What if the biggest thing holding women back from building generational wealth through M&A isn’t capital — but access to the right conversations, networks, and legal strategy?
In this episode of Excuse Me Sir, Lacey Madison sits down with Leslee Cohen, founder of All Rise Lawyers and one of the most experienced women in M&A and corporate law, to dismantle the myths, power dynamics, and quiet deal-killers that disproportionately affect women buyers and sellers.
From Wall Street boardrooms to lower middle market deals, Leslee has seen it all — and in this conversation, she breaks down:
why women are often less prepared for transactions (even when they’re more capable),
how legal strategy can either protect or destroy a deal, and
what women must start doing differently if they want real leverage, control, and continuity.
This is not a surface-level conversation about “confidence.”
This is a practical, tactical, and deeply honest walkthrough of the M&A process — from LOI to closing — through a female lens.
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by legal, intimidated by deal-making, or unsure how to protect yourself while still honouring relationships — this episode is required listening.
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ABOUT THE GUEST
Leslee Cohen is the founder and Managing Partner of AllRise Legal Counsel. AllRise concentrates its transactional practice in securities and startup law, corporate finance, technology law, mergers and acquisitions and general corporate law. It represents clients across many industries from consumer products to technology companies to healthcare businesses to real estate firms.
Leslee started her practice at a Wall Street firm in 1992, spent 13 years honing her skills at a large firm based in Chicago and left to form AllRise in 2010. AllRise was founded on Leslee’s desire to work with earlier stage and smaller businesses. Each of its attorneys is big firm trained and experienced.Leslee has been named by Illinois Super Lawyers as a Top 100 Lawyers in the State of Illinois and Top 50 Women Lawyers in the State of Illinois, corporate finance and securities, every year since 2010, a Leading Lawyer in mergers & acquisitions, securities and venture finance every year since 2007, the Advocate of the Year by the Small Business Advocacy Council in 2019, an Enterprising Woman of the Year by Enterprising Women Magazine in 2023 and an Entreprenista Top 100 in 2024. She is a member of the Board of Directors of the Small Business Advocacy Council, a co-founder of the Coalition of Women’s Initiatives in Law, a speaker and mentor for the Good Food Accelerator, the Hatchery, LegalPad, the Founders Institute and Workbox, and involved with the Chicago Job Creators Grant organization and GirlCon, which supports high school girls interested in careers in technology. Leslee received her B.A. from the University of Michigan and her J.D. from New York University School of Law.
📍 Learn more: www.allriselawyers.com🔗 Connect: LinkedIn
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KEY TAKEAWAYS
M&A is not transactional — it’s relational...But relationships do not replace legal protection.
Women are not risk-averse — they’re risk-aware...The problem is being socialised to prioritise harmony over leverage.
The LOI is where power is set....If you get this wrong, everything downstream becomes harder and more expensive.
Lawyers should support deals — not dominate them...The best outcomes happen when business owners stay actively involved.
Lifestyle buying limits generational outcomes...Scale, add-ons, and strategic thinking change the game.
