Six lawyers from Locke Lord’s Chicago office were named to the Super Lawyers® 2022 Illinois Rising Stars list.
The Illinois Rising Stars list recognizes the state’s top attorneys age 40 and younger, or who are in their first 10 years of practice. Illinois Rising Stars are selected through a process of nomination, independent research and peer evaluation. Only 2.5 percent of eligible lawyers in the state are selected to the list each year.
The lawyers in Locke Lord’s Chicago office recognized in this year’s list are:
(BOSTON) April 19, 2022 – Ryan DiSantis has joined Locke Lord’s Boston office as a Partner in the Firm’s White Collar Defense and Investigations Practice Group. With significant depth of experience spanning a broad range of industries, DiSantis bolsters Locke Lord’s bench strength in the Northeast and across the Firm.
DiSantis joins Locke Lord from Jones Day, where he represented corporations and individuals in criminal and civil enforcement matters conducted by U.S. Attorney’s Offices, the Fraud Section of the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. He has wide-ranging experience in white collar investigations and litigation, including matters concerning health care fraud, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), public corruption, federal grant fraud and financial fraud.
“Ryan is an outstanding addition to our Boston office, and he will be integral to expanding Locke Lord’s litigation capabilities, particularly in health care fraud, and to increasing our visibility in the Northeast,” said Allison O’Neil, Boston Partner and Co-Chair of the Firm’s White Collar Defense and Investigations Practice Group. “His solid reputation and considerable trial experience in both the private sector and at the U.S. Attorney’s Office will be especially beneficial to our clients. We are thrilled to welcome Ryan to the Firm.”
DiSantis served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) in Boston for over 10 years prosecuting criminal matters involving the FCPA, extortion, securities, tax and investment adviser fraud, possession of stolen art and false statements, among others. He represented the United States in 11 jury trials, including a nearly two-month, five-defendant mortgage fraud trial, and handled eight appeals in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, arguing on behalf of the government before First Circuit panels in four appeals. He also served as the Victim Rights Legal Adviser for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Boston. In this role, he advised AUSAs concerning victim-related legal issues in their cases and was responsible for office training on victims’ rights.
“Locke Lord’s rich history, esteemed reputation and deep knowledge and experience in a vast number of practices provide an unparalleled opportunity to align with the expanding needs of clients, particularly at the intersection of investigations and health care,” DiSantis said. “I am excited to collaborate with this extraordinary team to address those needs within this rapidly changing landscape.”
Locke Lord’s White Collar Defense and Investigations Practice Group has spent decades representing corporations, their officers, directors and employees in white collar criminal defense matters and internal investigations. With a client base ranging from Fortune 100 and publicly traded companies, to small businesses and nonprofits, to members of corporate management teams and leading executives, the Firm’s lawyers have broad knowledge in a host of different industries.
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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.
Boston Partner Chris Flanagan, Chair of Locke Lord’s Business Transactions Practice Group, was introduced as a member of Law360’s Tax Authority Federal Editorial Advisory Board. As a member, Flanagan will have the unique opportunity to provide feedback and share insight on how best to shape future coverage at Law360.
To read the full article, click here (subscription may be required).
Locke Lord Chicago Partner and former Illinois State Senator Kirk Dillard was reappointed by Illinois Senate President Don Harmon to the Illinois Supreme Court Historic Preservation Commission. Dillard has served as a Commissioner since 2012.
The Illinois Supreme Court Historic Preservation Commission was created in 2007 to assist and advise the Illinois Supreme Court in acquiring, collecting, preserving and cataloging documents, artifacts and information relating to the Illinois judiciary. The Commission seeks to accomplish much of its work in partnership with historical and cultural institutions; bar associations; universities; law schools; and federal, state and local agencies.
The Commission has produced publications, exhibits and programs to educate the legal profession and the general public about the role of the judicial branch and its importance in interpreting laws. The intended audience gains an understanding of government and civics, resulting in more engaged citizenry.
