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Press Release
Duane Morris Names Partners to Corporate Practice Group Leadership Roles
July 16, 2008
CHICAGO, June 30, 2008 - Duane Morris LLP is pleased to announce that it has named partners David Kaufman and Brian Kerwin, both based in its Chicago office, vice chairs of the firm's global Corporate Practice Group. In addition, the firm has appointed Philadelphia partner David Toner the new chair of the practice group's Steering Committee, and has named Baltimore partner George Nemphos the group's marketing partner.
"These four partners are highly skilled corporate lawyers who have demonstrated great leadership in the deals and other matters they have handled, as well as a firm grasp of the issues facing their clients," John Horstmann, chair of the Corporate Practice Group, said. "I am confident they will continue to work tirelessly in their new leadership positions to further the success of the group, the firm and its clients."
David Kaufman focuses his practice on mergers and acquisitions, public and private securities, private equity and general corporate counseling. Kaufman assists clients in developing and implementing creative strategies to accomplish their business objectives. Having led more than $8 billion in securities offerings, he represents both issuers and underwriters in primary and secondary offerings of both equity and debt and also represents investors in their security investments in public companies and private equity participants (including fundless sponsors and high net worth individuals) in their transactions. He also regularly advises boards of directors, their committees and officers on their fiduciary duties and other obligations. He advises financial advisors in connection with their engagements in rendering fairness and solvency opinions. He also counsels both acquirers and sellers of SEC reporting "corporate shells" and other participants in mergers with these shells. Kaufman, who is named in Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business as a leader in Illinois in the "Corporate/M&A" category, also speaks and writes on corporate law topics.
Kaufman, who joined the firm in 2002, is a member of the firm's governing Partners Board. He served on the editorial board of the Michigan Journal of International Law and as editor in chief of the Michigan Journal of Political Science.
Admitted to practice in Illinois, Kaufman is a 1990 graduate of the University of Michigan Law School. He earned his M.P.P. in 1986 and his B.A. with distinction in Economics and with honors in Political Science in 1985 from the University of Michigan.
Brian Kerwin 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 equity investments. He has represented clients doing business in numerous industries, including real estate firms, banks, plastics and automotive parts manufacturers, cable television and media companies, healthcare, transportation logistics and software consulting firms, among others. In 2006, 2007 and 2008, Brian was selected for inclusion in the prestigious Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business directory as a leader in Illinois in the "Banking & Finance" category. He has also been selected as a Leading Lawyer in the State of Illinois in both Mergers and Acquisitions and Corporate Finance Law in years 2005 through 2008. In 2004, Chicago Lawyer selected Brian out of more than 1,200 nominees to be included in its "40 Illinois Attorneys Under Forty to Watch."
Kerwin is a member of the firm's governing Partners Board and a member of the Management Committee of the Chicago office. In 1999, he was one of the eight founding partners of the office.
Admitted to practice in Illinois and the District of Columbia, Kerwin earned an LL.M. from John Marshall Law School in Intellectual Property Law in 1996 and earned his J.D., with honors, from the National Law Center of The George Washington University in 1989, where he was a member of the Law Review. He received his B.A., magna cum laude, with honors in History from the University of Michigan in 1986.
Kaufman and Kerwin shared an honor from their mutual alma mater: They were featured as "Windy City Wolverines" in the Late Fall 2006 issue of Michigan Alumnus, the alumni magazine of the University of Michigan.
About Duane Morris
Duane Morris LLP, a full-service law firm of more than 650 attorneys, offers innovative solutions across diverse industries in the United States and internationally to address the legal and business challenges of today's evolving global markets.
