Justin A. Santarosa

Partner

  • Justin A. Santarosa
  • Phone: +1 213 689 7466

    Read Justin A. Santarosa's blog Import to Address Book

  • Duane Morris LLP
    865 South Figueroa Street, Suite 3100
    Los Angeles, CA 90017-5450
    USA

Justin Santarosa is vice chair of the firm's Capital Markets division and practices in the area of corporate law with an emphasis on mergers and acquisitions and securities law. Mr. Santarosa represents clients across the country in mergers and acquisitions, securities offerings and other complex transactions and general corporate matters.

Mr. Santarosa advises public and private companies throughout their life cycle on a variety of corporate matters and capital market transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, regulatory compliance, IPOs, follow-on equity offerings as well as general corporate matters. Mr. Santarosa has substantial experience in mergers and acquisitions in a variety of industries, including energy, sports, and specialty manufacturing.

Mr. Santarosa advises investors on acquisitions of and investments in teams and franchises across a range of sports leagues, including minority and control investments, ownership-group formation, recapitalizations and exits. He also counsels investors and leagues on governance, ownership approval processes, commercial initiatives, and day-to-day corporate matters. His work with a variety of stakeholders lets him guide parties from both sides of the table.

In addition to mergers and acquisitions, Mr. Santarosa represents companies and investors in securities offerings securities offerings and other intricate transactions and general corporate and regulatory issues in numerous industries, including energy, manufacturing, cannabis, life sciences and technology. Mr. Santarosa also advises directors, management and founders on exit strategies, corporate governance matters and day to day operational needs.

Mr. Santarosa is a graduate of the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, and a graduate of Colorado State University, Fort Collins.

Areas of Practice

  • Capital Markets
  • Private Equity
  • Mergers and Acquisitions
  • Banking

Representative Matters

    Mergers & Acquisitions

  • Represented a private investment firm in its minority investment in an MLB franchise, a premier league team and other sports related investments.

  • Represented Forian Inc. (Nasdaq: FORA), a healthcare technology company, in its $68 million merger with a consortium led by Forian CEO Max Wygod.

  • Represented a consumer products business in negotiations with universities and NIL funds relating to supply agreements and funding of athletics programs.

  • Represented The Partner Companies, a family office investing in companies that manufacture mission-critical precision parts, components, and assemblies, in a $100 plus million equity investment from Tensile Capital Management LP, a San Francisco-based investment firm.

  • Advised a minority owner in the sale of an ownership interest in an NFL franchise, including guidance on rights of first refusal (ROFR) and the NFL’s approval process for the incoming owner.

  • Represented a national clean energy developer in the acquisition and developments of over 200 MW of community solar projects throughout the U.S., including in California, New York, Illinois Pennsylvania, California, and Maine.

  • Represents an energy storage solutions company in the acquisition and development of energy storage projects throughout the U.S.

  • Represented Illicit Gardens in its $34 million acquisition of a deeply troubled cannabis operator, Harmony Foundation of New Jersey, out of receivership and in its conversion to for-profit status, while also securing regulatory approvals that were conditions to closing. 

  • Represented The Partner Companies, LLC in its acquisition of UPG Company, LLC and its subsidiaries in China, Barbados and the United Kingdom.

  • Represented Forian in the sale of Forian’s cannabis software subsidiary, Bio-Tech Medical Software, Inc., to Alleaves, Inc., a provider of ERP software solutions to the cannabis industry for a total purchase price of $30 million in cash.

  • Represented Armstrong World Industries (NYSE: AWI), a leader in ceiling and wall solutions, in its acquisition of GC Products, a leading manufacturer of custom architectural interior products made of glass fiber reinforced gypsum and cement, to fund further expansion in California and the West.

  • Represented SunPower Corporation (Nasdaq: SPWR), a leading solar technology and energy services provider, in a $165 million acquisition of Blue Raven Solar, one of the fastest growing U.S. residential solar providers, and 35 percent of Albatross Software, LLC, the owner of internally developed scheduling and tracking software used by Blue Raven.

  • Represented Hill International, Inc. (NYSE: HIL), a leading provider of construction project management services, in its sale to Global Infrastructure Solutions Inc., in a transaction with an enterprise value of $350 million.

  • Represented a private energy company in the sale of its renewable energy biomass plant located in California.

    • Capital Markets

  • Represented AgEagle Aerial Systems, Inc. (NYSE American: UAVS), a leading provider of best-in-class unmanned aerial systems (UAS), sensors and software solutions for customers worldwide in the commercial and government verticals, in public offering.

  • Represented Virios Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: VIRI), a biotechnology company focused on advancing antiviral therapies to treat diseases associated with an abnormal immune response, such as fibromyalgia, in its initial public offering.

  • Represented Annovis Bio, Inc. (NYSE: ANVS ), a manufacturer of pharmaceuticals for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, in connection with its initial public offering.

  • Represented Valley Republic Bancorp, a bank holding company, in its $20 million fixed-to-floating rate subordinated debt offering to institutional and private accredited investors.

  • Represented The Lovesac Company (Nasdaq:LOVE) in completing a $103.5 million underwritten public offering of 2,875,000 shares of its common stock, at a price of $36.00 per share.

  • Represented The Lovesac Company (Nasdaq: LOVE), a technology-driven modular furniture designer and manufacturer, in its $64.4 million initial public offering.

Admissions

  • California

Education

  • University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, J.D., 2010
  • Colorado State University, B.A., 2006

Experience

  • Duane Morris LLP
    - Partner, 2022-present
    - Associate, 2017-2021
  • Horgan Rosen Beckham & Coren LLP
    -Associate, 2012-2017

Honors and Awards

  • Listed, Legal 500 U.S. Elite: Los Angeles, 2025