Mayer Brown represents The Second City in its sale to ZMC

Mayer Brown represented The Second City, the world's premier brand in improvisation and sketch-based comedy entertainment and education, in its sale to ZMC, a leading private equity firm. ZMC plans to grow the brand and build an industry leader in diversity, equity and inclusion.

Founded in Chicago in 1959, The Second City is an iconic brand that has become the most influential and prolific comedy empire in the world. The company has expanded beyond the theatrical stage in Chicago, establishing a strong and growing presence in North America through dozens of partnerships, among thousands of students, and with hundreds of Fortune 1000 clients.

The Mayer Brown team was led Corporate & Securities partners Marc Harrison and Ameer Ahmad and included: Employment & Benefits – partners Ryan Liebl and Stephanie Vasconcellos, counsel Karen Grotberg and associate Hillary August (all Chicago); Financial Services Regulatory & Enforcement – partner Eric Mitzenmacher (DC); Intellectual Property – partner Richard Assmus, associate Nicholas Ronaldson and staff attorney William Siegel (all Chicago); Tax Transactions & Consulting – partner Jason Bazar and associate Stephanie Wood (both New York); Litigation & Dispute Resolution – counsel Kim Leffert and Maritoni Kane; Corporate & Securities – associates Maya Rahwanji, John Donovan and Joshua Cohen (all Chicago); and Real Estate Markets – associate Ryan Lifland (Charlotte).