Michael J. "Mike" Abernathy

David Koropp is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation. David, who practices law in Chicago, Illinois, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which David is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Peter P. Knight is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law. Peter P., 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 Peter P. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

John has more than 40 years of experience advising hundreds of financial institutions and their boards on mergers and acquisitions, bank regulatory issues, corporate governance, and securities law matters. John is straight-forward, a good sounding board and strategic thinker, meticulous, and personable. John is the founder and former co-chair of Barack Ferrazzano’s Financial Institutions Group and has advised hundreds of financial institutions on strategic, corporate governance and othe...

With nearly 30 years of experience working with clients that include household brands and, in particular, mid-market businesses, John is able to remain calm and focused when encountering challenging environments. He helps clients to reduce stress in service of negotiating their desired resolution. Because copyright and trademark litigation is frequently used as a competitive tool, John works to ensure efficiency and preserve client resources throughout the litigation process, including elimin...

Stephen M. Fatum is a partner in the Chicago office of Barnes & Thornburg. He concentrates his practice in the Healthcare Department. Stephen's focus has been on legal and strategic matters affecting physicians, physician organizations and not-for-profit corporations. Stephen routinely negotiates employment agreements, stock transfer agreements, operating agreements and affiliation agreements. He also defends physicians subject to disciplinary proceedings.Stephen is the former general cou...

David J. Fischer is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law. David J., 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 David J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Ashley Fischer is a partner in the law firm of McDermott Will & Emery LLP. She is Partner-in-Charge of the Health Industry Advisory Practice Group in Chicago. She also co-chairs the firm’s Health Antitrust Affinity Group. Ashley represents healthcare providers on a wide range of corporate and regulatory matters, focusing on affiliations, collaborations, joint ventures, managed care contracting networks such as clinically-integrated networks (CINs) and accountable care organizations ...

Thomas P. Ward is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trusts and Estates. Thomas P., who practices law in Chicago, Illinois, has been recognized since 2027. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Thomas P. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Frank A. Sommario is a Partner at Romanucci & Blandin, LLC in Chicago, where he practices as a petitioner's workers' compensation lawyer. Frank was admitted to the Bar in Illinois (2000), Minnesota (2001), and District of Columbia (2001). He received his Juris Doctorate from DePaul University College of Law in 2000. He is a Certified Public Accountant (1998), who received his Bachelor’s degree in Commerce/Accounting from DePaul University in 1997. He became a Registered Investment A...

A firm founder, visionary leader, and skilled litigator, Paul Slater handles high-stakes antitrust cases for private and public enterprises, including Fortune 500 companies. He pioneered the opt-out practice, representing companies as individual plaintiffs in industry-wide multidistrict antitrust litigation. This practice enables clients to tailor their claims and maximize their recoveries outside of class action proceedings, which often fail to meet individual client needs. Mr. Slater repres...