Noah Kressler

Noah counsels middle-market companies, family businesses, financial institutions, multinational corporations, private equity sponsors and sponsor-backed companies, non-profits, and high-growth startups on complex corporate and financing transactions. These clients operate across a variety of industries, including health care, technology, hospitality, manufacturing, life sciences, financial services, insurance, franchising, gaming, consumer products, food and beverage, entertainment, and media. He represents clients across the country, including many of Louisiana's most well-known established and emerging companies. He has been listed annually in Chambers USA as a leading Corporate/M&A lawyer in Louisiana since 2020 and is regularly recognized as one of the state's most prominent transactional lawyers.

He brings deep, nationwide experience advising clients on complex mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures. His practice spans work with private equity firms, joint ventures, strategic investments, public and private offerings of equity and debt – from initial public offerings and venture capital financings to private placements, municipal bond offerings, and acquisition and commercial financings.

Since 2014, Noah has been an adjunct professor of law at Tulane Law School. Prior to joining Baker Donelson, he practiced in New York and London at Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP for nearly a decade. Noah serves as chair of BakerPride, Baker Donelson's LGBTQ employee resource group, and on a number of strategic firm initiatives.

• Mergers and Acquisitions

• A casino owner and operator in a complex $1+ billion acquisition, sale-leaseback, equity redemption, equity and debt refinancing, and development loan involving three casino properties in two states.

• A health care holding company in its acquisition by an insurance company in one of the largest insurance M&A transactions in Louisiana history.

• A nationally-known consumer hospitality brand in its acquisition by a New York-based private equity firm.

• A national life insurance company in its acquisition of a Louisiana-based life insurance company.

• A prominent private-equity backed professional services firm in numerous acquisitions nationwide.

• A leading global data center provider in multiple transactions, including acquiring and developing data center projects.

• A private equity-backed international parts distributor in numerous acquisitions.

• Multiple $1+ billion alternative energy development projects throughout the Southeast.

• A private equity-backed international civil infrastructure technology company in numerous acquisitions nationwide.

• Multiple franchisors and franchisees in acquisitions and divestitures of franchise locations.

• A southeastern hospital system in its acquisition of multiple hospitals from an academic institution.

• A construction company in its sale to its employees through an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) transaction.

• Multiple industry-leading consulting firms in their sales to private equity.

• Acquisition Financing, High-Yield Debt and Municipal Bonds

• A New Orleans university in multiple offerings of nearly $200 million in municipal bonds.

• A Louisiana hospital system in an offering of approximately $150 million in municipal bonds.

• A Tennessee-based health system in an offering of approximately $194 million in municipal bonds.

• Multiple private equity funds in their acquisition of a manufacturing equipment producer, including the issuance of $570 million in Senior Notes (IFLR Private Equity Deal of the Year). 

• A broadcast television network and media company in a mezzanine financing for its acquisition of a cable television network.

• A manufacturer and distributor of diagnostic medical imaging agents in private offerings of $400 million in Senior Notes and subsequent registered exchange offers.

• Commercial Lending

• $150+ million credit facility for a leading southeast-based equipment rental company.

• $200+ million in credit facilities for a leading nationwide franchisor.

• Louisiana counsel in numerous financing transactions, including a Nevada gaming corporation in its $2 billion credit facility.

• Texas counsel to a leading electric vehicle manufacturer and energy company in multiple financing transactions.

• Louisiana counsel to a multinational automotive manufacturer in a vehicle component supply agreement and financing of "first of its kind" production facility in the United States.

• Initial Public Offerings and Other Public Equity Offerings

• A billionaire founder of a consumer brand in public offerings of $500+ million in company stock.

• A chain of dining and entertainment venues in public offerings of $500+ million in company stock.

• Five leading private equity funds in $4 billion in public offerings of a leading institutional food service provider, including its initial public offering and multiple secondary and follow-on offerings.

• Underwriters in more than $1.5 billion in equity offerings for the owner/operator of an infrastructure conglomerate, including offerings to finance its acquisition of a New Orleans-based bulk liquid storage terminal facility.

• A manufacturer and distributor of diagnostic medical imaging agents in its initial public offering.

• A Fortune 50 insurer in a $1.4 billion secondary offering of its holdings in a consumer finance company.

