Sheppard Mullin Opens Chicago Office

CHICAGO, July 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP announced today the opening of a Chicago office, the firm's fifteenth office.  Attorneys in the new office, located at Three First National Plaza, include Terrence E. Budny, Kevin M. Cloutier, Lawrence C. Eppley, Patrick J. Maloney, Paul T. Metzger and Kenneth A. Peterson, Jr.  All of the attorneys join Sheppard Mullin from the Chicago office of K&L Gates, except Cloutier, who joins the firm from Winston & Strawn in Chicago.  D. Ronald Ryland, the firm's general counsel, will also join the office, relocating from San Francisco.  Eppley joins as managing partner of Sheppard Mullin's new office.

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"Establishing a Chicago presence is a strategic step in growing and strengthening the firm's national footprint, beyond the East and West coasts.  Initially the office will leverage the success of our corporate, employment, real estate and finance practices and helps us serve current and future clients.  We are pleased to be opening the office with a strong foundation of talented attorneys having exactly the right combination of skills and experience.  We are likely to have additions to this group in the very near future.  Chicago is the Midwest's corporate center and we are committed to growing the office to serve companies in the region, including those in the advertising, healthcare, insurance, private equity and technology sectors," said Guy N. Halgren, chairman of Sheppard Mullin. 

Commented Eppley, "Joining Sheppard Mullin provides an exciting opportunity to lead the firm's new Chicago office. We were attracted by Sheppard Mullin's collegial atmosphere and entrepreneurial culture, which reminded us of Bell, Boyd, our former firm.  Sheppard Mullin's strong financial performance and success in opening and growing other offices was also a huge plus for us. I look forward to continuing to practice with the same colleagues I have for decades, as well as with my new partners Kevin and Ron and the rest of the Sheppard Mullin team."

Budny, who joins as a member of the Real Estate, Land Use and Environmental practice group, concentrates his practice in real estate financing, development and investment.  He has extensive experience in representing buyers, sellers, lenders, borrowers, landlords and tenants in complex real estate transactions throughout the country.  Budny's practice focuses on sophisticated lender representation of complex construction projects and financings secured by real estate.  Budny received his J.D. from University of Chicago Law School in 1976. 

Cloutier, who joins as a member of the Labor and Employment practice group, focuses on all areas of labor and employment law, with an emphasis on employment-related litigation and proactive counseling of clients.  He has litigation and first-chair trial experience before state and federal trial and appellate courts all over the country, arbitrators, FINRA, the National Labor Relations Board, and administrative agencies.  Cloutier advises clients on a wide range of employment-related issues, including wage and hour issues, whistleblower, contract disputes, restrictive covenants, internal investigations, white-collar criminal investigations, personnel policies, employment agreements, reductions-in-force, labor disputes, employee benefits matters, and general human resources strategies.  He has particular expertise in restrictive covenant and non-competition matters, whistleblower claims and internal investigations.  Cloutier received his J.D., cum laude, from Indiana University Maurer School of Law in 1999 and is a member of the Federal Trial Bar, as well as the Illinois, Indiana and Texas bars and federal courts across the country.

Eppley, who joins as a member of the Corporate practice group, concentrates his practice in acquisition, real estate finance, development, public and private finance, joint ventures and raising equity.  He has considerable experience with middle market and emerging growth companies, including those in the hospitality and restaurant sectors, and with structured and institutional finance. He was general counsel to one of Chicago's fastest growing companies, and his clients rely on him as their principal outside legal counsel. Eppley was a practice group head at his former firm and received his J.D., magna cum laude, Order of the Coif, from University of Illinois College of Law in 1985.

Maloney, who joins as a member of the Corporate practice group, concentrates his practice in public and private merger and acquisition transactions, public and private securities offerings and securities law compliance matters, and corporate governance issues.  He has handled numerous negotiated mergers (including public company mergers), stock and asset acquisitions, going private transactions, and divisional carve-outs. Maloney has been an adviser on substantial transactional programs undertaken by clients designed to advance their strategic goals.  Maloney received his J.D., cum laude, from University of Chicago Law School in 1982. 

Metzger, who joins as a member of the Tax, Employee Benefits, and Trusts and Estates practice group, concentrates his practice in the federal income tax aspects of business transactions, particularly mergers and acquisitions, financing transactions and the use of limited liability companies and partnerships in business transactions.  He has extensive experience in structuring both taxable and tax-free acquisitions and divestitures and private equity investments.  Metzger's practice also includes the general representation of closely held businesses with respect to their business and tax planning.  He also handles multigenerational wealth and business transfers and other estate planning matters.  Metzger received his J.D., cum laude, from Harvard Law School in 1976. 

Peterson, who joins as a member of the Finance and Bankruptcy practice group, concentrates his practice on corporate and municipal finance. He provides representation to lenders, investors, borrowers and guarantors in connection with U.S. denominated and multi-currency senior, mezzanine and subordinated corporate financing transactions.  These financings have included secured and unsecured debt, and single lender, syndicated and club transactions consisting of term and revolving credit facilities, asset-based debt financings, construction credit facilities, financings primarily secured with intellectual property, venture capital transactions, leveraged buyouts, recapitalizations, high yield debt offerings, cross-border and domestic private placements of debt, securitized debt offerings, international vendor financings, convertible debt transactions, debtor-in-possession financings and workout and restructuring of distressed debt transactions.  Peterson received his J.D., magna cum laude, from Indiana University Maurer School of Law in 1991. 

Ryland, a member of the California, New York and District of Columbia bars, serves as the firm's general counsel.  Prior to assuming that role, he was a business litigator and bankruptcy lawyer for nearly forty years, with a substantial focus on the representation of financial institutions and other creditors.   Ryland received his J.D., cum laude, from Columbia Law School in 1970. 

About Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP

Sheppard Mullin is a full service Global 100 firm with close to 600 attorneys in 15 offices located in the United States, Europe and Asia.  Since 1927, companies have turned to Sheppard Mullin to handle corporate and technology matters, high stakes litigation and complex financial transactions.  In the U.S., the firm's clients include more than half of the Fortune 100.  For more information, please visit www.sheppardmullin.com.  

SOURCE Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP