Morgan Lewis Expands Corporate and Tax Capacity in Chicago
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date:
07/08/2009
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~ Firm draws nationwide chair of Securities/Public Company Group and head of Chicago corporate practice from Sonnenschein ~
CHICAGO, IL, July 8, 2009: Significantly expanding its corporate and tax capabilities in Chicago, Morgan Lewis today announced the addition of Andrew L. Weil, Neal Aizenstein, and Michael J. Legamaro as partners in its Business and Finance Practice. Well known in the Chicago market and beyond, the new partners serve as outside general and special counsel to numerous corporations and entities, for which they manage a broad spectrum of complex legal issues. Mr. Weil most recently served as chair of the nationwide securities/public company group at Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP, where Mr. Aizenstein was head of the Chicago office’s corporate practice, and Mr. Legamaro was a tax partner focusing on international and domestic tax and business planning.
“As we continue to add talent strategically, Andrew, Neal, and Michael offered a unique opportunity,” noted Firm Chair Francis M. Milone. “These are high-quality, energetic lawyers who can best take advantage of the breadth of our practice—including our regulatory experience and national platform—to better serve clients.”
Messrs. Weil and Aizenstein have a diverse corporate practice that includes a wide variety of corporate and securities matters, including mergers and acquisitions, public and private financings, restructurings, joint ventures and partnerships, securities regulations, private equity and venture capital transactions, and general corporate and securities counseling. Mr. Legamaro’s practice involves planning and implementation across a range of tax and capital markets–oriented areas, including development of innovative structures designed for use in many contexts such as private equity funds, hedge funds, and mergers and acquisitions, as well as domestic and international tax and estate planning. Their respective clients include various Fortune 500 companies in industries ranging from financial services to manufacturing, both in the United States and overseas.
“This team—whose practices are mutually reinforcing—will offer the kind of comprehensive advice that is a hallmark of our Business and Finance Practice across the United States and internationally,” said David Pollak, leader of the firm’s Business and Finance Practice.
Messrs. Weil, Aizenstein, and Legamaro join a business and finance team that already spans the United States, Europe, and Asia, with nearly 400 transactional lawyers who focus on a wide variety of areas, including mergers and acquisitions, private equity, tax, finance, and capital markets.
Mr. Weil represents purchasers, sellers, and investors in a wide variety of public and private merger and acquisition transactions. Mr. Weil also represents issuers and underwriters in public financing transactions, including initial public offerings of debt and equity securities. He has represented both borrowers and lenders in a wide range of financing transactions. Mr. Weil advises boards of directors and board committees in governance, corporate control/takeover defense, proxy fights, and securities regulatory compliance issues. Mr. Weil's experience includes representing clients in cross-border transactions. He also has experience with REITs and real estate–related transactions.
Mr. Aizenstein also represents purchasers, sellers, and investors in a wide variety of public and private acquisitions and disposition transactions. He also represents issuers and underwriters in public and private financings, including initial public offerings and Rule 144A offerings of both equity and debt securities. Mr. Aizenstein’s background includes general corporate and securities counseling; he has advised public companies with respect to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and has prepared and reviewed periodic reports, registration statements, proxy statements, and other documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Mr. Legamaro assists public and private foreign and domestic corporations, partnerships, REITs, and ultra high-net-worth and entrepreneurial families, family offices, individuals, and trusts in the analysis, structuring, and negotiation of corporate and real estate transactions, leveraged buyouts, reorganizations, debt restructurings, consolidations, and similar transactions, as well as planning for the creation, preservation, and transmission of wealth among generations. He also has a significant background in tax and business strategies and other acquisition/disposition transactions for real estate portfolios, owners, and developers, including multibillion-dollar REITs and real estate partnerships. In addition, he provides international income, capital, estate, inheritance, and gift-planning solutions to high-net-worth clients and families with assets outside of the country of their permanent residence and serves as the Chicago branch chairman of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners.
“Paired with our top-notch labor and employment, employee benefits, ESOP, and litigation capabilities, this stellar corporate and tax group allows us to meet the full spectrum of client needs,” added Barry Hartstein, Managing Partner of the firm’s Chicago Office. “We are thrilled to welcome them to our team.”
Since its opening in October 2003, the firm’s Chicago office has grown steadily, from less than half a dozen to 47 attorneys.