Gruenwald, Heiko

Heiko Gruenwald is a Partner in the Corporate and International Practices of Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP.

Full Bio

Mr. Gruenwald advises a variety of clients on corporate and transactional matters. He focuses his practice on European-American cross-border issues, including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, corporate governance, corporate structuring, and the preparation and negotiation of agreements related to these matters.

Mr. Gruenwald is Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Stiftung Mittagskinder, a charitable foundation in Hamburg, Germany, that supports socially and economically disadvantaged children in the foundation’s after-school facilities by teaching them how to lead their lives responsibly; providing access to books, music, theatre, sports, and nature; and offering several healthy meals per day. He is a member of the Board and Secretary of the Finnish American Chamber of Commerce of the Southeast, Inc.

Prior to joining SGR, Mr. Gruenwald spent a decade in various operational and marketing roles with companies ranging in size and maturity from Global Fortune 1000 to a start-up, and operating in industries as diverse as chemical manufacturing, consulting, and e-commerce. During that time, Mr. Gruenwald gained extensive experience working across geographies and cultures from North and South America to Europe and Southeast Asia. His business experience affords Mr. Gruenwald unique insight and often allows him to relate to his client’s business issues in addition to their legal ones.

Mr. Gruenwald holds law degrees from both the University of Passau in his native Germany and Emory University School of Law. In addition, he also earned his M.B.A. from Goizueta Business School-Emory University. Mr. Gruenwald is admitted to practice in the state of Georgia and Germany.
Representative Experience
- Represented Hicks Electric & Utility Company, Inc. (HESCO), a leading full line distributor of electrical, utility, and Datacom products, in its sale to Winsupply Inc., a leading supplier of residential and commercial construction industrial supplies and materials in the U.S.
- Represented Aptitude Health Holdings, LLC, a global healthcare company, in a merger transaction whereby Linden Capital Partners, a Chicago-based healthcare private equity firm acquired a majority interest in Aptitude Health.
- Represented Flip Electronics, LLC, an authorized specialty distributor of electronic components in its investment transaction with O2 Investment Partners, a Midwestern private equity firm.
- Represented WIKA Group, a leader in measurement technology and lean manufacturing, in its majority investment into Phase IV Engineering, an innovator in wireless sensor design.
- Represented Astra Group, Inc., a leading provider of general contracting and related construction services throughout the Southeast, in its sale to Equix, Inc., a provider of professional, technical and construction services across North America.
- Represented Tecum Equity Partners in its purchase of Pinnacle Cranes, a leading Link-Belt and Manitex dealer in North Carolina and South Carolina. In partnership with Western Allegheny Capital, LLC, Tecum Equity is a Pittsburgh, PA-based family office investment vehicle.
- Represented Luminex Corporation (NASDAQ: LMNX) in its $75 million acquisition of MilliporeSigma’s flow cytometry portfolio.
- Represented GigaMonster, one of the nation’s leading fiber-based broadband companies, in its merger with Fibersphere Communications, along with a $45 million investment with Post Road Group.
- Represented Trinity Healthcare Staffing Group in its acquisition by Travel Nurse Across America.
- Represented Bluvision, Inc. in its sale to HID Global Corporation.
- Represented Swiss yarn manufacturer in the sale of its U.S. subsidiary to a Korean buyer.
- Represented Scandinavian Tobacco Group A/S in its $62 million acquisition of online cigar retailer Thompson and Company of Tampa, Inc.
- Represented German client WST Präzisionstechnik GmbH, a leading supplier of precision turned parts for major OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers, in its acquisition of a controlling interest in California-based turned parts manufacturer GB CNC, LLC.
Bar Admissions

Georgia
Germany
Northern District of Georgia
DeKalb County Superior Court
Georgia Court of Appeals
Georgia Supreme Court
Education
Law School
- Emory University
- Universität Passau
Business School
- Emory University's Goizueta Business School
Languages

German
Memberships

Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Stiftung Mittagskinder
Board Member, Finnish American Chamber of Commerce of the Southeast, Inc.
Secretary, Finnish American Chamber of Commerce of the Southeast, Inc.
UIA – International Association of Lawyers
Recognitions

Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America, Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships); Mergers and Acquisitions Law (2024-2026); Corporate Law (2026)
Publications and Speaking Engagements

Authored Chapter, Der Amerikanische Traum, The American Dream, Redline Verlag, July 16^th, 2024

“The U.S. Perspective on ESG After the 2024 Election – Is ESG Facing Hard Times,” Hamburg Germany, Presenter, UIA – International Association of Lawyers, July 3^rd, 2025
SGR Publications
Press