Elizabeth C. Curtin

Gary Gassman focuses his practice in the areas of insurance coverage counseling and litigation and is co-chair of the firm’s Professional Liability Practice Group. For more than 20 years, his practice has been concentrated on management liability including directors and officers and entity liability, employment practices liability, fiduciary liability, and various types of professional liability and commercial general liability coverage. He also has significant reinsurance experience. G...

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...

Janet Garetto is a partner in the IP group. Her practice spans the firm’s Trademarks & Copyrights, Patents and IP Litigation practice groups. Janet counsels clients on IP issues facing their brands. In addition, she counsels clients on patent protection and litigation prevention issues with a focus on chemical and mechanical technologies. Janet also serves as the Managing Partner of Nixon Peabody’s Chicago office. What do you focus on? I focus my practice on three main areas, ...

Andrew is a trial and appellate lawyer in the firm’s Litigation and Insurance Policyholder Practice Groups. Andrew has earned a reputation as a shrewd and versatile litigator capable of tackling the most vexing legal problems. Andrew has an active commercial litigation practice spanning multiple industries with experience successfully prosecuting and defending a wide variety of litigation and arbitration matters from inception through trial and appeals. Andrew’s dynamic skill set ...

Jim Murphy has 20+ years of experience practicing intellectual property law, including successfully representing clients as lead counsel in jury trials across the country and proceedings before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Jim helps clients secure and maximize the value of their intellectual property. He also counsels clients on all related issues such as licensing, unfair competition, trade secrets, and copyright. Jim also represents clients with intellectual property aspects of mer...

Wes is a partner in the Corporate & Securities practice group. He provides comprehensive legal services and advice to asset managers, proprietary trading firms, single-family offices, multifamily offices, and wealth management advisors. Wes counsels them on a wide range of transactional and regulatory issues, including corporate formation, structure and succession planning, operational and administrative matters, securities, futures, and derivatives matters, brokerage and derivatives docu...

Ziemowit T. Smulkowski is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Tax Law. Ziemowit T., 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 Ziemowit T. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

A recognized leader in public finance law, Janet Goelz Hoffman helps nonprofit organizations find a productive balance between their missions and their margins. With decades of experience, she regularly handles financings for nonprofit organizations including hospital systems, cultural and educational institutions, and continuing care retirement communities. Janet also advises nonprofit organizations on board governance and conflict of interest issues. Janet helps nonprofit clients address fi...

Everett S. Ward is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Real Estate Law. Everett S., 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 Everett S. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Michael, chair of the firm’s Intellectual Property practice group, provides strategic counsel to established enterprises and entrepreneurs concerning the development and protection of extensive global intellectual property portfolios. He represents clients from a wide range of industries, including consumer electronics, restaurants, retail housewares, beverage manufacturing, software, entertainment and a variety of technology-focused industries. Michael has served as lead counsel in tri...