PALATINE’S LAWRENCE EPPLEY NAMED MANAGING PARTNER AT SHEPPARD MULLIN’S NEW CHICAGO LAW OFFICE

Palatine resident Lawrence C. Eppley has been named managing partner of a new Chicago office of an international law firm.

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP has announced the opening of its 15^th office, this one located in Three First National Plaza in Chicago. Joining Eppley in the new office are Terrence E. Budny, Kevin M. Cloutier, 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. 

“Establishing a Chicago presence is a strategic step in growing and strengthening the firm's national footprint, beyond the East and West coasts,” said Guy N. Halgren, chairman of Sheppard Mullin. “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.”

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.

"Joining Sheppard Mullin provides an exciting opportunity to lead the firm's new Chicago office,” Eppley said. “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. 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. 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. 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. Peterson, who joins as a member of the Finance and Bankruptcy practice group, concentrates his practice on corporate and municipal finance.