- Shareholder
- 515-283-3163
- Des Moines Office
Eric N.
Fischer
“In any transaction our goal is to add value for clients and come up with ways to facilitate ongoing relationships with their contractual partners.”
Eric Fischer is the chair of the firm’s Business, Finance & Real Estate Department. In his transactional practice, Eric brings a client-centered approach to every engagement, working closely with companies and their leadership teams to deliver practical, results-driven legal counsel.
Eric's corporate practice focuses primarily on merger and acquisition transactions, corporate governance, debt and equity financing transactions, and commercial contracting matters. He regularly advises companies on general corporate matters, including business planning, compliance, and ongoing strategic, transactional, and regulatory matters. He also represents clients, including early stage companies, on the private placement of securities and securities law compliance.
Eric serves as an outside general counsel and strategic advisor to a number of private companies. Eric’s focus on deep understanding of his clients’ businesses and delivery on tailored legal solutions aligns with his focus on delivering client value. He works with a broad range of industries including agribusiness (including cooperatives), healthcare, technology, manufacturing, renewable energy, and hospitality.
Eric also advises health care clients on regulatory issues including HIPAA, Stark Law, and Anti-Kickback.
Eric’s passion for transactions predates his legal career. “Being a transactional attorney is about finding a way to have all the parties come to an agreement, and when the transaction closes, everyone is better off than when they started,” he says.
Eric is known for his ability to right-size his approach to each matter—matching the level of effort and resources to the scope and significance of the project to maximize value for his clients.
American Bar Association
Young Lawyers Division
Iowa State Bar Association
Young Lawyers Division
Polk County Bar Association
UnityPoint Health, Des Moines Young Advisory Council
Past Chairperson
Young Professional Connection Board, Impact Downtown
Chair (2016-2018)
Downtown Community Alliance
Board Member (2016-2018)
Young Variety
Events Committee (2017-2018)
Representation of an early state company in the telecommunications industry in a succession planning business combination transaction with a total transaction value of approximately $50 million.
Representation of an agricultural cooperative in a share exchange transaction involving an affiliate engaged in lending and other financing activities with a total transaction value in excess of $40 million.
Representation of fast food franchisor in the acquisition and financing of three restaurant locations.
Representation of bioproducts company in acquisition of manufacturing facility, private equity investment, and assumption of seller bank debt.
General representation of independent hotel chain including negotiation of CMBS loan transactions.
Representation of early-stage technology companies in Seed and Pre-Seed financing transactions.
Representation of institutional investor in the purchase of a controlling interest in a residential and commercial roofing company.
Representation of an environmental service company in several equity and assets acquisitions and the related closing of U.S. and foreign credit facilities
The Best Lawyers in America®
- Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), 2026
- Corporate Law, 2026
Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch
- Banking and Finance Law, 2023–2025
- Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), 2022–2025
- Corporate Law, 2022–2025
- Mergers and Acquisition Law, 2025
Great Plains Super Lawyers
Rising Stars, 2021–2025
“Beer Distribution Basics”
i-Best, Iowa Brewers Guild Annual Conference, November 2019
“Proposed Federal Rule Changes Could Increase Flexibility for Healthcare Providers”
October 15, 2019 (co-author)
“Entity Selection and Small Business Law Basics”
Boots to Business: U.S. Small Business Administration, May 2017 and November 2017
“Entity Selection Basics”
Iowa State Bar Association YLD Nuts & Bolts Seminar, October 2016
“Issues Affecting All Business Organizations–Electronic Commerce”
Iowa State Bar Association Business Practice Manual, Rev. 2016 (co-author)
“Serving More Than One Master: A Social Network Analysis of Section 8 of the Clayton Act”
41 J. of Corp. L. 313, 2015
OVERVIEW
Eric Fischer is the chair of the firm’s Business, Finance & Real Estate Department. In his transactional practice, Eric brings a client-centered approach to every engagement, working closely with companies and their leadership teams to deliver practical, results-driven legal counsel.
Eric's corporate practice focuses primarily on merger and acquisition transactions, corporate governance, debt and equity financing transactions, and commercial contracting matters. He regularly advises companies on general corporate matters, including business planning, compliance, and ongoing strategic, transactional, and regulatory matters. He also represents clients, including early stage companies, on the private placement of securities and securities law compliance.
Eric serves as an outside general counsel and strategic advisor to a number of private companies. Eric’s focus on deep understanding of his clients’ businesses and delivery on tailored legal solutions aligns with his focus on delivering client value. He works with a broad range of industries including agribusiness (including cooperatives), healthcare, technology, manufacturing, renewable energy, and hospitality.
Eric also advises health care clients on regulatory issues including HIPAA, Stark Law, and Anti-Kickback.
Eric’s passion for transactions predates his legal career. “Being a transactional attorney is about finding a way to have all the parties come to an agreement, and when the transaction closes, everyone is better off than when they started,” he says.
Eric is known for his ability to right-size his approach to each matter—matching the level of effort and resources to the scope and significance of the project to maximize value for his clients.
PROFESSIONAL & COMMUNITY AFFILIATIONS
American Bar Association
Young Lawyers Division
Iowa State Bar Association
Young Lawyers Division
Polk County Bar Association
UnityPoint Health, Des Moines Young Advisory Council
Past Chairperson
Young Professional Connection Board, Impact Downtown
Chair (2016-2018)
Downtown Community Alliance
Board Member (2016-2018)
Young Variety
Events Committee (2017-2018)
REPRESENTATIVE TRANSACTIONS
Representation of an early state company in the telecommunications industry in a succession planning business combination transaction with a total transaction value of approximately $50 million.
Representation of an agricultural cooperative in a share exchange transaction involving an affiliate engaged in lending and other financing activities with a total transaction value in excess of $40 million.
Representation of fast food franchisor in the acquisition and financing of three restaurant locations.
Representation of bioproducts company in acquisition of manufacturing facility, private equity investment, and assumption of seller bank debt.
General representation of independent hotel chain including negotiation of CMBS loan transactions.
Representation of early-stage technology companies in Seed and Pre-Seed financing transactions.
Representation of institutional investor in the purchase of a controlling interest in a residential and commercial roofing company.
Representation of an environmental service company in several equity and assets acquisitions and the related closing of U.S. and foreign credit facilities
RECOGNITION
The Best Lawyers in America®
- Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), 2026
- Corporate Law, 2026
Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch
- Banking and Finance Law, 2023–2025
- Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), 2022–2025
- Corporate Law, 2022–2025
- Mergers and Acquisition Law, 2025
Great Plains Super Lawyers
Rising Stars, 2021–2025
SPEECHES & PUBLICATIONS
“Beer Distribution Basics”
i-Best, Iowa Brewers Guild Annual Conference, November 2019
“Proposed Federal Rule Changes Could Increase Flexibility for Healthcare Providers”
October 15, 2019 (co-author)
“Entity Selection and Small Business Law Basics”
Boots to Business: U.S. Small Business Administration, May 2017 and November 2017
“Entity Selection Basics”
Iowa State Bar Association YLD Nuts & Bolts Seminar, October 2016
“Issues Affecting All Business Organizations–Electronic Commerce”
Iowa State Bar Association Business Practice Manual, Rev. 2016 (co-author)
“Serving More Than One Master: A Social Network Analysis of Section 8 of the Clayton Act”
41 J. of Corp. L. 313, 2015