Brendan J. Hammer

Timothy Ray is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation. Timothy, who practices law in Chicago, Illinois, has been recognized since 2018. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Timothy is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Patty advises employers, fund sponsors and investors on compliance with the legal rules that regulate benefit plans and funds in which benefit plans invest. Patty advises employers on the full spectrum of employee benefit matters, with a particular focus on the design, implementation and administration of broad-based pension and retirement plans, health and other welfare benefit plans, and executive compensation programs. She has extensive experience in assisting employers with unionized and ...

Bobbi J. Bierhals has built her practice by developing creative and customized solutions for her clients. Her experience centers on tax and business planning for high-net-worth individuals and families. Her clients range from executives and first-generation entrepreneurs to multi-generational families, with net worth from $40 million to many billions of dollars, and include a number of individuals listed in the Forbes 400. Bobbi’s breadth of experience across a wide range of client prof...

Scott Alsterda concentrates his practice on counseling and litigation in pursuit of his clients’ business interests and opportunities in financially troubled situations. He also serves as a Chapter 7 trustee in commercial and consumer bankruptcy cases. What do you focus on? I focus my practice on a variety of issues including enforcement of contract rights, pursuit of claims and remedies against third parties, defense of claims against my clients and the pursuit of business interests an...

Chicago trial attorney Brian LaCien is a founding partner of Smith LaCien LLP. He has a broad range of experience in the areas of medical malpractice, professional negligence, wrongful death, class actions, trucking litigation, product liability, aviation negligence, civil rights violations and premises liability. LaCien and Todd A. Smith, also a founding partner, have a long track record of achieving exceptional results for clients, with more than $2 billion in verdicts and settlements and o...

Lance Zinman, global chair of Katten's Financial Markets and Funds practice, provides comprehensive legal services to asset managers, proprietary trading firms and other participants in the financial markets in need of a single advisor to assist with all aspects of their business. His unique skill set combines a deep understanding of corporate, regulatory, intellectual property and tax law with broad knowledge of the securities and derivatives markets. Using his extensive experience with thes...

Peter S. Coorlas is a senior associate of the Chicago law firm Peck Ritchey, LLC . Peter was an Assistant State’s Attorney for Cook County for 30 years, serving in the Special Litigation and Municipal Litigation Sections of the Civil Actions Bureau. Although Peter served in various areas while at the State’s Attorneys Office, he has primarily represented the interests of Cook County in probate matters, spending much of his time on contested litigation, including will contests, con...

Clients engaged in complex commercial real estate and corporate finance transactions count on LaVon M. Johns’ experience, insight, and commitment to help them anticipate issues, address challenges, and, ultimately, get to “yes.” A consummate dealmaker who balances business savvy and legal know-how with outstanding communication skills and a deep commitment to building long-term client relationships, LaVon focuses her practice on complex commercial real estate and finance mat...

Craig Liljestrand is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants. Craig, 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 Craig is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

John S. Mrowiec is a founding partner in the firm of Conway & Mrowiec. Mr. Mrowiec represents project participants in arbitration, litigation, mediation, contract drafting and claim preparation. He has tried, arbitrated or mediated several complex cases throughout the United States, most recently, successfully represented a general contractor to recover a seven-figure claim on an urban school project in a multi-week arbitration against a earth retention subcontractor involving the cause o...