Thomas R. Leavens

Craig Thorstenson concentrates his practice in the litigation of employment disputes and providing related counseling. Craig Thorstenson concentrates his practice in the litigation of employment disputes and providing related counseling. His experience includes defending numerous WARN Act, FLSA and Title VII class actions, prosecuting and defending actions over restrictive covenants, and handling complex labor arbitrations. He regularly acts as "in-house" employment counsel for several compan...

Sherry L. Rollo counsels clients in all areas of intellectual property, including the protection, licensing, and enforcement of intellectual property rights, data privacy, and data security both domestically and internationally. Sherry also guides clients with corporate strategies relating to the prosecution, merger, licensing, sale, or acquisition of intellectual property assets, including conducting due diligence, counseling on business strategies, and managing patent, trademark, copyright,...

Phil Comella is a partner in Taft’s Environmental group. His practice spans both regulatory counseling and environmental-based litigation. With over three decades of experience in environmental law and a focus on the solid and hazardous waste industry, he regularly counsels owners and operators of landfills, treatment facilities, recycling operations, and waste generators on compliance, enforcement, and litigation matters arising under environmental laws.

Matthew Steinmetz focuses primarily on leveraged buyouts of public and private companies, as well as recaps and joint ventures. His experience spans a wide variety of sectors, including technology, media, healthcare, industrials and retail. His principal clients include both large cap and middle cap leveraged buyout funds, located in the U.S. and abroad. In addition to his considerable transactional work, he is a trusted advisor to a number of senior PE fund managers.

Steve Sandler has spent more than 50 years counseling and advising developer and investor clients in the acquisition, disposition, leasing, development, financing and structuring of all types of real estate and real estate transactions. Steve's range of experience includes complex, high-stakes projects involving major office buildings, hotels, apartment buildings, industrial buildings and unimproved land. He has particular depth of skill in structuring transactions and all phases of financing...

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...

James P. Chivilo is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Construction Law. James 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 James P. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Jim Murphy has 20+ years of experience practicing intellectual property law, including successfully representing clients as lead counsel in jury trials across the country and proceedings before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Jim helps clients secure and maximize the value of their intellectual property. He also counsels clients on all related issues such as licensing, unfair competition, trade secrets, and copyright. Jim also represents clients with intellectual property aspects of mer...

Bradley V. Ritter is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Real Estate Law. Bradley V., 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 Bradley V. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

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...