Dillard, who currently serves as the Chairman of the Regional Transit Authority (RTA) in metropolitan Chicago —the nation’s second-largest mass transit system — concentrates his practice in business and governmental relations, and in the representation of manufacturers in product liability prevention and litigation. He also serves as the Independent Chair of the privately owned Chicago Skyway Toll Road.
Dillard served in the Illinois Senate, representing Chicagoland’s western suburbs. He held a number of key leadership positions while in the General Assembly — including Chairman of the Judiciary Committee before stepping down in 2014 to assume the RTA chairmanship. Prior to his election to the Senate, Dillard served with distinction as former Governor Edgar’s Chief of Staff and Legislative Director to the late Governor James R. Thompson.
Additional information on Dillard and the Illinois Supreme Court Historic Preservation Board can be found here.
Atlanta Partner Brian Casey, Co-Chair of Locke Lord’s Insurance Regulatory and Transactional Practice Group, has been announced as a member of Law360’s 2022 Fintech Editorial Advisory Board. In his practice, he focuses on mergers and acquisitions, corporate and structured finance, and other transactional and regulatory matters for clients in the insurance, financial services and health care industries. As an editorial board member, he will provide feedback and share insight on how best to shape this year’s reporting on InsurTech issues and trends at Law360.
To read the full article, click here (subscription may be required).
Nine lawyers from Locke Lord’s Austin, Dallas and Houston offices were named 2022 Texas Rising Stars by Thomson Reuters’ Super Lawyers®.
The Texas Rising Stars list recognizes the state’s top attorneys age 40 and younger or who are in the first 10 years of practice. Texas Rising Stars are selected through a process of nomination, independent research and peer evaluation. Only 2.5 percent of eligible Texas lawyers are selected to the list each year.
The Locke Lord lawyers recognized in this year’s list are:
Austin
Daniel Durell
Stephen Humeniuk
Dallas
Henry Benton
Houston
Lani Blake
Akilah Craig
Mia Lorick
Chelsea Overhuls
Sagar Patel
Andrew Reed
Locke Lord’s nationally recognized Public Finance Practice Group has again ranked among the leading public finance practices in the nation, ranking No. 6 on The Bond Buyer’s list of Top Bond Counsel for Competitive Sales, with 181 issues totaling more than $3 billion — the most issues of any firm in the Top 10 — and No. 13 on the Top Underwriter’s Counsel list, with 114 issues totaling $5.44 billion. The team also secured some impressive regional top bond counsel rankings in The Bond Buyer’s Northeast Yearend Review, including: No. 1 in Massachusetts and Vermont, No. 2 in New Hampshire, No. 3 in Rhode Island and No. 4 in the Northeast.
Just a few of Locke Lord’s recent notable public finance matters include representing the City of Quincy, Massachusetts, in its issuance of $475 million General Obligation Pension Bonds; acted as underwriters’ counsel for the $215 million Hidalgo County Regional Mobility Authority Toll and Vehicle Registration Fee revenue bonds; representing the North Texas Tollway Authority in its issuance of tax-exempt and taxable System Revenue and Refunding Bonds totaling $848 million; served as bond counsel for Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency Single Family Housing in its issuance of $70.86 million revenue bonds, Series 223; and served as bond counsel for the Massachusetts Development Finance Agency, Bentley University Issue in two series of revenue bonds in the aggregate amount of approximately $93 million.
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.
(DALLAS) March 29, 2022 – Jani Lotz has joined Locke Lord’s Dallas office as a Partner in the Firm’s Real Estate and Finance Practice Group. With an extensive background in a wide variety of commercial real estate transactions, including real estate acquisitions and dispositions, developments, financings and refinancings, and office and retail leasing matters, Lotz further strengthens the Firm’s capabilities in Texas and across the country.
“Jani’s addition highlights the latest strong, strategic real estate hire on behalf of the Firm, following the arrival of Bill Ticknor in Los Angeles,” said Robb Stewart, Dallas Partner and Co-Chair of Locke Lord’s Real Estate and Finance Practice Group. “Her depth of experience, particularly in joint ventures, construction financing and industrial development, further bolsters our solid position in the real estate sector.”
