Raymond J. "Ray" Melton

Seth is a partner in the firm’s Corporate & Securities practice group. Seth focuses his practice on representing large and middle market private equity and venture funds and privately and publicly owned companies in a wide variety of domestic and cross-border complex business transactions. These include mergers & acquisitions, divestitures, leveraged buyouts, venture capital investments, carve-out transactions, joint ventures, start-up financing, growth capital investments and c...

John O’Neil’s legal knowledge, business savvy, and leadership of complex transactions have earned him a reputation as a global leader in private equity fund matters. John heads the Investment Funds Practice Group, the Firm’s leading-edge global platform that provides innovative and bespoke legal strategies to sponsors and funds of all kinds. John is also a member of the Firm's Executive Committee. John has been recognized by Chamber’s Global, Chambers USA, IFLR 1000, L...

Patty advises employers, fund sponsors and investors on compliance with the legal rules that regulate benefit plans and funds in which benefit plans invest. Patty advises employers on the full spectrum of employee benefit matters, with a particular focus on the design, implementation and administration of broad-based pension and retirement plans, health and other welfare benefit plans, and executive compensation programs. She has extensive experience in assisting employers with unionized and ...

John G. Caruso is a partner in the Real Estate Group in the Chicago office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. John represents and counsels clients in a broad range of commercial real estate transactions, including financings/commercial lending, acquisitions, dispositions, synthetic lease and sale-leaseback transactions, commercial leases, rights-of-way and easement agreements and portfolio acquisitions and dispositions. John actively represents clients in structuring joint ventures for the acquisit...

Matthew M. Murphy is a partner in the Financial Restructuring group, a member of the Special Situations Group, and the chair of the Chicago Office. He advises a variety of clients in complex business reorganizations, debt restructurings, and troubled company M&A. Mr. Murphy has counseled clients up and down the capital structure through out-of-court and Chapter 11 restructuring initiatives, the purchase of or investment in distressed companies, and post-petition lending.

Elise J. McGee advises high-net-worth individuals and business owners on all aspects of wealth-transfer planning, including estate and trust administration, leveraged wealth-transfer techniques, tax matters, cryptocurrency and QSBS planning, real estate transactions and closely held business matters. Elise has extensive experience working with owners of closely held businesses to develop governance and succession plans, and on corporate, tax and compliance matters relating to those businesses...

Douglas Masters litigates and counsels clients primarily in the areas of intellectual property, advertising and unfair competition. He helps brand owners, sports leagues, athletes and advertisers protect and leverage their branding, marketing and other IP assets. Notably, he has worked with the National Collegiate Athletic Association for nearly 20 years on brand protection strategy, helping strengthen the organization’s ability to support college athletics. Doug has counseled major cor...

Carolyn M. Passen is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trademark Law. Carolyn M., 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 Carolyn M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Andrew advises public and private companies on plan design and administration, fiduciary responsibility, claims procedures, and disclosure requirements under ERISA, the Internal Revenue Code, and other laws. He has extensive experience guiding them regarding the legal, financial, and administrative issues that affect qualified and nonqualified retirement plans, health and welfare plans, and other employee benefit arrangements, including issues that arise during mergers, acquisitions, and othe...

Joe Duffy is an accomplished and resourceful trial lawyer who focuses his national practice on white collar criminal defense and complex business litigation. He handles all aspects of federal and state criminal prosecutions through the investigative, prosecutive and appellate stages. He has extensive experience representing individuals and corporations in internal and government investigations as well as civil and criminal jury trials and appeals. Joe has successfully represented clients in c...