Robert M Hayward

Bob Hayward — named a 2025 “Dealmaker of the Year” by The American Lawyer — helps lead the global team that has been awarded “Capital Markets Practice Group of the Year” numerous times by Law 360. Bob was also named “Lawyer of the Year in Illinois” in 2026, a “Notable Gen X Leader” by Crain’s Chicago Business in 2021 and a “Trailblazer in the Midwest” by The American Lawyer in 2026.

Bob provides direct, thoughtful and practical advice to publicly-traded corporations — across all industries — and private equity funds and their portfolio companies in all aspects of securities, M&A, spin-offs, SEC compliance / disclosure, corporate governance, stockholder activism, executive compensation, crisis management and general corporate matters. He has extensive experience representing companies in IPOs, high-yield and investment grade debt offerings, private financings, joint ventures and public and private M&A transactions.