“Jani is a highly skilled lawyer who is well-positioned to take advantage of the continuing growth in the national real estate market,” said Locke Lord Dallas Office Managing Partner Elizabeth Mack. “She is a fantastic addition to our Dallas office and national real estate team and also represents Locke Lord’s continued commitment to hiring the best talent for our thriving Firm.”
Lotz, who joins Locke Lord from Winstead, represents highly sophisticated commercial real estate developers and investors in connection with acquisitions, dispositions, financings and developments of complex industrial projects. She has extensive experience in structuring transactions, including joint venture arrangements, encompassing the full life cycle of industrial real estate assets, from acquisition and construction financing of raw land, such as title, zoning, and survey review, the implementation of permanent financing to the disposition of completed projects and forward-sales.
“Locke Lord’s robust national platform provides me with an incredible opportunity to serve my developer, investor and corporate clients at a very high level,” said Lotz. “I’m thrilled to be joining a firm with such a strong commitment to continue growing its outstanding real estate team as well as its Dallas office.”
Locke Lord lawyers provide sophisticated legal services to clients throughout the world for the acquisition, development, permitting, construction, financing, leasing, management/operation and disposition of real estate. The Firm’s clients include corporations, major financial institutions, real estate developers, private equity, pension and other investment funds, individual investors, family offices, REITs, public agencies, educational institutions, insurance companies, health care systems, nonprofit organizations, homebuilders and contractors.
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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.
March 24, 2022 – Locke Lord announced today Christine McCay and Lisa Ruggiero as Office Managing Partners of the Firm’s Boston and New York offices, respectively, and Dave Foster (Austin), Greg Heath (Houston), Andrew Hughes (Providence) and Adrienne Walker (Boston) as new members of its Board of Directors.
“Christine, Lisa, Dave, Greg, Andrew and Adrienne are excellent lawyers and strong leaders who will do an outstanding job in these new roles,” said Locke Lord Chair David Taylor. “Together they will be integral to positioning our Firm for further growth.”
McCay serves as Co-Chair of Locke Lord’s Debt Finance Practice Group, where she represents financial institutions, including banks, investment funds and finance companies, as well as private equity sponsors and public and private operating companies in a broad range of debt financing transactions, such as syndicated senior credit facilities, second lien, mezzanine and subordinated debt financings, distressed debt investments, restructuring and recapitalization transactions and high-yield bond issuances. She is also a member of the Firm’s Finance and Wellness Committees. Joining McCay on the leadership team of the Boston office is Jonathan Young, who will serve as Deputy Managing Partner.
Ruggiero, who also serves as Managing Partner of the Firm’s Newark office, acts as lead counsel in complex litigations filed in federal and state courts in multiple jurisdictions throughout the country. She has extensive experience representing clients in consumer fraud and other putative class actions and manages the defense of mass tort actions and other personal injury cases often involving catastrophic injuries and deaths arising from allegations of professional negligence, product liability and toxic exposures. Ruggiero is also a member of the Firm-wide Diversity and Inclusion Committee. Alan Levin will join her on the leadership team of the New York office serving as Deputy Managing Partner.
These changes reflect Locke Lord’s ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion, with nearly half of its offices across the Firm now run by women: Austin, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Newark, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. Locke Lord has four women on its Executive Committee, including one Vice Chair, and 11 women on its Board of Directors, including both Co-Chairs.
Locke Lord’s Board of Directors helps direct the Firm’s vision and strategy and collaborates on other Firm-wide initiatives. Chaired by Nina Huerta (Los Angeles), the Board reports to Taylor and the Firm’s Executive Committee. Remaining on the Board are Al Clark (Los Angeles), Laura Edrington (Houston), Lauren Fincher (Austin), William D. Foley Jr. (New York), Douglas Gray (Providence), Denise Hanna (Washington, D.C.), Ben Henry (London), Elizabeth Mack (Dallas), Hanna Norvell (Houston), Rusty Perdew (Chicago), Benjamin Sykes (Chicago) and Scott Wofsy (Stamford).
