Barack Ferrazzano Kirschbaum & Nagelberg LLP

Managing Partners: Howard J. Kirschbaum & Roger H. Stetson
Number of lawyers: 115
Number of partners: 91
Number of other attorneys: 24

Firm Overview:
Founded in 1984 as an alternative to the traditional large law firm, Barack Ferrazzano Kirschbaum & Nagelberg LLP ("BFKN") aims to provide extraordinary service in a wide range of industries for each core practice area. Without the overhead of large, multi-national “BigLaw” firms, the firm has the flexibility to serve its clients in a global capacity — when, where, and how they need it — in all manner of legal transactions and matters. Without the overhead of large, multi-office firms, we have the flexibility to serve our clients in a global capacity — when, where, and how they need us. In doing so, we successfully serve large multi-national corporations in all manners of legal transactions and matters. Our business model is predicated upon having a deep understanding of our clients’ businesses and the development of long-lasting relationships, which yield great efficiencies. Our lawyer retention rate is extremely high, with very few of our attorneys or paralegals leaving to pursue legal careers at other law firms. As a result, we are able to provide a consistent team of professionals, enhancing our client relationships and allowing us to become increasingly cost-efficient in addressing our clients’ legal needs.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion ("DEI")

BFKN has a strong history of promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion within the firm. We actively recruit talented professionals and staff based on our commitment to personal and professional excellence, and we actively include people of different backgrounds and perspectives. This commitment to diversity and fostering a welcoming culture attracts the most qualified candidates and creates a fulfilling environment for not just our people, but for our clients as well.

The firm is dedicated to strategies to retain and advance diverse talent, serve underprivileged populations through pro bono and volunteer activities in the community and to embrace a mindset of continuous improvement and an openness to support all attorneys in their entrepreneurial endeavors. The firm is committed to inclusion and equity and recognizes that diverse people and staffing on client matters leads to better problem-solving and innovation. We seek to foster an atmosphere where various ideas can be fully examined and tested, ultimately producing the best results for our clients.

Our commitment to diversity and inclusion continues to be a critical element of our firm’s culture, and it is reflected in our numbers. As of April 2022, 67% of associates and 31% of partners identify in one or more EEOC defined diverse groups. Since the beginning of 2021, 67% of newly hired attorneys and paralegals identify in one or more EEOC-defined diverse group and 50% of attorneys promoted to partner were diverse. We are excited about the strides we have made just in the past year, and are encouraged by the momentum and plans that the newly revamped DEI Committee has in place for further growth and development of DEI initiatives at BFKN.

International Work:
Since its founding 35+ years ago, BFKN has been a strategic legal business partner to some of the most respected and iconic companies around the world. While the firm does not have international offices, BFKN is a member of TAG Alliances (TAGLaw) which consists of 160+ law firms in 90+ countries. We collaborate with our TAGLaw partners around the world regularly when serving our global clients.

Main Areas of Practice

• Antitrust & Commercial Competition
• Co-Chairs: Edward F. Malone & Owen H. Smith
• Bankruptcy & Creditor Rights
• Chair: Nathan Q. Rugg
• Compensation & Employment
• Chair: Andrew K. Strimaitis
• Corporate & Securities
• Chair: James R. Whitney
• Cybersecurity, Privacy & Technology
• Chair: Karyn L. Doerfler
• Environmental
• Chair: Raymond T. Reott
• Fashion, Luxury & Retail
• Chair: Daniel L. Dominguez
• Financial Institutions
• Co-Chairs: Robert M. Fleetwood & John E. Freechack
• Insurance Coverage
• Chair: Matthew A. Bills
• Intellectual Property
• Co-Chairs: Scott J. Slavick & Wendi E. Sloane
• Litigation
• Co-Chairs: Matthew A. Bills & Maile Hitomi Solís
• Manufacturing, Distribution & Franchising
• Co-Chairs: Alexander Lourie & Roger H. Stetson
• Motor Vehicle
• Co-Chairs: Sarah M. Bernstein & Owen H. Smith
• Real Estate
• Co-Chairs: Suzanne Bessette-Smith, Jeremy T. Bunnow & Richard S. Nikchevich
• Tax & Business Planning
• Co-Chairs: Lance R. Rodgers & Michael J. Towne
• White Collar Defense & Regulatory Enforcement
• Chair: Edward F. Malone

Offices

• Chicago (Headquarters)
• Minneapolis
• Waco