Katten Corporate Partners Honored as Notable M&A Dealmakers

(CHICAGO) Katten announced today that Corporate Department Global Chair Kimberly T. Smith and Corporate Partner and Head of Business Transactions Mark R. Grossmann were named by Crain's Chicago Business to its 2025 list of Notable M&A Dealmakers.

"This well-deserved recognition is a testament to the market-specific insight and significant impact Kim and Mark bring in shaping M&A dealmaking. Our clients count on them for sophisticated counsel on their most important and strategic transactions," said Katten Chair Gil M. Soffer. "Their work not only highlights the strength of our highly valued Corporate practice, but it also cements Katten's reputation as the go-to firm that handles billions of dollars in middle-market business combinations each year."

The Crain's honorees have demonstrated involvement in significant mergers and acquisitions (M&A) deals, served in firm leadership roles, and held leadership positions in outside professional organizations, among meeting other criteria.

Smith has served as global chair of Katten's Corporate group since 2021 and previously was co-leader of the firm's national Private Equity/Mergers and Acquisitions practice. In her current role, she leads more than 140 attorneys across the United States, UK and China in high-impact transactional practices, including Mergers and Acquisitions, Private Equity, Capital Markets, Health Care, and Government and Public Finance. In her practice, Smith represents private equity funds, family offices, independent sponsors, and strategic acquirers across multiple industries in various transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, private equity investments, leveraged buyouts, recapitalizations and reorganizations, and joint ventures.

Smith is also a member of Katten's executive committee and board of directors. For over 20 years, she has also been involved in the Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago, as a founding member of its guild board and current member of the corporate board of directors. Smith has been recognized by Crain's Chicago Business as among its Notable Women in Law and Notable Gen X Leaders in Accounting, Consulting and Law. Additionally, she has been named to the list of Most Influential Women in Mid-Market M&A by Mergers & Acquisitions and Top Women in Dealmaking by The Deal. She has been honored by the National Law Journal as a Mergers & Acquisitions and Antitrust Trailblazer. Her work has earned accolades with rankings in Chambers USA and selection to The Legal 500 United States Leading Partners list.

Grossmann leverages his experience as former global chair of Katten's Corporate practice in his role as Head of Business Transactions. He is focused on growing the Corporate group in the firm's offices in London and Shanghai, and he mentors junior attorneys, stressing the importance of building strong networks and relationships to drive deal flow. Grossmann has deep experience in industries including finance, technology, manufacturing, consulting, real estate, retail, parking, pharmaceutical, security and health care. His practice is focused on representing acquirers and targets in mergers and acquisitions, representing issuers and investors in equity and debt financings and recapitalizations, structuring finance and other transactions for private equity funds, and advising boards of directors on fiduciary obligations.

He serves on Katten's board of directors, as well as on the boards of several organizations, including the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center where the firm and his family sponsored the 2021–2022 Shanghai: Safe Haven During the Holocaust exhibit; After School Matters, a nonprofit that supports local teens; and Comer Education Campus, a Chicago-based model for place-based youth advancement. Grossmann was named a Midwest Trailblazer by The American Lawyer and has been recognized for his work by Chambers USA and The Legal 500 United States with a "Hall of Fame" distinction.