Katten Names 15 New Partners

CHICAGO –Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP is pleased to announce that its Board of Directors has elected 15 attorneys to partner.

“We are pleased to welcome this group of highly talented attorneys to our partnership,” said Vincent A. F. Sergi, the firm’s National Managing Partner. “Each of these attorneys has consistently demonstrated a commitment to professionalism and dedication to client service, and we look forward to their continued success.”

The selected attorneys represent seven practices (Corporate, Commercial Finance, Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation, Intellectual Property, Litigation and Dispute Resolution, Real Estate, and Trusts and Estates) and four firm offices.

In Chicago:

Cathleen A. Booth, in the Corporate Practice, concentrates on corporate matters and has significant experience representing fund sponsors in the formation and management of private equity and real estate funds. Ms. Booth also represents clients in private placements, joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions and general corporate matters. She earned her B.S. from Ohio Northern University with high distinction, and her J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of Toledo College of Law.

Rachel S. Brown, in the Real Estate Practice, concentrates her practice in the areas of finance, commercial development, acquisitions and dispositions, and venture formation. Her experience includes representing banks, funds, insurance companies and other lenders in complex real estate-based financing transactions, including first mortgage loans, construction loans, mezzanine loans and other structured financings. Ms. Brown's development practice focuses on representation of real estate developers in acquisitions and dispositions of real estate assets, and representation of both equity and operating partners in real estate joint venture transactions. Ms. Brown earned her B.A. from the University of Michigan and her J.D. from the Loyola University Chicago School of Law.

Michael W. Jones, in the Corporate Practice, practices primarily in the areas of private equity/venture capital, mergers and acquisitions and general corporate work. He has a broad range of transactional experience in complex corporate restructurings, corporate bankruptcies and secured lending transactions. Mr. Jones also has taught bankruptcy as an adjunct professor at the Loyola University Chicago School of Law. He earned his B.A. from Missouri State University, summa cum laude, and his J.D. from Columbia University School of Law where he was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar.

Daniel B. Lange, in the Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation Practice, has worked extensively with employee plans and executive compensation in the context of corporate transactions including restructurings, mergers and acquisitions. He also has substantial experience in ensuring that plans follow qualification guidelines and meet other administrative requirements. Mr. Lange earned his B.A. from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America and his J.D. from the Washington University in St. Louis School of Law.

Jason P. Shaffer, in the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Practice, concentrates his practice on complex commercial litigation. He has substantial experience in disputes related to the financial services industry, government enforcement matters, and internal corporate investigations. In these areas, Mr. Shaffer has successfully resolved many matters through contested hearings; arbitration hearings before the National Futures Association; enforcement proceedings and arbitration hearings at futures exchanges; and hearings in federal and state courts to obtain injunctive relief. He has also represented several corporate and individual clients in investigations by federal regulators, and participated in comprehensive investigations by publicly traded companies. Mr. Shaffer earned his B.A. from Cedarville College and his J.D. with honors from the Chicago-Kent College of Law.

Christopher D. Sheaffer, in the Corporate Practice, focuses on private equity transactions and other mergers and acquisitions. He represents private equity funds in connection with their acquisitions and dispositions of portfolio companies in a wide range of industries, and also represents those portfolio companies in their day-to-day corporate needs. Mr. Sheaffer also has experience in public company mergers and acquisitions, public and private corporate finance transactions, and venture capital financings. Mr. Sheaffer earned his B.S., cum laude, from the University of Notre Dame and his J.D., cum laude, from the Northwestern University School of Law.

David S. Slovick, in the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Practice, concentrates on securities litigation and regulatory matters. He has significant experience conducting investigations and litigating cases involving accounting fraud, market manipulation, unauthorized trading, insider trading, unregistered offerings and sales of securities, fraudulent municipal bond pricing and fraudulent disclosures. Mr. Slovick was formerly a Senior Attorney in the Enforcement Division of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, where he served as lead attorney in a complex securities fraud case involving the pricing of mutual fund portfolios, misleading prospectus disclosures and insider trading, among others. He earned his B.A. from the University of Wisconsin and his J.D. from Chicago-Kent College of Law.

