Christopher S. "Chris" Comstock

Steve is a partner in the firm’s Litigation Department, where he represents clients in complex civil litigation matters before state and federal courts throughout the country. He has considerable experience with commercial disputes, constitutional challenges, statutory interpretation issues, and defamation and invasion of privacy suits. He is skilled at representing municipalities in cases involving so-called “locally undesirable land uses” such as airports, music amphitheat...

Phil Comella is a partner in Taft’s Environmental group. His practice spans both regulatory counseling and environmental-based litigation. With over three decades of experience in environmental law and a focus on the solid and hazardous waste industry, he regularly counsels owners and operators of landfills, treatment facilities, recycling operations, and waste generators on compliance, enforcement, and litigation matters arising under environmental laws.

Mr. Cramer counsels and represents employers on a wide variety of labor and employment-related legal matters. He has advised clients ranging from small non-profits to Fortune 500 companies on employment matters, negotiated cost-effective resolutions to troubling disputes, and litigated to victory. Based on peer surveys, Mr. Cramer has achieved Martindale-Hubbell’s highest peer review rating (AV), and has been named among the Best Lawyers in America, a Leading Lawyer and an Illinois Supe...

James M. Davis is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Insurance Law. James M., who practices law in Chicago, Illinois, has been recognized since 2013. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which James M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

E. Lynn Grayson is a partner in the environmental law firm of Nijman Franzetti LLP in Chicago. She is consistently recognized as a leading environmental lawyer by Chambers USA , The Best Lawyers in America , Who’s Who: Environment , Illinois Super Lawyers, and the Leading Lawyers Network . She is AV Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell’s highest peer recognition for ethical standards and legal ability. Ms. Grayson formerly was a partner and chair of the environmental practice gro...

Kevin Van Wart is a partner Kirkland's Chicago office, where he concentrates in complex litigation, including mass tort claims, class action lawsuits, product liability and pharmaceutical claims, and high stakes commercial disputes. Kevin has served as lead trial and appellate counsel in a wide variety of cases throughout the country and teaches trial advocacy at the University of Chicago Law School. The National Law Journal featured Kevin's successful trial work in naming Kirkland to its 200...

Sean M. Houlihan is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Aviation Law, Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs, Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs and Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs. Sean 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 Sean M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

John F. Kinney is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Antitrust. John F., who practices law in Chicago, Illinois, has been recognized since 2010. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which John F. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Dan McGuire concentrates his practice in the insolvency, bankruptcy, and business reorganization fields. He represents debtors, creditors' committees, private equity funds, banks, and other financial institutions and investors in all aspects of insolvency work, including Chapter 11 cases, out-of-court restructurings, debtor-in-possession (DIP) financing, structuring transactions involving insolvency issues, cross-border insolvencies, and the acquisition and divestiture of assets of bankrupt o...

David A. Herpe is a partner in the law firm of McDermott Will & Emery LLP, based in the Firm’s Chicago office. As a member of the Private Client Group, he counsels families, business owners, executives and individuals on all aspects of sophisticated estate and wealth transfer planning and related matters, including the preparation, administration and construction of wills and trusts, fiduciary income taxation, federal estate, gift and generation-skipping taxes, charitable gift planning, f...