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People > Attorney > Sherrill Corbett
Sherrill  Corbett

Sherrill Corbett

PARTNER

503.802.2049
sherrill.corbett@tonkon.com
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Overview

As a member, and recent past Chair, of the firm’s Mergers & Acquisitions Practice Group, Sherrill counsels clients on buying and selling businesses, and structuring complex joint ventures. As a member of Tonkon’s Corporate Finance & Transactions Practice Group, she advises clients on bank financings, private placements, and public offerings. Sherrill also represents public companies and advises them on securities compliance, corporate governance matters, and follow-on offerings. Sherrill also serves on Tonkon Torp’s Managing Board.

Sherrill’s clients value her ability to provide quality legal counsel with practical business advice, create creative solutions, and make "legalese" easy to understand. She especially enjoys working with women-owned or operated businesses.

Sherrill previously practiced at Heller Ehrman White & McAuliffe LLP’s San Francisco office and at Graham & James LLP, also in California.

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Featured Representative Matters

Vestas

Represented Vestas, the world's largest manufacturer of wind turbines, in the $60 million acquisition of UpWind Solutions, Inc., an independent service provider for wind turbines in nine US states.

Pacific Foods

Represented Pacific Foods of Oregon LLC in its $700 million acquisition by Campbell Investment Company. Pacific Foods is an iconic, nationally distributed organic food brand founded in 1987. The acquisition was Oregon's largest M&A transaction in 2017.

Rejuvenation, Inc.

Sale of Portland-based Rejuvenation, Inc. to one of the leading home furnishings companies in the nation.

Climax Portable Machining & Welding Systems

Represented Climax Portable Machining & Welding Systems in its acquisition of Calder Testers, Inc.

The Joinery

Represented The Joinery in its 2013 sale to Jon Blumenauer.

Delphina's Bakery

Represented Delphina's Bakery, a locally owned, woman-owned bakery since 1983, in its sale to a strategic buyer.

Market Industries

Sale of Market Industries, a privately held provider of third-party logistics services and multimodal transportation capacity solutions, for $197 million to UTi Worldwide.

Randolph Construction Services, Inc.

Sale of a woman-owned design-build general contractor Randolph Construction Services, Inc. to LVI Services Inc., the nation's leading provider of facilities and remediation services.

The Greenbrier Companies, Inc. (NYSE: GBX)

Representation of The Greenbrier Companies, Inc. (NYSE: GBX) as Oregon counsel in:
  • Its offering of $230 million of 3.5% Convertible Senior Notes due 2018
  • Its offering of 3,000,000 shares of common stock
  • Its entry into a five-year $245 million revolving line of credit with Bank of America which replaced its existing $100 million credit facility
  • Its negotiation of an agreement with General Electric Railcar Services Corporation ("GER"), a subsidiary of GE Capital, GE's financial services business, to modify GER's new railcar manufacturing contract with Greenbrier
  • Its negotiation of a $75 million strategic investment from WL Ross & Co. LLC
  • Its acquisition of Meridian Rail Holdings Corp. for $230 million in cash
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Featured Work

Tonkon Torp Guides Pacific Foods through Oregon’s Largest Acquisition of 2017

Tonkon Torp led Oregon's largest M&A transaction in 2017, the $700 million acquisition of Tualatin-based Pacific Foods of Oregon LLC by Campbell Investment Company. Pacific Foods is an iconic, nationally distributed organic food brand founded in 1987.

Tonkon Torp Brings Attorney Power to Renewable Energy Transaction

Tonkon Torp client Enel Green Power North America (EGPNA) is the North American subsidiary of one of the largest corporations in the world, the Italian electricity company Enel S.p.A. Here's how we helped EGPNA in a renewable energy acquisition.

Tonkon Torp Represents Vestas in Acquisition of UpWind Solutions

Tonkon Torp represented its client Vestas, the world's largest manufacturer of wind turbines, in the acquisition of UpWind Solutions, Inc., an independent service provider for wind power plants in nine US states. The $60 million acquisition furthers Vestas's strategic objectives for its North America service business.

Diverse Team Aids Greenbrier in Joint Venture

Tonkon Torp acted as Oregon corporate counsel for its long-term client The Greenbrier Companies, Inc. in finalizing a 50/50 joint venture with Watco Companies, L.L.C. The venture combines the two companies’ railcar repair, refurbishment and maintenance businesses into a new organization, GBW Railcar Services, LLC.

