Michael W. Duffy

Nick wins cases for clients and helps them favorably resolve disputes, including complex partnership, corporate governance, finance, and deal disputes. As a first-chair trial lawyer who has tried more than 30 jury trials, bench trials, and arbitrations, when a rare business case goes to trial, other law firms and clients ask him to join or lead the trial team. Nick splits his time between Barack Ferrazzano’s Minneapolis and Chicago offices, although he regularly appears in courts across...

Brooke I. Golding has been exclusively practicing Family Law for more than 25 years. Ms. Golding has represented both spouses and children during the divorce process. Ms. Golding previously served as an approved member of the Cook County Domestic Relations Division’s List of Court Certified Mediators and as an approved member of the Child Representative List for both the Circuit Court of Cook County Domestic Relations Division and the 19th Judicial Circuit of Lake County Family Division...

Steve Napolitano is a corporate partner in the Chicago office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. Steve represents private equity funds, family offices and public and private corporations in connection with leveraged buyouts, mergers and acquisitions, going private transactions, growth equity financings, senior and mezzanine debt financings, joint ventures, recapitalizations and restructurings. He also has substantial experience representing private equity sponsors, corporations and senior managemen...

As a partner in Barack Ferrazzano’s Real Estate group, Julie has extensive experience in a wide variety of commercial real estate transactions, representing both sponsors and investors in all facets of commercial real estate. She is recognized as an industry leader in matters pertaining to real estate development. Julie regularly advises clients in some of the largest and most complex projects in the U.S., from the predevelopment stage through asset stabilization and disposition. She wo...

Mercedes Badia-Tavas provides legal and business guidance to clients on a broad range of immigration law cases, with focus on Fortune 500 and small companies alike. Mercedes supports her firm’s offices and clients across various states on immigration employment transfers and up-to-date compliance. As an immigrant herself, Mercedes finds particular fulfillment in helping companies and individuals immigrate to the United States and participate in the American dream through startups and bu...

John Hartmann is a partner in Kirkland & Ellis LLP’s litigation practice group, where he focuses on shareholder, professional liability and business litigation matters, as well as regulatory enforcement proceedings and corporate internal investigations. John has represented leading corporations, professional services firms, private investment firms, as well as their directors, officers and partners, in numerous securities class actions, shareholder derivative suits, disputes over co...

Steven Grimes is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Criminal Defense: White-Collar. Steven, who practices law in Chicago, Illinois, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Steven is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

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

Jim Hitzeman focuses his practice on estate and trust litigation, representing a wide range of clients, including corporate fiduciaries and charities. He has handled will and trust contests, construction actions, trust reformations, citations, actions involving contracts to make a will, accounting actions, and charitable cy pres and equitable deviation matters, in addition to a host of cases involving breach of fiduciary duty. Mr. Hitzeman has extensive experience dealing with family settleme...

Patrick A. Salvi concentrates his legal practice in cases concerning serious personal injury , medical malpractice , wrongful death , and mass torts . Mr. Salvi has achieved record-breaking jury verdicts and settlements on behalf of his clients throughout the state, including serving as lead counsel on a trial team that won an Illinois record-high $148 million jury verdict and a Lake County record $33 million jury verdict . In 1982, Mr. Salvi founded the law firm of Salvi, Schostok & Prit...