Steven Meier

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...

Lee is an intellectual property litigator and advisor who manages sophisticated portfolios for clients with worldwide operations. His practice includes the full range of intellectual property dispute and transactional matters, with an emphasis on trademark, copyright, trade secret, trade dress, privacy and litigation. Lee serves as lead counsel before state and federal courts and administrative agencies throughout the country, and he also coordinates efforts to resolve similar international d...

Charles A. Porretta is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Plaintiffs and Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs. Charles A. practices law in Chicago, Illinois Best Lawyers has recognized Charles A. Porretta since 2025. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Charles A. Porretta is hel...

Steve Patton is of counsel to the Litigation group in the Chicago office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. Steve has extensive experience trying cases and arguing appeals in federal and state courts throughout the country in a wide variety of commercial disputes. He has also served as an advisor to senior management in a number of “bet the company” exposures and negotiated several multibillion settlements in complex disputes. Steve is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers a...

Daniel T. Ryan is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Plaintiffs, Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs and Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs. Daniel T. practices law in Chicago, Illinois Best Lawyers has recognized Daniel T. Ryan since 2025. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in ...

Alex Cole focuses her real estate practice in the areas of real estate transactions and development, hospitality, international real estate, project finance and construction law. She is routinely involved in large real estate acquisitions (hotel, office and retail) and represents all the various parties in the construction and development process. Some of Alex's past projects include: Park Hyatt Australia, purchase and disposition of The Carlyle in transaction including sale of Rosewood Hotel...

Ziemowit T. Smulkowski is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area of Tax Law. Ziemowit T. practices law in Chicago, Illinois Best Lawyers has recognized Ziemowit T. Smulkowski since 2026. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Ziemowit T. Smulkowski is held by other lawyers.

Steve is a partner in the firm’s Litigation Department, where he represents clients in complex civil litigation matters before state and federal courts throughout the country. He has considerable experience with commercial disputes, constitutional challenges, statutory interpretation issues, and defamation and invasion of privacy suits. He is skilled at representing municipalities in cases involving so-called “locally undesirable land uses” such as airports, music amphitheat...

Ken Davis helps his health care clients design, structure and grow their businesses. He represents physicians, hospitals, ancillary service companies and other health care and e-health providers and businesses in transactions and regulatory matters. With decades of experience and ranked as a leading lawyer by Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business, Ken is a trusted legal advisor for his health care clients' businesses. Ken is one of America's best-known attorneys and frequently ...

Tara R. Devine joined Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. in March 2004 and became the firm's first female Partner in 2011. She is now the Managing Partner of the firm's Lake County office. Ms. Devine focuses her practice on personal injury , nursing home negligence , wrongful death , medical malpractice , and product liability cases . She has recovered more than $325 million in verdicts and settlements on behalf of her clients. Ms. Devine has helped achieve numerous multi-million-dollar ver...