Timothy R. Nelson is Co-Chair of the Business Law & Transactions Group at Aronberg Goldgehn. He represents clients in a broad range of transactions and serves as a trusted advisor on legal, business and strategic matters.

As a business lawyer with broad transactional experience, Tim represents clients in connection with business formation, start-up and governance matters; corporate structure and business planning matters; mergers, acquisitions and divestitures; joint ventures; private debt and equity offerings; commercial finance transactions; as well as real estate, leasing and licensing transactions.

Tim often serves as outside general counsel for middle market and privately-held businesses in a variety of industries, including technology, creative, advertising, e-commerce, private equity, retail, real estate, aerospace, aviation, manufacturing, hospitality, consulting, construction, agriculture, engineering, education, and entertainment industries.

Tim also assists clients with a range of technology and intellectual property matters, including trademark and copyright matters, Internet and software matters, trade secret protections and related company policies.

Tim regularly negotiates and drafts business governance documentation; purchase and sale documentation for transactions large and small; confidentiality agreements, employment policies and agreements, strategic and consulting agreements; licensing documentation, loan documentation, real estate and leasing agreements; customer contracts, commercial agreements and a variety of other documents used in and out of the ordinary course of business.

Tim is active in firm leadership, and serves as co-chair of the firm's Marketing Committee.

REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS

  • Representation of start-up companies with business formation and development of organizational infrastructure

  • Preparation and implementation of a phantom equity appreciation plan intended to reward key employees

  • Analysis and implementation of corporate restructuring and consolidation projects

  • Representation of private equity group in connection with mergers and acquisitions

  • Representation of technology company in connection with software development and licensing

  • Representation of advertising and marketing services firm in a sale to private equity group

  • Representation of independent advertising agency as outside general counsel and deal counsel

  • Representation of portfolio companies of private equity group as outside general counsel

  • Representation of technology and service company in a private equity offering intended to fund expansion plans

  • Representation of a client in the acquisition of an elevator and accessibility business

  • Representation of buyer in management buy-out of professional services firm

  • Representation of e-commerce businesses in connection with contract matters

  • Representation of clients in connection with the purchase, sale and protection of intellectual property assets

  • Representation of manufacturing company in connection with its customer and vendor contract documents

  • Representation of medical device manufacturer in connection with research and development contract documentation

  • Representation of for-profit educational institution in connection with a private stock offering

  • Representation of a title insurance company regarding escrow and insurance matters

  • Representation of a real estate group in the sale of its Chicago multifamily real estate portfolio

  • Representation of business owners with the transfer of businesses and other assets to future generations

SPEECHES AND PUBLICATIONS

  • Author, "Paycheck Protection Program Update," Business Law Alert, June 23, 2020.

  • Presenter, "A Recap of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act and CARES Act," a webinar for the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters, April 2, 2020.

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND

Tim joined Aronberg Goldgehn as an associate in November 2010 and was elevated to Member in January 2015. In 2020 and 2021, he was named a Leading Lawyer in Corporate and Closely & Privately Held Business Law by Illinois Leading Lawyers. Prior to that, from 2015-2019, Leading Lawyers recognized him annually as an Emerging Lawyer in Closely & Privately Held Business Law. In addition, from 2012-2020 Illinois Super Lawyers has named him a Rising Star in the area of Corporate and Business Law.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

  • Town Councilmember, Ogden Dunes, Indiana (2016-2018); Town Council President (2016-2017)

  • Salvation Army Harbor Light Center of Chicago, Board of Advisors (2012-Present)

  • Discovery Charter School, Board of Directors (2018-Present)

  • Adjunct Faculty for The John Marshall Law School Business Enterprise Law Clinic (2015-2017)

RELATED NEWS



Loyola University Chicago School of Law, J.D., 2005

Indiana University, B.A., Philosophy, 2002



BAR AND COURT ADMISSIONS

  • Illinois, 2005
  • Indiana, 2006
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana

MEMBERSHIPS

  • American Bar Association
  • Illinois State Bar Association


ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  • Illinois Leading Lawyer in Corporate and Closely & Privately Held Business Law (2020-2021)
  • Rising Star in Business/Corporate Law by Illinois Super Lawyers (2012-2020)
  • Emerging Lawyer in Closely & Privately Held Business Law by Illinois Leading Lawyers (2015-2019)

PERSONAL

What is your favorite restaurant? La Scarola, Chicago
What is something most people don’t know about you? I play rhythm and lead guitar in a band.