Practice Areas
Industries
Education
- Boston College Law School, J.D., 2012, magna cum laude
- University of Chicago, B.A., 2009, with honors
Bar & Court Admissions
Judicial Clerkships
- Hon. Roslynn R. Mauskopf . U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, 2012-2013
Frank is a partner in the Vorys Columbus office and a member of the corporate and business organizations group.
Frank’s practice focuses on advising large privately owned companies in sophisticated merger & acquisition, joint venture, private equity and venture capital transactions. Frank also serves as outside general counsel to privately owned businesses, counsels clients in general business and contract matters, and represents public companies in public-private M&A, joint ventures and other general matters.
Frank represents large privately held companies, private equity firms and their portfolio companies, family offices, startup companies and entrepreneurs in numerous industries including esports, specialty manufacturing, technology and fintech, retail and consumer brands, industrial services and others.
Frank is an active legal voice in the esports industry and the leader of the Vorys esports and gaming practice group. Frank works with esports businesses, teams, corporate partners and sponsors and others in the esports and gaming industries. Contact Frank for more information about the legal services Vorys can provide to esports and gaming companies and sponsors.
Frank received his J.D. magna cum laude from Boston College Law School, where he was an editor for the Boston College Law Review, a member of the National Moot Court team and a member of the student government. Frank earned his B.A. with honors from the University of Chicago and attended St. Charles Preparatory high school. Prior to joining Vorys, Frank served as a law clerk to the Honorable Roslynn R. Mauskopf in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, and a summer associate lawyer at Ropes & Gray LLP in Boston.
Frank is an active member of the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral and supports the fundraising efforts of the Community Shelter Board, North Market Development Authority and Columbus Museum of Art.
Notable experiences include:
Strategic and Financial M&A and Joint Ventures
- Representing Hollister Co., a division of Abercrombie and Fitch Co., in the launch of Social Tourist (a joint venture with Charli and Dixie D’Amelio)
- Representing Bob Evans Farms, Inc. in the acquisition of Pineland Farms Potato Company, Inc.
- Representing M/I Homes, Inc. in an acquisition in Detroit, Michigan
- Representing Tailored Brands, Inc., and its subsidiary, The Men's Wearhouse, Inc., in the sale of its corporate apparel business to a group led by the existing U.K. corporate apparel executive team
- Representing Safelite Group, Inc. in its acquisition of numerous regional vehicle glass repair and replacement companies located across the United States
- Representing R.G. Barry Corporation in its over $200 million sale to Mill Road Capital
- Representing a UK-based public company and its US subsidiaries in numerous U.S. acquisitions, commercial finance transactions and general business and corporate governance matters
- Representing a New York-based private equity fund in numerous portfolio company acquisitions across the country in a number of industries
- Representing CBC Companies, Inc. in its acquisition of Kroll Factual Data, Inc.
- Representing a marine engine manufacturer in a $30 million sale transaction
- Representing Thirty-One Gifts, LLC in its acquisition of Rendi LLC
Emerging Companies and Venture Capital
- Representing American Nitrile, an Ohio-based manufacturer of nitrile gloves, in connection with a $105 million investment from Orion Infrastructure Capital
- Representing a technology startup in the travel industry in a $9 million Series A investment round and $11 million Series B investment round, equity compensation matters, and in negotiating commercial agreements with various strategic partners
- Representing a Midwest-based fintech startup in general commercial and securities law matters
- Advising an entrepreneurial company in the specialty food products industry in connection with a capital restructuring and two multi-million-dollar equity investments by a private equity fund
- Advising a legal technology startup in general business formation and startup matters, the structuring and implementation of equity incentive plans and in preparation for seeking debt and equity financing
Esports and Gaming
- Advising a multi-channel gaming and esports business in negotiating joint ventures with educational institutions, real estate developers and others to open and operate retail esports/gaming venues
- Serving as local counsel to a prominent international esports brand in connection with employment, real estate and other matters
- Advising several esports startup companies with respect to entity formation, capital raising and other business matters
Professional and Community Activities
- The Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral, Member and Cantor
- Community Shelter Board, Under One Roof Event Committee Member
- Columbus Museum of Art, Wonderball Planning Committee Member
- Association for Corporate Growth, Young ACG Board Member
Honors & Awards
- Ohio Super Lawyers Rising Stars, Corporate, 2022
News
- 3/9/2022Vorys recently served as legal counsel to American Nitrile as they secured a strategic partnership with Orion Infrastructure Capital.
