Best Lawyers in Illinois, United States for Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Elizabeth Garai is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Corporate Law, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law. Elizabeth, 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 Elizabeth is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Michelle Kraus is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law. Michelle, 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 Michelle is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Ana brings a decade of experience in Mexico as an associate and as a paralegal in the U.S. working on global and domestic transactional matters to help clients expand and manage their global operations. Ana leverages her knowledge and skill, including being bilingual, to assist clients in a variety of industries, including freight, logistics, pharmaceutical, software, music, and telecommunications. Motivated to study the law after observing her lawyer parents’ passion, Ana came to the U...
Adam M. Law is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Mergers and Acquisitions Law and Real Estate Law. Adam M., who practices law in Chicago, Illinois, has been recognized since 2022. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Adam M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Mikaela Heck is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Corporate Law, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law. Mikaela, 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 Mikaela is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Chelsea Austin is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Mergers and Acquisitions Law. Chelsea, 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 Chelsea is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
As an associate in Barack Ferrazzano’s Corporate & Securities and Luxury Groups, Jim strives to understand his clients’ operations and business objectives to provide them with thoughtful, world-class counseling and guidance on transactional, corporate and securities law matters. Jim’s representation often takes the form of providing his clients’ with practical, efficient, and creative solutions to achieve their most crucial strategic goals, including counseling his...
Michael D. Penny is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law. Michael D., 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 Michael D. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Elizabeth Dyche is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law. Elizabeth, 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 Elizabeth is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Garrett Lorentz is a corporate partner in the Chicago office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP, where he concentrates on complex business transactions for private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies, as well as public and private companies, with a focus on structuring, negotiating and managing leveraged buyouts, strategic mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, divestitures, recapitalizations, executive compensation and incentive equity arrangements and capital investments, ranging in s...
Ryan T. Kelley is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law and Venture Capital Law. Ryan T., 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 Ryan T. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Kyle R. Gaughan is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Mergers and Acquisitions Law and Transportation Law. Kyle R., 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 Kyle R. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
LaQuenta C. Rudison is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law. LaQuenta C., 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 LaQuenta C. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Ann Balzer is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships) and Mergers and Acquisitions Law. Ann, 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 Ann is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Ethan Seery is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law. Ethan, 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 Ethan is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Kevin Chin is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Mergers and Acquisitions Law. Kevin, 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 Kevin is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.