Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe Now
Senior Attorney
Krieg DeVault LLP
Travis Lovett likes closing deals, and “the bigger the deal, the better,” he said. “It’s kind of like winning a football game.” Day to day, Lovett drafts contracts and other deal documents to implement mergers and acquisitions, and he often oversees due-diligence matters. In the past year, he played an integral role on a team representing a client through a four-month negotiation process to successfully recapitalize its business through an investment by a private equity fund at an enterprise value greater than $140 million. Also this past year, he undertook the study of a new law, known as the Corporate Transparency Act, and became the firm’s primary go-to resource for all matters related to the CTA.
Getting here: Lovett started his legal career in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan, working with a solo practitioner who represented First Nation communities. He moved to Indiana and worked for the state as an attorney during the day and was an MBA student at night. He used his MBA program to transition from state government to the private sector at a law firm, practicing business law.
First job: construction, framing sheds and landscaping
Givebacks: Lovett is an enrolled member of the Echota Cherokee Tribe of Alabama, and he spent more than a decade competing in Native American powwows, earning the title of world champion in 2008. He now serves on the advisory board for the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art and helps plan its Indian Market and Festival. “I find joy and believe it is important to drive attendance … because it helps bring greater awareness to the community about the Eiteljorg Museum and all that it offers to the community about Indian art and Native American people.”
Lesson learned: “The biggest factor impacting my day-to-day success is a positive mindset. A good attitude goes a long way.”•
Check out more Forty Under 40 honorees.
Please enable JavaScript to view this content.