Andrew R. Cardonick

You often hear about small-town values from big-city attorneys in commercials, but Jim McPhedran, who grew up on a farm outside Oglesby, took his small-town values to Chicago and brought back his law degree to help the people of the Illinois Valley. He remains as committed to his community today as he was as a new lawyer over three decades ago. "I learned a long time ago that you treat all clients the same," said Jim McPhedran. "Each deserves the same level of respect, consideration, and hard...

Karl Barnickol takes pride in providing practical litigation advice tailored to meet client-specific goals and counseling clients on best practices for business growth and litigation avoidance. His litigation practice focuses on defending complex mass tort and class action cases, including products and publisher liability matters, securities fraud and shareholder derivative litigation, and price-fixing and unfair competition claims. In particular, Karl has significant experience representing ...

A trusted adviser with over a decade of experience, Terese Connolly counsels and represents multinational corporations in navigating the wide range of domestic and international labor and employment related issues that arise when managing a global workforce. Terese advises and counsels multinational companies; conducts enterprise risk assessments, compliance audits and internal investigations; and provides training for management and employees on employment law, leave laws, anti-discriminatio...

David Zwaska is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law and Family Law Mediation. David, who practices law in Chicago, Illinois, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which David is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Ashley Margason is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law. Ashley, who practices law in Chicago, Illinois, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Ashley is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Kristen Laughridge Gale is a partner in the environmental law firm of Nijman•Franzetti LLP, in Chicago. She has broad experience in litigation and enforcement-related issues, including private cost recovery, the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, RCRA, underground storage tanks, CERCLA, and the Illinois Environmental Protection Act. Ms. Gale has successfully represented clients in regulatory disputes and negotiations with both state and federal agencies, including defending enforcement acti...

Amy M. Gordon is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law. Amy M., who practices law in Chicago, Illinois, has been recognized since 2022. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Amy M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Richard “Rush” Howell is a litigation partner in Kirkland’s Chicago office. Recognized as a trial lawyer companies call when the issues are too important not to fight, Rush has significant experience serving as trial counsel for companies in high-profile restructuring and product liability cases and representing private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies in a wide array of business disputes. His practice spans commercial litigation, restructuring, data security an...

Michael Jacobson represents issuers, lenders and investors in a wide variety of commercial finance matters. He regularly assists them with senior, first-lien, second-lien, unitranche and mezzanine financings and structures. Michael frequently handles cash flow and asset-based transactions, leveraged buyouts and buildups, recapitalizations, restructurings and workouts. He has extensive experience negotiating the complex intercreditor arrangements these deals can require. He also routinely repr...

Ross O. Silverman is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation. Ross O., who practices law in Chicago, Illinois, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Ross O. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.