Mike represents leading companies in technology, manufacturing and distribution, insurance, banking, trust and financial services, and e-commerce industries.  He has counseled numerous clients from initial start-up formation through various stages of growth and financing, including initial and secondary public offerings and/or sale or merger.

Since the 2008 recession, Mike has successfully spearheaded numerous significant mid-market M&A transactions across the US, helping family and entrepreneur owners convert several billion dollars of private enterprise value into liquidity. He is a frequent speaker at middle-market forums with leading financial institutions and investment banks. 

Learn more about our M&A practice and see our deals here.

Recognition

Mike is recognized annually by key ranking organizations including Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers and Chambers USA: America’s Leading Guide for Business, among others.

He was included in Rhode Island Monthly‘s Excellence in Law for 2022 in the category of Business Law and recognized — for the fifth time — by Best Lawyers as the 2023 “Lawyer of the Year” for the practice area of Mergers and Acquisitions Law in the Rhode Island region.

He was previously recognized as “Lawyer of the Year” for Closely-Held Companies and Family Businesses Law (2020), Corporate Law (2019), Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law (2017), and Mergers and Acquisitions Law (2014).

He received the Deal Maker of the Year award from Finance Monthly in 2012. Mike holds Martindale Hubbell’s highest rating of AV.

“What Clients Say”

Michael Sweeney is a “very business-savvy” attorney who specializes in M&A, recapitalizations and equity financings. Sources praise him for “always looking out for the best interest of his clients.” He is deemed to be “extremely knowledgeable in commercial transactions.” | Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business (2019)

Michael Sweeney is well regarded for his abilities in M&A, equity financings and recapitalizations. Sources are impressed with his negotiating skills and praise him as a “talented lawyer with great business sense. He is sought out for his M&A expertise.” | From Chambers USA (2018)

“Mike Sweeney has a fine reputation for problem solving and is praised by clients who say his strength is the ability to see the big picture of what people are trying to accomplish. He solves problems, he doesn’t create them.” | Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business (2017)

Co-founding partner Michael Sweeney is regarded as “not just a bright and intelligent legal technician, but someone who understands the business and who has a talent for negotiation.” He serves as general counsel to several businesses.

“Michael Sweeney leads the firm’s corporate/commercial team and his recent work involves international IP transfer issues and general corporate. He is described as “astute on financial issues and extremely knowledgeable in commercial law in the USA and internationally.”

5th Annual “Business  Owners Forum” in conjunction with Bank of America / US Trust covering the M&A landscape, succession planning and key questions faced by business owners and their families.  (2020)

“Midsize Firms luring ‘Big Law” clients. See PDF of full article from Rhode Island Lawyers Weekly here. (February 2017)

“Middle-Market Forum,” in conjunction with US Trust, Bank of America, & Houlihan Lokey . See article in Providence Business News here. (2016)

Education

Providence College (B.S., 1985); St. John’s University School of Law, (J.D., 1988). Senior Staff Member, St. John ‘s Law Review, 1986-1988.

Bar & Court Admissions

Rhode Island (1988)
Massachusetts (1990)