Christopher J. "Chris" Bannon

Matthew counsels clients on invention harvesting, patent and trademark portfolio management, intellectual property acquisition, domestic and international patent and trademark prosecution, and intellectual property transactions. He has prepared and prosecuted more than 750 patent applications and appeals on behalf of clients, primarily in the mechanical, electrical, electromechanical and software arts. Additionally, Matthew conducts IP asset management for his clients, having extensive experi...

John Ratnaswamy founded his own law firm after having served as a co-founder and Partner at a nationally recognized energy boutique law firm. John has spent more than two decades counseling and representing electric and natural gas industry clients, including before utility commissions and on appeal. John has been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© from 2010-2024 and was named its 2014 Chicago “Lawyer of the Year” in the field of Energy Law. John also has ...

Sonya counsels companies and organizations on various employee-related legal issues and needs that arise at all the stages of the employment relationship, including the negotiation of employment agreements, restrictive covenants, policies and training, performance management, internal investigations and individual and group separations. Sonya also represents employers in litigation, her experience including the successful defense of numerous administrative charges, lawsuits and appellate proc...

Mr. Sevin concentrates his practice exclusively in the area of family law, representing parties in the litigation and resolution of sophisticated matrimonial and family related matters. He counsels clients on a wide range of divorce-related issues including custody disputes, analysis of complex financial matters, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, and the disposition of marital and non-marital assets. Mr. Sevin’s peers and colleagues have recognized him as a leading advocate for his...

Timothy R. Farrell is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation. Timothy R., 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 Timothy R. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

J. Timothy Eaton is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice and Commercial Litigation. J. Timothy, who practices law in Chicago, Illinois, has been recognized since 2007. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which J. Timothy is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

John G. Caruso is a partner in the Real Estate Group in the Chicago office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. John represents and counsels clients in a broad range of commercial real estate transactions, including financings/commercial lending, acquisitions, dispositions, synthetic lease and sale-leaseback transactions, commercial leases, rights-of-way and easement agreements and portfolio acquisitions and dispositions. John actively represents clients in structuring joint ventures for the acquisit...

Eric S. Rein is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law and Commercial Litigation. Eric S., who practices law in Chicago, Illinois, has been recognized since 2020. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Eric S. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Don brings to the table more than 30 years of experience advising companies and executives on best practices in executive and board compensation. Working within the framework of tax, accounting, SEC reporting, and bank regulatory issues, Don helps guide his clients on how best to recruit, incentivize, and retain top talent as well as advise individual executives in their transition into and out of C-Suite positions. Don is a partner in Barack Ferrazzano’s Compensation & Benefits Gro...

Steve Patton is of counsel to the Litigation group in the Chicago office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. Steve has extensive experience trying cases and arguing appeals in federal and state courts throughout the country in a wide variety of commercial disputes. He has also served as an advisor to senior management in a number of “bet the company” exposures and negotiated several multibillion settlements in complex disputes. Steve is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers a...