Clayton Lee Lovett

Lee is an associate and works within the Firm’s transactional and corporate practice group. Lee’s practice focuses on representing corporate clients in financing, acquisition and general corporate structuring and governance.

Upon graduation he worked in the public accounting sector, assisting clients with mergers & acquisitions, entity choice, executive compensation, and succession planning. Prior to joining the firm, Lee served as General Counsel to one of the country’s largest privately owned auto dealership groups, with operations at over 40 dealerships across 8 states. In his capacity as General Counsel, Lee provided counsel to the senior executive team and others across the group on a variety of matters, including corporate governance, automotive franchise laws, mergers and acquisitions, real estate, litigation, and compliance matters.

Lee was raised in Hardee County, Florida and graduated from Florida State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering. He obtained his juris doctorate from Florida State University College of Law, where he specialized in corporate law, finance and taxation. Outside the practice of law, Lee enjoys spending time with his family, swimming and working on old cars, currently his 1966 Ford Bronco. At the moment his short-term goals include teaching his kids the art of baseball scorekeeping and paying attention.

Representative Experience

• Member of a transaction team that represented clients in the acquisition and sale of franchised businesses in the automotive, implement and powersports fields. In 2023, the transaction team oversaw of the closings of over 59 rooftops across 20 states.
• Assists clients with the negotiation and preparation of transactional documents for both asset and equity transactions including asset purchase agreements, stock purchase agreements, real estate purchase agreements, leases.
• Regularly serves as counsel and advises clients as to financing, tax matters, entity structure and formation, and assists in the preparation of corporate governance documents including, operating agreements, bylaws, shareholder agreements, management agreements, affiliated service contracts and pay plans.
• Served as licensing counsel in support of the post-merger operational integration of a publicly traded company with over 150 locations across all 50 states.
• Advises clients and assist in negotiations with manufacturers concerning the awarding of ‘open-points’, establishment of framework agreements, and voluntary terminations and settlements.

Professional Associations and Memberships

• The Florida Bar
• National Association of Dealer Counsel