Tonkon Torp Helps Albina Head Start Stabilize Finances for Enhanced Programming

Albina Head Start, Inc. (AHS), which serves more than 1,000 low-income children and their families in North, Northeast and Southeast Portland, faces the future in a stronger financial position thanks to a significant pro bono effort by Tonkon Torp. Find details and more featured cases here.

Tonkon Torp Helps CLIMAX Strengthen Worldwide Market Position

Tonkon Torp represented Newberg, Oregon-based CLIMAX Portable Machining and Welding Systems, in its acquisition in 2013 of Houston-based Calder Testers. Founded in 1966, CLIMAX is the world’s largest supplier of portable machine tools for the power generation, shipbuilding, heavy construction and mining, petrochemical and engineering industries.

Tonkon Torp Facilitates Greenbrier Subsidiary Divestiture

Earlier this year, Tonkon Torp represented Meridian Rail Acquisitions Corp., a subsidiary of the firm’s long-standing client The Greenbrier Companies, in the sale of substantially all of the equipment utilized in Greenbrier's reconditioned wheelset roller bearing operations in Elizabethtown, Kentucky. The purchaser was The Timken Companies, a global manufacturer of mechanical components and high-performance steel, including bearings.

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Community Involvement & Activities


Fellows of the American Bar Foundation
Member

Women Presidents' Organization, Inc.
Member

Oregon State Bar
Securities Regulation Section Executive Committee
Past Chair

Women’s Investment Network
2008, Program Chair
2007-2009, Member

Oregon Entrepreneurs Network
2005-2007, Secretary and Board Member
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Professional Memberships

American Bar Association
Multnomah Bar Association
Oregon Women Lawyers
Society of Corporate Secretaries & Governance Professionals
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Awards & Recognition

The Best Lawyers in America

The Best Lawyers in America

2011-2021, Corporate Compliance Law
2011-2021, Corporate Governance Law
2014-2021, Securities/Capital Markets Law
2021, Corporate Law
2014, 2020, Lawyer of the Year – Corporate Governance Law, Portland
2013, 2017, Lawyer of the Year – Corporate Compliance Law, Portland
Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers

Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers

2006-2020, Corporate/M&A
Fellows of the American Bar Foundation

Fellows of the American Bar Foundation

2020-Present, Member
Super Lawyers

Super Lawyers

2019-2020, Oregon Super Lawyer – Business/Corporate
2008-2009, Oregon Rising Star – Business/Corporate

Client Choice Awards, USA & Canada

2014, Mergers & Acquisitions

Portland Business Journal

2006, Forty Under 40
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Recent News

11.9.2020

To Sell or Not To Sell: M&A Prospects in Late 2020 and Beyond

Partners from Tonkon Torp’s Business and Bankruptcy Departments hosted a webinar on October 15 to look at M&A prospects and strategies for late 2020 and beyond. The panel was moderated by Sherrill Corbett and featured Claire Brown, Tim Conway, and…
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9.21.2020

Sherrill Corbett and Jeff Bradford Admitted to the Fellows of the American Bar Foundation

Tonkon Torp attorneys Sherrill Corbett and Jeff Bradford have been admitted to the Fellows of the American Bar Foundation (ABF). The Fellows was established in 1955 as an honor society for attorneys, judges, law faculty, and legal scholars who…
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8.20.2020

Best Lawyers in America® Includes 49 Tonkon Torp Attorneys on 2021 List

Forty-nine Tonkon Torp lawyers representing 36 practice areas have been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2021. A majority of attorneys have been named to the peer-review list in past years, and most have been recognized for more…
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7.7.2020

26 Tonkon Torp Attorneys Honored on 2020 Super Lawyers Lists

Twenty-six Tonkon Torp attorneys in nine practice areas have been included in the 2020 Oregon Super Lawyers or Rising Stars lists. Tonkon Torp partner and bankruptcy authority Albert N. Kennedy has been once again recognized on the Top 50 list of…
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5.1.2020

Tonkon Torp Webinar Encourages Businesses to Prepare to Thrive in COVID-19 Recovery

Tonkon Torp hosted a webinar to provide businesses with strategies to navigate the current COVID-19 environment while also strategically positioning a business for recovery and long-term viability. The panel of speakers featured partners Jeff Cronn…
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4.27.2020

Chambers USA Names 20 Tonkon Torp Attorneys in 2020 Ranking

Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business has recognized 20 Tonkon Torp attorneys in seven practice areas in its 2020 USA Guide. Eighteen of the Tonkon Torp attorneys named have been previously ranked by Chambers.
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4.24.2020

