than $100 million in agricultural loans.
  • Represented corporate borrowers across industries to negotiate and close financing transactions.
  • Served as lender counsel relating to $14,500,000 term loan and revolving line of credit financing for system of agricultural farms in Arizona secured by real property, crops, equipment and personal guarantees.
  • Served as lender counsel for $4,500,000 term loan and revolving line of credit financing with multiple borrowers and guarantors for swine nursery construction, working capital line of credit and equipment financing in Missouri secured by real property and equipment.
Outside the Office

Tom calls himself a “running nerd,” and for good reason.

He has run several marathons and half marathons and tries to do one of each every year, in addition to 5Ks and other races.

Tom enjoys trout fishing, hiking and trail running, especially in state parks, and spending time with his wife and three children.

Community Leadership

Tom is active in school fundraisers, including organizing a 5K fundraiser for several years. He also has served on the board of directors for the Gateway Council of Hostelling International and the Scottish Partnership for Arts and Education.