
Private Equity: Buyouts
USA Guide 2026 : Illinois
Rankings

Ranked Individuals
Ranked Individuals
About
Provided by Katten
Katten’s Corporate practice lawyers provide sophisticated transactional representation and business counseling to national and global companies in diverse industries. To comprehensively represent our clients in their business transactions, our corporate attorneys partner with Katten lawyers from other disciplines, including antitrust, environmental and workplace safety, intellectual property, labor and employment, and transactional tax planning.
Our core practice areas include mergers and acquisitions, private equity and securities. Attorneys in our Mergers and Acquisitions practice handle complex domestic and international transactions for public and private companies, financial institutions and investment funds. Our Private Equity practice lawyers work with private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies to maximize the value of their investments from entry through exit. Our Securities practice attorneys assist clients with public and private offerings of equity and debt securities and other securities transactions, and provide regulatory advice to public and private companies and other financial market participants. We also provide corporate governance and business counseling to companies and their boards of directors and board committees.
Chambers Review
Provided by Chambers
Work Highlights
Provided by Chambers
Katten advised Due North, a portfolio company of Ronin Equity Partners, on its sale to AeriTek Global Holdings.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
The Katten team is great with complex deal work. They are very commercial and creative in the process.
Private Equity: Buyouts respondentUSAKatten has a well-rounded team with strong levels of expertise across disciplines.
Private Equity: Buyouts respondentUSAKatten is a highly sophisticated group and is able to consistently navigate deal complexities.
Private Equity: Buyouts respondentUSA
Notable Practitioners
Provided by Chambers
Band 2 
Band 2 
Kimberly T. Smith
Kimberly Smith is recognized for her capabilities in M&A. She has additional expertise in LBOs and joint ventures. She serves as the global chair of Katten's corporate department.
Kimberly is a trusted resource for many reasons. She is transparent and able to deconstruct incredibly complicated matters into plain English.
Private Equity: Buyouts respondentUSAKimberly Smith is knowledgeable, responsive and intelligent. She is relentless is advocating for clients and driving issues to a favorable outcome.
Private Equity: Buyouts respondentUSAKimberly is highly responsive with mastery across a number of areas. She is great at interacting with counterparties to land points deftly and is also highly commercial and business-oriented.
Private Equity: Buyouts respondentUSA
Band 4 
Band 4 
Christopher S. Atkinson
Christopher Atkinson advises both corporate and private equity clients, as well as venture capital firms, on a range of transactions. His broad sector expertise overs technology and life sciences.
Christopher Atkinson is a very strong lawyer.
Private Equity: Buyouts respondentUSA
Band 4 
Band 4 
Mark R Grossmann
Mark Grossmann's practice incorporates expertise in both strategic and private equity M&A. He often advises on cross-border transactions.
Mark Grossman is great. He is business-savvy, has huge attention to detail and a wonderful work ethic and bedside manner that comes without ego to help you solve problems.
Private Equity: Buyouts respondentUSA
Up and Coming 
Up and Coming 
Thomas Lamprecht
Thomas Lamprecht is recognised as a rising star in the private equity market and is noted for his experience handling a range of transactions and investment-related matters.
He has a very strategic and forward-thinking mindset and is very easy to work with.
Private Equity: Buyouts respondentUSATom is great. He's commercial, practical and hardworking.
Private Equity: Buyouts respondentUSATom is fantastic. He's very plain-spoken and commercial and he's always responsive.
Private Equity: Buyouts respondentUSA
Ranked Individuals at Katten (4)
Members
Provided by Katten

Kimberly T. Smith
View profile of Kimberly T. Smith
Mark R Grossmann
View profile of Mark R Grossmann
Christopher S. Atkinson
View profile of Christopher S. Atkinson
Thomas Lamprecht
View profile of Thomas Lamprecht
What success is built on
Chambers is the leading data and intelligence partner for the legal sector.