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January 24, 2026
Sidley Deal Honored at D CEO Mergers & Acquisitions Awards

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AI-made summary
- Avantax’s US$1.2 billion take-private sale to Cetera was awarded “Deal of the Year” in the $1 Billion + category at D CEO’s Mergers & Acquisitions Awards 2024
- Sidley represented Avantax, Inc
- in its acquisition by Aretec Group, Inc., d/b/a Cetera Holdings
- Avantax shareholders received US$26.00 per share in cash
- The transaction closed in November 2023
- Sidley partner Bill Howell was also a finalist for “Attorney of the Year.”
Avantax’s US$1.2 billion take-private sale to Cetera won “Deal of the Year” in the $1 Billion + category at D CEO’s Mergers & Acquisitions Awards 2024. Sidley represented Avantax, Inc. (NASDAQ:AVTA), a leader in tax-focused financial planning and wealth management, in its acquisition by Aretec Group, Inc., d/b/a Cetera Holdings, the holding company of Cetera, a financial adviser Wealth Hub. Under the terms of the agreement, holders of Avantax common stock received US$26.00 in cash per share, without interest and subject to required withholding taxes. The all-cash transaction closed in November 2023. The Sidley deal team was led by M&A partners Beth E. Berg and Scott R. Williams.
Additionally, Bill Howell, a partner in Sidley’s Dallas office, was a finalist for “Attorney of the Year” at D CEO’s Mergers & Acquisitions Awards 2024. The annual Mergers & Acquisitions Awards, now in their 11th year, honor the “top acquisitions, dispositions, and other financial transactions in North Texas in 2023 - and the dealmakers who made them happen.”~~Avantax’s US$1.2 billion take-private sale to Cetera won “Deal of the Year” in the $1 Billion + category at D CEO’s Mergers & Acquisitions Awards 2024. Sidley represented Avantax, Inc. (NASDAQ:AVTA), a leader in tax-focused financial planning and wealth management, in its acquisition by Aretec Group, Inc., d/b/a Cetera Holdings, the holding company of Cetera, a financial adviser Wealth Hub. Under the terms of the agreement, holders of Avantax common stock received US$26.00 in cash per share, without interest and subject to required withholding taxes. The all-cash transaction closed in November 2023. The Sidley deal team was led by M&A partners Beth E. Berg and Scott R. Williams.
Additionally, Bill Howell, a partner in Sidley’s Dallas office, was a finalist for “Attorney of the Year” at D CEO’s Mergers & Acquisitions Awards 2024. The annual Mergers & Acquisitions Awards, now in their 11th year, honor the “top acquisitions, dispositions, and other financial transactions in North Texas in 2023 - and the dealmakers who made them happen.”
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