Charles R. Kabugo-Musoke

Charles Kabugo-Musoke is the co-founder and head of the Sponsor Finance practice at Smith Anderson. His practice focuses on sponsor, venture and conventional finance, corporate and syndicated finance, banking and regulatory matters, mergers and acquisitions and complex commercial transactions. Charles has extensive experience with corporate and finance transactions involving public and private companies, including syndicated and commercial loans, venture debt and technology finance, middle-market sponsor and search fund lending, fund financing, senior and subordinated debt offerings, mezzanine finance and other debt and equity investments.

In addition, Charles has experience representing banks and other financial institutions in connection with regulatory matters before the Federal Reserve, FDIC, OCC, N.C. Office of the Commissioner of Banks and other regulatory agencies.

Charles also enjoys spending time with his wife and two children and trail running with his Vizslas.

Recognition

• Chambers USA: America's Leading Business Lawyers, Banking & Finance (2022-2024)
• The Best Lawyers in America®, Banking and Finance Law (2025)
• Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch^® in America
  
  • Banking and Finance Law (2021-2024)
  • Mergers and Acquisitions Law (2021-2024)
• North Carolina Super Lawyers Rising Stars (2018-2024)
• The National Black Lawyers, Top 100 Black Lawyers in NC (2020)
• Editor in Chief, North Carolina Banking Institute Journal

Education

• University of North Carolina, J.D., 2012
• University of North Carolina, B.A., 2009

Bar & Court Admissions

• Transitions LifeCare (founded as Hospice of Wake County in 1979)
  • Treasurer, Board of Directors, 2019-2023
  • Member, Board of Directors, 2018-2023
• Hospice of Wake County Foundation
  • Board of Trustees, 2023-Present
• UNC School of Law Center for Banking and Finance
  • Member, Board of Advisors, 2011-2013, 2023-Present
• Rotary Club of Raleigh
  • Member, 2018-2020
• Wake County Bar Association
• Smith Anderson
  • Recruiting Committee, 2020-Present
  • Associate Committee, 2015-2019
• Raleigh Chamber, Leadership Raleigh, Class 41

Debt Finance

• Represented financial institutions in connection with various lending matters, including credit facilities, commercial lending, mezzanine financing, bond transactions, letters of credit and commercial real estate.
• Extensive experience representing banks and non-bank lenders providing growth capital to lower-middle market and middle market sized businesses nationwide, as well as with sponsor and search fund lending.
• Represented multiple publicly traded business development companies in connection with various debt and equity investments.
• Represented SBICs and BDCs.
• Represented a senior lender in connection with a $30 million financing for the acquisition of a company specializing in senior living communities.
• Represented a senior lender in connection with a $35.2 million financing for the acquisition of a company specializing in auto repair services.
• Advised a bank in a lower middle market financing supporting a sponsor-backed acquisition of a short haul freight.
• Advised a bank in a lower middle market financing of a search fund’s acquisition of a provider of healthcare analytics solutions.
• Represented a wholesale sporting goods distribution company in its $165 million cross-border senior secured credit facility.
• Represented a global biopharmaceutical services company in $2.225 billion senior secured revolving and term loan credit facilities, and subsequent $250 million term loan and revolving credit facility add-on transaction and repricing amendments.
• Advised a leading global information provider in its worldwide corporate and financing restructuring.
• Represented a global provider of biopharmaceutical development services and commercial outsourcing services in connection with a $275 million accounts receivable securitization program.
• Represented derivatives markets participants in connection with formulating their regulatory compliance efforts under the Dodd-Frank Act. 

Financial Institutions

• Represented banking clients in connection with regulatory matters related to capital transactions, merger transactions, joint ventures and other matters before the Federal Reserve, FDIC, OCC, N.C. Office of the Commissioner of Banks and other regulatory agencies.
• Represented a Nasdaq-listed bank holding company in a public offering of subordinated notes for aggregate proceeds of $350 million.
• Represented a Nasdaq-listed bank holding company in a public offering of depositary shares representing interests in preferred stock for aggregate proceeds of $345 million.
• Represented a North Carolina bank in connection with various investments in senior and subordinated note offerings by other financial institutions.
• Represented a provider of crowdfunding services in connection with various mortgage-lending activities.

Mergers and Acquisitions

• Represented a Nasdaq-listed bank holding company in its acquisition of an NYSE-listed bank holding company for shares valued at approximately $5.3 billion.
• Represented a North Carolina bank and its parent on an approximately $220 million merger with another bank, which offered a higher price than the bank’s existing merger agreement with another company.

• Advised the majority owner of a leading provider of retail staffing services in a definitive agreement to sell his interest to the company in a management buyout.

• Advised a private equity fund on the acquisition, equity and debt financing of a reference laboratory.

• Advised a building supply company in the acquisition of a majority of the outstanding membership interests of a siding, roofing and decking installation company.
• Advised a specialty pharmaceutical company in its acquisition of a private pharmaceutical company focusing on pediatric medications.
• Represented a major regional distributor of industrial gases in a strategic merger of equals of two similarly situated businesses.
• Represented a global provider of biopharmaceutical development services and commercial outsourcing services in its $1.1 billion initial public offering and listing on the New York Stock Exchange.
• Advised a global supplier of chemical and slurry delivery equipment in an agreement to sell all of its issued and outstanding common stock to a process and mechanical contractor.
• Advised a publicly traded health information technologies and clinical research company in its acquisition of a consulting business focusing on orphan drug designations.