CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (December 10, 2025) — FourBridges Capital Advisors, a leading lower middle market investment banking firm that helps business owners sell their companies, announced today that BAY Mediation and Arbitration Services (BAY) has been acquired by Veritext, a portfolio company of Leonard Green & Partners. FourBridges structured and negotiated the deal on behalf of BAY owners, Bill Allred and F. Scott Young.  

Founded in 2002 by the founders of the Atlanta law firm, Barrickman, Allred & Young, Atlanta-based BAY Mediation and Arbitration Services has earned a reputation for being Atlanta’s top alternate dispute resolution (ADR) firm. First known for fast-track mediations on smaller cases with an 85% client success rate, the firm also has a proven track record handling complex, multi-party disputes. Helmed by Bill Allred and F. Scott Young, the firm has expanded over the years to accommodate extensive growth and now engages around 50 mediators. 

Bill Allred’s son, Andrew Allred, Vice President at FourBridges Capital Advisors, helped negotiate the deal on behalf of his father and his father’s partner, F. Scott Young. “We love what we do and the people we work with, and we really had no thought of selling BAY,” said Bill Allred. “A number of companies reached out with an interest in acquiring us. Finally, when Veritext came along, Scott and I decided it would be good to know what we were worth in the marketplace.” 

“I asked my son and FourBridges to get involved to help us and to protect us through the process,” continued Bill Allred. “We saw they could help us protect our employees, keep doing right by those who call upon us to help them settle their disputes, and meaningfully improve the terms of the initial offer. From preserving the company’s legacy to driving up the sale price, FourBridges helped us tremendously and exceeded our expectations at every turn.”

“It was an honor that my dad and his partner trusted FourBridges to help steward BAY’s transition into this next chapter of growth after building the company for the last quarter century,” said Andrew Allred. “‘Large firm experience, business owner focus’ isn’t just something we say. We’re serious about helping all of our clients — family or not — meet their goals for a sale, from protecting their people to achieving the highest possible valuation.”

Owned by leading private equity investment firm Leonard Green & Partners, Veritext is the largest court reporting firm in the nation. The all-in-one legal solutions platform is a well-known leader in deposition and litigation support. Over the years, Veritext has completed more than 70 acquisitions of court reporting firms. As ADR services started gaining traction over litigation in the last several years, Vertiext turned its attention to firms like BAY in order to capitalize on the secular growth trends of the ADR services industry.

BAY is an ideal fit for Veritext and serves as a growth platform for the company’s ADR services in the Southeast. Veritext will continue to add mediators to BAY’s practice while supporting the firm’s existing personnel. The company’s extensive back office will support the growth of BAY’s local Atlanta operations. Bill Allred and F. Scott Young will continue to steward the firm, along with its employees and clients, and focus on driving growth moving forward.

The FourBridges deal team included Andrew Allred and John Kirkland. Legal counsel was provided by Chattanooga-based law firm Holland & Knight, led by Tyler Hand, and supported by Taylor Smith.

About BAY Mediation and Arbitration Services
Atlanta-based BAY Mediation and Arbitration Services is an alternative dispute resolution firm. Founded in 1998, the firm serves the ADR needs of attorneys throughout Georgia with high-quality mediation, arbitration and neutral case evaluation services. The company’s panel of neutrals is comprised of experienced litigators in various areas of expertise, including: Business & Commercial; Civil Rights/Section 1983; Construction; Divorce & Family; Employment & Labor; Environmental; Injuries & Accidents, Insurance & Coverage; Intellectual Property, Professional Malpractice; Real Estate & Condemnation; State, Local & Municipal Law; Will, Trusts & Probate; and Workers’​ Compensation.

About Veritext
Owned by private equity firm Leonard Green & Partners, Veritext is the leading provider of deposition and litigation support solutions for law firms and corporations across North America. With a proven track record of industry excellence, the company offers a wide range of services and technologies designed to streamline the legal process, from scheduling depositions to managing exhibits and transcripts.

About FourBridges
FourBridges Capital is a leading lower middle market investment banking firm that represents business owners who are thinking about selling their company, making an acquisition, or refinancing. The partners run a proven process to identify quality buyers, achieve the best value, ensure the right fit, and close the deal fast. For more information, visit fourbridgescapital.com.