William R. Van Buren III < Attorney

Biography

Bill is Chairman of Kaufman & Canoles and is recognized as a leading lawyer in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, corporate and health care law. He is known for his ability to create unique solutions that facilitate rather than hinder the process. Having grown up in a family business, Bill knows first-hand the challenges of running a company. His expertise as a business advisor comes not only from his legal background but also from his personal experience.

Bill’s commercial law practice includes corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, banking and finance, capital formation, contract negotiation and health care. His extensive mergers and acquisitions experience involves the full range of M&A transactions including public company mergers, private company acquisitions and dispositions, and strategic investments. In his health care practice, Bill brings together physicians and other health care providers, enabling them to compete in a constantly evolving industry. He enjoys the challenge of crafting a transaction in which everyone involved is satisfied. Because every deal is different, Bill always looks for an innovative approach.

Bill is a past President of The Virginia Bar Association and the Virginia Law Foundation, and he serves on numerous boards in the community. He earned his law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law and his undergraduate business degree from the College of William & Mary. He was inducted into the 2002 class of Fellows of The Virginia Law Foundation and has been repeatedly recognized in Best Lawyers in America, Chambers USA, Virginia Super Lawyers, and Virginia Business Magazine’s Legal Elite.

Practices

Representative Matters

Commercial and Mergers & Acquisitions

Represented seller of a privately held government contractor in its sale to a public company in a transaction valued in excess of $200,000,000
Served as borrower counsel in $165,000,000 high-yield debt financing
Represented multiple buyers and sellers of major automobile dealerships, including Toyota, BMW, Chevrolet, Honda and Nissan franchises
Served as Virginia counsel to large international hedge fund in proxy contest involving a Fortune 500 company
Represented management team of a direct marketing company in connection with $12,000,000 leveraged buy-out from the bankruptcy estate of its parent company and in connection with multiple follow-on acquisitions and divestitures
Counseled numerous Boards of Directors on corporate governance matters and shareholder disputes, including service as an expert witness on customary board protocols in two major Virginia cases involving shareholder oppression claims

Health Care and Senior Housing

Facilitated and closed a number of major medical group integrations including Urology of Virginia, PLLC, Northern Virginia Urology, PLLC and New Jersey Urology, PLLC
Coordinated the organization and financing of $100,000,000 plus continuing care retirement community project and its subsequent $200,000,000 financing and expansion
Represented shareholders of a large medical group in connection with a private equity backed acquisition of nonclinical assets in a transaction valued in excess of $200,000,000

Recognition & Honors

Best Lawyers in America, 1996–2025
150 Influential Leaders in Business in Coastal Virginia; CoVaBIZ Magazine, 2024
Top Lawyers; CoVaBIZ, 2017-2020, 2022-2024
Virginia 500 – The Power List: Law, Virginia Business Magazine, 2020-2023; Emeritus List, 2024
100 Influential Leaders in Business in Coastal Virginia; CoVaBIZ Magazine, 2023
America’s Leading Business Lawyers; Chambers USA; Corporate/Mergers & Acquisitions Law, 2007–2013, 2017-2023
Virginia Super Lawyers; Law & Politics, 2007–2015, 2020-2022
Go To Lawyer – Business Law; Virginia Lawyers Weekly, 2020
Norfolk Health Care Law “Lawyer of the Year”; Best Lawyers in America, 2014, 2025
William B. Spong, Jr. Professionalism Award; Virginia Bar Association, 2010
Virginia Super Lawyers, Corporate Counsel Edition, Law & Politics, 2009
Virginia’s Legal Elite; Virginia Business Magazine, 2004–2023
The Power List; Inside Business, 2013–2015, 2018-2023
Leader in the Law; Virginia Lawyers Weekly, 2007
Fellow of the Virginia Law Foundation Class of 2002
AV® Rated; Martindale-Hubbell

Associations

American Bar Association
The Virginia Bar Association; Past President, 2006; Commission on Professionalism, Founding Member; Committee on Special Issues of National & State Importance, 2016 – Present; Governance Committee, 2011-2015; Young Lawyers Section, Past Chairman, 1991
American Health Lawyers Association
Virginia Law Foundation; Past President
EVMS Medical Group; Board of Directors
Cancer Care Foundation of Tidewater; Board of Directors
Fort Norfolk Retirement Community, Inc.; Executive Committee, Board Member; Chairman, Board of Directors, 2010-2013
Virginia Symphony Orchestra; Board of Directors
Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges; Executive Committee; Board of Trustees, Chairman; Nominating Committee, Chairman
Hampton Roads Executive Roundtable; Executive Committee; Governance Committee, Chair
Truist Bank; Hampton Roads Regional Advisory Board
Norfolk Academy; Board of Trustees, 2011- Present; President, Board of Trustees, 2011-2014
Priority Toyota Charity Bowl; Board of Directors
LifeNet Chairman’s Cup; Executive Committee
Hampton Roads Economic Vision; Member

Education

College of William & Mary; B.B.A., 1978
University of Virginia School of Law; J.D., 1981
TerraLex Harvard Law School Executive Leadership Program; 2018

William R. Van Buren III