Cate advises businesses and individuals on a broad range of corporate and transactional legal needs. She routinely leads complex transactions, such as acquisitions, divestitures, mergers, equity investments, and commercial lending and borrowing arrangements.

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In addition to her transactional practice, Cate assists clients with their day-to-day legal needs, working directly with executive leadership to provide practical guidance on the legal issues that impact business success. She also counsels business owners along the various stages of a business life cycle from formation to succession planning, helping clients achieve their business and personal objectives.

Representative Experience

• Counsel to private equity client in its acquisition of a national retail eyecare business.
• Counsel to closely-held chemical distributor in a cross-border purchase and sale transaction requiring domestic and foreign regulatory approvals. Worked closely with the company and its financial and tax advisors with respect to an F-reorganization transaction structure.
• Counsel to specialty commercial cleaning products manufacturer with operations in the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe and Asia in a bid auction process resulting in its sale to a financial buyer. Worked with the company and its financial advisor to identify the winning bidder, successfully structuring the form of transaction, and then negotiating and closing the transaction. Led a team of lawyers with subject matter specialties in environmental, benefits, real estate and intellectual property law, as well as organizing and overseeing foreign counsel in several countries.
• Counsel to NASDAQ traded public company in connection with its acquisition of a private equity-owned equipment manufacturing company, including negotiation of a buyer-side representations and warranties insurance policy and a related bank financing facility. Oversaw legal teams providing counsel in local jurisdictions with respect to environmental and transfer tax matters.
• Counsel to family-owned manufactured housing developer with communities in 8 states in its acquisition by the nation’s second largest mobile home operator. Worked with local counsel in other states to secure regulatory approvals.
• Counsel to land trust in its merger with Connecticut’s largest land trust. Worked closely with the executive director and counseled the board of trustees.
• Counsel to regional financial institution in its extension of working capital financing to a performing arts organization.
• Counsel to independent nonprofit library with a 100+ year history in the transfer of assets to a municipality to preserve the legacy of the founding benefactors of the library. Worked closely with the executive committee in negotiating the terms of the transfer, and counseled the board of trustees throughout the process.

Practice Areas

• Business Services
• Finance & Lending
• International Law - TAGLaw

Admissions

• State of Connecticut
• U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut

Education

• University of Connecticut School of Law, J.D.
• Colby College, B.A. (cum laude)

Professional & Community Involvement

• Connecticut Bar Association, Business Law Section
• American Bar Association, Business Law Section
• Town of Hamden Civil Service Commission, Past Commissioner
• Mark Twain Museum & Memorial, Board of Trustees, Past Member
• AIDS Connecticut, Board of Directors, Past Member

Honors & Awards

• 2025 The Best Lawyers In America© 2025 Edition – Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses
• 2024 Connecticut Super Lawyers – Business and Corporate Law
• 2023 Connecticut Super Lawyers - Business and Corporate Law
• Women in the Law: High Achievers Yearbook, Connecticut Law Tribune (2010)
• “40 Under Forty” Inductee, Hartford Business Journal (2009)
• New England Super Lawyers Magazine® as a Connecticut Rising Star® for Corporate Law (2009)

Publications & Speaking Engagements

• “No More Fine Print: A Guide to Home Heating Oil Contracts,” Co-Author, Oil & Energy (August 2006)
• “Reconsidering Force Majeure Clauses in the Wake of Increased Acts of Terrorism,” Co-Author, Real Estate Bar Association for Massachusetts Newsletter (Fall 2004)
• “The Contract Law Aftermath of September 11:  Force Majeure and ‘MAC’ Clauses Re-examined,” United States Law Firm Group Newsletter (December, 18, 2001), The Connecticut Financial Tribune (September 2002), The Recorder (September 2002)
• “Back to Practice:  Relaunching Your Career After a Break – Strategies & Perspectives,” Connecticut Bar Institute (January 31, 2018)
• “Contracts 101” (2007-2009)
• Negotiation Skills seminar, Connecticut Bar Association (2008)

News

• Reid and Riege Represents Lincoln Road Advisors, Inc. in Acquisition of Nationwide Retail Eyecare Business
• Cathryn Reynolds Presents at Seminar: Back to Practice - Relaunching Your Career After a Break - Strategies and Perspectives
• Reid and Riege Announces Two Attorneys Have Joined the Firm