Collaborative, forward-looking commercial finance counsel
Melissa McCord represents both lenders and borrowers in complex commercial finance transactions. She has extensive experience with:
- Commercial loans and financing vehicles
- Acquisition financing representing private equity and strategic buyers
- Third-party legal opinions
- Post-closing counseling
Melissa collaborates closely with her clients to understand their long-term business plans and objectives and to assure that the terms of their financing align as closely as possible with their business goals. Prior to entering the practice of law, Melissa spent nine years as a journalist, mainly with the Associated Press.
Experience in Action
- Advising borrowers and lenders on commercial finance transactions and related issues, including secured transactions, syndicated facilities, asset-based facilities, mezzanine debt, international financing, asset securitizations and interest rate swap documentation.
- Representing private equity and strategic buyers in acquisition financing transactions, working closely with the portfolio companies in all aspects of their financing needs.
- Providing third-party legal opinions of finance transactions.
- Advising borrowers on covenant compliance, Uniform Commercial Code (UCC), Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and other Small Business Administration (SBA) loan matters.
Successes
- Representing a manufacturer in an acquisition financing consisting of a $40 million line of credit provided by one senior lender secured with a senior lien on one pool of collateral and a second lien on the rest, and a $56 million term loan provided by a second senior lender secured with a senior lien on another pool of collateral and a second lien on the rest.
- Advising a private equity firm in obtaining senior secured and mezzanine financing to acquire a heating systems manufacturer.
- Representing a provider of electrical services in financing various add-on acquisitions under its senior secured credit facility.
- Advising a lender in an SBA-backed multi-loan credit facility to a manufacturer of tactical equipment.
- Representing a private equity firm in obtaining senior secured and mezzanine financing to acquire a juice and iced tea manufacturer.
- Advising a national contractor and service provider on day-to-day interpretive issues arising under its $205 million credit facility.
Professional Recognitions
- Chambers USA® (2020-present: Banking & Finance)
- Best Lawyers in America® (2023-2025: Commercial Finance Law, 2024, 2025: Banking and Finance Law)
- Wisconsin Law Journal "Up and Coming Lawyer" (2017)
- State Bar of Wisconsin Pro Bono Honor Society (2014-present)
- Quarles & Brady's Michael J. Gonring Pro Bono Associate of the Year Award (2015)
Professional & Civic Activities
- American Bar Association, member
- Wisconsin Bar Association, member
- Sojourner Family Peace Center, Courthouse Clinic pro bono volunteer
- Our Next Generation, former board member
- TEMPO Milwaukee, member
- Women's Fund of Greater Milwaukee, board member
- Marquette University Law School Alumni Association, board member
- Milwaukee Bar Association Foundation, board member
News & Insights
Education
- Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Management, Certificate, Quarles & Brady Leadership Program (2018)
- Marquette University Law School (J.D., summa cum laude, 2009)
- Marquette Law Review, editor-in-chief
- Ohio University (B.A., summa cum laude, 1997)
- Journalism
Bar Admissions
- Wisconsin