(CHICAGO) May 5, 2021 – Chicago Partner Julie Webb has been named as one of the 40 Best LGBTQ+ Lawyers Under 40 by the National LGBT Bar Association, recognizing her distinction in her field and profound commitment to LGBTQ+ equality. She will be recognized, along with the other awardees, during the Lavender Law Conference in July.
Throughout her career, Webb has demonstrated her dedication to increasing diversity and inclusion at Locke Lord and in the legal profession. She is Co-Chair of Locke Lord’s Chicago office Diversity and Inclusion Committee and a member of the Firm-wide Diversity and Inclusion and Technology Committees. She served as the Firm’s 2020 Leadership Council on Legal Diversity Fellow, participating in programming designed to support and accelerate the careers of lawyers who are committed to creating a more diverse and inclusive legal profession. She is an appointed member of the American Bar Association (ABA) Commission on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and serves as Vice Chair of the ABA Antitrust Section Civil Practice & Procedure Committee.
Webb is also an active member of the Chicago community and serves on the Executive Committee of the Field Museum’s Field Associates. In addition, she is a Regional Coordinator of the Dartmouth Lawyers Association, having received her B.A. from Dartmouth College.
As a member of the Firm’s Litigation and Antitrust Practice Groups, Webb represents financial institutions and other corporate clients in class actions and other complex matters nationwide, including claims under federal and state antitrust statutes and alleged price-fixing, tying and boycott under the Sherman Act and unfair competition. She also has extensive experience enforcing restrictive covenants and litigating trade secret misappropriation claims.
Diversity and inclusion is one of Locke Lord’s five core values and an integral part of the Firm’s strategic plan. Locke Lord understands that fostering an inclusive environment results in better decision-making, better outcomes for clients and a firm where team members can be successful and thrive. To read more about Locke Lord’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, click here.
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About Locke Lord LLP
Locke Lord is a full-service law firm with global reach and 20 offices designed to meet clients’ needs in the United States and around the world. The Firm has a history that spans more than 130 years and is a leader in the middle market arena. Locke Lord focuses on providing the highest levels of commitment, quality and service to clients across its five Key Sectors: Energy and Infrastructure; Finance and Financial Services; Insurance and Reinsurance; Pharmaceutical; and Private Equity. In addition, the Firm advises clients across a broad spectrum of other industries, including fund formation, venture capital, health care, public finance, real estate, technology, cybersecurity and white collar, while providing a wealth of experience through its complex litigation, intellectual property, tax, regulatory and transactional teams.
Locke Lord’s Health Care Practice Group has again been named to Modern Healthcare’s Largest Health Care Law Firms list, ranking No. 28 in the most recent edition, based on the number of health care lawyers in 2021. The Health Care Practice Group is co-chaired by Washington, D.C., Office Managing Partner Denise Hanna.
Locke Lord’s Health Care Practice Group represents health industry businesses in regulatory matters, transactions and litigation. The Firm has extensive experience in multistate and federal regulatory compliance, deal work, including private equity investment, M&A, joint ventures and other strategic alliances, government relations, enforcement matters and litigation. Our clients range from hospital systems, health plans, health industry intermediaries and health information technology companies to investors and strategic buyers.
May 24, 2021 – Legal directory Chambers USA has recognized 63 Locke Lord lawyers and 24 of the Firm’s practice areas for excellence in its 2021 edition. Ten of the Firm’s lawyers have achieved Band 1 rankings in their respective practice areas, and the Firm’s Energy: Oil & Gas (Transactional) practice has earned a nationwide distinction.
Locke Lord lawyers honored on a nationwide level include: Nick J. DiGiovanni (Insurance: Dispute Resolution: Reinsurance), Terry Radney (Energy: Oil & Gas Transactional) and Bill Swanstrom (Energy: Oil & Gas Transactional).
