Steve Cade is a business lawyer, representing clients in a range of corporate law and transactional matters, with a focus on mergers and acquisitions, supply chain counseling, commercial transactions, and venture capital financings. Steve is a member of the firm’s Transaction Practice and is the co-chair of the firm’s Consumer Products Team. He is also a member of the firm’s Manufacturing and Innovative Technology Sectors and the Supply Chain and Food & Beverage Industry Teams.
Steve has completed a significant number of mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, and other business combination transactions for a wide variety of clients, including Fortune 500 companies as well as private equity and middle-market publicly traded, and privately held clients.
An experienced supply chain lawyer, Steve counsels clients on a full spectrum of commercial matters affecting businesses. His clients include suppliers, manufacturers, service providers, distributors, licensors, retailers, and other vendors of a diverse array of goods and services, including manufacturing, electronic and heavy equipment, food, clothing, and other consumer products, and software.
Representative Experience
- Drafted and negotiated a US$2bn global contract manufacturing agreement for a publicly traded automotive equipment manufacturer with its key component supplier.
- Led a review, audit, and analysis of all key procurement and customer contracts for a publicly-traded company in advance of a spin-off transaction of its largest parts and component business unit.
- Represents numerous quick service restaurants and CPG companies in a variety of corporate and commercial matters, including preferred equity financings between US$10m-US$120m, and the drafting and negotiation of co-packing, licensing, and distribution agreements.
- Represents a manufacturer of modular and prefabricated homes in various acquisitions, divestitures and commercial matters ranging from $50 million to $600 million throughout the United States.
- Represented a well-known global consumer products delivery platform in developing its US standard terms and conditions, including its long-term customer and procurement contracts related to its product offerings.
Steve routinely represents emerging companies and investors, including venture capital firms, corporate venture arms, and family offices in a number of investment transactions. Steve was the co-lead of the formation and founding of Catapult Chicago, a peer-sourced technology incubator co-founded by Foley, and he assisted resident companies with various capital raises, including convertible note, SAFE, and preferred equity financings.
Affiliations
- Former vice chair of the Business Law Section of the Chicago Bar Association
- Member of the American Bar Association and the National Bar Association
- Currently serves on the firm’s Recruiting Committee and is the hiring partner for the Chicago Office
- Member of the firm’s Black Attorneys Affinity Group and the Diversity and Inclusion Council
- Selected as one of The Most Influential Minority Lawyers in Chicago by Crain’s Chicago (2017)
Presentations and Publications
- Co-presenter, “Critical Terms in Supply Chain Agreements” Webinar for Lorman Education Services, July 29, 2019.
- Co-presenter, “M&A Virtual Book Camp” Webinar for the National Bar Association Corporate Leadership Forum, July 24, 2021.
- Co-presenter, “Legal and Legislative Approaches to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Initiatives in Illinois” Webinar for the Illinois Human Rights Commission, December 3, 2020.
Foley Advises Skyline Champion in Acquisition of Regional Homes
Foley Attorneys Recognized as 2023 Emerging Leaders by The M&A Advisor
![](https://www.foley.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/swatches860x360-416x222.jpg)
The Laws of Fashion: What's Trending in 2022
Podcast Episode 24: Steve Cade, Partner
![](https://www.foley.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/ladyhomedesk860x360-416x222.jpg)