Marjorie R. Kennedy

Mark E. Schmidtke represents clients in ERISA and Non-ERISA employee benefits matters in state and federal courts throughout the United States for nearly 30 years. He has been lead or co-lead counsel in ERISA litigation matters pending in the courts of 49 states. He has argued appeals in the United States Courts of Appeals for the Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, Ninth, Tenth, and Eleventh Circuits, as well as the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, the Minnesota Suprem...

Christopher Butler is a nationally recognized corporate partner who concentrates his practice in the area of debt financing transactions with an emphasis on acquisitions and highly leveraged financings. He represents private equity groups, private and public companies and lending institutions across a broad spectrum of industries. He also represents debtors in loan workouts and restructurings, including debtor-in-possession and exit financings. The transactions that Chris has led include majo...

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

For more than two decades, private debt providers and banks have turned to Derek Ladgenski to advise on their most complicated and challenging debt financing deals. Derek helps his clients close complex financings quickly and efficiently, without surprises or delays, and builds their relationships and market presence along the way. Derek counsels lead arrangers, administrative agents and lenders on cash-flow acquisition and recapitalization financings, "take private" transactions and debt fin...

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...

Mr. Leavitt is a Founding Partner with Grund & Leavitt. He has litigated a number of high profile trials and appeals in both federal and state courts.Before becoming a partner in the firm, he served as a judge in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois and as a justice on the Illinois Appellate Court. This followed 20 years in a successful private practice. The Chicago Bar Association remarked when evaluating him that "he enjoys impeccable credentials" and the Chicago Council of Lawyer...

Sanford E. Perl (Sandy) concentrates on the corporate, securities and tax aspects of complex business transactions, including leveraged buy-outs of public and private companies; strategic mergers, acquisitions, investments and joint ventures; venture capital and growth equity investments; divestitures; initial public offerings; private equity fund formations; executive compensation; and debt and equity restructurings and workouts. He manages transactions in a wide variety of industries, inclu...

Neil T. Kawashima has a diverse practice, representing wealthy individuals and families on matters related to estate and gift planning, business succession and governance, and estate and trust administration. Neil’s clients include owners of privately-held businesses, beneficiaries of long-term trusts, fiduciaries and entrepreneurs. Neil has advised his clients regarding traditional and novel uses of trusts, wealth transfer strategies, business control mechanisms such as voting trusts a...

Richard K. Johnson is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Workers' Compensation Law - Claimants. Richard K., who practices law in Chicago, Illinois, has been recognized since 2009. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Richard K. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Stephanie S. McCann focuses her practice on corporate finance. She represents private equity groups, commercial lending institutions and major public and private companies in connection with the structuring, negotiation and documentation of domestic and international secured and unsecured financing transactions, including senior, mezzanine and subordinated debt transactions, acquisition financings, recapitalizations, loan workouts and restructurings. Stephanie is the chair of the Firm’s...