Below is a full list of Locke Lord lawyers ranked in Chambers USA 2021:
Nationwide
Nick J. DiGiovanni – Insurance: Dispute Resolution: Reinsurance
Terry Radney – Energy: Oil & Gas (Transactional)
Bill Swanstrom – Energy: Oil & Gas (Transactional)
Florida (West Palm Beach)
Mark-David Adams – Banking & Finance: Public Finance
Illinois (Chicago)
Jon Biasetti – Insurance: Transactional & Regulatory
Nick J. DiGiovanni – Insurance: Dispute Resolution: Reinsurance (Band 1)
Samuel Stempel – Real Estate
Paige D. Waters – Insurance: Transactional & Regulatory
Louisiana (New Orleans)
Brad C. Knapp – Bankruptcy/Restructuring
Omer F. ”Rick” Kuebel III – Bankruptcy/Restructuring
Massachusetts (Boston)
Christopher M. Flanagan – Tax
Richard D. Glovsky – Labor & Employment
Stanley Keller – Corporate/M&A
Richard A. Manley Jr. – Banking & Finance: Public Finance
Stephanie H. Massey – Banking & Finance: Public Finance
Jennifer Capasso Mendonça – Banking & Finance: Public Finance
Allison M. O’Neil – Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations
David L. Ruediger – Banking & Finance
Walter J. St. Onge III – Banking & Finance: Public Finance (Band 1)
Adrienne K. Walker – Bankruptcy/Restructuring
Jonathan W. Young – Bankruptcy/Restructuring
Rhode Island (Providence)
Peter J. Barrett – Corporate/Commercial
Mark W. Freel – Litigation: General Commercial (Band 1)
Christopher D. Graham – Corporate/Commercial (Band 1)
Douglas G. Gray – Corporate/Commercial
Paul M. Mahoney Jr. – Corporate/Commercial
Charles F. Rogers – Real Estate
Texas
Austin
Brad Hawley – Real Estate
Tai C. Tran – Real Estate
Tammy Ward Woffenden – Health Care
Dallas
E. Philip Bush – Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation (Dallas)
Paul E. Coggins – Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations (Band 1)
Don M. Glendenning – Corporate/M&A
W. Scott Hastings – Litigation: Appellate
Elizabeth E. Mack – Environment
Kip Mendrygal – Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations
Michael V. Powell – Litigation: General Commercial
Susan M. Rainey – Environment
Cynthia Timms – Litigation: Appellate
Bradley C. Weber – Antitrust
Houston
John K. Arnold – Energy: State Regulatory & Litigation (Oil & Gas) (Band 1) and Energy: State Regulatory & Litigation (Electricity)
Charles S. Baker – Intellectual Property
M. Benjamin Cowan – Environment
Chris Dove – Litigation: Appellate
Laura L. Ferguson – Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation (Houston)
Gerald D. (Jerry) Higdon – Environment
Stephen C. Jacobs – Real Estate
Gerald J. Pels – Environment
Edward A. Razim III – Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation (Houston) (Band 1)
J. Michael Rose – Labor & Employment
Buddy Sanders – Tax
Bill Swanstrom – Corporate/M&A
Washington, D.C.
Denise Hanna – Health Care
Locke Lord practice areas recognized in Chambers USA 2021 are:
Nationwide
Energy: Oil & Gas (Transactional)
California
Insurance: Insurer
Florida
Banking & Finance
Illinois
Insurance: Dispute Resolution: Reinsurance
Insurance: Transactional & Regulatory
Louisiana
Bankruptcy/Restructuring
Massachusetts
Banking & Finance
Banking & Finance: Public Finance
Bankruptcy/Restructuring
Health Care
Rhode Island
Corporate/Commercial
Litigation: General Commercial
Texas
Antitrust
Corporate/M&A: The Elite
Energy: State Regulatory & Litigation (Electricity)
Environment
Health Care
Litigation: Appellate
Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations
Real Estate
Tax
Dallas
Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation
Litigation: General Commercial
Houston
Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation
Chambers & Partners has been ranking lawyers across all industries since 1990. Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business surveys and interviews clients and lawyers across the United States to determine which firms and lawyers are considered leaders in their field. Rankings assess key qualities in the legal field, including technical legal ability, professional conduct, client service, commercial awareness/astuteness, diligence and commitment.
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About Locke Lord LLP
Locke Lord is a full-service law firm with global reach and 20 offices designed to meet clients’ needs in the United States and around the world. The Firm has a history that spans more than 130 years and is a leader in the middle market arena. Locke Lord focuses on providing the highest levels of commitment, quality and service to clients across its five Key Sectors: Energy and Infrastructure; Finance and Financial Services; Insurance and Reinsurance; Pharmaceutical; and Private Equity. In addition, the Firm advises clients across a broad spectrum of other industries, including fund formation, venture capital, health care, public finance, real estate, technology, cybersecurity and white collar, while providing a wealth of experience through its complex litigation, intellectual property, tax, regulatory and transactional teams.
Houston Partner Jennie Simmons has been named to The Deal’s 2021 Top Rising Stars list, recognizing her proven ability to navigate complex deal-making situations. The list is comprised of outstanding newly named partners focused on M&A and based in the United States. Winners were judged on their professional accomplishments, influence within their field and recent deal activity.
Just a few of Simmons’ recent deals include co-leading Locke Lord’s representation of Tall Oak Midstream and TW Midcon Holdings, portfolio companies of Tailwater Capital, in the acquisition of Redcliff Midstream from Canyon Midstream Partners II; Refuel Operating Company in its acquisition of the assets of Holmes Oil Company and White Deer Energy in the acquisition of a majority equity interest in Unicat Catalyst Technologies.
Locke Lord’s Federal Public Law and Policy Practice Group, Chaired by Washington, D.C., Partner Jason Zanetti, ranked as one of Bloomberg Government’s 2020 Top-Performing Lobbying Firms by revenue. The Firm was also listed among firms with perfect short-term client retention, with a 100% one-year retention rate as of Q4 2020.
Locke Lord’s Public Law & Policy Practice Group provides a full array of legislative, regulatory and legal services. Its professionals form a unique and diverse public law and policy team with extensive political contacts at every level of government and knowledge of how public processes work. The group’s issue areas of measured experience include health care, financial services, international relations, energy, education and appropriations.
