Biography

Deana is an experienced corporate transactional attorney who centers her practice on mergers, acquisitions and debt and equity financing deals. She routinely serves as lead counsel to sellers and buyers in connection with the sale of operating companies to or on behalf of strategic purchasers, private equity investors and management/owner teams.

She also assists businesses with corporate governance structuring, development initiatives and expansion opportunities.

For a number of closely held companies in North Carolina and beyond, Deana serves as outside general counsel. In that role, she is a trusted adviser for the business, guiding owners, management and board members on legal, transactional and governance issues to meet the needs of the enterprise. She is well versed in helping businesses and business owners navigate the wide range of matters where legal and operational considerations intersect, including board alignment, employee incentives, debt and equity transactions and business succession.

Deana is an experienced corporate transactional attorney who centers her practice on mergers, acquisitions and debt and equity financing deals. She routinely serves as lead counsel to sellers and buyers in connection with the sale of operating companies to or on behalf of strategic purchasers, private equity investors and management/owner teams.

She also assists businesses with corporate governance structuring, development initiatives and expansion opportunities.

For a number of closely held companies in North Carolina and beyond, Deana serves as outside general counsel. In that role, she is a trusted adviser for the business, guiding owners, management and board members on legal, transactional and governance issues to meet the needs of the enterprise. She is well versed in helping businesses and business owners navigate the wide range of matters where legal and operational considerations intersect, including board alignment, employee incentives, debt and equity transactions and business succession.

Before Fox Rothschild

Prior to joining Fox Rothschild, Deana served as the Raleigh office's Geographic Team Leader and led the Technology Practice at a North Carolina regional law firm.  

Representative Matters

A sampling of Deana's representations include: 

  • A seller in a $500 million stock sale of an IT government contracting company to a special purpose acquisition company
  • A heavy equipment dealer as borrower in a $220 million syndicated term and revolving line of credit facility.
  • A seller in a $80 million stock sale of an creative marketing agency to private equity investor
  • A purchaser in a $30 million stock purchase of a technology services company
  • A purchaser/investor in a $25 million purchase of the majority interest in a privately held trucking company
  • A seller in a $23 million stock sale to a private equity investor, which included an F reorganization
  • A purchaser in a $25 million asset purchase of four check cashing/pay-day lending stores
  • A company in a $2 million Series A venture capital financing for a privately-held biotechnology company
  • A borrower in a $1 million small business loan made by the Overseas Private Investment Corporation
  • A company in a shareholder dispute where buy-sell provisions were triggered
  • A purchaser in the acquisition of several dental product patent portfolios

A sampling of Deana's representations include: 

  • A seller in a $500 million stock sale of an IT government contracting company to a special purpose acquisition company
  • A heavy equipment dealer as borrower in a $220 million syndicated term and revolving line of credit facility.
  • A seller in a $80 million stock sale of an creative marketing agency to private equity investor
  • A purchaser in a $30 million stock purchase of a technology services company
  • A purchaser/investor in a $25 million purchase of the majority interest in a privately held trucking company
  • A seller in a $23 million stock sale to a private equity investor, which included an F reorganization
  • A purchaser in a $25 million asset purchase of four check cashing/pay-day lending stores
  • A company in a $2 million Series A venture capital financing for a privately-held biotechnology company
  • A borrower in a $1 million small business loan made by the Overseas Private Investment Corporation
  • A company in a shareholder dispute where buy-sell provisions were triggered
  • A purchaser in the acquisition of several dental product patent portfolios

Bar Admissions

  • North Carolina
  • District of Columbia
  • Maryland

Education

  • Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law (J.D., 2001)
    • Editorial Board, Catholic University Law Review
  • The Catholic University of America (M.A., 2001)
  • University of Indianapolis (B.A., 1998)

Memberships

  • North Carolina Bar Association

    Board of Directors

    • International Federation of Sport Climbing
      • Chair, Disciplinary Commission
    • USA Climbing
      • Board of Directors
    • American Heart Association – Triangle Chapter
      • Member, Board of Directors
      • Chair, Triangle CycleNation 2021
    • Durham Rotary Club
    • YMCA of the Triangle
      • Board Member, Secretary, Executive Committee Member
    • Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce
      • Board Member

    Honors & Awards

    • Selected to the "Triangle Law Awards" by Triangle Business Journal (2026)
    • Selected to the "Leaders in the Law" list by North Carolina Lawyers Weekly (2024)
    • Selected to the "Best Lawyers in America" list for Corporate Law and Mergers & Acquisitions Law in Raleigh, NC by Best Lawyers (2021-2026)
    • Named to the "Legal Elite" list for Business Law (2018, 2020-2021) and Corporate (2022-2023) by Business North Carolina
    • Named to the "Women in Business Awards" list by Triangle Business Journal (2017)