America's Leading Lawyers for Business 2005: Banking & Finance
Chambers & Partners has compiled their independent and objective list of America's Leading Lawyers for Business based on comments gathered from thousands of interviews with clients and lawyers from Maine to Hawaii. This guide -- which is designed to reflect market opinion -- contains a view of the firms and attorneys who are considered leaders in their field.
In Chambers' 2005 review of national legal talent in the area of "Banking & Finance," our Firm and our lawyers are listed among the best in the country.
Chambers' comments:
Illinois Ranking: 3
The Firm: Universally acknowledged for an "excellent corporate practice," much of this legal juggernaut's reputation stems from "its untouchable position" representing borrowers in a wide array of matters including LBOs and refinancings. The significant experience of recent recruit Michael Wright from Sidley Austin's Chicago office is likely to boost the group's lender capability. Interviewees continue to wax lyrical about the dominance of the firm's private equity practice in Chicago, considered to "dwarf all other major firms for private equity sponsor work." Researchers learned of the group's great success with startup companies and clients in bankruptcy.
The Lawyers: At the forefront of the finance group is Andrew Kaufman, whose nominations for inclusion in the table derive from his "high intellect, substantive knowledge and long experience." Considered "a great borrowers' counsel," he has a broad practice, which comprises financing, secured transactions and general corporate work. For client Exide Technologies he carried out the pre-petition financing, debtor-in-possession financing and exit financing connected with its bankruptcy. He also undertook the senior bank financing work for Madison Dearborn Partners in the $3.7 billion acquisition of Boise Cascade's paper, forest products and timberland assets.
The Clients: GM; Dean Foods; Bank One; World Omni; Exide Technologies; Madison Dearborn Partners and NRG Energy.
Reprinted with permission from Chambers & Partners: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business 2005 - www.chambersandpartners.com.
