Business & Legal Reports, Inc. ("BLR") is a leading provider of human resources, employment, safety, and environmental compliance and training solutions. BLR was founded in 1977 by Robert Brady to provide executives and decision makers with reliable, easy-to-understand analysis of the ever-increasing and complex state and federal laws. The Company is headquartered in Connecticut.
M. Lee Smith Publishers ("MLSP") provides legal information, training, and compliance tools related to state and federal employment law, supervisor training, and employee management for human resources and other business professionals. M. Lee Smith is a portfolio company of Chicago-based Prairie Capital. MLSP was founded in 1975 and is based in Tennessee.
Shields & Company represented BLR in structuring and negotiating a merger with MLSP, creating a new entity called Fortis Business Media ("Fortis"). Fortis combines 35 years of experience in providing top-rated compliance products that serve over 250,000 professionals in the fields of Human Resources, Environmental Compliance Management, Employee Safety, Workers' Comp Management and Workplace Training. Prairie Capital and NewStar Financial will continue to be investors in merged entity.
Shields & Company acted as a financial advisor to Business & Legal Resources in the above transaction.