PHILADELPHIA, CHICAGO and BALTIMORE, April 1, 2015—International law firm Duane Morris LLP has named Brian P. Kerwin Chair of the firm's Corporate Practice Group, and Robert B. Hopkins Managing Partner of the firm's Baltimore office.

Kerwin, who was among the founders of the Duane Morris Chicago office in 1999, will lead the firm's global corporate practice group from the firm's Chicago office.

Hopkins, who joined Duane Morris as a partner in 2008, is a member of the firm's Trial Practice Group and focuses on transportation, maritime law, products liability and commercial litigation. The Baltimore office serves clients in the Washington, D.C.–Maryland corridor, as well as throughout the United States and internationally.

Brian Kerwin, Corporate Practice Group Chair

"Brian is already a known leader in the firm, having served as vice-chair of our Corporate Practice Group," said John J. Soroko, Chairman and CEO of Duane Morris. "He is viewed by his partners as an extraordinarily gifted lawyer and leader and will utilize his vision, skills, personality and energy to guide our active and broad-based Corporate Practice Group as its chair," Soroko said.

Kerwin has served as a partner in Duane Morris' Corporate and Finance groups, as a member of the firm's national governing Partners Board and as a member of the Management Committee of the Chicago office. He has extensive experience representing business entities, lenders, private equity funds and entrepreneurs in various business and financing transactions, including the buying and selling of companies, acquisition financings, capital raises, syndicated secured loan transactions, and private equity transactions. His clients include nationally recognized private equity funds, banks and other institutional lenders.

"I have been excited about practicing law at Duane Morris for 15 years," said Kerwin. "We have a tremendous group of transactional lawyers, and we are on a trajectory for continued growth."

Kerwin was selected for inclusion in the Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business directory (for Banking & Finance or Corporate/M&A: Private Equity) in 2006 through 2014. He was described in the Chambers guide as having "a flair for complex transactions," an "energy and tact" that appeals to "a hugely loyal clientele" and as someone who is "responsive and gets the deal done." Kerwin was also selected as a Leading Lawyer in Illinois in Mergers & Acquisitions or Corporate Finance Law in 2005 through 2014. Kerwin was recently featured in a three-page article in national publication Leading Lawyers Magazine—Business Edition. In addition, in 2005 through 2015, he was selected as a Super Lawyer in Mergers & Acquisitions or Banking & Financial in a guide published by Law & Politics that distinguishes the top 5 percent of Illinois lawyers. He is also included in Best Lawyers in America for Corporate Law, 2013–2015.

Kerwin earned his B.A. from the University of Michigan, magna cum laude, with honors in history, and received his law degree, with honors, from the George Washington University National Law Center, where he was a member of the Law Review. He also received a Master's of Intellectual Property Law from The John Marshall Law School in Chicago.

He is a member of the Board of Directors of Lurie's Children's Memorial Hospital, Foundation Board (Chicago); and a former member of the Board of Trustees of the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum; the Board of Directors of the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG), Chicago Chapter; and the Corporate Advisory Board of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Kerwin received the National Multiple Sclerosis Society – Greater Illinois Chapter Leadership Class of 2002 Award, which recognizes "Outstanding Professional Achievement and Community Leadership." Kerwin is also a past director and executive vice president of the Illinois Young Executives Club.

Rob Hopkins, Baltimore Managing Partner

"Rob Hopkins is a terrific lawyer who has always demonstrated great legal acumen and leadership skills in his practice," said Soroko. "I'm delighted that he will now be leading our Baltimore office."

Hopkins has represented clients in numerous federal and state courts and in administrative proceedings before such federal agencies as the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), U.S. Coast Guard and National Transportation Safety Board. He has also counseled clients in large-scale product recalls and reporting obligations under the laws enforced by the CPSC.

"It is a privilege to lead our Baltimore office," said Hopkins. "We have a wonderful team in Baltimore, with great lawyers across many critical legal specialties."

Hopkins has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America, Maritime Law Category; Maryland Super Lawyers, 2009 to 2014; and Super Lawyers, Corporate Counsel Edition, March 2009. He is AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell. Hopkins is a member of the Maritime Law Association of the United States, where he served as a board member from 2008 to 2011; a board member of the Admiralty Law Institute; and vice president of American Maritime Cases. Among his many civic and charitable activities, Hopkins is a member of the board of trustees of Living Classrooms, which provides hands-on training and education to thousands of underprivileged youth and young adults, and was part of the Greater Baltimore Committee Leadership Class of 2009. He is a lifelong Baltimore resident and a graduate of the University of Maryland School of Law and of Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut.

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