Sherrill Corbett and Jessica Morgan Explore Cannabis Business Transition Strategies for PBJ Podcast

Sherrill Corbett and Jessica Morgan were featured guests on the April 8 episode of the Portland Business Journal’s Thought Leadership Podcast. Their episode explored smart transition strategies for businesses in the cannabis industry.
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4.16.2020

Tonkon Torp Hosts Webinar to Answer Top L&E Questions During COVID-19

On Friday, April 10, Tonkon Torp hosted a webinar to address frequently asked questions about employment law and workplace practices during COVID. The program featured partners Clay Creps and Blerina Kotori from Tonkon Torp’s Labor & Employment…
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4.8.2020

Tonkon Torp Attorneys Host Webinar to Provide COVID-19 Tools to Businesses

Tonkon Torp hosted a webinar for 600 registered participants to discuss the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans available from the Small Business Administration (SBA) through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) Act…
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1.31.2020

Sherrill Corbett and Jessica Morgan Lead M&A Panel for Oregon Cannabis Association

Tonkon Torp partners Sherrill Corbett and Jessica Morgan led a panel discussion on M&A in the cannabis industry at the Oregon Cannabis Association member happy hour. Tapping into their experience of helping clients sell or seek investment in a…
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Recent Alerts

9.10.2019

5 Ways To Gain High Ground While Selling a Cannabis Company

Notwithstanding federal law, a sign of the maturing cannabis and CBD markets is the sharp rise in M&A activity to build scale and market share. Marijuana Business Daily notes that as of August 2019, 233 M&A transactions were completed in the U.S…
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10.16.2013

SEC Proposes CEO Pay Ratio Disclosure Rules

On September 18, 2013, the Securities and Exchange Commission approved proposed rules requiring the disclosure by public companies of the median annual total compensation of all employees of the company, the annual total compensation of the Chief…
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Publications & Presentations


Moderator, "Preparing to Thrive in the Recovery: Cash Flow, PPP Loans, and Alternative Capital," April 2020

Moderator, "FAQs for Employers in the COVID-19 Reality," April 2020

Podcast, "How to Transition Your Cannabis Business," Portland Business Journal, April 2020

Panelist, “Tools to Survive the COVID-19 Economy: CARES Act SBA Loans, Employment Laws, and Corporate Issues,“ April 2020

Panelist, "M&A in the Cannabis Industry," Oregon Cannabis Association, January 2020

"5 Ways to Gain High Ground While Selling a Cannabis Company," Portland Business Journal, September 2019

Panelist, "The Role of In-House Counsel in M&A Transactions," Oregon Association of Corporate Counsel, May 2019

Moderator, "Thrive – A Seminar for Women Business Leaders," November 2018

Moderator, Business Transitions Seminar, KeyBank Club, May 2018

Panelist, "She Persisted – Stories from Business Women Who Have Persevered and Triumphed," November 2017

Panelist, "Turning Points – Stories of Transition – A Seminar for Women Business Leaders," KeyBank Club, October 2016

"Been There! Done That! A Seminar for Women Business Leaders," KeyBank Club, October 2015

"Is Big Data Giving you a Big Headache?," Oregon State Bar Corporate Counsel Section, Oregon State Bar Center, October 2014

"Data Security and Breach Response 101: A Primer for Corporate Counsel," Association of  Corporate Counsel, Nike Campus, June 2014

"Getting Your Ducks in a Row," KeyBank, February 2014

"The Business Sale Process," KeyBank, January 2014

"Before Selling a Business, Consider a Buyer’s Perspective," Daily Journal of Commerce, October 2013

"Purchase and Sale of a Business or Its Assets," Multnomah Bar Association Business Law Seminar Series, May 2013

"Operating, Financing and Selling a Business in the Digital Age," Oregon Law Institute, Lewis & Clark Law School, February 2007

"State Securities Law Issues Regarding Mutual Insurance Companies and Mutual Holding Companies (co-authored with James M. Kennedy) – FORC Quarterly Journal of Insurance Law and Regulation – Vol. XV, Edition II
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Services

Mergers & Acquisitions Corporate Finance & Transactions Corporate Governance Business Law Cannabis Industry
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Education

J.D., magna cum laude, University of California, Hastings College of the Law, 1995
Order of the Coif

B.A., summa cum laude, Saint Mary's College of California, 1992
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Bar & Court Admissions

Oregon State Bar
State Bar of California
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