- 1/4/2022Vorys is pleased to announce that 42 attorneys from the firm have been named either 2022 Ohio Super Lawyers or Rising Stars.
- 1/5/2021Vorys is pleased to announce that Leslie A. Allen, James T. Barnish, Jessica Knopp Cunning, Suzanne R. Galyardt, Liana R. Hollingsworth, Joel M. Lund, Gabriel A. Moyer, Matthew J. Porter and Frank C. Zonars became partners of the law firm on January 1, 2021.
- 12/17/2020Vorys is pleased to announce that 31 attorneys from the firm have been named 2021 Ohio Super Lawyers and Rising Stars.
- 11/14/2018Vorys recently advised Air Transport Services Group (ATSG) connection with its acquisition of Omni Air International, a Tulsa-based services carrier.
- 6/5/2017Vorys recently advised Worthington Industries, Inc. in connection with its acquisition of Amtrol, a leading manufacturer of pressure cylinders and water system tanks
- 9/5/2014Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP recently advised R.G. Barry Corporation in its sale to MRGB Hold Co., an affiliate of Mill Road Capital.
- 8/11/2014Vorys recently advised Insight Bank on its sale to First Financial Bancorp, the parent holding company of First Financial Bank, National Association.
Events
- 2/25/2021Vorys attorney Frank Zonars was a speaker at the 2021 Esports Investment Summit Presented by Inven Global.
- 7/1/2020On July 1, 2020, Vorys attorney Frank Zonars a panelist at the Inven Global Esports Conference.
Insights
- 8/6/2015On July 22, 2015, the United States Department of Defense issued a final rule implementing the Military Lending Act (the MLA), a federal law that provides various protections to active-duty service members in consumer credit transactions. The MLA imposes various restrictions and disclosure requirements on a creditor who extends consumer credit to active-duty service members, their spouses and their dependents.
- 7/30/2015In mid-2000, the SEC adopted Regulation FD to protect investors by creating a level playing field for all investors for access to material, nonpublic information. The SEC’s primary concern was that selective disclosure, and the perception of selective disclosure to analysts and institutional investors, of material, nonpublic information, leads to a loss of investor confidence in the integrity and fairness of the securities markets.
- 7/30/2015On June 9, 2015, the Federal Reserve, OCC and FDIC (as well as the SEC, CFPB and NCUA) issued a final interagency joint policy statement (JPS) establishing standards for assessing the diversity policies and practices of the entities they regulate.
- 7/30/2015Imagine the following scenario: your bank has just announced an agreement to be acquired by a larger institution that is entering your market for the first time. Two months into the process your CEO, CFO and chief lender tell the board that they have decided to accept offers from local competitors because (a) they will make more money, (b) they have a built-in customer following and (c) despite good relations with the buyer they are uncertain as to their future and have families to consider.
- 7/30/2015As the M&A environment heats up and industry chatter increases, banks and their boards need to be prepared to take advantage of strategic opportunities. Boards should have an M&A strategy in place and this preparation needs to take place before the situation arises.
- 5/5/2015On April 29, 2015, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) proposed rules to implement Section 953(a) of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which directs the SEC to require additional “pay-versus-performance” disclosure in any proxy information statements in which executive compensation disclosure is required pursuant to Item 402 of Regulation S-K.
- 4/3/2015On March 25, 2015, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) adopted amendments to Regulation A, which provides an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 (Securities Act) for smaller securities offerings by private (non-SEC reporting) companies.