Securities & M&A Partner Molly Brown

Molly Z. Brown

Partner

200 Public Square
Suite 2800
Cleveland, Ohio 44114

Primary Practices

Molly Z. Brown is a partner in Hahn Loeser’s Business Practice Area with an expansive blend of in-house and law firm experience. Her practice focuses on public and private securities offerings, mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance and compliance matters.

Molly brings significant experience and knowledge leading securities transaction and mergers and acquisitions teams to successful completion of transactions that are revenue generating for clients. During her career she has completed over $11 billion in securities offerings and nearly $7 billion in mergers, acquisitions and divestitures.

In addition to strategic transactions, Molly routinely advises companies on the private sales of securities, including warrants, options, stock, and membership interests in companies to purchasers ranging from venture capital firms to private equity firms, and to individual investors, employees and directors. Molly also has experience with securities repurchases upon employee and director departure.

Molly brings experience advising clients’ board of directors and board committees, including counseling audit, nominating & governance, and compensation committees on the determination of executive compensation and overall bonus compensation to employees.

The wide variety of industries Molly has served, include SaaS, manufacturing, industrial, chemical, technology, mining, banking and financial services, and real estate development companies.

Molly’s experience includes serving as in-house counsel for top banks, investment adviser/funds, and as a law firm partner serving in high-impact roles. She has also led diverse teams in the successful completion of public and private securities offerings and mergers and acquisitions, banking finance, and counseled management and boards on complex compliance and regulatory matters, SEC filings, state securities filings, strategic transactions, and shareholder activism.

Molly’s regulatory experience includes advising issuers on securities investigations, funds, broker-dealers, investment advisers, and financial institutions on regulatory matters. Molly routinely takes on matters to assist issuers in resolving securities compliance issues and has a strong background in state and federal securities compliance resolution. Molly also served as counsel for the largest D&O insurer on securities litigation matters.

Molly also brings experience helping growing businesses plan for future liquidity events and to evaluate what form of liquidity event is most helpful to sustain growth and achieve the client’s objectives.

Personal

Molly enjoys watching her son’s high school hockey games and rooting for University School.  When not attending hockey games, Molly likes to golf.

Credentials

Education
  • Case Western Reserve University School of Law, J.D., 2000
  • John Carroll University, Boler School of Business, B.S. (Economics), 1995
    • Honors & Activities: Varsity swim team, letterwinner
Community Involvement

Breakthrough Schools, Advisory Board, 2023-Present

 

Union Club, Member

 

Fairmount Presbyterian Church, Treasurer, 2022, Finance Committee Member 2021-Present

 

Shaker Heights Youth Hockey Board, 2018

Awards & Distinctions

2018 Top 50 Women FOR John Carroll University’s 50th Anniversary of Admission of Women

 

Who’s Who in America, 2023

Bar Admissions

State of Ohio, 2008

 

State of New York, 2001

 

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York

 

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York

Memberships & Affiliations

Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, Member

 

Society of Corporate Governance, Ohio Chapter, member, 2012-present, President, 2015-16

 

Ohio Bankers League, Member