Warren Nowlin focuses his practice in the areas of corporate, securities, international transactions, venture capital and finance. Mr. Nowlin provides general representation to corporations and financial institutions in a broad spectrum of transactions and strategic planning matters, including their merger and acquisition activities, corporate governance, risk management, and debt and equity transactions. An active part of his practice involves the formation and structuring of investment funds (including LBO, private equity, venture capital and real estate funds).

Warren Nowlin focuses his practice in the areas of corporate, securities, international transactions, venture capital and finance. Mr. Nowlin provides general representation to corporations and financial institutions in a broad spectrum of transactions and strategic planning matters, including their merger and acquisition activities, corporate governance, risk management, and debt and equity transactions. An active part of his practice involves the formation and structuring of investment funds (including LBO, private equity, venture capital and real estate funds). He has been especially active counseling large corporations on matters of corporate governance, particularly regarding compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. He also regularly represents emerging growth companies in organizational planning, acquisitions and capital funding matters. He is a member of the Williams Mullen Financial Crisis Task Force responsible for analysis and advice relating to the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (EESA).

Mr. Nowlin has been involved in privatizations, joint ventures and strategic alliances in emerging markets. His role has ranged from negotiating and structuring the organizational and financing documents, to working with investment banks, multilateral and bilateral financing institutions and governmental agencies in securing funding and contracting for concessions. His work has also included overseas project financings, particularly in the energy sector. In recent years, Mr. Nowlin has become increasingly involved in the public tender processes in eastern European nations as they move toward free market economies and endeavor to achieve milestones for admission in the European Union.

Mr. Nowlin's activities cut across a variety of legal disciplines in his investment management, private equity and venture capital practice. He is experienced in the formulation of domestic and off-shore venture capital and merchant banking “LBO” funds for investment in the U.S. and overseas. Mr. Nowlin is seasoned in the DOL plan asset regulations relating to operating company status for funds with significant ERISA investor participation and in the qualification and licensing of SBICs under Small Business Administration regulations. Mr. Nowlin has represented all types of participants in the private equity and venture arena including fund sponsors, issuers, investors and portfolio companies.

Mr. Nowlin has worked with pension funds, state retirement systems, endowments, foundations, captive investment subsidiaries and their investment managers and advisers on the formulation and implementation of venture capital, real estate and other direct investment programs, in the management of special asset classes, and on compliance with laws governing fiduciaries. His practice often entails complex regulatory issues under securities and tax laws, ERISA and Department of Labor regulations. Mr. Nowlin has recognized proficiency in the laws governing fiduciaries and has testified as an expert to the U.S. Congress on matters under congressional investigation and inquiry.

Through his work at Williams Mullen, Mr. Nowlin is actively engaged with the Energy Recovery Council. He is also a member of the Design Build Institute of America, the International City/County Management Association, and the Solid Waste Association of North America.

Mr. Nowlin received a B.S. degree in Commerce from the University of Virginia, and a J.D. degree, magna cum laude, from Washington & Lee University, where he was inducted into the Order of the Coif. He is a member of the District of Columbia, Virginia and Maryland Bars and is active in the Business Law Section of the American Bar Association. Prior to law school Mr. Nowlin was an officer of J.P. Morgan Chase, N.Y., where he was involved in corporate finance for Fortune 500 corporations.

  • Represented public U.S. technology company in structuring and establishing business operations in China, Hong Kong, Korea, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and various C.I.S. countries through subsidiaries, joint ventures and licensing arrangements.