John J. Castaneda

Matthew J. Fischer is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants. Matthew J., who practices law in Chicago, Illinois, has been recognized since 2012. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Matthew J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Head of the Securities practice group, Mark Wood is a highly skilled, pragmatic and client-focused practitioner with extensive experience representing public companies and investment banks in a wide variety of ongoing and transactional matters. These include IPOs and other public offerings of equity and debt securities, as well as mergers, acquisitions and other strategic transactions. Mark is also a leading advisor to institutional investors in highly structured private investment in public ...

Brian Richards is Chair of the Firm’s Global Private Equity Practice and is a partner in the Private Equity and M&A practices at Paul Hastings. Brian has 30 years of experience leading complex domestic and international transactions, including leveraged buyouts, mergers and acquisitions, and growth equity investments in a wide variety of industries, including healthcare, manufacturing, technology, distribution, and services. The volume and breadth of Brian’s experience is rela...

Mark Filip, a former federal judge and high-ranking Justice Department official, helps to lead Kirkland’s government enforcement defense and internal investigations group, and serves as a member of the Firm’s Executive Committee. As a partner in the Firm’s Chicago and Washington, D.C. offices, Mark has successfully guided numerous Fortune 100 companies and financial institutions through complex mission-critical moments, counseling leaders and Boards of Directors on high-stak...

Jared Staver is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs. Jared, 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 Jared is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Jill B. Berkeley formerly chaired the firm’s Insurance Policyholder practice group and remains an active member of the group. She represents policyholders and claimants in insurance coverage disputes involving toxic torts and hazardous wastes, environmental pollution, construction, products liability, intellectual property, first-party property, business interruption and excess liability matters. In addition to her robust litigation practice, Jill provides counsel on clients’ deve...

Jennifer L. Colvin is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Jennifer L., 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 Jennifer L. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Jean Gallo Wine is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Construction Law. Jean Gallo, 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 Jean Gallo is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Jeffrey J. Bakker provides strategic counsel to clients nationwide concerning every executive compensation and employee benefit matter that affects their businesses, including designing and preparing deferred compensation and equity compensation plans, maintaining ERISA and tax compliance for all qualified and nonqualified retirement plans (defined contribution, defined benefit and cash balance plans) and representing clients in Department of Labor benefits plan audits. Jeff regularly advises...

Neil's practice is focused on both domestic and international transactions, including outsourcing (business process and information technology), software development, software, data, trademark, patent and technology licensing, telecommunications, commercial agreements (supply, distribution, development), joint ventures, and strategic alliances. In addition, Neil advises clients on the intellectual property and technology issues that arise in mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, recapitalizati...