• Emerging Company Transactions

• Series A financing of a leading New Orleans-based technology company in a "first of its kind" Opportunity Zone-structured investment.

• Multiple revenue-based financings for early-stage consumer goods companies, including the "first of its kind" in Louisiana.

• Strategic health care investor in a complex venture capital investment in a compounding pharmacy.

• Numerous equity, debt, convertible note, Simple Agreements for Future Equity (SAFE) investments, acquisitions, and divestitures in and for emerging companies.

• Cross-Border Representations

• A leading European seafood and frozen food producer in a private offering of £150 million in Sterling-denominated Senior Secured Notes and €305 million in Euro-denominated Senior Secured Notes.

• A leading multinational designer and manufacturer of interior automobile components in the €31 million sale of its soft trim business to a Spanish conglomerate.

• The restructuring of a U.S. and Korea-based consumer brand, including the repurchase of its equity from a European private equity sponsor.

• A leading private equity fund as selling shareholder in the initial public offering in India of its largest digital cinema distribution network and in-cinema advertising platform.

• A U.S.-based conglomerate in its pre-IPO investment in the largest Chinese e-commerce company.

• Listed in Chambers USA as a leading Corporate/M&A lawyer in Louisiana (2020 – present)
• Member – Louisiana's Committee of 100 for Economic Development
• Named a 2025 Thomson Reuters Stand-out Lawyer
• Recognized as a "Top Lawyer" in Securities/Capital Markets Law by New Orleans Magazine (2017, 2018); Corporate Law (2022, 2023); Mergers and Acquisitions Law (2024, 2025)
• Fellow – American Bar Foundation
• Selected as a New Orleans CityBusiness 2022 Leadership in Law Honoree
• Selected as New Orleans CityBusiness 2021 – 2022 Newsmaker in Law 
• Member – Council for a Better Louisiana's Leadership Louisiana (2018)
• Chair – ABA Business Law Section's Business Financing Committee (2019 – 2022; Vice Chair, 2017 – 2018)
• Directors and Executive Committee Member – New Orleans Business Alliance (NOLABA), the economic development organization of the City of New Orleans (2018 – 2025)
• New Orleans Host Committee – ABA Business Law Section Spring Meeting (2017, 2025)
• Adjunct Professor of Law – Tulane Law School (since 2014)

• "Department of Justice Announces Criminal Prosecution Protection for Voluntary Self-Disclosures Related to Mergers & Acquisitions," republished in Bloomberg Law (October 2023)
• "Corporate Transactions: Pandemic Has Changed How Deals Get Done," Biz New Orleans (November 2021)
• "Attorney-Client Privilege in Communications with Outside Directors," Today's General Counsel (June 2021)
• "Rethink How You Communicate with Outside Directors: Certain Communications May Not Be Protected" (March 2021)
• "Using the Morals Clause in Talent Agreements: A Historical, Legal, and Practical Guide," Columbia Journal of Law & the Arts, Vol. 29 (2005)

• "A Conversation with Jim Obergefell – 'LGBTQ Equality and Civil Rights'" (October 2024)

• Chambers USA Ranks 97 Baker Donelson Attorneys in 2025 Edition (June 5, 2025)
• Chambers USA Ranks 88 Baker Donelson Attorneys in 2024 Edition (June 6, 2024)
• Chambers USA Ranks 80 Baker Donelson Attorneys in 2023 Edition (June 2, 2023)
• 79 Baker Donelson Attorneys Ranked in Chambers USA 2022 (June 6, 2022)
• Committee of 100 for Economic Development Selects Noah Kressler (March 10, 2022)
• 80 Baker Donelson Attorneys Ranked in Chambers USA 2021 (May 25, 2021)
• Baker Donelson Joins Out Leadership (March 16, 2021)
• Baker Donelson Provides Pro Bono Assistance for 2020 State Index on Youth Homelessness (March 9, 2021)

• New Orleans CityBusiness Highlights 2022 Leadership in Law Honoree Noah Kressler (October 21, 2022)
• Noah Kressler Shares His Client Service Approach with Law.com (July 26, 2022)
• Noah Kressler Profiled as New Orleans CityBusiness Newsmaker (November 8, 2021)
• Noah Kressler Comments in Private Equity Law Report on Impact of WeWork Ruling on Private Equity Sponsors (June 22, 2021)