Carrie Leahy

Member,Ann Arbor

T 734-930-0120F 734-930-2494cleahy@bodmanlaw.comEmail 734-930-0120

Practices & Industries

Education

Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois Institute of Technology, J.D.
Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois Institute of Technology, Certificate in Environmental Law
University of Michigan, B.A.

Admissions

Michigan

Overview

Ms. Leahy concentrates her practice in corporate and business law. She counsels both established and emerging businesses on general corporate transactions, mergers and acquisitions, compliance with securities regulations, and issues involving venture capital funding.

Ms. Leahy is chair of Bodman’s executive management committee.

Ms. Leahy has drafted and negotiated transactional documents for both publicly and privately held entities involved in mergers and acquisitions ranging in size from $250,000 to more than $1 billion. She has drafted and negotiated operating and joint venture agreements and advised corporate boards in connection with various transactions. She has also advised clients on entity formation, corporate governance and other general business issues. Ms. Leahy has extensive experience working with the University of Michigan’s Technology Transfer Office and is part of a Bodman team that has represented a significant number of start-up and spin-off companies that have recently licensed technology from U of M.

Ms. Leahy’s securities law experience includes representing clients in connection with public and private securities offerings; preparing registration statements, proxy statements, and periodic reports; and advising clients generally on their securities law obligations. Ms. Leahy also assists public companies with their NYSE listing and reporting requirements.

For ICLE, Ms. Leahy has authored materials in the past on Choosing a Business Entity and moderated a panel discussion on “Advising the New Startup Company: Formation and Funding” (2013).

Ms. Leahy serves on the board of directors of Inforum Michigan. She is also a board member for the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti SmartZone Local Development Finance Authority and a member of the United Way of Washtenaw County Campaign Cabinet. Ms. Leahy also serves on the board of the Detroit Regional Chamber. She is a member of the State Bar of Michigan Business Law Section Council.

In 2021, Crain’s Detroit Business honored Ms. Leahy as one of Michigan’s 100 Most Influential Women. DBusiness magazine has twice listed her among Detroit’s 500 Most Powerful Business Leaders (2019, 2022). Ms. Leahy has been listed in Chambers USA under Corporate/M&A, in IFLR1000 under Mergers & Acquisitions, in DBusiness magazine “Top Lawyers” 2025 under Corporate Law, in Michigan Super Lawyers 2019-24 under Business/Corporate, and in The Best Lawyers in America 2021-25 under Corporate Law.

Honors, Awards, and Recognition

Crain’s Detroit Business 100 Most Influential Women, 2021
The Best Lawyers in America© 2021-2025, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
IFLR1000 2024, Mergers & Acquisitions
Chambers USA 2018, Corporate/M&A
DBusiness Magazine “Top Lawyers” 2013, 2014, 2018-2025, Corporate Law
DBusiness “Detroit 500” Most Powerful Business Leaders (2019, 2022)
Michigan Super Lawyers 2019-2024, Business/Corporate
Michigan Rising Stars 2009-2012, Corporate Law

Civic, Cultural, and Community Activities

Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti SmartZone Local Development Finance Authority
- Member, Board of Directors
Inforum Michigan
- Member, Board of Directors
Detroit Regional Chamber
- Member, Board of Directors
United Way of Washtenaw County Campaign Cabinet

Professional Affiliations

State Bar of Michigan
- Business Law Section Council (2018- )

Publications

Co-Author (with Mark W. Peters), “Updating Your Company’s Disclosures in the Time of COVID-19,” Bodman COVID-19 Response Team Update, April 2020

Representative Matters

Served as lead counsel to the seller in more than ten M&A transactions involving plastics and packaging companies in recent years.
Represented Straight Smile, LLC (d/b/a Byte), a global leader in the direct-to-consumer, doctor-directed, clear dental aligner market, in connection with the $1.04 Billion sale of the company to Dentsply Sirona, Inc. (Nasdaq: XRAY).
Serves as general counsel to Sparton Corporation (NYSE: SPA). Represented Sparton in more than ten strategic acquisitions, bank financing matters, securities matters, corporate governance matters, and general corporate matters.
Represented iconic Midwest furniture and mattress retailers Art Van, Inc., PureSleep and affiliates in the sale of the companies to Thomas Lee Partners, LP. Art Van and affiliates operate more than 100 facilities in five U.S. states and an associated manufacturing business.
Negotiated and closed dozens of corporate finance transactions totaling more than $1 billion including seed and follow-on funding, venture capital funding, mezzanine financing, syndicated loans, traditional bank financing, funding from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), raising funds for a private investment equity, and investing in institutional funds.
Represented the owner of Ann Arbor Distribution/Advanced Distribution in the sale of the company to Dicom Transportation Group, a portfolio company of Wind Point Partners. Ann Arbor Distribution is a major retail services provider that distributes 54 different brands to 13 major retail accounts with more than 1200 locations throughout the Midwest.
Represented a private, national foundation in connection with the sale of limited partnership interests with an aggregate value of $150,000,000 to substantial private equity funds.
Represented E&R Industrial Sales, Inc., a distributor of metalworking, production supplies and MRO materials, in its acquisition by W.W. Grainger, Inc., North America’s leading broad line supplier of maintenance, repair and operating products.
Represented several venture capital funds in preparing and implementing the fund formation documents including private placement memorandums, fund partnership agreements, subscription agreements and other securities law compliance matters.
Successfully negotiated the sale of Sysware Health Care Systems, Inc., a software company with operations in the U.S. and in India, to Eclipsys Corporation, and the sale of Leade Health, a leading health coaching firm, to Ceridian Corporation.

Ann Arbor

Detroit

Grand Rapids

Troy