Locke Lord was ranked No. 5 on The Bond Buyer’s list of top bond counsel in the nation for competitive sales during Q1 2021, with 46 issues totaling $1.05 billion, the second-highest number of issues of any firm in the top 10.
Just a few of Locke Lord’s many recent notable bond counsel matters include representing the City of Cambridge, Mass., in the sale of $88.31 million General Obligation Bonds; the City of Lewiston, Maine, in the sale of $46.43 million General Obligation Bonds; and the City of Newport, R.I., in a bond restructuring that saved the city $1 million immediately and will result in a total savings of $1.8 million over the life of the bonds.
Locke Lord’s Public Finance Practice Group is a premier, nationally recognized public finance practice, with over 130 years of involvement in the law of public borrowing and the federal tax and securities aspects of public debt obligations. The team’s experience and exemplary, high-quality client service have earned Locke Lord recognition as one of the foremost public finance law firms in the country.
Nina Huerta, Co-Chair of Locke Lord’s Board of Directors and Managing Partner of the Firm’s Los Angeles office, was honored among Hispanic Lifestyle’s 2021 Latinas of Influence. The award recognizes her tremendous service and leadership as well as her work to promote the Latina community.
Huerta, who has served as Los Angeles Managing Partner since 2016, is one of the first Latinas to serve in this role for any major law firm. She is also President of the Mexican American Bar Foundation, the largest scholarship organization of its kind, having funded over $2 million in law school scholarships and bar stipends. As a labor and employment Partner, Huerta focuses her practice on employment litigation, counseling and advice, including worker classification matters, and is also well versed in the numerous issues stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. She is a Co-Leader of Locke Lord’s COVID-19 Task Force, which provides a coordinated response to clients’ range of needs and maintains the Firm’s COVID-19 Resource Center.
To read more, click here.
Elizabeth Mack, Gerry Pels, and Susan Rainey, Partners in Locke Lord’s Environmental Section, have been recognized as standout environmental lawyers in the inaugural Lawdragon 500 Leading Environmental & Energy Lawyers list. The list is the product of two years of research on leaders across the environmental and energy spectrum and is based on journalistic research, submissions from firms and others and vetting with environmental and energy law experts, according to Lawdragon.
Locke Lord’s Environmental team includes dedicated practitioners who understand the many dimensions of environmental law and the different ways these laws affect businesses and individuals. Their extensive environmental experience helps clients navigate and respond effectively to regulatory compliance issues, environmental liability concerns, civil and criminal enforcement actions and citizen complaints.
The emergence of the coronavirus has led to an increase in acts of hate and discrimination targeting the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. At Locke Lord, not only do we not condone these acts, we abhor them. As a Firm, we stand united with the AAPI community and reject any form of violence, racism, and discrimination in whatever form it displays itself.
The escalation of violence and hate crimes visited upon the AAPI community is unfortunately only the latest in a history of attacks. According to the Stop AAPI Hate National Report, since March 2020, the escalation of violence against AAPI individuals in the United States has resulted in approximately 4,000 anti-Asian hate crimes. However, this number only reflects what has been reported.
As a law firm, it is our job in moments like this to listen to each other, especially our AAPI colleagues, clients, friends, and neighbors, and continue intensifying our efforts to counteract racism and advance the principles of diversity and inclusion. We applaud and agree with the recent joint statement from the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, Hispanic National Bar Association, National Asian Pacific Islander Prosecutors Association, National Association of Women Lawyers, National Bar Association, National Filipino American Lawyers Association, National LGBT Bar Association, National Native American Bar Association, and the South Asian Bar Association of North America collectively condemning the most recent acts of hate and vowing to utilize their resources and experiences to assist those in need. So too, we at Locke Lord pledge to do the same.
We are proud of the work we have done in the past year to further realize our core value of diversity and inclusion within our Firm, including our participation in the Law Firm Antiracism Alliance, but we know we can and must do better both in maintaining a diverse and inclusive workplace that is free from discrimination and injustice, as well as helping to make this nation, as a whole, one that is safe for all. To that end, we are committed to taking the following actions to further realize these values:
- Celebrating AAPI Heritage Month in May through the creation of a tailored program elevating the stories of the AAPI community. The program will include panels, articles, and other content created by our AAPI employees, clients, and peers. Firm employees also will be encouraged to attend Bystander Intervention Virtual Trainings, hosted through Hollaback! partnered with Asian Americans Advancing Justice, throughout the year.
- Pledging monetary commitments to organizations focused on combatting anti-Asian hate.
- Continuing our support and sponsorship of NAPABA and SABA and find ways to strengthen our existing partnerships with them and similar professional and advocacy organizations through pro bono efforts.
Locke Lord remains committed to joining the fight against racial hatred and injustice.
Boston Partner Christopher Flanagan, Chair of Locke Lord’s Business Transactions Practice Group, has been introduced as a member of Law360’s 2021 Tax Authority Federal Editorial Advisory Board. In his practice, he represents public and private companies in taxable and tax-free acquisitions and divestitures of corporate subsidiaries and divisions and in reorganizations and restructurings. As an editorial board member, he will provide feedback and share insight on how best to shape this year’s reporting on federal tax issues and trends at Law360.
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