New members of Locke Lord’s Board of Directors:
- Foster, a member of the Firm’s Litigation and Financial Services Litigation Practice Groups, regularly represents banks, mortgage servicers and other financial institutions in putative class actions, mass actions and individual actions in state and federal court as well as arbitration proceedings. He has significant experience handling disputes involving real property investment and development as well as representing investors, directors, officers and issuers in cases involving securities fraud and registration irregularities.
- Heath is Co-Chair of Locke Lord’s Private Equity and Venture Capital Practice Group. He concentrates his practice in mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, corporate restructurings, private equity financings and general corporate matters, with a particular emphasis on clients in the energy industry. He has primarily focused his practice on mergers and acquisitions, representing public and private clients as well as strategic and financial buyers and sellers.
- Hughes is the Practice Leader of the Providence Corporate Group and a member of the Firm’s Private Equity and Venture Capital Practice Group. He focuses his practice on corporate transactions, advising lower middle market private equity firms, their portfolio companies and large public companies in acquisitions, sales and restructurings. He also provides general counsel to growth stage companies. Hughes closes transactions in many different industries, including technology, services, aerospace and defense manufacturing and health care.
- Walker is a member of the Firm’s Bankruptcy, Restructuring and Insolvency Practice Group. She focuses her practice on corporate restructuring and commercial finance and has significant bankruptcy litigation experience and deep capabilities advancing creditors’ rights and representing debt holders, trade creditors and debtors in bankruptcies, receiverships and out of court workouts. Walker is a frequent speaker and writer on numerous topics of interest in the bankruptcy and commercial lending fields.
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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.
(CHICAGO) March 31, 2022 – Andy Miller has rejoined Locke Lord’s Chicago office as a Partner in the Firm’s Health and Managed Care Litigation Practice Group. Miller brings to the Firm a wide range of regulatory and litigation, including patent litigation, antitrust and government relations experience across the health care industry.
Previously, Miller was an attorney in the National Complex Litigation and Investigations Division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office of the General Counsel, where he oversaw the organization’s largest, most complex and high-profile cases across its litigation and regulatory portfolio. He was also appointed by the HHS Secretary as one of only six individuals to serve as a panel member on the newly formed 340B Administrative Dispute Resolution Board. In this role, he adjudicated disputes between covered entities and manufacturers. During his tenure at HHS, he concurrently served as Special Attorney for the Commercial Litigation Branch, Civil Division of the U.S. Department of Justice.
Miller focuses his practice on the interplay between litigation and regulatory issues affecting the health care industry. He has over 13 years of experience litigating complex, multiparty, multidistrict cases and proficiency with various regulatory issues, including FDA, ACA, 340B and HIPAA compliance. Miller is well versed in all pre-trial, trial and post-trial phases of federal court litigation. He also counsels clients regarding regulatory compliance. Miller has represented clients in antitrust actions related to pharmaceutical products, including actions involving reverse payments, product hopping and risk evaluation and mitigation strategies.
“Locke Lord’s national presence paired with its exceptional commitment to clients across a broad range of practice groups offered me the ideal platform to come back to,” said Miller. “It’s a pleasure to return to the Firm and once again work alongside so many outstanding colleagues, while also being able to provide clients with a unique perspective to help them navigate today’s complex legal issues in the health care sector.”
Locke Lord’s Health and Managed Care Litigation Practice Group includes trial and regulatory lawyers who routinely represent the interests of multinational health insurers, managed care organizations (MCOs), pharmaceutical companies, medical device companies, distributors, PBMS, TPAs, hospitals, multihospital health systems, physicians and physician groups, academic medical centers, skilled nursing centers, and home health, hospice and long-term care facilities in a range of disputes, litigation, arbitration, investigations, civil investigative demand (CID) proceedings, administrative proceedings and threatened litigation, including high-profile matters involving billion-dollar claims and cutting-edge issues.
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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.