Rachel M. Vorbeck, in the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Practice, concentrates on business litigation. She has served as lead counsel in disputes involving common law and consumer fraud, breach of contract, product liability, employment discrimination, construction, land use and zoning, and eminent domain. Ms. Vorbeck has acted as co-counsel in disputes involving patent and trademark infringement, consumer fraud, breach of contract, franchise, and securities and accounting fraud. She also has significant appellate experience and has successfully prosecuted appeals before the Illinois Appellate Court and the Colorado Supreme Court as well as filing briefs on behalf of amicus curiae before the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. In addition, Ms. Vorbeck has served as a staff attorney for the Seventh Circuit and taught appellate advocacy at Loyola University Chicago School of Law. She earned her B.A. from the University of Missouri-Columbia and her J.D. from the Northwestern University School of Law.

Jennifer I. Wolfe, in the Commercial Finance Practice, focuses her practice on a wide variety of corporate finance matters, including both senior and mezzanine financing. She represents both senior secured and mezzanine lenders and borrowers in connection with cash flow and asset-based credit facilities, including restructurings and workouts of troubled credits. She earned her B.S. from Indiana University and her J.D. from the DePaul University College of Law.

In Los Angeles:

Ryan J. Larsen, in the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Practice, focuses on a wide array of business litigation matters, including unfair competition, banking, employment and intellectual property. He earned his B.A., cum laude, from Washington State University and his J.D. from the University of Southern California, Gould School of Law, where he was Order of the Coif.

In New York:

Bret J. Danow, in the Intellectual Property Practice, concentrates his practice on intellectual property law with an emphasis on trademark licensing, prosecution, enforcement, clearance, monitoring and portfolio management; agreement administration; domain name disputes; intellectual property-related diligence and corporate transactions. He received his B.A. from the University of Michigan and his J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

Jasmine M. Hanif, in the Trusts and Estates Practice, concentrates her practice on all areas of trusts and estates law, including personal and tax-driven estate planning, probate, and complex estate and trust administration. In addition, Ms. Hanif's practice includes a focus on charitable, non-profit and private foundation representation with specific experience in the formation, administration and dissolution of private foundations. She received her B.A. from Queens College, summa cum laude, and her J.D. from New York University School of Law.

David A. Pentlow, in the Corporate Practice, concentrates his practice on corporate and securities law, structured products and derivatives. He represents large financial institutions, underwriters, publicly traded companies, hedge funds and other institutional investors in the offering, purchase, structuring and negotiation of securities, derivatives and other financial products, including registered public securities offerings, private securities offerings, lending, structured notes, and equity derivatives. Mr. Pentlow also advises corporate clients in public and private mergers and acquisitions, reorganizations and debt restructurings, and general corporate matters. He earned his A.B. from Harvard University and his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center.

In Washington:

Stefan D. Baugh, in the Real Estate Practice, concentrates his practice on commercial real estate transactions with an emphasis on acquisitions, dispositions and financings. He has represented international, national and regional financial institutions in the development, construction, bridge, conduit and mezzanine financings of various real estate asset types throughout the country. He has also represented institutional investors and asset managers in a wide range of commercial real estate transactions. Mr. Baugh earned his B.A. from Towson University and his J.D. from the College of William and Mary School of Law.

Michael J. Klyce, Jr., in the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Practice, focuses his practice on complex commercial litigation, with a particular concentration in real estate and business litigation disputes. He has also handled numerous antitrust, securities, insurance and intellectual property matters. Mr. Klyce is experienced in all phases of litigation, including fact development, motion practice, oral argument, settlement negotiations and trial. He earned his B.A. from Emory University and his J.D. from the Duke University School of Law.